Correction of the Misguided Belief of a Minority by A.R.
Introduction
This article will be dedicated to a critique of the situation of the beliefs which are present in a small number of Muslims of the West and are unfortunately prevalent in the Arab world, particularly in the centers of Pan-Arabism ideology. I am tackling this issue in response to many websites run by vocal individuals who are disseminating hate and prejudice toward other Muslims and our brothers of other faiths. It is first important to know that this movement, seeped in enmity and racial superiority, is the result of the Arab rebellion against Turkish rule and more recently response to European and American colonialism. We must note that these beliefs run contrary to Islamic belief. Many of the results of this ruinous ideology, which include denial of human rights to others (using immigration laws to secure a neo-slavery of immigrants from other Muslim countries) and a view that Arab or Arabized Muslims are superior to other Muslims, are enough to take a person out of Islam and at war with the core beliefs of the Islamic religion.
Using Religion
These individuals who are promoting the extremism and hate against other Muslims have actually violated one of the fundamental clauses of the Quran, which is to 'encourage good and discourage evil.' The use of religion to dehumanize fellow human beings is nothing new in the world, but in the history of Islam it is surprisingly absent. The West used the belief of morality and civility of Christianity to launch attacks on all others such as the Muslims in the Crusades, the Jews in Pre-Holocaust and Nazi Europe, the persecution of American Indians, and the enslavement and shipping of African Muslims and Polytheists from their homelands. The minority movement which has emerged in this day and age is a continuation of the same type of racial prejudice and hateful view as the Colonialist Europeans had. It is ironic as Islam's main emphasis on the concept of one equal humanity and pluralism in belief and action (towards others who may believe differently) runs completely counter to this.
What is being Preached
In the name of education, many youngsters and those who are not acquainted with Islamic rulings and are intellectually vulnerable are being pursued by self-made 'scholars' of Islam with no real education, who preach an exclusive ideology which demonizes and dehumanizes those who do not agree with their views. Its focus on the rejection of the practice of the majority of Muslims in the world as acts of heretics and innovators is alarming. False propaganda against certain groups, such as the Shias, Sufis, and particularly of the Sunnis (Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamat), is being disseminated as we speak. The Shia are accused of being Jews and agents of the West, which is completely unfounded. The great Sufi teachers are termed innovators and non-believers because of their strong ties to philosophy, inquisitive nature, and frequent remembrance of God. The minority want to create one group of people with the exact singular belief who will follow misguided leaders unquestionably, hence the open nature of other groups earns their anger. The vast majority of Muslims belong to Sunnism which includes the four main madhabs (schools of thought of Hanafi, Shafi, Maliki, Hanbali), accepts Sufi tehreeka (ways) as noble, and views Shias as fellow Muslims. The minority rejects outright any difference of opinion among Muslims, whatever it may be. To them, putting hands in the wrong position while praying, praying different amount of rakat (for sunnah, nafl, tahajjud), respecting scholars' teachings (other than their scholars), even singing Islamic songs are tantamount to leaving Islam. They also have an intense hatred of anything foreign to what they term as 'Islam,' which means government, culture, dress, etc.
The Reality
The minority forget that the majority of the Muslims of the world (80+ %) are not Arab, thus the majority of them identify with their own non-Arab culture. To most of the Non-Arab Muslims of the world, pluralism and acceptance of other Muslims' belief is necessary in Islam according to the teachings of compassion and love embodied in the Quran and the Prophet's (s) teachings. The proof is in the demographics. All the Muslims outside the Arab world and those Arabs from the Maghrib view Sufism as an indispensable part of Islam. These Muslims also recognize that although the Quran is in Arabic, this does not make Arabic a superior language to any of their own languages. Nor are the Arabic dress or headdress necessary either. In this way, no Muslims' culture is being eradicated in place of an Arabic culture which views only itself as correct.
In the West
This minority is unique in the West in that, although part and parcel of extreme Arabism, it has a Western dimension. As stated before, the West has many Muslims whose lack of proper knowledge and constructive role models. This makes it easy for misguided individuals to teach them a warped and one-sided view of other humans which demonizes fellow Muslims and Non-Muslims. Described in America as a holier-than-thou attitude, this view results in an inflated ego and lack of common sense in favor of something one might have heard and believes unquestionably. Most Muslims close to these victims, who reject these anti-Islamic views, are at a loss of what to do. In pursuit of something meaningful in life, these misguided individuals follow people devoid of true knowledge. They become lost and themselves may, hopefully, one day recognize after years that they in fact knew nothing of the spirit true Islam.
What to do
Like many other ills in society, education is the only solution to this problem. The challenge presents itself that many of the students of this ideology are so devoid of sensibility that they may argue ceaselessly and fiercely against a simple critique of one of their beliefs, even if it is not aimed at them but aimed at trying to present the true Islam, open and loving. Yelling angrily and rudely was one of the most unpleasant things to our Prophet (s), especially to a host or to an honest Muslim friend. It results in breakage of trust and friendship. Many of the children who are sucked into these beliefs, themselves have some moral fault or inferiority complex (such as if they are a convert or if separated from their parent's Muslim culture) which they believe can be vindicated by becoming more extreme in other matters, to the point of irrationality. Having an open mind which is capable of listening to divergent viewpoints with the utmost respect is one of the greatest gifts and actually one prerequisite of reaching a higher level of being a Muslim. The great Sufi teachers throughout the Muslim world only take as their students those who show willingness to listen and are able to entertain seemingly contrasting views and balance them. The best approach to educate these individuals is to give them room and allow them to think for themselves, while answering their questions by making them question the very questions they may pose to show the unnatural irrationality and rigidity which they have fallen victim to.