“Say: ‘O people of the Book! exceed not in your religion the bounds (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.’” Qur’an chapter 5: verse 77
Allah gave symmetry to our physical bodies to serve as a sign for the balance that we should keep as caretakers of our minds and souls. Allah created us to be the masters of balancing our lives; knowing the difference between right and wrong without going to the extremes. Whenever we find that we are living in the extreme – whether extreme “right” or extreme wrong – we will find ourselves living under the rule of Shaytan (Satan in English).
We find many extremes in America, especially in religion and politics. Among racial groups and between the two genders, we can also find those who are extremists. Can our American society survive dominance of any extreme thinking of one group over our national life? No!
We have experienced that error before with evil dominance executed via slavery, misogyny and other forms of oppression that were done, oft-times with the sanction of socially immature leadership in American government.
In America today the obvious extremes have been dubbed, the “far right” and the “far left.” Oddly, both claim to represent the best for America. Is it possible for extremism, in any form to represent a country that promotes, “E Pluribus Unum” (which translates to “Out of many, one”)?
Often, extremists are severely myopic with the vision of a cyclops who can only see things one way, with no balancing perspectives that are inclusive of true dialogue and mutual growth. Their position is, ‘It’s my way, or the highway.’
This disease of extremism has resurfaced, and it is once again poisoning America. Extremism is a mentality of intolerance that disrespects the human decency and excellence that Allah naturally, innately deposited in every child of Adam. Extremist groups claim that they are protecting our inalienable rights endowed upon us by our Creator, but they do it while standing on the necks of other innocent Americans.
Americans with the mentality expressed by the Charlie Kirk-type – those who claim free speech while often demonstrating a myopic tunnel vision point of view.
Similarly, we have extremist thinkers on the left who are just as detrimental to the mental and social well-being of American freedom. They are groups and individuals who promote ideologies that let sin and wrongdoing run rampant in our society, knowing that such conduct will destroy our communities.
As African Americans, the debt we owe our fore-parents, who suffered unspeakable death and pain so that we may be free, we must not let either extreme blind us to our responsibility to continue our freedom struggle. We are not – as a people – yet free!!
If African Americans do not take control of our education, community life and our moral life, then we have only been given the appearance of being free. If we do not take control – with our own two hands – the freedom we yearn for within our African American soul, then extremism will overrun our lives.
Sadly, too many of us have gone to the extreme of partying too much, playing too much. Yes, we should enjoy having a good time, but never to the extreme of neglecting the uplift of our people.
We must come out of party mode. The Qur’an is quite clear: “…nor follow the vain desires of people who went wrong in times gone by, – who misled many, and strayed (themselves) from the even way.” Satan rules in these extremes.
Christ Jesus and Prophet Muhammad were well-balanced, and their initial communities were well-balanced. They called us away from extremes. We need to get back to the basics of our original soul, our original pre-slavery nature. Avoid the extremes of racism, including Black extremism. Be very proud of our African American identity, heritage and collective destiny, but do not imitate the oppressor’s methods of oppression that were used against our people.
Don’t let the ugliness demonstrated in today’s politics trick us into taking our eyes off the prize of a freedom that is uniquely ours – a freedom that identifies and eradicates every lie that the extremist told against our people. That is our prize. We will only be satisfied receiving that prize – whether the “prize” is physical, mental, or spiritual – until we receive it from our own labor, not receiving it from any of this world’s extremists. Allah created us to be the masters of balancing our own lives!!
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