What is a radical Islamist?

Answer 1

A radical Muslim is one who has a different view on the quran than most people. they are sometimes terrorists who view certain words in the quran as god commanding a jihad(holy war) on non Muslims. however most are just people who have some different views on the quran.

Answer 2

There are no Radical Muslims.

Direct quotes from the Quran:

ANNOUNCE PAINFUL PUNISHMENT TO THOSE WHO DISBELIEVE (9:3)

O Prophet! urge the believers to war; if there are twenty patient ones of you they shall overcome two hundred... (8:65)

Surely the vilest of animals in Allah's sight are those who disbelieve (8:55)

"Fight those who do not believe in Allah...And the Jews say Ezra is the son of God; and the Christians say Christ is the son of God; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; Allah's curse be on them; how they are turned away!" (Koran 9:29-30)

And fight with them until there is no more persecution and religion should be only for Allah (8:39)

When the sacred months have passed away, THEN SLAY THE IDOLATERS WHEREVER YOU FIND THEM, AND TAKE THEM CAPTIVES AND BESIEGE THEM AND LIE IN WAIT FOR THEM IN EVERY AMBUSH, then if they repent and keep up prayer [become believers] and pay the poor-rate, leave their way free to them (9:5)

And if they intend to act unfaithfully towards you, so indeed they acted unfaithfully towards Allah before, but He GAVE YOU MASTERY OVER THEM (8:71)

FIGHT THEM: ALLAH WILL PUNISH THEM BY YOUR HANDS AND BRING THEM TO DISGRACE, AND ASSIST YOU AGAINST THEM. (9:14)

FIGHT THOSE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE IN ALLAH, nor in the latter day, nor do they prohibit what Allah and His Messenger have prohibited, NOR FOLLOW THE RELIGION OF TRUTH, OUT OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE BOOK [Christians and Jews], until they pay the tax in acknowledgment of superiority and THEY ARE IN A STATE OF SUBJECTION. (9:29)

O Prophet! strive hard against the unbelievers and the hypocrites and be unyielding to them; and their abode is hell, and evil is the destination. (9:73)

O you who believe! fight those of the unbelievers who are near to you and let them find in you hardness; and know that Allah is with those who guard (against evil). (9:123)

I WILL CAST TERROR INTO THE HEARTS OF THOSE WHO DISBELIEVE. THEREFORE STRIKE OFF THEIR HEADS AND STRIKE OFF EVERY FINGERTIP OF THEM. THIS IS BECAUSE THEY ACTED ADVERSELY TO ALLAH AND HIS MESSENGER; AND WHOEVER ACTS ADVERSELY TO ALLAH AND HIS MESSENGER - THEN SURELY ALLAH IS SEVERE IN REQUITING (EVIL). THIS - TASTE IT, AND (KNOW) THAT FOR THE UNBELIEVERS IS THE PUNISHMENT OF FIRE. O you who believe! When you meet those who disbelieve marching for war, then turn not your backs to them. And whoever shall turn his back to them on that day - unless he turn aside for the sake of fighting or withdraws to a company - then he, indeed, becomes deserving of Allah's wrath, and his abode is hell; and an evil destination shall it be. So you did not slay them, but it was Allah Who slew them and you did not smite when you smote (the enemy) but it was Allah Who smote, and that He might confer upon the believers a good gift from Himself; (8:12-17)

And that you should judge between them by what Allah has revealed, and do not follow their low desires, and be cautious of them, lest they seduce you from part of what Allah has revealed to you; but if they turn back, then know that Allah desires to afflict them on account of some of their faults; and most surely many of the people are transgressors. Is it then the judgment of the times of ignorance that they desire: and who is better than Allah to judge for a people who are sure? O YOU WHO BELIEVE! DO NOT TAKE THE JEWS AND THE CHRISTIANS FOR FRIENDS; THEY ARE FRIENDS OF EACH OTHER; AND WHOEVER AMONGST YOU TAKES THEM FOR A FRIEND, THEN SURELY HE IS ONE OF THEM; SURELY ALLAH DOES NOT GUIDE THE UNJUST PEOPLE. (5:49-51)

The punishment of those who pit themselves against Allah and His Messenger and strive to make mischief in the land is only this, that they should be murdered or crucified or their hands and their feet should be cut off on opposite sides or they should be imprisoned; this shall be as a disgrace for them in this world, and in the hereafter they shall have a grievous chastisement, except those who repent before you have them in your power (5:33-34)

Believe therefore in Allah and His apostles, and say not, Three. Desist, it is better for you; Allah is only one god: far be it from his glory that He should have a son. (4:171)

What is the matter with you, then, that you have become two parties about the hypocrites, while Allah has made them return (to unbelief) for what they have earned? Do you wish to guide him whom Allah has caused to err? And whomsoever Allah causes to err, you shall by no means find a way for him. THEY DESIRE THAT YOU SHOULD DISBELIEVE AS THEY HAVE DISBELIEVED, SO THAT YOU MIGHT BE ALL ALIKE; THEREFORE TAKE NOT FROM AMONG THEM FRIENDS UNTIL THEY FLY THEIR HOMES IN ALLAH'S WAY; BUT IF THEY TURN BACK, THEN SEIZE THEM AND KILL THEM WHEREVER YOU FIND THEM, AND TAKE NOT FROM AMONG THEM A FRIEND OR A HELPER. (4:89)

As for those who disbelieve in Our communications, We shall make them enter fire; so oft as their skins are thoroughly burned, We will change them for other skins, that they may taste the punishment (4:56)

Surely they who disbelieve in the communications of Allah - they shall have a severe punishment; and Allah is Mighty, the lord of retribution. (3:4)

Allah 's Apostle said, " I have been ordered to fight with the people till they say, 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah,' and whoever says, None has the right to be worshipped but Allah,' his life and property will be saved by me except for Islamic law, and his accounts will be with Allah, (either to punish him or to forgive him.)" (Hadith 4:52:196)

Allah's Apostles said, "When a slave (of Allah) commits illegal sexual intercourse, he is not a believer at the time of committing it; and if he steals, he is not a believer at the time of stealing; and if he drinks an alcoholic drink, when he is not a believer at the time of drinking it; and he is not a believer when he commits a murder," 'Ikrima said: I asked Ibn Abbas, "How is faith taken away from him?" He said, Like this," by clasping his hands and then separating them, and added, "But if he repents, faith returns to him like this, by clasping his hands again. (Hadith 8:82:800e [So, with the clap of a hand, they can do whatever they want?]

The Prophet said, "The one who commits an illegal sexual intercourse is not a believer at the time of committing illegal sexual intercourse and a thief is not a believer at the time of committing theft and a drinker of alcoholic drink is not a believer at the time of drinking. Yet, (the gate of) repentance is open thereafter." (Hadith 8:82:801)

(Isolated incident) ...then prostrated himself, and all who were with him prostrated too. But an old man took a handful of dust and touched his forehead with it saying, "This is sufficient for me." Later on I saw him killed as an infidel. (Hadith 5:59:311)

[yes the Jews and Muslims are both descendents of Abraham, but here is the attitude towards descendants of Abraham through Isaac (the Jews]: "If they find you, they will be your enemies, and will stretch forth towards you their hands and their tongues with evil, and they ardently desire that you may disbelieve. Your relationship would not profit you, nor your children, on the day of resurrection; He will decide between you; and Allah sees what you do. Indeed, there is for you a good example in Abraham and those with him when they said to their people: Surely we are clear of you and of what you serve besides Allah; WE DECLARE OURSELVES TO BE CLEAR OF YOU, AND ENMITY AND HATRED HAVE APPEARED BETWEEN US AND YOU FOREVER UNTIL YOU BELIEVE IN ALLAH ALONE (60:2-4)

Answer 3

The fight for proper terminology between the West and Islam

For many years, the Western world has been struggling to influence the Islāmic world in regards to how it should use certain terminologies of classification. Unfortunately, it has won in its endeavor of influencing the mindset of the majority Muslim world into believing its own classifications of the Muslims. Their struggle against changing the meanings, however, did not face much difficulty and obstacles as there were very few in the world that challenged them; and challenging them seemed illogical for anyone to do. Recently, we saw that Tony Blair will be giving a large sum of money to the Islāmic Institutions of Britain in order to make it clear to the minds of the people who the "truly moderate" Muslims are; it is a tactic employed for the purpose of seeking the destruction of the "moderation" of those whom they call the "terrorists."

