Principles of Islam
12. Fundamentalism
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One meaning of Islamic fundamentalism is to take it
in the sense of sticking to the fundamentals, called
ittiba’,
adhering to them in both letter and spirit.
The present age is the age of religious freedom. If
someone says that he will adhere to his religion
literally, there is no reason to raise an objection.
Such a person is only exercising his religious
freedom. But if Islamic fundamentalism is taken in
the second meaning of imposing it on others by
force, for instance, if some Muslims hold that they
will not compromise with others in the matter of
their religion, and that they have to impose the
teachings of their religion on others by force, then in
such a case, Islamic fundamentalism will go against
the spirit of Islam as well as reason.
This second concept of Islamic fundamentalism has
produced what is known in modern times as
Islamic extremism or Islamic terrorism. But the
truth is that the terms Islamic extremism or Islamic
terrorism are self-contradictory. Islam is a religion
of tolerance and peace. It is defamatory to attribute
the words terrorism or extremism to Islam. In fact,
there is no room for terrorism or extremism in
