POSITIVE STATUS QUOISM
No sooner do you want to do something than you find yourself faced with some hurdle or the other. This happens in the case of individuals as well as entire communities. Now, one way to react to this is to first fight against these hurdles in order to try to get rid of them and then to begin whatever work one wants to. This is what is conventionally called ‘radicalism’.
Radicalism seems to appeal to certain highly emotional people, people with a proclivity to extremism. Yet, it is not useful for any sort of positive purpose. Radicalism is effective only for destruction, not for construction. Radicalism not only causes the destruction of an existing system, but it also leads to the destruction of social traditions that have evolved over centuries. People are subjected to unspeakable horrors because of the bloodshed and disruption wrought by radicalism. Experience shows that although it may appear attractive at the ideological level to some people, in terms of its practical consequences, radicalism has nothing positive about it at all.
Another way to respond to the challenges one inevitably faces in life is to totally avoid confrontation with a given situation, and, instead, to plan one’s efforts remaining within the limits of possibilities. Accepting for the time being the given status quo, one can use the opportunities that are still available to them. This method may be termed ‘positive status quo.’
Radicalism always produces violence. In contrast, ‘positive status quoism’ fulfills its purpose while preserving social peace. Radicalism always only further exacerbates a given problem. Conversely, ‘positive status quoism’ fulfills its purpose without creating any problems in society. The former leads to destruction, the latter to construction.
The method of reform that the Prophet Muhammad used in ancient Arabia was that of ‘positive status quoism’. For instance, at that time, there were 360 idols inside the Kabah. This was a big problem. But in the early Quranic revelations no order was revealed to purify the Kabah of these idols. Instead, in this initial period the Quran’s exhortation to believers was to ‘purify your garments’ (74:4). This meant purification of one’s moral character, and that of others, too.
