Root Causes of ‘Islamic’ extremism

In the name of Allāh, ar-Raḥmān (the most merciful), ar-Raḥīm (the bestower of mercy).

The BBC recently published a news item entitled: “Muslim women’s segregation in UK communities must end”. [1]

This article was accompanied by a Muslim woman wearing a face veil – the go-to stereotype for the suppressed and voiceless woman.

The BBC article outlined governmental plans to set up a £20m fund to teach English to Muslim women in the UK, arguing that this will reduce segregation and therefore ‘help them resist the lure of extremism.’ [2]

Whilst the push to teach English in the UK to all members of the community is welcomed, the link between this and susceptibility to extremism is exaggerated, if not distorted, to say the least. More often than not, radicalised members of the community are young, English-speaking people, born in the UK or Europe. One of the worst cases of terrorism – the bombings in London on 7th July 2005 – by extremist Muslims in the UK gives prominence to this very fact.

The profiles of the bombers were:

1. Mohammad Sidique Khan – a 30-year-old Asian man, born and bred in Leeds. He worked as a learning mentor in a local school with English being his first language.
2. Shehzad Tanweer – a 22-year-old man born and bred in Yorkshire. English was his first language.
3. Germaine Lindsey – a 19-year-old revert to Islām of Jamaican ethnicity. English was his first language.
4. Hasib Hussain – an 18-year-old teenager of Asian ethnicity, born and bred in Leeds, who was studying at Thomas Danby College. Again, his first language was English.

The common denominator in all four profiles is clear: they were British-born nationals, educated in the British schooling system, with English being their first language. Profiles of other radicalised young people will most likely show the same pattern. The point behind this article is not to diminish the importance of the English language for every member of British society, but it certainly challenges the notion that English should be taught to Muslim women so they can resist the lure of terrorism.

Time and time again, we have seen how a niqab-wearing Muslim woman has been made a symbolic pawn on the political chessboard, exploited to further right-wing political agendas. We have seen the results of this political game in countries such as France, Belgium and Portugal, resulting in women’s religious liberties being targetted. This has resulted in thousands of Muslim women who choose to cover their modesty due to a religious choice, being restricted in their ability to practise their religion freely.

Whilst there can never be any justification for any act of extremism in any country, however it is important to highlight the actual causes of radicalisation and terrorism. As Muslims, and moreso those amongst us who follow the “Salafi methodology”, we have been actively fighting Islamic extremism amongst a small section of Muslim youth. We do not do this for any financial or political gain; rather, our religion obligates this upon us – the very religion that legislates Muslim women to protect their modesty in their clothing.

Having studied government guidance as well as analysing profiles of people who have commited terrorist acts, a convincing argument can be made  that the following factors play a large role in the radicalisation of minority youth within Muslim communities:

1. Their view that the foreign policy of the UK government in which the oppression of Muslims is tacitly approved, and in some cases justified, such as the sale of weapons to Israel to be used in the genocide of Palestinians. This leads to a global “us vs. them” mindset, in which non-Muslim countries are seen as perpetrators of crimes against the Muslim Ummah (nation). This thought process of such extremist individuals allows them to target citizens as a form of reprisal and revenge. Importantly, the victims of this extremism include Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
2. Outrage against the actions of Muslim governments who are deemed to be corrupt and oppressive. It must be noted that Muslim countries bear the brunt of terrorism and extremism more than Western nations; more Muslim lives are destroyed due to the actions of extremists.
3. Western double standards in global politics as explained above.
4. Media sensationalism of certain Muslim personalities who are well-known for their extreme views. These personalities then become spokes-men, for what the media refers to as the ‘Salafi ideology,’ whereas the voice of many “moderate” Salafi scholars – who condemn extremism – is drowned out.
5. A lack of Islamic knowledge and understanding on key issues such as jihad, the caliphate, and obedience to authority.
6. A lack of Islamic insight in realising the causes and remedies to the problems affecting the Muslim Ummah.
7. A zeal and care for the plight of fellow Muslims. This burning passion and youthful emotion, coupled with ignorance, eventually causes the youth to rebel in various ways and forms.
8. Social media influences through Facebook, Twitter and other avenues, wherein the main language of brainwashing is English.
9. Sometimes – and not always – a lack of career opportunities, broken families, low self-esteem, mental health issues, being victims of hate themselves or an attitude of wanting to rebel against authority can also play a part.
10. The increasingly virtual lives that young people are living, isolated from meaningful relationships and instead fixated with social media; thus becoming prey to online grooming by extremists.

The great Salafi scholar, Shaykh Muḥammad Ibn Ṣāliḥ al-‘Uthaymīn wrote regarding Muslim youth and their problems [3] mentioning additional causes:

1. Joblessness
2. The estrangement between the youth and their elders
3. Being in contact with corrupt people and keeping their company
4. Reading and viewing destructive and un-Islamic material in books, magazines, TV and the Internet
5. The incorrect assumption that Islām imposes restrictions on liberties and suppresses human energy.

Although the above causes were not mentioned as being specific to extremism, they are just as applicable to the issue of modern radicalisation.

Written by Abul Abbaas

9th Jumada al-Awwal, 1437h

Corresponding to 19th January, 2016

Footnotes

[1] BBC News: Muslim Women’s segregation in UK communities must end, http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-35338413

[2] This pretext “typifies [the government’s] continuing poorly researched and baseless approach – suggest[ing] that a lack of English equates to lower resilience to radicalisation among 22% of Muslim women in Britain.” For an excellent research article outlining the conflated nature of this theory, please refer to: ‘Dr. AbdulHaqq Baker; Her Master’s Voice: Lazy, misguided and reckless!’ January 19th 2016. http://abdulhaqqbaker.com/her-masters-voice-lazy-misguided-and-reckless/

[3] Muḥammad Ibn Ṣāliḥ al-‘Uthaymīn; Youth’s Problems – Issues affecting the youth.