“ACTIVIST”
Such a resounding title that many people love to be called by. Frequently do we hear people identifying themselves, or being identified in the media and on internet pages as activists for whatever, but rarely do we get to understand what exactly does those people do for a living. According to whatever it is that they claim to stand for, we see them dressed in certain theatrical outfits and raising certain flags which they think transfers part of their ideas and “BIG CAUSE.” This title, or mission, or whatever, has turned into being the job of the jobless, and the repeated talk of the flunkies. It’s enough to hear that someone is an activist for something, then by default this someone turns into Mr. Somebody, and this something turns into being a widely acceptable matter that we should all support and defend. Consequently, false laws are promulgated in support of what false activists call for. The way I see it is that nowadays, activism has become so widely spread, it has become a fashion, and the majority of those so claimed to be “activists,” are extremely superficial idiots whom if people really investigate what they call for, will renounce and forsake at the very least.

How to differentiate between true activism and fake one is a very important question that we should all ask ourselves. My simple answer is that: True activism stands for and defends the greater good, it doesn’t stand for unestablished theories, nor does it promote something harmful, not in the very least. Its main objective is to ward off harm and produce benefits for the community, not a limited bunch of benefactors. And above all, it never lifts harm by harm. Activism should be practiced according to a clear ethical code, and must respect righteous moral values, or else it’s bogus.

Our sheikhs taught us that in order to protect ourselves from straying away from the true understanding of all matters, we should always remember what they called: “The Conformity Juristic Principals.” Among these principles are the following important ones:

1. “Warding off harm is given precedence over producing benefits.”
2. “Private harm should be endured for the sake of lifting public harms.”
3. “Harm could not be lifted by harm.”
4. “If inevitable, lesser harm is given preference over graver harm.”

The previous principles among others constitute one of the main pillars upon which the methodology of legislation in Islam was built. If the cause for which you stand or support respects those principals, then it’s a fair cause, otherwise be careful, the backlash of your superficial strife could be totally destructive to what you thought you were defending.

Written By: Ehab Shawky.