Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Raheem
Allahumma salli 'alaa sayiddina Muhammadin wa 'alaa alihi sayyidina Muhammadin wa ashaabihi wa barik wa sallim
As-salaamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu
It is with a heavy heart that I, a member of the Ummah, feel compelled to defend its valued representatives from false and defamatory allegations. It is with sadness that I am forced to condemn outright what simply boils down to a crude de-construction of the truth by seven US-based Muslim organisations in response to statements made in good faith by Shaikh Hishaam Kabbani, chairman of the Islamic Supreme Council of America.
It is obvious to any logical-thinking human being on the planet that the statements attributed to the Shaikh by these organisations bear little resemblance to the original speech delivered at a State Department Open Forum in Washington.
Perhaps the gentlemen who so viciously twisted the words out of the Shaikh's mouth in a public outburst of fitna need to be reminded that they are in America where freedom of speech can mean vigorous (but healthy) debate accompanied by an equal commitment to tolerance.
Obviously, the phenomenon of extremism is a cause for concern in the US and the Shaikh, who originally hails from Lebanon, is passing on his observations and experiences. To display disagreement by insulting him doesn't in any way nullify his argument - rather, it has the opposite effect.
In any case, Islamic extremism is a global problem. It's a cancer of ignorance gnawing at the soul of 20th century Islam everywhere, a culture of "extreme" intolerance that says if you don't agree with us, you are against us. A mindset that screams, "if you don't see things my way you're kafir!"
By way of illustration, back in South Africa, Cape Town Muslims have had to bear the brunt of the same kind of sloganised, obscurantist Islamic extremism Shaikh Kabbani so sincerely warns about. Their community has been traumatised by an orgy of violence that in the space of two short years has seen hundreds drive-by-shootings, numerous cold-blooded murders, a plethora of bombings and more than thirty deaths.
The rise of patently extremist philosophies, particularly in a vigilante organisation called PAGAD (People Against Gangsters and Drugs), resulted in it burning a drug dealer alive in a Cape Town gutter in 1996 and then resorting to murdering drug merchants in the name of Islam as a matter of policy. Journalists, politicians, academics and 'ulamaa who dared to criticise this approach were either intimidated or attacked. The buzz-words became "religious gangster" or "political gangster" (read kafir) with consent manufactured at public meetings as to whom these "gangsters" (kafirs) actually were.
Academic Dr Ibrahim Moosa, whose house was bombed for questioning PAGAD methodology, had to leave the country and the president of the local Muslim Judicial Council, Shaikh Nazim Mohamed, narrowly escaped with his life when a pipe bomb was hurled into his study. To this day, certain Cape Town 'ulama walk around with bodyguards and the African National Congress leader in Cape Town, Ebrahim Rasool, has a 24-hour police guard on his home.
Ironically, the alleged perpetrators have paid a heavy price. Extremism is like a snake that devours its own tail. Twelve PAGAD members have been slain in incidents varying from gangland retaliation to police action. Their dead have all been hailed as "shaheed," martyrs to the cause. The innocent (perhaps the true martyrs) have died too - including a baby and a four year old child.
Today, PAGAD members stand charged for attempting to bomb parliament and for a series of blasts at local police stations as well as the slaying of a four year old girl. These are the tragic consequences of people selectively abrogating religious truths to perpetuate personal or political agendas in the name of Islam.
Interestingly, President Nelson Mandela echoed almost the identical sentiments of Shaikh Hishaam Kabbani when he referred to religious extremism in his opening address at parliament last month. The majority of Muslims were peace-loving, he said, but a small group using religion to camouflage an anti-social agenda were blasphemous.
The Bin Ladens of this world are not only a threat to Islam, but to humanity. Their message is one based on hate, the diametric opposite to the Prophetic principle of love. If these seven organisations are, heaven forbid, trying to cover up for Mr Bin Laden (who incidentally has become an embarrassment to even the Taliban) then one can only fear the worst for American Islam.
Then there is the issue of Shaikh Hishaam being called "Mr." It is probably more than co-incidental that the Shaikh was called Shaikh-Shaikh in the introductory programme. In Arabic, the word "Shaikh" has two meanings. Firstly, "Shaikh" means an old man, a person who has gone grey in the fold of Islam. This is generally a term of respect due to age and experience. In this case, Shaikh Kabbani probably doesn't mind being confined back to his far-flung youth!
In the second instance, there is a serious problem. The second meaning of "Shaikh" is a title given to an 'alim, a genuine man of learning. And whether his detractors like it or not, Shaikh Kabbani is an 'alim. Can those so petulant as to deny him his rightful title produce their ijazahs, sanads and certificates? Can they give their proof - their dalil - as to what gave them the God-given authority to declare Shaikh Kabbani a "Mr?"
Is there something more sinister than simply stupid in connection with the above? Did the organisations concerned balk at what was really on their minds….and that is the declaration of Shaikh Kabbani a kafir? Indeed, one wonders. For even to strip an 'alim of his taj, his symbolic crown, is to strip him of his Iman, his faith. In Islam, that is a very serious charge - something avoided by all 'ulama of note for the past 1419 years except for extremist elements such as the Khawarij.
The only recent movement to make ikhtilaaf - differences of opinion - a matter of kufr, shirk and bida't in recent times has been the pseudo-Salafi element. One hopes that American Islam is not going to tread this path and crush the flower of Islam that is beginning to flourish and grow in the rarified atmosphere of one of the most fascinating countries in the world.
Ends
Shafiq Morton
9 March 1999
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