that underlies the whole of existence and binds humankind. Adam and Eve are cited by the Qur'an as the father and mother of the whole of humanity. Noah, Moses, Abraham, Jesus and Muhammad are referred to and cited as Prophets chosen by God. A large part of the Qur’an is directed at humankind in general, without any distinction being made between believer or non-believer. We are all brothers and sisters and creatures of God by dint of being from the tribe of Adam (Banu). Within this essential unity, the Qur’an recognises natural diversity and plurality: “O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that you may know one another. The noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is the best in conduct. Allah is Knower, Aware.” (Qur’an, 49:13) 97. Islam includes unconditional respect for humanity regardless of faith, since all human beings are God's creatures: “[L]et him who believes in Allah and the Last Day be generous to his neighbour, and let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day be generous to his guest” (narrated by the Companion, Abu Hurairah). Extremism in religion is forbidden in Islam 98. Islam forbids anything extreme. This includes extremism in religion. The Qur’an commands: “Oh People of the Book, do not go to excess in your religion.” (Qur'an, 4: 171 and 5: 77). 99. Prophet Muhammad said: “Distance yourselves from being extreme in religion” and, “Beware of going to extremes in religion, for those before you were only destroyed through excessiveness”.1 100. The great 14th Century Damascene scholar, ibn Taymiyya, said that extremism in religion means deviating from a ‘Middle Path’ between two extremities. The meaning of “Jihad” 101. The word iihad or jihād ( ‫اد‬T ‫ ) جه‬is an Arabic participle which means literally “struggling”, “exerting oneself” or “striving”. It is the nominal participle from the triconsonantal Arabic root j-h-d. In modern parlance, the word jihad has, unfortunately, become synonymous with ‘holy war’; but jihad has more complex, varied and subtle meanings in classical Islam which must be viewed and understood in their proper historical context. 102. Scholars distinguish between the linguistic (lughawi) and religious meaning of jihad. The religious use of the term jihad in Islam is shorthand for jihad fiy sabilillah which means “striving in the cause (literally, path) of God” (in Qur'anic and contemporary usage ). 1 Narrated by Ahmad, Ibn Khuzaimah, An-Nasa`ii, Ibn Majah and Al-Hakim. 23