The world is choking in the hands of extremism.

Let’s save it.

But how?

By curbing extremism.

And how do we do that?

Let’s condemn what is happening in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, Pakistan or Europe and US.

Let’s condemn the atrocities committed by ISIS.

Let’s curse Taliban.

Let’s say no to honor killing; let’s discourage the notion of gender based humiliation; let’s admonish the bigotry towards transgender people; let’s frustrate the growing impact of religious maniacs in the society; let’s decry all the social evils and acclaim the very notion of humanity that all human beings are born equal.

We have been hearing these slogans since ages.

Rampart arguments are always there to guard our curiosity. We got stuck among these slogans as our eastern hearts do not allow us to believe in them enough to translate them into actions. We do not allow our minds to question our hearts at all.

Yet another horrific incident of terror was seen this week when a suicide attack claimed 70 people dead and left dozens wounded in Quetta. More havoc for the innocent families and the victims of this barbarianism.

But all we are set to see in response is a lot condemnations and promises to end the reign of terror. Nobody will take concrete measures to deprive these evil creatures of the moral ground (religion) that they have hijacked to execute their bloody power game.

The hue and cry over the reformation of Islam is something that is unavoidable in the wake of recent terrorist attacks.

The idea of reforming Islam is not new to Muslims. It is a continuous effort by Muslims who are committed to bringing reformation in Islam through a progressive interpretation of Quran.

It is seemingly not an overhasty task. But it has been going on for many years and Muslims are still going through the phase of reformation. The reform has been led by different individuals through various clarifications and explanations of controversial ideas.

The lack of substance and difference of opinion among the scholars led to the division after division in Islam into many sects, just as it happened to many other religions. This eventually bolsters the radical groups and their claims of Islam’s custodianship through indiscriminate terror and hate.

We should stop ignoring how al-Qaeda, ISIS, TTP and many other terrorist organizations are invoking the horrors while destroying the foundation of our civilization. They are certainly politically motivated organizations and actually use religion as a tool to persuade their selfish agendas.

The leaders of such organizations appear to be allured by the worldly greed, since they seem less interested in blowing themselves up and are more interested in maintaining their hegemony as a caliph(s) while consuming their followers as baits.

It seems that economic and geopolitical interests of world powers mainly, from the West, have a lot to do with what the world, especially the Middle East, is reaping. But eventually these radical elements, which emerge to fill the void left by the brutal campaigns of the imperial powers, are based on one of the interpretations of Islam.

We have to understand one thing that we cannot let such radicals exploit our youth in the name of religion.

Taliban and ISIS are very careful about their definition of a Muslim and they take no time in breathing fire on those disagreeing with them, immediately labeling those as infidels and enemies.

These self proclaimed contractors of Islam proudly apply their understanding of the religion on other people. But on the other side exists a vast sum of people who are confused and are unwilling to take a clear stance against them.

Despite witnessing massacres in east and west of innocents by ISIS, and even by their opponents such as Assad regime, the Muslim world especially the “wise guys” among us have chosen to stay quiet instead of taking a clear stand.

The whole Islamic world is paying the price of this silence, or ambiguous stance, by our clergy, in turn rapidly increasing the distrust and disrespect for Muslims across the world. Evidently we need a counter-interpretation of religion which can nullify all the evil propaganda that is being heaped in the name of Islam.

The ideas of reformation and condemnation of such elements should go side by side. However, the so-called Muslim scholars seem either busy in fighting their communal wars or giving fatwas about women and underage marriages.

Today Muslim majority countries are facing mainly three problems, terrorism, social deterioration, economic instability, which are all an outcome of ignorance. By mixing cultural and tribal norms into their believe system, they have made their wrongdoings highly complex.

I think now is the time when, parallel to coping with ISIS type threats, we should also be debating about reforming the blasphemy laws, child marriages, honor killings, violence against women, violence against homosexuals, ending FGM, sectarianism and banish the cults which takes refuge under the banner of Islam and enslave millions as their followers.

Those like Ali Hammuda who preach taking non-Muslim women as sex slaves while sitting in Great Britain, should be treated just like the ISIS terrorists because they are the ones who provide moral justification for the terrible crimes being committed in the name of our religion.

The whole Muslim world is tormented and in dire need of salvation. It seems that sanity cannot penetrate human insensitivity, which is now turning into apathy towards the fellow beings.

One day or another, the Muslim world will have to sit together and deliberate on the real issues, for the sake of our own survival as a civilization.