Britain's terror connection - a Muslim speaks out
Abubakar N. Kasim decries those who "spoil the image of Islam" and "mislead the public by their hateful actions".

Extremism is a Deadly Disease
Abubakar N. Kasim, Toronto Star, November 25, 2001, 

One of the biggest problems that Islam faces is the disease of fanaticism and extremism.

It is the syndrome of "I am right and everyone else is wrong."

Among Muslims the problem has existed since the time of Ali bin Talib, the fourth caliph who had to face a fanatical group known as Kharijites. They considered anyone who disagreed with their views to be outside the boundaries of the religion.

This problem led a group of extremists to kill innocent tourists in Egypt in 1997 and white supremacists such as the KKK to hate anyone who doesn’t look like them.

The disease has caused hatred, racism, and wars between different faith communities around the globe. And it led a group of fanatics to blow up the World Trade Center and Pentagon and massacre about 3,000 innocent human beings.

What people should know about Islamic extremists is that they are a very small minority within the community. They hate anyone who sees things differently than do. They also hate Muslims who hold different views than theirs.

Extremism is caused by many psychological and sociological reasons including ignorance and hate.

What is puzzling about Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammad, the leader of a militant Islamist movement in Britain, is that if he was so convinced of his extreme views, why did he escape his native country and immigrate to the land of “infidels?” Why did he run from the regime of his native land?

These groups are like skunks, spoiling the clean air that surrounds them. They spoil the image of Islam, a religion that calls for peaceful coexistence based on love and respect. They confuse people about Islam and mislead the public by their hateful actions.

It is unfortunate to see the media focusing on these groups, which don’t represent the vast majority of Muslims.

Muslim scholars should struggle to clear the confusion and educate people about the real message of this religion of Peace. They should not sit back and leave the fanatics unchallenged.