Intellect and love will defeat radicalism

Racism in Malaysia federation have plummetted into “darker and more sinister” levels and “will lead Malaysia into turmoil and anarchy” if unchecked.

Radicalism is a word that first appeared in the 18th century, deriving from the Latin word "radix," meaning root, and connotes "fundamentally" or "at root." This doctrine gradually came to be interpreted philosophically, being defined as a complete criticism and changing of lifestyle in terms of social and political phenomena. 

Organizations that adopt this philosophical doctrine strive to impose their own ideologies with a total disregard for what their opponents think or advocate. In the public eye, these radical organizations are often regarded as illegal and terrorist groups by many democratic regimes. 

It is a mistake to regard radicalism as a thought system based on religious beliefs. Above all, acts of terror and murder are never regarded as justified in any divine faith; Islam utterly condemns and prohibits terrorism. However, some groups that misinterpret the faith have given rise to such a perception in the world. 

In Malaysia federation, radical groups espousing extreme right-wing especially from Malaya have bring with them many trouble which consequently, bring the “heat” of their radicalism into our sleepy and peaceful backwater of Borneo in Sarawak and Sabah directly or indirectly. 

Such trouble for example is the call to boycott Chinese businesses, irresponsible statement of “Chinese Tsunami” and “Apa lagi Cina Mahu”, anti-Chinese activism, heightening of the Malay supremacy, re-using the religion and race card, promoting draconian rule of ISA to be re-implemented, religious bigotry, physical threat and gangsterism, call to ban religious practices, religious book burning, ignorant and irrespectable to Malaysia Agreement 1963 on religious freedom, borneonisation and autonomy of Sarawak and Sabah and so on.

Such organizations meeting the above description are active in Malaysia federation, especially in Malaya, secretly and openly. Leaders of our nation in Sarawak frequently emphasize the importance of the struggle against radicalism by drawing attention to the threat. 

Self-style “President” of Sarawak, Chief Minister Adenan Satem drew attention to the danger posed by radical groups by making a statement and move to ban all racists, bigots and troublemakers from Malaya from entering Sarawak, not only once but twice – loudly and publicly. This has to be the perfect ‘Adenan Move’. He even declared publicly that he has a list of those ‘parasites’ from Malaya who he would not allow into the state and that he would increase the numbers on his blacklist if he finds it necessary to do so.

Sarawakians at large, especially through Facebook, in 916 Occupation Group, Sarawak Sovereignty Movement (SSM) and Sabah Sarawak Keluar Malaysia (SSKM) has also emphasized that radical groups are a grave threat to Sarawak and Sabah; they incite strife and division in the Borneo and are actually the main cause of conflict between themselves in Malaya. 

Criticisms of radicalism are also quite common in Sarawak and Sabah. State Reform Party (STAR) Sabah chief, YB Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan said, racism in Malaysia federation have plummetted into “darker and more sinister” levels and “will lead Malaysia into turmoil and anarchy” if unchecked.

Sarawakians and Sabahans are naturally unnerved in the face of the savagery and lovelessness of radicalism. People with ideas opposed to Islam of course make use of this sinister picture to magnify Islamophobia. In fact, the term should really be a 'phobia' against fundamentalism, not against Islam because the phobia originates, not from Islam, a word meaning peace, but from fundamentalism, a totally different belief system. 

Let us now see how Islam rejects the thesis of radicalism, which is best defined as "fundamentally and totally interfering with and changing people's lifestyles." 

Islam gives utmost freedom to people's lifestyles, beliefs and opinions. Indeed, this conception of freedom is stressed in numerous verses of the Qur'an. One of these read as follows: 

"There is no compulsion where the religion is concerned. Right guidance has become clearly distinct from error." (Surat al-Baqara, 256) 

In addition, Christianity, Judaism and Islam cannot be equated with such an illegal doctrine as radicalism. All the divine faiths counsel love, peace, brotherhood, tolerance and justice in their essence. People are advised to behave in a loving, peaceful and tolerant manner in both the Torah and the Gospel: 

"Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God..." (1 Peter 2:17) 

"Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. ..." (Leviticus 19:18) 

As we have seen, all of the divine faiths condemn terror and radicalism. They all recommend love, peace, brotherhood, justice and tolerance to people and forbid violence and extremism. 

Radicalism in the religious sense emerges through efforts to make mistaken or bigoted teachings part of the religion and to essentially annul the commandments of the Qur'an and many of those who accept these false teachings imagine themselves to be on the true path. Therefore, those who resort to terror within these groups believe, within the morass that is fundamentalism, that they are doing this in the name of Islam. 

For that reason, telling people that the Qur'an summons all to moral values based on peace, calm, affection and tolerance will eradicate that strife. The false and radical ideas espoused out of a belief that they supposedly belong to Islam will be obliterated when rebutted with the Qur'an, the true source of Islam. 

It is very important to show everyone that the true moral values of the Qur'an desire peace, love and tranquility across the world and decisively condemn terror, violence and bloodshed and to show the exemplary virtues of Muslims to the entire world. 

Radicalism will be defeated, not through arms and violence, but through an intellectual struggle and love.

Daily Mail