March 1, 2010

Moving away from the usual technology focus that we have here at Future Conscience, news has been going around that a prominent Islamic leader is going to issue a detailed fatwa tomorrow in London that denounces terrorism and suicide bombing in the name of Islam.

Muhammad Tahir ul-Qadri, a leading Sufi scholar and founder of Minhaj-ul-Qur’an International, will issue the 600-page fatwa in an attempt to provide a thorough and powerful edict against terrorist activity – even going so far as to argue that those who engage in such activity must be seen as unbelievers.

The monumental work seeks to discredit, in great detail, the many justifications used to persuade disaffected Muslims around the world to commit acts of violence in the name of Islam.

Dr. Qadri has stated that the fatwa is a response to the growing levels of extremist education and persuasion, particularly amongst British Muslim communities, and is hoping that the detailed work will help inspire Muslims around the world to continue to work against violent extremism in all of its forms.

Pacifist voices such as Dr. Qadri’s are pivotal in the fight against Islamic extremism, as they help demonstrate that the teachings of Islam are not in-line with the violent and destructive tactics used by many terrorists and suicide bombers in the name of their religion. Hopefully this message won’t just reach Muslim communities around the world, but will also have a great impact upon those who wish to blame Islam as a religion for the actions of a small minority of its adherents.

The current ‘clash of civilisations’ has had a very long time in the making, and stems from deep-seated and long-running political turmoil and conflict that goes back over 1,000 years. However, unlike any other point in history, we are now at a time where a unifying outlook and philosophy can begin to emerge – this is a fact that cannot be overlooked nor undermined by the actions of a few despicable murderers or violent criminals.

Understanding and co-existence will hopefully be the marker of the future global community, and efforts such as this from Dr. Qadri are vital in helping achieve such a goal. The unifying capabilities of modern communication and social networks (and not just of the online kind) means that this work could well have arrived at the perfect time to have maximum impact well into the future.

I’ll make sure to keep an eye on the reception of the fatwa when it is presented tomorrow, as it is sure to bring out a lot of opinion and debate – discourse which should be welcomed with open arms and embraced for the insight that it can bring to all parties involved. A future society based on massive technological and medical advancement means little if we cannot move towards solving the social and political turmoil of our day; and any step forwards is something to be cherished and received with enthusiasm.