How Literature, Writers, and the Arts Can Help Fight Extremism

By Kaniz Fatma, New Age Islam 26 August 2023 Writers and Poets Must Emulate Sufism, Promoting Peace and Harmony Main Points: 1. Extremism is increasing globally. Preventing extremism is crucial, as we are surrounded by deadly scientific weapons and have a responsibility to contribute to its prevention. 2. NewageIslam.com promotes peace theology and de-radicalization. 3. Extremism involves denying others' opinions, blindly imposing beliefs, abandoning human decency, coercive exploitation, and hindering human progress. 4. Terrorism and extremism require authors and artists to promote human values through literature, TV, radio, and discussions, preventing conflicts and promoting diversity. ----- Everyone is aware that extremism is increasing in the modern world, despite the fact that it ought to have decreased along with advances in science and culture. Today, conferences and seminars are held all over the world to combat extremism, which is quite welcome. Books are created, and publications like newspapers and journals publish articles and columns. I believe that NewageIslam.com is the best place to spread peace theology and actively work towards de-radicalizing people. It seems as though the entire human race has come to the realisation that preventing extremism has never been more important than it is right now. Today, everyone is aware that they are surrounded by deadly and devastating scientific weapons and that merely a single spark from any direction has the power to wipe out all of humanity. Therefore, each of us has a responsibility to play a part in preventing it in light of these grave concerns. More people need to be aware of the harm that extremism—individually or as a group, locally or regionally, internationally or nationally—causes to humanity. In order to live peaceably in this world and achieve salvation in the hereafter, man should, therefore, adopt a moderate attitude towards settling his worries, behave with compassion and forgiveness, and give up the road of extremism. We shall first understand what extremism is. How does this upset the global system? How does extremism affect human society? What ill effects does extremism have on society? After that, we will talk about how literature and writers can combat extremism. Extremism involves adopting extreme behaviour or opinions, often used in political or religious contexts, denying others' opinions while maintaining one's own, blindly imposing beliefs, abandoning human decency, coercive exploitation, hindering human progress, and negatively impacting others' finances and quality of life. It is responsible for conflicts, wars, killings, and massacres worldwide, including the murder of Hazrat Adam's son Haabeel, the Karbala incident, the Crusades, and various battles in the 21st century. The destructive repercussions of extremism are evident worldwide. Who would contest the fact that extremism fosters international and intra-national conflict, which inevitably leads to the extinction of mankind, noblesse oblige, and civilizations as we know them? Which region of the world has become peaceful and is characterised by a strong sense of community and fraternity? This extremism is pervasive. The adherents of all religions have adopted extremist behaviour. The dominant people are about to choke the other. Every strong group is working to eliminate the weak ones. Every strong country is determined to destroy the others. It seems as though fanaticism has torn apart the bond of humanity and capsized the raft of civilization. All of this was brought on by extremism. Until the human race upholds the golden rule of "live and let live," the dream of making the world a cradle of peace and a centre of civilisation cannot come true. Let's now discuss literature, writers, and the arts and how they might contribute to the fight against extremism. Writers and artists are very kind and sensitive people. In light of the shifting circumstances, they not only recognise them but also light the candles of love and affection with fresh perspectives. They join the group of heartbroken people. To turn people away from extremism, they promote moderation. The importance of literature and writers to the struggle against extremism can be summed up by the adage "feet of the people of the pen who create world literature remain on their earth while the fingers and pen are touching the heights and expanses of the sky." Literature and writers are essential to transforming extremism into moderation and building a peaceful, harmonious society. The writers shed light on the perilous paths of human existence with the help of their pens. Literature is not only a label for imaginative frivolity; rather, it’s true use is to advance humanity and transform society. The appeal of literature and the creative arts is actually the establishment of ethical principles, spiritual tranquillity, beauty, and a harmonious society. The most significant and influential role in fostering a world that is peaceful, balanced, civilised, and welfare-oriented belongs to authors and poets. The lifeblood of society is its writers and poets. A writer, poet, or artist is like a flame that burns itself out while also illuminating others. The literature that writers and artists create with their talent and passion is a source of love, peace, and brotherhood. Hatreds end and love deepens with the aid of literature and the arts. Through literature, society is installed with high moral standards. Literature teaches good manners, modesty, and a noble attitude to people. Writers consider humans to be a component of one another. Today, in the context of the entire world, acts of terrorism and extremism take place on a daily basis somewhere. In order to overcome these difficulties, authors and artists must completely exercise their responsibilities. It is the responsibility of writers and artists to emphasise human values and inform the public about the necessity of spreading humanity and human values through fiction, essays, and lyrical works as well as through TV and radio productions and discussions. Instead of promoting the agenda of hatred on television focusing on one-sided extremism, writers and poets must provide intellectual, moral, character-building, training, and resistance literature against oppressors. Give this work the proper space and importance in order to understand social and political consciousness, prevent class conflicts and extremism, and promote religious, regional, ethnic, and linguistic unity in diversity. What type of literature would there be if there was no literature that connected the bitter and sweet tastes of the past and present with human life and ambitions for the future? Our eyes are filled with blood today as we hear the tragic tales of the thousands of families who worldwide are victims of terrorism and extremism. Is it not the duty of today's writers and artists to lessen the pain of these defenceless people? Given that we are currently trapped in a vortex of extremism, the clouds of dreadful terrorism are also casting a terrible shadow over the entire planet. In this situation, wonderful literature and beautiful art can disseminate the colour of beauty and foster peaceful community development. With the help of poets and authors like Hazrat Khawaja Mu'in al-Din Chishti, Baba Farid, Baba Kuhi of Shiraz, Baba Shemin, Sheikh Saadi, Hazrat Amir Khusrau, Hafiz Shirazi, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai and Bulleh Shah etc, humanity was filled with pearls plucked from the sea of mysticism and Sufism, and for centuries, human society served as a haven for peace and harmony. Writers and poets of today must relight the same lamp. ---- Kaniz Fatma is a classic Islamic scholar and a regular columnist for New Age Islam. URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-society/literature-writers-arts-fight-extremism/d/130529 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism