In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As-Salāmu ‛Alaykum wa Raḩmatu Allahi wa Barakatuh
I think that you agree with me that such is not the moment for sweet talks, verbal embellishments, bombasts, and other common rhetoric, usually used and always assessed, in such important forums that discuss reality and its current crises. Misk Charitable Foundation has done well in identifying the source of the problem and addressing it from different views and perspectives.
It gives me much pleasure to take part in this important forum. I hope you allow me to present my view briefly. I wish to be in line with the miserable reality that eastern and western countries currently suffer from and to express reality apart from mere inspirations and hopes that do not reflect the running painful miseries and afflictions.
There is no doubt that the source of defection and the main cause of diseases in our Arab and Islamic countries lie in their permanent and frequent forgetfulness, intentionally or unintentionally, of the Holy Qur᾿ān that once made them a united nation leading and enlightening the world. In addition, the Holy Qur᾿ān teaches the world the values of justice, fraternity, and equality and how to hold the means of physical and moral strength.
In this Clear Book, that is the profound evidence of Allah to the Muslims in this world and the Hereafter, there is a decisive and explicit verse that forbids the Muslims and those in charge of Muslim leadership, including the scholars who are the heirs of Prophets, from disputation, division, and disagreement. In addition, it forewarns them against losing courage, against weakness, and humiliation that will be an inevitable result if they disobey such Divine law. Other nations realize the value of this law and preserve it insomuch that their major interests work together, regardless of their different languages, races, cultures, and doctrines. Allah says, “Do not dispute, or you lose courage and [then] your strength would depart.” (Qur᾿ān, 8: 46)
Dear all,
Let us look around! Is there any reason for wars that turn everything into ashes, other than disputation resulting in losing courage and departing strength that the Holy Qur᾿ān warns against! See how the First World War lasted for less than four years and the Second World War for less than six years, while the war launched in our region began several years ago and is till flaming until now. Once it is about to abate, it breaks out in more terrible ways over and again.
If division represents the main source of illness, then it is fair to state that the international and regional greedy ambitions, dominated by the mentality of colonists who dream of reviving the former past based on racial dominance and sectarian expansion, form another reason. Such greedy ambitions are not accepted by any religion or human morals. Actually, all international conventions reject them and the honorably wise men of the civilized world refuse them totally. The impact of this disease infected the nation and caused it to be coveted by enemies and predators. It is not limited to regression and failure at all levels. Its disastrous impact extends to affect the understanding of Islamic Sharia and cause people to confuse its meaning, especially those who are young. This impact has recently crystallized in the phenomenon of radicalization, extremism, and terrorism which, to our bitterness and pain, have managed to introduce this pure religion to the world as bloodthirsty, calling for brutal killings and savage massacres unknown in the long Muslim history over fifteen centuries.
If Muslims’ most bitter enemy were to scheme against Islam to drive people away from it, the impact of that damage would not amount to a little fraction of the impact of a single photo of slaughtering, killing or bombing innocent people. This misshaped image of Islam, the true religion of peace, is insistently projected by some traditional and social media as the image through which the world has to understand Islam.
Behind this betrayal to history, truth, and fairness always lay those who conspire against people and manipulate their destinies and resources.
If we search for the original causes of these phenomena, which are extraneous to Islam, Muslims, and their history and civilization in form and substance, I have no doubt that the cause is the strong wave of hatred that invades the minds of some deluded youth. It prepares them to achieve a malicious plan masterminded overseas, after finding loopholes or weak points in our education, policy, and their outcomes. This is what enabled them to easily recruit them.
I do not want to talk for long about the educational crisis in the Arab and Muslim world. Rather, I will simply say that some curricula stem from somewhat religious exaggerations and extremisms that appeared in our heritage. These trends arose because of deviated interpretations of some texts of the Qur᾿ān, the Sunnah, and statements by some scholars. These misinterpretations were used to sort people based on faiths and label them for the slightest reason or situation. They also led those people of misunderstanding to hold to juristic and doctrinal statements issued in specific circumstances during certain periods of time, and wrongly consider them as succinct texts and fundamentals whose absoluteness mount to that of the Qur᾿ān and the Sunnah. They also treat them as standards against which they judge people as heretics, transgressors, and disbelievers.
We have seen how such groups rush blindly in ignorance to describe rulers as disbelievers. They consider the ruled people and Muslim scholars disbelievers too, because the people accept them as rulers and the scholars refuse to describe the rulers as disbelievers.
