Radicalisation in Islamic Thought: A Normative, Jurisprudential and Ethical Evaluation

Abstract

Religious and ideological radicalisation remains a complex phenomenon because of its subjective classification and the varying assumptions found across different scholarly traditions. Existing radicalisation models often underemphasise religious, interpretive and normative dimensions while predominantly emphasising psychological and structural explanations. As a result, there is insufficient integration between religious reasoning, social processes and ethical judgement. Building on this limitation, this research investigates how the violation of normative, jurisprudential and ethical Islamic principles may undermine the objectives of Sharīʿah and contribute to extremist ideologies. It examines selective interpretations of certain Islamic concepts while recognising the wider diversity of modern Islamic thought. It also explains how such interpretations differ from the broader legal, ethical and scholarly traditions of Islam. It further demonstrates how the principles of moderation, justice, mercy and the prevention of harm provide a basis for evaluating and preventing extremist tendencies within Islamic thought.