The four words that the Western world has been struggling to win over are as follows:

1. Terrorist

2. Extremist

3. Moderate

4. True Muslim

Our attempt here is to compare the Western definitions of such words to the authentic Islāmic definitions which are based on the Islāmic texts; it is then for our brothers and sisters to accept the Western view or the Islāmic view. The purpose of such an attempt is to verify the ground that our fellow believers should be standing on.

In the end, for those who choose the Islāmic view, glad tidings for them as the path will become difficult; and the lessons from the stories of Ibrāhīm ('alayhis salām), the boy and the king, the people of the ditch, and the persecution of the Sahābah in the Makkan era are all fruitful truths that prove: if you want to stand for the Haqq (truth), then prepare to battle Bātil (falsehood) because it will never give in peacefully. These stories will suffice for the believers in their endeavor to have Sabr upon this Millah (path, religion). Sadly, the majority of the Muslims in the West have the mentality that if they want the Haqq to prevail, then they should refrain from standing up for it at this moment since we are in the "Makkan Stage." Ironically, this understanding is in complete contradiction to what actually happened in the Makkan era since the Sahābah were persecuted for standing up for the Haqq (al-Walā') and exposing Bātil (al-Barā'ah) even though they were in small numbers and they were the earliest of the earliest (in Islām).

From the Western point of view, here are their definitions:

1. Terrorist - This has 3 main categories:

a) One who kills "innocent civilians" (Notice the Quotation marks).

b) One who makes or made Jihād against the West and is with a group of Mujāhidīn and openly supports them.

c) One who desires Jihād in any part of the world.

And the last one was added on after 9/11 for the purpose of unifying the effort on the "war on terrorism" with the various nations so that the "Islāmic Terrorists" would be rooted out and would have no chance to rest.

2. Extremist - This has 3 main categories:

a) One who is a "Terrorist" and adheres to the belief of establishing an Islāmic State.

b) One who adheres to the ideology of the Salafī Jihādī (i.e., following all 3 generations, showing respect for the Salaf and make [and inciting] Jihād purely for Allāh's sake). This also includes one who shows love and respect for the Shaykh, Muhammad ibn 'Abdil-Wahhāb (rahīmahullāh).

c) One who openly shows al-Walā' wal Barā'ah (loyalty and disavowal) even if they know that it frustrates the inhabitants of that land. This also includes those who make Takfīr (declares those to be outside the folds of Islām) of the Apostates and Muslim Governments (of today).

3. Moderate Muslim - This is the one who:

a) Does not openly support the Jihād fī Sabīlillāh (whether it is by inciting it, spreading its news, recruiting etc.).

b) Has interest in integrating into the non-Muslim societies and showing them love, and allegiance; he will almost never show his hatred openly, and if he does, it won't be something that will shake the non-Muslims and their Country. Rather, his (type of) Islām seeks the pleasure and approval of the non-Muslims.

c) Supports Muslim Scholars that respect the Muslim Governments of today.

d) Emphasizes tolerance with almost everything; they put special emphasis on tolerance with all Religions and their people, and the Governments. At the same time, they have elements of disavowal and enmity towards the Mujāhidīn.

4. True Muslim - This is the same as the Moderate Muslim Category; however, there are some Muslims of that category that are more active than the others. In the eyes of the West, true Muslims are people like Hamza Yūsuf, Zaid Shākir, Keith Ellison, Mahdi Brey, Habīb 'Alī al-Jafrī, Hishām Kabbanī, Shamsi 'Alī, Jamal Badawī and thousands of more.

