‘Faith leaders’ role vital in fighting violent extremism’

KUALA LUMPUR: Religious leaders play a vital role in the fight to stop the spread of violent extremism from taking roots in a community, said an academician. Prof Mark Woodward from Arizona State University said influential and respected figures such as religious leaders have the social responsibility to disseminate knowledge and the courage to correct distorted views often used to sow hatred and violent extremism.

“Religious (leaders and) leadership have a very critical role and unique responsibility to play in stopping violent extremism... the same way some of them had manipulated it to fan a conflict,” he said. He spoke to Bernama International News Service after presenting a talk at the International Symposium on Religious Values on Preventing & Countering Violent Extremism organised by the International Islamic University Malaysia at Gombak, near here, yesterday.

Woodward, who specialises in religion-state-society studies, pointed out that although most of the problems may be caused by economic or geopolitical issues, it became more complex and difficult to solve when religion is involved.

“Very often, people use religious terminology and rhetoric in talking about issues that are fundamentally geopolitical or economic. Sometimes, an issue may begin as a class or economic problem, but once a religious label gets attached to it, it makes it more difficult to solve as people may be drawn to it based on shared religious ideas without even recognising what the conflict is all about,” he said. He added that likewise, politicians should also refrain from using religious hatred as political tools to advance their personal interests.

“Religious and political leaders must have the courage to stand up to what is wrong even though there is a measure of risks, (and) making them unpopular,” said Woodward. — Bernama