ISLAM: EXTREMISM AND MODERATION
REHAN RAFIQUE

Islam has, for many years now, been torn between radical fundamentalist groups
and the more intellectually moderate groups. With both groups claiming to follow
the true Islam, an individual may have a difficult time in practicing one’s faith.
The ambition of this essay will be to investigate some of the major differences
between the movements, more specifically the Wahhabi/Salafi movement practiced
in Saudi Arabia and the more moderate approach emphasized by numerous Islamic
Scholars. Grappling with these issues in my own search for the authentic Islam,
this essay will provide a view of both sides with an attempt to justify the moderate
position over the strict, literalist one. The intention is to show why the moderate
intellectual position is more rooted in Islamic principles and values than the
monotonous fanatic position. Due to the many sects, some with more extreme
positions like the Khawarij alongside the more rational such as the Mu’tazilites, I
decided it would be an enlightening task to break down both sides and challenge
the history of both.

“O you who believe, be custodians of Justice and bear witness before God, even if
against yourself or your family or you relatives.” 1 There are many ways an
individual can interpret this text. Some may see it as a call to battle corruption such
as extremism and oppression, while on the other hand some may see it as a means
of enforcing their own oppression on the vulnerable, all the while believing that
they are the custodians of God’s justice on earth. 2
With Islam being the second largest religion in the world with some 1.5 billion
adherents and being the fastest growing religion in the world, different views and
perspectives are inevitable as with other major world religions. Islam has for many
1
2

Qur’an 4:135.
Seyyed Hossein Nasr, The Study Quran.

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years now been torn between radical fundamentalist groups and more intellectually
moderate groups. With both groups claiming to follow the authentic Islam, one may
have difficulty in distinguishing which is the correct path. It is unfortunate that in
the minds of many non-Muslims today the perception of Islam is an intolerant,
oppressive and repulsive religion. The media plays a significant role in this
perspective; however, it is also simply a lack of understanding and judgmental
attitudes which prevents non-Muslims and Muslims alike from studying history,
more particularly, Islamic history which indeed has impacted modern times
profoundly.
This essay will show how moderation and intellectualism are more rooted in
Islamic values and principles than the non-tolerant extreme positions such as
Wahhabism. This will be done by firstly exploring the Wahhabi origins and
contemporary issues relating to their beliefs. Furthermore, the concept of
moderation in Islam will be elaborated upon along with a glimpse into Islamic
intellectualism and finally, the contemporary views of moderate Muslims.
Wahhabism is a movement practiced in Saudi Arabia which emerged in the
eighteenth century. The founder of this thought was a man by name of Muhammad
bin ‘Abd al-Wahhab (d. 1206/1792). He grew up in a Hanbali family of jurists and
his upbringing could be stated as severe and stern. 3 The basic beliefs of the
Wahhabis are rooted in the idea that only the first three centuries of Islam could be
said to be authentically Islamic to any extent at all. The following period was
anything but Islamic and humanity must strive to re-establish this epoch which is
also regarded by many as the apparent golden age of Islam. 4
An issue that must be reflected upon is how and why the Wahhabi movement lasted
to our times now? All extreme, infamous Islamic groups that have emerged in
recent decades such as the Taliban and al-Qa’ida have derived many of their austere
practices from the Wahhabi movement. The reason behind this attractiveness is
stated by a scholar of Islamic law who says:
the spread of ‘Abd al-Wahhabs’s thought in the Muslim world had little to
do with the thought of the founder of the movement. Much of its
missionary success is due to its successful co-optation of archetypal
symbolisms of Islamic authenticity and legitimacy. 5

The above quote implies that it is not simply the teachings of ‘Abd al-Wahhabs’s
thought that has drawn the attention of so many, but the attractiveness lies in the
3

Hanbali is one of the four major Sunni Islamic schools of law. The other three being: Hanafi, Maliki
and Shafi’i.
4
John Esposito, World Religions Today, 207.
5
Khaled Abou El Fadl, Reasoning With God, 228.

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pietistic display. With promoting a strict literalism of religious text, this approach
has portrayed a type of religious authenticity. Consequently, extremist groups have
also incorporated these methods thinking that they are practicing the original Islam.
Perhaps, the greatest point of critique on the Wahhabi movement can be directed
towards its failure to adapt to contemporary issues. The group holds to the past and
believes that any type of change is a religious innovation. In other words, change
is completely unacceptable. 6 The followers of these movements often bombard
fellow Muslims with pedantic claims which at times appear suffocating and
frustrating, if not completely illogical. Here are some examples of acts that are
forbidden in parts of the Muslim world today: music, singing, and dancing; the
giving of flowers; clapping hands in applause; writing novels; shaving one’s beard;
keeping or petting dogs, and; standing up in honor of someone. 7 It is important to
note that most Muslim countries do not adhere to such practices and tend to lean
towards moderation.
Furthermore, other issues include Muslims studying Islam in Western Universities.
The extremists claim that Western education systems are deliberately designed to
confuse Muslims and will instill doubts in their minds concerning their religion by
presenting to students various Shi’a 8 sects or the Mu’tazilite 9 movement. In
addition, the Islamic history covered in these schools is a distorted image of what
actually happened. There is also the matter of interaction with non-Muslims and the
role of woman in Islam. As for the former, it is quite simple, the extremists say that
only Muslims have a chance at attaining salvation and indeed only if those Muslims
do not oppose their views. As with regards to woman, an abundance of restrictions
has been placed concerning various aspects of everyday life. 10 As has been
mentioned above most Muslim countries do not follow such practices and lean
towards moderation. Most Muslims will concede that these rules and regulations
are simply fatuous and illogical. The rest of this essay will speak of how a moderate
version of Islam views such categories of life.
The term moderation has been used frequently in this essay and will now be
explicated. Moderation does not mean abandoning the traditions of old and simply
adhering to the normative of contemporary life. Rather, moderation is flourishing
in the world, with the advancements brought forth, while also establishing the
Islamic etiquette of character, morals, and ethics. Numerous reports attributed to
6

