Does traditional orthodoxy lead to extremism?

upon misguidance and if um if we start promoting them people will become misguided this is the the kind of response given when you I mean what what do you what do you think of that what do you make of that because that's the response usually given isn't it yeah well I would say sarcastically and ironically I would say I would want people then to be misguided if [laughter] if if if being on guidance is following what the traditionalists and quote unquote orthodoxy is doing today.

If that's guidance, then I want to be misguided because what they are promoting today is reactionary conservatism and ext fundamentalism and extremism. And I'm not saying that they're the same as the extremists who go and blow themselves up, but there's a it's not a coincidence. For example, so for example, I come from I'm I'm from a South Asian background. the the traditional the traditionalist ama of South Asia the quintessential ones are the Diabundies.

Now if you look and you go through the different terrorist groups uh the majority of them are Dioi or Diabundi inspired or the other group of orthodoxy the Salafies the hadith they are the other group or not if not those two then a minority will also be BVI which is another shade of orthodoxy. So my question is what are these people teaching that it's so easy to mutate into the Taliban?

So easy to mutate into ISIS. So I'm not saying they're the same. There's a huge difference and there's even some reformed traditionalists who I respect and think they're pushing back against it. Ultimately I think reformed traditionalism is a failed project. But I myself am trying to promote an alternative vision which is I want to channel the spirit of the Islamic philosophers and the multazles uh as well as uh the Islamic modernists.

And I think we need another alternative. And I think the only reason why it hasn't had success is because they kill you or they run you out of the country. But sad for them, they can't do that in the United States. So I can teach my course and there's nothing they can do. Um, so I understand why in Muslim countries it's difficult to um be more radical in your way of thinking, but now so can't sorry your mic kind of thing just bounced a bit there and I and I totally agree that this whole thing of you get certain groups who they they may not themselves

be uh kind of they they're not terrorists or promoting terrorism or extreme extremism, violent extremism. However, they create an atmosphere that can be a springboard to that. Um, like you're mentioning that some I'm not saying all these for example are like that, but yes, the atmosphere can serve as a springboard into that uh as well as Salifi kind of thought kind of.

So, my audio keeps cutting out. Um, it's the gym. It's the gin that I see. I'm hearing my voice back there. I took off my head to see if that will help. No, I think No, that won't help. Let me try. [snorts] Try [laughter] medical. Just do the doctor's advice. If it doesn't work, just take it out and put it back in. [laughter] Okay.