Human beings, in their understanding of the world and the worldly phenomena have strived to a great extent; therefore, they have gathered knowledge and formed ideologies. These ideologies have definitely supported them to understand the challenging queries to a certain extent and at the same time provided them a frame of reference towards the happenings, incidents and changes. Nonetheless, these ideologies have also divided human beings (whether for good or bad is debatable). Some consider the difference in ideologies among different nations and groups of people as vital, because that is the factor which would ultimately define the identity of the social and political groups and the development of different cultures and traditions. Some even claim that to be inevitable and the arguments they have are quite convincing as they consider the human natures to be different and even contradicting. In fact, this may lead us to a long discussion which would involve the discussion of human nature and the interaction of different human societies and groups. However, the matter of discussion is where the distinction and differentiation in ideologies have led human beings. Has it provided them more bliss and contentment or more conflicts and wars?

It is important to note that it is the demand of social and political circumstances that the ideologies formed in different societies by different groups should be different. The problem is not at all to be different; even every individual human being is different from others. The difference in ideologies in fact may give rise to a variety of social groups with variety of social and cultural practices. Nevertheless, the problem arises when the ideologies turn extreme; when only one’s or a group’s own ideology becomes true and all the other ideologies become false;  and when it becomes the responsibility of the follower of one ideology to change ideas of the followers of other ideologies, forcefully. After any social or political group becomes extremist, there are possibilities that it would adopt violence for the coercion of its ideas on others, as extremism would lead it to such a destination.    

Extremism is a forceful coercion that one's own ideology, religion, race or nation is always right while all the others are wrong and abhorring them would not be wrong at all. It even convinces many to adopt hostility in the defense of their ideology or the defeat of the others. As hinted above, it has persuaded its holders to take the responsibility of correcting others for they are absurd and must be led to the right direction.

It is important to note that extremism cannot be related to a single ideology, as is mostly depicted in modern times. Currently it has become a fad to link extremism with Islam and Muslims. However, it would be better to note that extremism itself is not an ideology; rather it is the frame of reference through which any religion or ideology is perceived that generates extremism.

If Muslims are extremists, there are certain Hindus, Sikhs and Christians as well, who are extremist. In addition it is not very strange to experience extremist atheists in today’s society. Even atheists, who do not believe in any religion, can turn belligerent and even fierce in defense of their ideology. Then there are many believers in modern political ideologies who are extremists. Hence, it can be safely said that extremism is not the content of an ideology rather it is the conception of the content and its impacts over human psychology and behavior and eventually his responses.

It can be easily observed in today’s world that how extremism has turned people violent and even terrorist. The example of our own country Afghanistan can be discussed here without any hesitation.

The terrorists who have been fighting in Afghanistan are mostly the extremists who believe their religious beliefs to be final and the best, while believe others’ as meaningless and worth destruction. Therefore, what they have been doing is evident from the series of their tyrannies wherein they kill innocent people through indiscriminate bombings and shootings. Just take the example of Tuesday’s explosion in front of High Court office in Kabul that resulted in the death of 17 people and injury to 40 others. This is nothing more than filthy extremism in its worst form.  

Now realize the concept of suicide attack. A suicide attacker is basically a person who believes extremely in a particular ideology and in the falseness of others so much that he becomes ready to blow up himself in order to kill others. This is what extremism can teach people; therefore, it is necessary that human beings must stop being extremists and adopt moderation before it is too late.

Moderation, in fact, is the best way to adopt in pursuance of an ideology. Moderation teaches tolerance and cooperation. People with moderate ideology tend to accept others with all their differences and respect them as well. It does not mean to forget one’s own identity and mix up with others in order to lose oneself. It basically means valuing the heterogeneity and honoring the basic law of nature that people and groups of people are different and they have different perceptions, beliefs and practices.

The modern world is a world that has shrunk because of the advancement of science and technology. People are now closer to each other – as the distances have shrunk because of different means of communication and transportation, different religions and cultures have come closer to one another. It is the time when they have fully come to know about their differences and in certain cases that knowledge has led to conflicts and wars. Therefore, it is better for all the human beings to adopt a moderate approach and try to understand each other instead of abhorring without any reason. Moderation would definitely lead them to find out the similarities among one another instead of finding out the differences and politicizing them. They would be able afterwards to make further developments on the same line and at the end can bind into a single chain of humanity.