From the Islamic Point of View, these are the definitions with their respective evidences:

1. Terrorist - One who terrorizes the enemies of Allāh Ta'āla. Allāh says,

And make ready against them All You can of power, including steeds of war to terrorize the enemy of Allāh and Your enemy, and others besides whom, You may not know but whom Allāh does know. (Al-Anfāl: 60)

This is not only permitted but this is greatly preferred by Allāh in warfare. Some might look at this and say, "Well, you are taking this out of context… there is no terrorism in Islām," but the problem with such an argument is that their mindset is already fixed on what terrorism is. If we were to start with a clean slate, we would see that in Islām, terrorism is to instill fear and terror into the hearts of the enemies and this is exactly what we are referring to. As long as the method is within the limits of the Sharī'ah, then this terrorism is lawful and loved by Allāh; however, if it is not sanctioned by the Sharī'ah - such as killing the Mu'āhad (the one who has a covenant with the Muslims) or a Dhimmī intentionally - then this is not loved by Allāh since the blood of such people is protected and therefore sacred.

2. Extremist - There are three types of extremist in this Dīn:

a) One who goes beyond the boundaries that have been set by the Sharī'ah. For example, claiming to be a Prophet or making Halāl what Allāh made Harām. There are 3 types of extremists of this category, and the last one is the worst of them:

- 'Isyān (disobedience)

- Fusūq (defiance)

- Kufr (disbelief)

This is based from the āyah,

And know that among you is the Messenger of Allāh. If he were to obey you in much of the matter, you would be in difficulty, but Allāh has endeared to you the faith and has made it pleasing in your hearts and has made hateful to you disbelief, defiance and disobedience. Those are the [rightly] guided. (Al-Hujurāt: 7)

And the worst of the extremists are the Murtaddīn (Apostates) that wage war against the Muslims whether directly (by fighting) or indirectly (by speaking). The example of this is the wars of Riddah (Apostasy) during the Caliphate of Abū Bakr al-Siddīq (radiyallāhu 'anhu); all the Murtaddīn were put to the sword - after being warned by the Muslim Army general (and neglecting his warning) - and not a single of them was tolerated by the Muslims nor were there any dialogues of tolerance or "understanding" between the Muslims and the Murtaddīn.

b) One who thinks that more needs to be done than what the Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhī wassallam) did in 'Ibādah. The example here is the famous incident where three Sahābah tried to do more than what the Prophet did himself by fasting more, praying more (in Tahajjud) and refraining from marriage. Also in this category that's included are the people of bid'ah (innovation) since they (who commit bid'ah) believe that more needs to be done in the Religion; if this wasn't the case, then they would have never committed bid'ah. An example of bid'ah is worshipping graves, celebrating the holidays of al-Kuffār, calling on the Scholars that have passed away, practicing magic and so on. The Messenger of Allāh (sallallāhu 'alayhī wassallam) said, "Every innovation is misguidance and going astray." [Reported by Abū Dāwūd (no. 4607), at-Tirmidhī (no. 2676) and it is sahīh. Ibn Hajr authenticated it Takhrīj Ahādīth Ibn ul-Hājib (1/137)]

Those who help, support, or befriend the people of innovation will also fall under this category of extremism since the Messenger of Allāh (sallallāhu 'alayhī wassallam) said, "Whoever innovates or accommodates an innovator then upon him is the curse of Allāh, His Angels and the whole of mankind." [Reported by Bukhārī (12/41) and Muslim (9/140)]

c) The Khawārij and their Kharjī mentality which was mentioned by the Prophet (sallallāhu 'alayhī wassallam) in various ahadīth. Some of their qualities include being harsh against the Muslims, and humble with the disbelievers, fighting and killing the Muslims and sparing the disbelievers. Their likeliness of today are those of the Rulers that govern the Muslim lands; they take the disbelievers as their Awliyā' (supporters, guardians) to fight and kill all the Mujāhidīn who desire the Sharī'ah on the land.

3. Moderate Muslim - One who follows the middle path as it was said in the hadīth of Rasūlullāh (sallallāhu 'alayhī wassallam). Contrary to what the Muslims who are labeled as "moderate" by the Kuffār and the Governments, this includes having strong and unyielding Imān in Allāh and the Hereafter, being harsh against the Kuffār and showing them hatred and enmity until they become Muslim like how Ibrāhīm ('alayhis salām) showed us, befriending the true believers (which we will mention next) and being humble with them, waging Jihād against the Kuffār and Murtaddīn with the sword, and following all the commandments of Allāh and His Messenger to the best of one's ability.

All of these evidences will be mentioned under the next category of the True Muslim.

