ISLAM IS A MEAN BETWEEN EXTREMISM AND LIBERALISM.

Islam is a mean between extremism and liberalism. How it is possible for Islam to be a middle point between these two situations that against to each other? Before going further, let us view the meaning of Islam, Liberalism and Extremism in more detailed. Firstly, the definition of Islam is based on its root word salama which means, among other things, peace, purity, submission and obedience. In the religious sense, the word islam means submission to the Will of God an obedience to His law. In other word, Islam is a religion that worshipping the only one God that is ALLAH and submitted ourselves to Him totally sincere. Secondly the meaning of extremism as quoted by Dr, Yusuf al-Qaradawi: literally, "Literally, extremism means being situated at the farthest possible point from the centre. Figuratively it indicates a similar remoteness in religion, in thought, as well as behavior. One of the main consequences of extremism is exposure to danger and insecurity. Lastly, is the meaning of liberalism. The word "liberal" derives from the Latin "liber" ("free") and liberals of all stripes tend to view themselves as friends of freedom, particularly freedom from the shackles of tradition. The origins of liberalism in the Enlightenment era contrasted this philosophy to feudalism and mercantilism. Later, as more radical philosophies articulated themselves in the course of the French Revolution and through the nineteenth century, liberalism equally defined itself in contrast to socialism and communism, although some adherents of liberalism sympathize with some of the aims and methods of social democracy.

Firstly, from the meaning of Islam presented above, we can grasp briefly that Islam is a perfect and true religion recognized by Allah as mentioned in Surah Ali-Imran verse 19:
(ان الدين عند الله الاسللا م.................) means “The religion before Allah is Islam(submission to his Will)……”
. Let discuss further on Islam to examine the reason how possible Islam is a mean between extremism and liberalism. Islam is a religion that covered all aspects of life which teaches human beings not to desert this world and Hereafter. We have to bear in mind that the essence of Islam is “love”. The meaning of love here is not the love of a man to a woman, whereas a love that is a perfect and purely love. The love which guide a man to follow Allah wills and law as well as avoid doing what have been forbidden by Him. As a consequences, man who posses this essence surely able to achieve Halawatul Iman.

Secondly, nowadays people all over the world are shouting out their feeling towards human rights and freedom which fall under the definition of liberalism. The existence of liberalism happens when people want to be free from being conquered by anything that they thought do not have rights over them. Furthermore, liberalism today has two aspects -1) equal rights as such are insufficient; these are seen as (sometimes) merely formal, and as demanding supplementation by a concern for their equal effectiveness. Thus, an egalitarian liberal regime is not satisfied, for example, to decree formal equality of opportunity of all careers but acts to make the formal equality effective by, say, supplying education which can fit people to take advantage of formal opportunities. Secondly, egalitarian liberal regimes are those which are committed to (greater degree of) equality in the distribution of resources of political power as good in itself or as a requirement of justice, and which thus enact policies aimed at achieving such (movement toward) equalization . This liberalism takes some or all of the concepts of secularism as its intellectual foundation. Liberalism has caused a problem where people tend to be intellectually independent, broad-minded, magnanimous, frank, open, and genial.

Against the liberalism is extremism, where the situation being excessive. Extremism is a new sickness that seems to plague us individually and collectively in relationships with one another. We express extremes in our interpersonal behaviour, extremes in our lifestyles, and extremes in our habits, like eating and sleeping and even talking. In the book written by Dr Yusuf al Qardawi i.e. Islamic Awakening between Rejection and Extremism, he characterized four indications of extremism. Firstly, bigotry and tolerance, which make a person obstinately devoted to his own opinions and prejudices, as well as rigidity, which deprives him of clarify of vision regarding the interests of other human beings, the purpose of Sha’riah, or the circumstances of the age. Secondly, a perpetual commitment to excessiveness and in attempts to force others to do likewise, despite the existence of good reasons for facilitation and the fact that Allah has not ordained it. Thirdly, is the out-of-time and out-of-place religious excessiveness and overburdening of others, i.e. when applying Islamic principles to people in non-Muslim countries or people who have only recently converted to Islam as well as to newly committed Muslims. Lastly, is the harshness in the treatment of people, roughness in the manner of approach, and crudeness in calling people to Islam, all of which are contrary to the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah.

In my opinion, Islam becomes a mean between these two are because of the moderation in its teaching that opposed to extremism and the justice promotes by Islam as opposed to liberalism. What then is "moderation" in Islam? Moderation means to ¬carry out to the best of one's ability what Allah has prescribed and to avoid what He has forbidden, to understand the wisdom of Allah's Laws and moral guidance and to grasp and apply the basic Islamic principles to every new situation as it arises. Having complied; with the compulsory aspects of worship and moral discipline, a moderate person may if he is so inclined, attempt to purify himself and come closer to Allah by supererogatory acts of worship in the form of voluntary prayers, fasting, charity, Hajj, Umrah, Dhikr-Allah and loving conduct towards other people. The way and the degree to which he does these depend on number of things including his natural temperament, his understanding and his level of Iman. "Moderation" therefore covers a wide range of spiritual states. In other word, moderation is to find and maintain the middle point between the two. Moderation does not mean pleasing everyone, rather it means holding on that middle point where all are better off. From this statement, we know that moderation is a mean or a middle point between laxities (carelessness and looseness) and extremism. Allah says in the Quran:

“O People of the Book! Exceed not in your religion the bound (of what is proper), trespassing beyond the truth, nor follow the vain desires of people who went wrong in times gone by who misled many, and strayed (themselves) from the even Way” (5:77)

Those who practice moderation in her/him life will able to maintain s/he taqwa towards Allah and avoid themselves from fall into the laxity and extremism part. Whereas, justice that promotes by Islam can overcome the problem arise from liberalism. The justice in Islam is the most accurate than how human defined justice based on their theories and laws. As the conclusion, Islam is the way of life that will help mankind in overcome worldly matters that may mislead from the right path.

salah satu note saya untuk ungs 2030 taught by dr hikmatullah babu sahib.....

here are some sources:

ISLAM IN FOCUS by Hammudah Abdulati- page 7

ISLAMIC AWAKENING BETWEEN REJECTION AND EXTREMISM by Dr Yusuf al Qardawi page21

http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Liberalism

NATURAL LAW, LIBERALISM, AND MORALIY ­– Contemporary Essays page 49

http://www.netcomuk.co.uk/~magamiet/SA_khutbahs/moderation_the_way_of_islam.htm

ISLAMIC AWAKENING BETWEEN REJECTION AND EXTREMISM by Dr Yusuf al Qardawi page 33

http://www.islamunveiled.org/eng/modules.php?name=News&file=print&sid=126

http://www.hum.utah.edu/mec/Lectures/proceedings.pdf