They extend their judgment of disbelief to all those who reject their doctrine and do not follow their imam (leader) and to all the groups that refuse to join them. “They regard all the ages of Islam following the fourth century as ages of disbelief for consecrating taqlīd (adopting the teachings of previous scholars) against the commands of Allah. I need hardly highlight the close relationship between the doctrine of takfīr (excommunicating others and calling them as disbelievers) and the culture of hatred and rejection and contempt of others.
What caused this despicable culture to spread is the exploitation of the enormous progress in technology by those deviant people to promote their poisoned ideas among the youth. There are also the deliberate methods they use to seduce their victims by affecting them mentally and emotionally, and affecting their behavior through practical engagement.
Dear all,
I do not like repeating what you already know, but it is an inevitable prelude to find out an unconventional way out of this crisis associating the heinous crimes with Islam and Muslims. I argue that misreading this excommunicating thought and taking long time to decisively condemn it have served the exacerbation of this plague and its spread among the young. However, I do not argue that the situation is desperate. There would be spots of light and hope only if there are sincere intentions and goodwill. We should all stand united and our intentions should be the same.
Having concluded that youth have been intellectually abducted for the above mentioned reasons, we must seriously and bravely acknowledge the necessity of reconstructing the education process and curricula taught at various stages. This requires hard coordination between the officials of religious education institutions and those concerned with general education institutions and universities, culture, youth, and sports. Such coordination aims to develop an integrated educational strategy in which religion is presented in the image that Allah wanted it to be. It should be guidance, mercy, facilitation, and mitigation of hardships that people face. In addition, religion should affirm sanctity of blood, inviolability of properties and chastity, and establishment of the values of brotherhood and tolerance.
Having agreed also on the danger of the abuse of social media in this crisis, it is time to think about the proper solution to put an end to the extravagance of disbelieving declaration, sectarianism, and confessionalism that are widely spreading in cyberspace without any controls. This solution must stop the raging race to corrupt the youth and prevent the destructive attitude that paves the way for new colonial policies and projects of division, fragmentation, and humiliation of peoples.
Al-Azhar has realized the grave danger surrounding the Muslim youth. It has established an electronic observer to combat extremist ideology, correct misconceptions, and protect the youth against the culture of violence and hatred. The observer includes more than 100 researchers of Al-Azhar graduates who convey their messages in 11 languages. This is a part of a new strategy that aims to utilize all modern means of communication in countering terrorist thoughts.
Today, my message to the Muslim youth is to adhere to their religion that respects humanity, forbids killing, and protects chastity. They must be proud of their Prophet (pbuh) that Allah has sent as mercy to the entire world. The Prophet (pbuh) says about himself, "O people, I am a gifted mercy."
Our beloved youth,
You should know that extremism, exaggeration, and using killing as a tool of calling to Islam are among the reasons behind rejecting religion. You should also know that extremists and terrorists are the fastest deviants from the true path of religion. Moreover, the history will curse those who seek to destroy their homelands. They will sink into oblivion, but the homelands will remain as witnesses to their deviation.
You should also be aware that the Holy Qur᾿ān has specified the ways of calling to Islam: wisdom, good instruction, and argument in the best way rather than bomb belts and explosives.
O beloved Muslim Youth!
You should have independent personalities. Never allow the fabrications and misinformation that you receive from the social media to deceive you. You will be accountable, on the Day of Judgment, for your mind whether you used it to distinguish between the truth and falsehood or left it to others to tamper with the way they wish.
In conclusion, I would like to remind the leaders of America and the Arab and the Muslim leaders that peoples of this war-torn region, who are displaced, unsafe, deprived, and ill in deserts, expect crucial resolutions from this summit. Such resolutions should uproot and dry up the sources of terrorism, put an end to the tampering with people's lives and homeland security, and ensure safe and valuable life.
Likewise, I would like to remind that the Palestinian is at the forefront of issues that wait for a fair situation from this international summit in order to achieve security, peace, and stability for the people of Palestine and the peoples of the Arab and Muslim Worlds.
Thank you for your kind attention.
As-Salāmu ‛Alaykum wa Raḩmatu Allahi wa Barakatuh
Sha‛bān 24, 1438 AH/ May 21, 2017
Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar
Professor Ahmad At-Tayyeb