Therefore, extremism must be fought through various means, by building a culture of dialogue and the etiquette of disagreement, accustoming souls to accepting the other, respecting opposing opinions, and embodying the values of pluralism, peaceful coexistence, tolerance, and the recognition of the other in society.
Perhaps His Majesty King Abdullah II foresaw that the successful and influential means to achieve these goals is dialogue with extremists. While some governments recently resorted to using force against extremist and violent groups, others chose the path of dialogue. Experience has proven that dialogue was more influential and effective than the use of force, as force sometimes yields negative results and makes extremist thought more rigid and entrenched rather than eliminating it.
His Majesty King Abdullah II recalled historical stances that demonstrate the correctness of what he called for, citing that our master Abdullah bin Abbas, may God be pleased with him, engaged in dialogue with the Khawarij, and because of this dialogue, many of them recanted their extremist stance and joined the ranks of the Muslim masses.
From this, we deduce His Majesty's long-standing realization that there is an urgent need to activate mechanisms of purposeful and constructive dialogue with extremists to correct their erroneous ideas and deviant concepts, and consequently transform them into a wholesome segment in society.
In this context, attention should be drawn to the fact that His Majesty considered religious extremism to be the understanding of legal texts away from the Lawgiver's intent, and this extremism leads to one of two undesirable outcomes: excess or deficiency.
His Majesty explained that the manifestations of extremism are represented in a person's fanaticism for their opinion, the failure to recognize the other opinion, and their rigidity in understanding to a degree that does not allow a clear vision of the people's interests. The extremist often treats ijtihadi matters as definitive and certain, with no room except for one saying—which is his own saying and opinion.
His Majesty King Abdullah II arrived at a precise characterization when he said that extremism is the bias toward the two extremes of a matter. It includes exaggeration (ghuluw), but exaggeration is more specific in terms of excess and transgression—not merely straying from the center to the extremes. In other words, every exaggeration is extremism, but not every extremism is exaggeration.
Exaggeration is more specific than extremism, as extremism is exceeding the limit and straying from moderation and balance, whether through excess or deficiency. The Almighty said in the decisive revelation of His Holy Book in Surat An-Nisa: (O People of the Book, do not exceed the limits in your religion), meaning do not surpass the proper measure.
Last but not least, I conclude with what His Majesty said: Terrorism is the aggression practiced by individuals, groups, or states, transgressing against a person's religion, blood, wealth, and honor. It includes all forms of intimidation, harm, threats, and unlawful killing, and every act of violence or threat carried out in execution of an individual or collective criminal project aimed at casting terror and panic among people, frightening them by harming them, or endangering their lives, freedoms, or security. However, what His Majesty continuously emphasized is that legitimate self-defense and repelling an aggressor is neither terrorism nor extremism; rather, for Muslims, it is Jihad in the cause of God, provided it is subject to the legal controls established by the nation's scholars.