Andrew Rippin, Muslims, 196.
Khaled Abou El Fadl, The Great Theft, 160.
8
The Shi’a sect is the second largest in Islam, comprising about 15% of the Muslims in the world.
Followers of this movement reject the first three successors to the Prophet Muhammad and claim
that the position rightly belonged to the Prophet’s cousin Ali ibn Abi Talib.
9
The Mu’tazila was a school of Islamic theology, who emphasized the use of reason and rationality.
10
El Fadl, 159.
7

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the Prophet Muhammad mention him as saying that he has come to perfect
character and that Islam is rooted in morality and ethics which includes interaction
with one’s children, spouse, co-workers and fellow non-Muslims. The notion of an
Islamic golden age which Muslims must strive to rejuvenate must be re-considered.
It is illogical to say that God would decree certain immutable principles for
humankind to follow at one specific time in history while we are constantly
changing and evolving. Rather, moderates say, every age is an age to be cherished
and approached intellectually.
“And say, Lord increase me in knowledge.” 11 The role of intellect is imperative in
Islam and much emphasis is placed upon the acquisition of knowledge. The Islamic
tradition is covered with statements regarding the virtue of knowledge and
understanding and condemns ignorance and foolishness. Furthermore, the Qur’an
constantly stresses the need for intelligence in deciphering the “signs” or
“messages” of God. Muslims are not to abdicate their reason but to look at the world
attentively and with curiosity. 12 Considering this, moderates tend to approach the
above-mentioned views of the Wahhabi extremist groups differently. For instance,
the notions of salvation held by extremist groups, moderates say, are
uncharacteristic of an all merciful, loving God. Ultimately the knowledge of who
is saved concerning Muslims and non-Muslims belongs solely to God and is not for
humans to judge. 13 With regards to woman, moderates believe that the Quran and
Sunnah 14 do not place upon woman unrealistic and foolish restrictions. The
approach to these concepts, and more, must be broad, inclusive, and progressive,
all the while respecting the fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals. 15
The issue of extremism and moderation is not a new one. The matter dates back to
the time after the Prophet Muhammad in which several groups emerged such as the
khawarij 16 and Mu’tazilites, each with their own agenda. This essay explored the
origins of Wahhabism, and issues relating to their beliefs. Also, the concept of
moderation in Islam was explained along with a glimpse into Islamic
intellectualism and finally, the contemporary views of moderate Muslims.
The Islamic tradition is replete with the praise of knowledge and warnings against
ignorance. The Prophet Muhammad declared scholars to be the inheritors of
Prophets and the pursuit of knowledge as the way to paradise. Considering this,
universities, scholars and scholarships were brought forth to support this vision. As
11

Qur’an 20:114.
Karen Armstrong, A History of God, 143.
13
For more on the issue of religious tolerance in Islam, see:
Khaled Abou El Fadl, The Place of Tolerance in Islam (Boston: Beacon Press Books, 2002).
14
Traditions of Prophet Muhammad.
15
Tariq Ramadan, Islam: The Essentials, 154.
16
The Khawarij were a violent group of extremists who emerged in the first century of Islam, shortly
after the death of the Prophet Muhammad.
12

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Muslims sought the divine will they encompassed the richness of God’s creation
and the diversity of God’s creatures. The heritage of the Greeks, Persians and
Romans were all uncovered by Muslims, and thousands of Muslims travelled all
over the world with the singular goal of calling to the beauty of Islam. From math,
to philosophy, and science, these fields have been impacted greatly by the seekers
of the Divine. 17 This is the Islamic message, one of justice, compassion, mercy,
equality and diversity. Muslims must struggle to confront the ugly with this most
beautiful vision. Indeed, that is the jihad Muslims must embark upon. Moderation
and intellectualism is more rooted in Islamic values and principles than the nontolerant extreme positions such as Wahhabism. The Prophet embodied ethics,
morals, and character. The emphasis must be placed on these attributes rather than
constructing fanciful hotels, shopping centers and one must acknowledge one’s
own limitations and frustrations. Ultimately, the vision must be brought back to its
rightful path. And that path leads to God. And God is beautiful.

17

Khaled Abou El Fadl, The Search for Beauty in Islam, 47.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY
ABOU EL FADL, KHALED. Reasoning with God: Reclaiming Shari’ah in the
Modern Age. Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, Inc, 2014.
ABOU EL FADL, KHALED. The Great Theft. New York: Harper Collins Publishers,
2005.
ABOU EL FADL, KHALED. The Place of Tolerance in Islam. Boston: Beacon Press
Books, 2002.
ABOU EL FADL, KHALED. The Search for Beauty in Islam: A Conference of the
Books. Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, Inc, 2006.
ARMSTRONG, KAREN. A History of God. New York: The Random House
Publishing Group, 1993.
ESPOSITO, JOHN.L, D.J. FASHING, LEWIS TODD, and PAUL BOWLBY. World
Religions Today: Canadian Edition. Ontario: Oxford University Press,
2009.
NASR, SEYYED HOESSEIN. The Study Quran. New York: HarperCollins
Publishers, 2015.
RAMADAN, TARIQ. Islam: The Essentials. United Kingdom: Penguin Random
House, 2017.
RIPPIN, ANDREW. Muslims: their religious beliefs and practices. Abingdon:
Routledge, 2012.

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