Fundamental Principles of Islam

It is true that in these violent activities, only a small group is involved. But this small group has the indirect support of the majority, who are no less swayed by the political interpretation of Islam. According to Khalil Gibran, “not a single leaf falls from the tree without the silent consent of the whole tree.” If then the majority were to withdraw its indirect support and condemn Islamic militancy, these fringe groups would lose their moral courage. That would be the first step. Then the time would come when the fundamentalists who are directly involved in violent activities would abandon the path of violence altogether. □ Destined for Great Deeds O ne always finds two types of people in the world. On the one hand, there are those who want immediate reward for all that they do, with their recompense exceeding the work they have put in. Then there are those who are not out for any material reward. The knowledge that they have contributed in some way to a worthwhile cause is sufficient reward for them. If they receive no recompense for their efforts, it does not cause them concern or arouse their anger. They play their part; it does not adversely affect their personal contribution, so engrossed are they in the cause for which they are working. Outwardly, both groups appear the same, but in reality, there is a world of difference between the two besides their superficial similarity, the two have nothing in common. The first group, one might say, keeps the markets of the world turning