At the end of an interview with CNN Arabic on 7 December 2015, preacher Ahmad al-Shugairi said:

“The best way to fight and combat terrorism is to promote the idea of developing the earth and acting as God’s vicegerent on earth. This is a constructive idea that encourages moderation, and it needs to be spread through the media and social networks so people understand the idea of developing the earth.”

http://www.jo24.net/post.php?id=144025

Comment

1. The speaker claimed: “The best way to fight and combat terrorism is to promote the idea of developing the earth and acting as God’s vicegerent on earth…”

This is a clear error, may God pardon him. This idea distorts the understanding of Islam by interpreting prophethood, the prophetic message, religion, worship and Islamic law as competition for worldly power and a means of establishing a state. How, then, can it combat itself? Rather, the best way to fight terrorism is to promote the true understanding of the balanced religion with which God sent Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, whose purpose is worshipping God. This is what “encourages moderation”, not that idea. Moreover, the correct meaning of humanity’s succession on earth is succeeding those who came before, not being God’s vicegerent on earth. Commenting on God’s words, “I am placing a successor on earth” [al-Baqarah: 30], Shaykh al-Islam, may God have mercy on him, said: “That is, a successor to the creatures before you. It does not mean a deputy for God, who is to God as the pupil is to the eye, as some atheists who profess indwelling and union say.” Minhaj al-Sunnah al-Nabawiyyah, 1/509. In the hadith about the Dajjal, the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: “God is my successor in caring for every Muslim.” Sahih Muslim, 4/2251. This means that God is every Muslim’s guardian and protector and will help them against him. Consequently, extremism and terrorism can never be combated by “promoting the idea of developing the earth and acting as God’s vicegerent on earth”.

2. His statement: “It encourages moderation.”

The political interpretation of religion, which makes developing the earth the purpose of creation and existence, is among the most important factors behind the emergence of terrorism and extremism. Young people are taught that the purpose of their call is improving their worldly lives and that their acts of worship aim to establish justice in society in pursuit of the ideal city. They then see injustice and corruption around them and cannot bring about any change. How could they not become extreme? This is indeed what drove many of those deceived by this call towards extremism and terrorism. Most had been raised on this thought, which differs from the sound Salafi method. How, then, can it be among the factors that “encourage moderation”?

3. Making the development of the earth the Muslim’s goal in worldly life is an esoteric philosophical teaching. Among its foremost advocates were Ibn Sina (d. 427 AH), al-Farabi (d. 339 AH) and other atheist philosophers like them. They hold that the purpose of revealed laws and the sending of messengers is reforming society and establishing justice. This fundamentally contradicts the call of Islam, which makes seeking God’s pleasure, glorifying Him and humbling oneself before Him the foundation and core of its call. Everything else serves this aim and nothing more.

This is what “needs to be spread through the media and social networks so people understand the idea of developing the earth”: that it is a philosophical, non-Islamic idea. That would be “the best way to fight and combat terrorism”, not “the idea of developing the earth and acting as God’s vicegerent on earth”, which is a philosophical idea.

God knows best.

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