4. True Muslim - It is the same as the moderate Muslim and there is absolutely no difference. The best of Muslims amongst the Sahābah were the best of moderate Muslims. He is a Mu'min who desires to give his soul to Allāh 'Azza wa Jall whilst knowing that in return, he will be promised Jannah. The descriptions of such a person are so numerous that it cannot be detailed here. We will give the following āyāt and ahadīth as examples:

Indeed, Allāh has purchased from the Mu'minīn their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise. They fight in the cause of Allāh, so they kill and are killed. [It is] a true promise [binding] upon Him in the Torah and the Gospel and the Qur'ān. And who is truer to his covenant than Allāh? So rejoice in your transaction which you have contracted. And it is that which the great attainment is! (At-Taubah: 111)

And He Ta'āla says,

O you who have believed, whoever of you should revert from his religion - Allāh will bring forth [in place of them] a people He will love and who will love Him [who are] humble toward the believers, powerful against the disbelievers; they make Jihād in the cause of Allāh and do not fear the blame of a critic. That is the favor of Allāh; He bestows it upon whom He wills. And Allāh is all-Encompassing and Knowing. (Al-Mā'idah: 54)

And He Ta'āla says,

Verily, Allāh loves those who fight in his Cause In rows (ranks) as if they were a solid structure. (As-Saff: 4)

And He Ta'āla says,

Indeed there has been an excellent example for You In Ibrāhīm (Abraham) and those with him, when they said to their people: "Verily, we are free from You and whatever You Worship besides Allāh, we have rejected you, and there has started between us and you, hostility and hatred forever, until You believe In Allāh Alone…" (Al-Mumtahinah: 4)

And the Messenger of Allāh (sallallāhu 'alayhī wassallam) said,

"Whosoever dies without participating in an expedition (i.e., Jihād), nor has the intention to do so, dies on a branch of hypocrisy." [Sahīh Muslim]

And in another hadīth:

Saburah bin al Fākah narrated: I heard the Messenger of Allāh say, "Certainly, Shaytān has intercepted the son of Adam on his path towards Islām and told him: "Are you going to become Muslim and leave your heritage and the religion of your forefathers?" But the son of Adam disobeyed him and became a Muslim and was forgiven. Then Shaytān sat for him on his path to hijrah and told him: "Will you make hijrah and leave behind your home and land?" He disobeyed him and made hijrah. He then sat for him on his path towards Jihād and told him: "Are you going to fight when it is an exhaustion of yourself and wealth? You would go to kill and would be killed and then your wife would be taken and your wealth divided." The son of Adam disobeyed him and went on Jihād." The Messenger of Allāh then said: "Whoever does that, it is incumbent upon Allāh to admit him to Paradise! Or if he dies by his animal striking him he would go to Paradise." [Musnad Ahmad (3/473), an-Nasā'ī (6/21-22) and al-Bayhaqī (2/95); and the hadīth is sahīh]

So where do such people that are known as "moderates" in the eyes of the Kuffār go with such āyāt and ahadīth? Which alley or building can protect them from these miraculous yet forthright verses and traditions?

As is apparent, the Western view and the Islāmic view of these terminologies are in total cahoots with each other. For those who attempt to build a bridge between the two worlds, let them know that their wastage of time and effort will always meet with failure and confusion. Such people will always be failures in the sight of Allāh because of their abandonment of al-Walā' wal Barā'ah (loyalty and disavowal); and such people will be in confusion because of their inner-heart conviction with the texts would be rejected by their own selves for the "betterment" of Western society and the "understanding" between the two cultures.

Answer 4

"Extremist" is not a title anybody adopts for himself; we stick it on other people to indicate that we think their attitudes are much different from the majority of their group. Those we call "extremist" Muslims think of themselves as "true" Muslims and the others (what we often call "moderate" Muslims) as slackers.

Tactically, condemning some action as that of "extremists" is an attempt to divide sentiment among the group under discussion (the so-called "moderates") so that those people think, "It's OK; they aren't talking about us." At the same time, the extremists are propagandizing the opposite message, "See: they hate us all."

As with so many terms of art, "extremist" tends to be overused.

Answer 5

Radical Islam are the Muslims who read the word and murder innocent women and children in the name of Islam.