It has been mentioned that one factor of much success towards the existence of La Convivencia was that of public literacy and, as has been numerously advocated by other eminent scholars such as M. Kamal Hassan, education remains a much vital tool towards reengaging with the current dilemmas of today.
The multiple threats of extremism at regional and international levels tell us of the need to readdress the negative and extremist perceptions that, in turn, only festers religious and racial discrimination or worse, hatred, such as Islamophobia.
The way forward in defeating violent extremism is only through education and cultivation of intellectual discourses.
The promotion of the role of education is seen as a key initiative in building resilience against violent extremism, and work towards the empowerment of youth, women and families to intensify alternative messages that erode the legitimacy of the narratives of violent extremism.
Education not only serves as a strong tool towards bridging knowledge gaps between other cultures, but can also be a much effective tool in countering the lure towards extremist tendencies for it is innately evident that intolerance in some ways correlates with ignorance.
Moonis Ahmar’s observations on the rise of intolerance and extremism in Pakistan are insightful, given that he lists down the following factors as reasons for the permeation of extremism in Pakistani society.
USE of religion for political purposes.
PREACHING of intolerance and hate from mosques and religious schools.
SOCIAL backwardness and frustration.
ILLITERACY and ignorance.
UNDER-DEVELOPMENT and poverty.
ABSENCE of the rule of law.
ABSENCE of reasoning and rational approach.
UNEMPLOYMENT and frustration among the youth.
LACK of viable democratic culture.
STATES’ failure to curb extremist and militant groups.
PROLIFERATION of drugs and weapons.
LACK of tolerance and moderation.
In so far as how the period of La Convivencia had conceived elements of coexistence by synchronisations of political leadership, religious leaders and the community, then so must the current realities also strive for a cohesion between political will and leaders to engage with religious leaders and key members of the community, the media being one example of the latter.
Thus, the emphasis on education — in addressing aspects of illiteracy, ignorance as well as social backwardness and frustration — must also be ably supported and amplified by the media.
For example, in January this year, a much noteworthy declaration, namely the Marrakesh Declaration, was announced at a Muslim conference attended by esteemed muftis and scholars, ministers of religion in the various Islamic nations and pastors and scholars of other religions.
This declaration, similar to that of A Common Word and A Letter to Al-Baghdadi, is a notable example which must be highlighted by the media, given its attention and engagement to the rights of minorities, as well as advocating for coexistence in comparison to the media prominence provided to Islamophobia and extremist threats.
The necessity for policies, engagement and empowering of communities is essential towards prospering civilisational cooperation and dialogue, given, as mentioned previously, that it served as one key element of La Convivencia, whereby under the leadership of Abd Rahman III and his vizer, the Jew Hasdai Ibn Shaprut, both had calculatedly fostered policies of reconciliation between the various ethnicities, as well as engaging and empowering them via authoritative positions and rotation of bureaucratic posts.
Nonetheless, it must be cautioned that there needs a delicate balance between these policies of education and media, since on occasions, propaganda has been known to be equated with education, and this is a gross oversimplification of perspectives.
Propaganda uses a set of prefabricated arguments and symbols designed to control the thinking, emotions and actions of individuals; whereas education aims to present all‟ sides of an issue and lets the individual decide who is right or wrong and what is good or bad.
A study conducted by the Indian-based think tank Strategic Foresight Group, has indicated that violent extremism stems from a collation of deficits, chief amongst it being deficits in dignity, development as well as governance — and that vested interests groups, organised or otherwise, will invariably manipulate religious undertones in their recruitment of the disillusioned or worse, the vulnerable youths.
CONCLUSION
There is an African saying that indicates if one wishes to go fast, then go alone, but if one wants to go far, then one has to go together.
The period objectively chosen, the La Convivencia, has more appropriately provided much credible evidence on such a need for closer cooperation, since the balances of society — in Muslim and Christian Iberia — had shifted immensely by the mid-12th century, in the sense that the two societies were radically diverging apart from one another in differing fashions and directions and at increasing speed, be it in their external relations, internal organisations and address of current realities.
Thus, the dangers of extremism and terrorism — be it by factions of ISIS, Boko Haram or even the radical Buddhist elements in Myanmar — are a scourge to the global world.
It also represents an ample and sui generis of an opportunity towards further civilisational cooperation and initiatives.
The advocating for such co-existential initiatives would indeed require political sinew, not only from the political and religious leaders, but also members of the media and the relevant civil society organisations.
To this end, we implore the United Nations, and by its extension, the United Nations Alliance of Civilisations and other relevant organisations toward these acts of bridge-building initiatives, in the spirit of humanity as per the sayings of the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad:
Every one of you is a shepherd and everyone is answerable with regard to his flock.
The Caliph is a shepherd over the people and shall be questioned about his subjects (as to how he conducted their affairs).
A man is a guardian over the members of his family and shall be questioned about them (as to how he looked after their physical and moral wellbeing).
A woman is a guardian over the household of her husband and his children and shall be questioned about them (as to how she managed the household and brought up the children).
A slave is a guardian over the property of his master and shall be questioned about it (as to how he safeguarded his trust).
Beware, every one of you is a guardian and every one of you shall be questioned with regard to his trust.
Nasharudin Mat Isa is chief executive officer of the Global Movement of Moderates Foundation