Fundamentalism, Extremism, Terrorism & Jihad
MajlisTT notes the recurring association of a multitude of labels with negative connotations associated with Islam by some persons throughout the world. Labels include fundamentalism, fanaticism, extremism (especially violent or militant extremism), terrorism, radical Islam, Jihadism and the Jihad movement, amongst others. These labels, individually and collectively serve to cast Islam in a negative light, and paint with a broad-brush Muslims and Islamic ideology as one of violence, rooted in warfare and even barbaric in its approach to dealing with contemporary society and its issues.
This paper is an attempt to clarify the Islamic theological position to issues of fundamentalism, extremism, terrorism and related terms, and in so doing frame the context for acceptable forms of resistance (be it violent or not, physical or otherwise).