Lately, the word fundamentalist has been used and broadcast around the world via media; the susceptible public accepting whatever they comment on. But what is the real meaning of a fundamentalist. A fundamentalist is a person who demonstrates and applies, “the strict maintenance of the ancient or fundamental doctrines of any religion or ideology.” (Oxford dictionary, http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/fundamentalism?view=uk)The media portrays fundamentalists to be a bane for society; that is if you think that a fundamentalist is a terrorist who holds radical views. This topic is being addressed for the simple reason of the fact that Muslims are being stereotyped to be fundamentalists, not actually realising that a true Muslim is a fundamentalist. This also applies to Christianity, Judaism, and Hinduism etc. If your view is that fundamentalists are blight, than you are saying that their view is wrong. Their beliefs – in your view – must not be compatible to this modern world, unless you are calling terrorists fundamentalists. An Islamic fundamentalist is a person who is firm in his believes of Islam and likewise a Christian fundamentalist is he who strictly adheres himself to the beliefs of Christianity. Yet a rapist fundamentalist cannot be accepted as his field is to rape and that is an uncivilised, unaccepted practice. Which religion has beliefs that are incompatible with this world today is another topic, yet a person needs to address a topic or concept properly and in the right terms instead of listen to those who lead you astray from the truth. The word fundamentalist is now used to portray people whose real tag should be terrorist. This issue has to be addressed.One thing I certainly am going to say though is that no-where does Islam encourage terrorism, and a minority of terrorist Muslims are being portrayed as though they are in great numbers. This is another story that includes conspiracies and truths about the happenings in the Middle East. Labelling a terrorist Muslim a fundamentalist Muslim is entirely wrong, as you are actually saying that that person is a person who strictly adheres to the doctrine of Islam. Which of course would be completely and utterly incorrect. A person in Islam cannot unlawfully kill some man/women nor can he commit suicide.
“O ye who believe! Eat not up your property among yourselves in vanities: But let there be amongst you Traffic and trade by mutual good-will: Nor kill (or destroy) yourselves: for verily Allah hath been to you Most Merciful!” Qur’an: (Chapter 4, Verse 29 – Al-Nisa), Yusuf Ali translation
Also,“((Indeed, whoever (intentionally) kills himself, then certainly he will be punished in the Fire of Hell, wherein he shall dwell forever))” (Bukhaaree (5778) and Muslim (109 and 110)).
Finally,“Whosoeer kills a human being for other than murder or creating mischief in the land, it is as if he had killed the whole of human kind, and whoso saved the life of one as if he has saved the life of all mankind.”Qur’an: (Chapter 5, verse 12 – Al-Ma’idah)
If a fundamentalist is a person who strictly maintains a certain ideology or belief, than I am more than joyful to reveal that I am a fundamentalist Muslim, well trying to be one anyway!
