Why Do They Turn to Extremism

First Khutbah All praise is due to Allah. We bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and we bear witness that our Prophet Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. May Allah’s peace, blessings, and mercy be upon him, his family, his companions, and all who follow him. To proceed: I advise you, servants of Allah, and myself, to have Taqwa of Allah, for the Almighty has said: : ﴿وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِيُسْرًا﴾ And whoever fears Allah, He will make for him ease in his matter . O believers, Extremism is a dangerous disease and a widespread evil. When it afflicts a society, it shakes its very foundations, robs it of safety and tranquility, leads to the shedding of blood, the violation of honor, the seizure of wealth, the disruption of public order, and the loss of religious, human, and moral deterrents. In the Arabic language, tataṛruf (extremism) is derived from taking the “edges” of matters. The extremist takes from religion only its outer edges, deviating from its balance and moderation, ignoring its essence and core, turning away from its objectives and universals, in thought and behavior, in word and deed, whether by excess or neglect. As the Prophet ﷺ said: «أَلَا هَلَكَ الْمُتَنَطِّعُونَ، أَلَا هَلَكَ الْمُتَنَطِّعُونَ، أَلَا هَلَكَ الْمُتَنَطِّعُونَ»، “Indeed, those who go to extremes will perish. Indeed, those who go to extremes will perish. Indeed, those who go to extremes will perish.” Servants of Allah, Among the causes of a person’s extremism and deviation is taking his religious knowledge from just anyone and being deceived by every speaker. A true believer should be wise and discerning, intelligent and thoughtful, not swayed by flashy phrases or glittering words from those who cloak themselves in the garb of religion while cutting apart the texts of the two Revelations, the Qur’an and the Sunnah. How, then, can he fall prey to the doubts and fallacies of extremists? The Prophet ﷺ warned us strongly against them, describing the Khawarij and those who resemble them among the people of extremism, terrorism, and destruction: : «سَيَكُونُ بَعْدِي مِنْ أُمَّتِي قَوْمٌ يَقْرَؤُونَ ‌الْقُرْآنَ لَا يُجَاوِزُ حُلُوقَهُمْ، ‌يَمْرُقُونَ ‌مِنَ ‌الدِّينِ كَمَا يَمْرُقُ السَّهْمُ مِنَ الرَّمِيَّةِ، ثُمَّ لَا يَعُودُونَ فِيهِ، هُمْ شِرَارُ الْخَلْقِ وَالْخَلِيقَةِ». “There will emerge from my Ummah people who will recite the Qur’an, but it will not go beyond their throats (meaning they do not understand its meanings nor grasp its objectives). They will pass through religion as an arrow passes through its target, and they will never return to it. They are the worst of creatures.” These are the ones to whom the words of Allah Most High apply: ﴿الَّذِينَ يَنْقُضُونَ عَهْدَ اللَّهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مِيثَاقِهِ وَيَقْطَعُونَ مَا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَنْ يُوصَلَ وَيُفْسِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ﴾ “Those who break the covenant of Allah after contracting it, and sever what Allah has commanded to be joined, and cause corruption on earth, it is they who are the losers.” As the sahabi Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) said. (See: al-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Nasa’i and: al-Musannaf by Ibn Abi Shaybah.) They are truly losers, for they distorted the verses from their proper contexts, severed them from their intended settings, and interpreted them in ways other than what Allah meant, seeking to lead people astray from the religion and its mercy, to divert them from its purity and wisdom, and to tear apart the fabric and unity of their society. Thus, the words of Allah Most High are fulfilled regarding them: ﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ فَرَّقُوا دِينَهُمْ وَكَانُوا شِيَعًا لَسْتَ مِنْهُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ﴾ “Indeed, those who have divided their religion and become sects, you, O Muhammad, are not associated with them in anything.” and His saying, Glorified is He: ﴿فَلَمَّا ‌زَاغُوا أَزَاغَ اللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُمْ﴾. “So when they deviated, Allah caused their hearts to deviate.” Abu Umamah al-Bahili (may Allah be pleased with him) said: They are the Khawariهُمُ الْخَوَارِجُ. O believers, Among the methods by which those with extremist ideologies seize the minds of youth is by stirring their emotions, making them despair of their Lord’s mercy, then distorting the concept of repentance and its path, magnifying current events, adopting conspiracy theories, evoking a sense of victimhood, and playing on the strings of heroism and sacrifice. They do this through ideologically charged short clips, provocative chants, electronic games, poisonous tweets, and the misuse of distorted concepts of terms such as jihad, hakimiyyah (rule by Allah’s law), caliphate, takfir, jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic ignorance), and anything that opposes the concept of the national state, inciting members of society against their homeland and urging rebellion against its leadership. So let our youth be on guard and let them be alert to the dangers spread by these deviants and let them hold firmly to obedience to their Lord, their Prophet, and the leader of their state. ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ﴾. O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. I say these words of mine, and I ask Allah’s forgiveness for myself and for you, so seek His forgiveness.  Second Khutbah All praise is due to Allah, praise befitting His Majesty, and may peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets.  To proceed: O believers, a strong and united family is a fortified shield against extremism and deviation, and a safe refuge from threats and abduction. If a parent notices a sudden change in their child a tendency toward harshness in character, extremism in thought and practice of religion, an inclination toward suspicious isolation from family and society, virtual or real companionship with someone extremist in their ideas or of questionable background, or influence from ideological concepts foreign to the norms of his own country , then let the parent first approach him with calm dialogue and wise guidance. If they see no benefit from their advice and guidance, it becomes obligatory to inform the relevant authorities to protect their beloved child. For, as the Prophet ﷺ said:  «فَإِنَّمَا يَأْكُلُ ‌الذِّئْبُ ‌مِنَ ‌الْغَنَمِ الْقَاصِيَةَ» “The wolf only devours the sheep that strays far from the flock.” So, O noble fathers, know that those with extremist ideologies, whose natural disposition has been corrupted by extremism, whose humanity has been killed, and whose insight has been blinded, often use charitable activities and humanitarian projects that are not supervised by the official authorities of the state as a cover for recruiting youth into extremist groups and terrorist organizations. Beware of these manipulators and of their deceit under the name of charity and religion. Allah the Most High says: ﴿وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يُعْجِبُكَ قَوْلُهُ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَيُشْهِدُ اللَّهَ عَلَى مَا فِي قَلْبِهِ وَهُوَ أَلَدُّ الْخِصَامِ* وَإِذَا تَوَلَّى سَعَى فِي الْأَرْضِ لِيُفْسِدَ فِيهَا وَيُهْلِكَ الْحَرْثَ وَالنَّسْلَ وَاللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْفَسَادَ﴾. “And of the people is he whose speech pleases you in worldly life, and he calls Allah to witness as to what is in his heart, yet he is the fiercest of opponents. And when he goes away, he strives throughout the land to cause corruption therein and destroy crops and livestock. And Allah does not like corruption.” إنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, send blessings upon him and greetings of peace. O Allah, send Your peace, blessings, and grace upon our Prophet Muhammad, upon his family, his companions, and the followers after them. Be pleased, O Allah, with all the noble Companions. O Allah, make us believers in You, worshippers of You, moderate in our practice of religion, dutiful to our parents, and have mercy on them as they raised us when we were small, O Most Merciful of the merciful. O Allah, preserve the United Arab Emirates, care for it with Your protection, and encompass it with Your safeguarding, O Lord of the worlds.  O Allah, preserve Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, the President of the State, keep upon him the garment of righteousness and wisdom, and grant success to him, his deputies, his brothers the rulers of the Emirates, and his trustworthy Crown Prince in all that You love and are pleased with. O Allah, have mercy on Sheikh Zayed, Sheikh Rashid, and all the sheikhs of the Emirates who have passed into Your mercy; admit them, by Your grace, into the vastness of Your Gardens, and encompass the martyrs of the nation with Your mercy and forgiveness. O Allah, have mercy on the Muslim men and women, the believing men and women, those who are living and those who have passed away. O believers, remember Allah the Almighty, the Majestic, and He will remember you. Be grateful to Him for His blessings, and He will increase you. And establish the prayer.