A Brand of Islam with a Difference

fro. He happened quite accidentally to hit a passer-by on the nose. The man said, in anger, “What is this nonsense? Why did you hit me on the nose?” The American replied, “Today America is free and I am free to exercise my freedom as I wish.” The passer-by replied: “Your freedom ends where my nose begins!” The Sufis launch their movements without hitting anyone else on the nose. That is why people in the West have no grudge against them. But Muslim fundamentalists consider that without hitting others on the nose, their ends cannot be achieved. The difference between the two types of movements—rendering the one desirable and the other undesirable in the eyes of the West—is respectively their peaceable persuasiveness and their violent coerciveness. An Arabic saying goes: Things are known by their opposites. Let us study this matter in the light of this adage. The Americans on the one hand dislike Islamic fundamentalism, while at the same time they like Islamic Sufism. This opposite behaviour shows that the aversion of Americans is not for Islam, but is rather for violence in the name of Islam. They like Sufism, because Sufis do not subscribe to the theory that anything can be achieved by violence. The truth is that it is not doing the Western countries justice to characterize them as an enemy of Islam because of its negative response to Islamic fundamentalism. Those who declare America to be an enemy of Islam on this account should pause and reflect on this verse of the Quran, in which there is a lesson for them: “Do not allow your hatred for other men to turn you away from justice. Deal justly; justice is nearer to true piety. Have fear of God: He is cognizant of what you do.” (5:8) A Solution to the Problem Islamic fundamentalism has emerged as a threat to peace in