Habib Ali Al Jifri, one of the UAE’s most prominent Islamic scholars, adroitly analysed the appeal of ISIL and other extremist groups on these pages last week. He stated that the erroneous beliefs they espouse are “deeply rooted in our education systems, our mosques, the media and even in the way we think, react and live our lives.”
He mentions that school curricula in some Muslim countries are filled with what he calls “the virus of fundamentalism and extremism”. According to Mr Al Jifri, there are other institutions that have ineffective Islamic studies programmes that are not sufficient to protect them from “falling into the spider’s web of extremist recruitment”.
As an educator, I agree unequivocally with his assessment. Not only is the curricula in some Muslim countries contributing to extremist interpretations of Islam and others are woefully inadequate in stemming the tide of radicalisation. In some cases, Islamic studies have been removed altogether. It is crucial that new curricula be developed that emphasise Islam’s teachings of tolerance and peace and that they be instituted in schools and particularly in colleges, which are breeding grounds for this type of extremist thinking and mentality.
As an African American convert to Islam, I am infuriated by the way these groups violate every aspect of the fundamental teachings of Islam. They recruit new converts by exploiting their passion, love and lack of knowledge of Islam and brainwash them with radical interpretations that create false us-against-them dichotomies.
I embraced this wonderful religion and appreciate its beauty and sanctity. I remember shedding tears after reading a book on the extraordinary and exemplary life of Prophet Mohammed.
The Quran says that he was sent as a mercy to all the worlds. In another passage it states that He is the perfect model of conduct. These extremist groups who slaughter innocent people and commit other heinous crimes misrepresent everything that Islam teaches.
Of course, I would be remiss if I did not address some of the critical issues that contribute to aspects of this radicalisation process, such as the sense of alienation and marginalisation that many young people experience in some countries. This is exacerbated by high unemployment among the youth, and the social and economic injustice that many face.
Furthermore, it is argued, the excessive punishment of these individuals when they are apprehended and incarcerated in prison only perpetuates their radicalisation, and so must be avoided. However, there is neither justification nor plausible excuse for the crimes committed by these radical extremists. There are clearly Islamic methods of dealing with these problems without misrepresenting this great religious tradition that they falsely claim to represent.
Countries in this region should be commended for their efforts to address this issue of extremism by providing social and cultural strategies and treatments to deradicalise rather than merely promulgating the military option, which Mr Al Jifri said “should be used like a surgeon’s scalpel – performed in conjunction with a comprehensive programme of treatment”.
The recent efforts by the UAE in organising meetings and conferences of Muslim scholars and the formation of the Council of Elders to refute extremism and radicalism should garner beneficial results for the future.
Finally, Bill Clinton, in his graduation speech at NYU Abu Dhabi’s inaugural graduation last May, mentioned that we are living in a period where we are more interconnected than at any time in history.
Surely, our greatest challenge for the 21st century will be how we handle our interconnectedness, how we deal with the “other”. Thus, the education strategy that is developed should not just target extremists, but should teach future generations how to respect others. It should also teach that we should not only tolerate difference, but we should celebrate it too.
Mr Al Jifri has given us a vision and a road map: “Religious scholars, faith-based leaders, intellectuals and the media must work together to find a sensible solution. Governments must do their duty in developing the minds and souls of the youth.”
Time is of the essence. Let’s get busy.
Dr Amir Al Islam is an assistant professor at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi