In The Name of Allah, The Compassionate, The Merciful

Since the infidels began their campaign of direct aggression against, and killing of, Muslims in Afghanistan - aided and abetted by hypocrites and apostates - it has become common for the Western media to denounce both the Taliban and Sheikh Osama bin Laden as "extremists" or "fundamentalists".

Even some Muslims - often residing in the West - have taken to using these terms in an attempt to distance themselves from those Muslims who have declared the American government to be a Kufr State engaged in a crusade against Islam. However, those Muslims who denounce fellow Muslims as "extremists" or "fundamentalists" have, knowingly or unknowingly, accepted and used Western criteria, and therefore have not considered the matter in an appropriate and Islamic way.

The question we must ask is : What, according to Islamic criteria, is moderation or extremism? Our criteria - our means to judge matters and people - are the Quran and Sunnah, and only them. Western concepts, ideas, criteria and principles are irrelevant. Thus, a moderate Muslim is a Muslim who strives not to go beyond the limits, the bounds, set by Allah (SWT) and made manifest to us in the Quran and Sunnah.

The moderate Muslim is the one who follows the guidance of the Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) and who always strives to refer matters to his perfect example and that of al-Khulafaa' al-Raashidoon (the Rightly Guided Caliphs) and As-Salaf as-Saalih. An extremist Muslim, in contrast, is one who, for whatever reason and from whatever motive or intention, goes beyond this guidance and these examples, or who - through Bida or Shirk - deviates from the Quran and Sunnah.

Thus, whatever is in accordance with the Quran and Sunnah - whatever is lawful according to Shari'ah - is moderate, part of the perfect, the reasoned, Way of Life which is Al-Islam.
 

"This day I have perfected your Way of Life for you and completed My Favour upon you and have chosen for you as your Way of Life AI-Islam." [ 5:3 Interpretation of meaning ]

Hence - according to Islamic criteria - the Taliban and Sheikh Osama bin Laden and his supporters - have strived to be moderate Muslims, while many who have criticized them have veered toward extremism.

Abdul Aziz

Shawwal 1422