Islam Needs an Age of Reason

News Type: Opinion — Seeded on Sat Aug 18, 2007 12:23 PM EDT

Article Source: The Washington Post

religion, reason, irshad-manji, ijtihad, young-muslims, islam-today, islamic-reinterpretation

What this imam did goes beyond matters of the heart. It reflects the power of using the mind to reinterpret the Qur'an for contemporary times. He has captured the spirit of ijtihad (pronounced ij-tee-had), Islam's own tradition of creative reasoning. As globalization persists and pluralism spreads, both Muslims and non-Muslims need to know that Islam offers a positive alternative to the tribal mentality.

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{"commentId":956819,"authorDomain":"hamid"}

hamid.nyc

Re-interpretation, creative reasoning, sounds a bit elastic and open to malignant interpretation as well.

{"commentId":956819,"threadId":"139411","contentId":"904671","authorDomain":"hamid"}

4 votes

#1 - Sat Aug 18, 2007 12:24 PM EDT

{"commentId":957706,"authorDomain":"eric-albert"}

Eric Albert

Yes, both religion and politics requires a fundamental internationalist moral positioning, universal framework. The Europenas started down this road with its own Enlightenmenment, but failed, including our own Amerikan revolution, and the patriarchical regimes of the Arab world need to do just that as well. Hell, both the Europeans, and Arabs, the whole world, needs to merge religion, and secular politics with an internatationalist, universal moral framework to see the logic behind balancing morality, faith, with Reason. Thanks Hamid.

{"commentId":957706,"threadId":"139411","contentId":"904671","authorDomain":"eric-albert"}

2 votes

#1.1 - Sat Aug 18, 2007 8:34 PM EDT

{"commentId":957629,"authorDomain":"gase"}

Gary Severance

This statement encourages me to read the Qur'an with a new understanding. I'm drawn immediately to the challenge of thinking outside of Western perceptions.

The Qur'an contains three times as many verses calling on us to think than verses that tell us what is forbidden or acceptable. In that sense, re-interpretation – which means re-thinking Qur'anic passages, not re-writing them – is an Islamic responsibility

{"commentId":957629,"threadId":"139411","contentId":"904671","authorDomain":"gase"}

4 votes

#2 - Sat Aug 18, 2007 7:52 PM EDT

{"commentId":957646,"authorDomain":"hamid"}

hamid.nyc

Gary,
You're right about that. Different perspectives while avoiding literalism and preconceived prejudices can open up a whole new meaning.

{"commentId":957646,"threadId":"139411","contentId":"904671","authorDomain":"hamid"}

4 votes

#2.1 - Sat Aug 18, 2007 8:03 PM EDT

{"commentId":957681,"authorDomain":"gase"}

Gary Severance

Hamid,
What is your view on religions that are seemingly founded on exclusion? I can accept exclusion from the social aspects of a religion. But, what about being denied access to the ideas, the reasoning of the faithful?

{"commentId":957681,"threadId":"139411","contentId":"904671","authorDomain":"gase"}

2 votes

#3 - Sat Aug 18, 2007 8:22 PM EDT

{"commentId":957714,"authorDomain":"eric-albert"}

Eric Albert

Religions and political secular views can be either inclusive or exclusive. What usually determines this framework, is the concept of privileged groups, privileged religions, privileged classes, instead of seeing a mosaic of balance between faith and reason.

{"commentId":957714,"threadId":"139411","contentId":"904671","authorDomain":"eric-albert"}

2 votes

#3.1 - Sat Aug 18, 2007 8:37 PM EDT

{"commentId":957722,"authorDomain":"hamid"}

hamid.nyc

Gary,
I'm not exactly sure about what you mean regarding religions founded on exclusion. Are you referring to any specific religion? Although it may seem that way among specific sects of a religion that are inextricably tied to their heritage. In the west, one is free to choose any religion and will always find fellow adherents to share it with. I would think this would not be the same among, say, the Whahabi's in Saudi Arabia. Of course, although misunderstood often by westerners, in Islam, faith is very much attached to one's heritage and customs as well as politics.

In terms of being denied access to the ideas and reasoning of the faithful, I don't think there really are any secrets which are privy only to the faithful within the major religions, however there are a few very unusual exceptions among the lesser known "faiths", such as Scientology and Opus Dei.

{"commentId":957722,"threadId":"139411","contentId":"904671","authorDomain":"hamid"}

3 votes

#3.2 - Sat Aug 18, 2007 8:41 PM EDT

{"commentId":958609,"authorDomain":"gase"}

Gary Severance

Eric,
It seems that in any social group, priveleged "leaders" emerge. This is especially true when socialism is the goal. An individualist is excluded by the leaders' rules for the collective group. Faith becomes more important than reason.

Hamid,
You mention the interesting connection of Islam to heritage. To some extent, that excludes westerners who would like to benefit from the wisdom of the faith without abandoning their own heritage. Do you think there can be a meeting of the minds.

{"commentId":958609,"threadId":"139411","contentId":"904671","authorDomain":"gase"}

1 vote

#3.3 - Sun Aug 19, 2007 10:15 AM EDT

{"commentId":958785,"authorDomain":"hamid"}

hamid.nyc

Gary,
I come from an Islamic background although I was born and raised here in New York City, the great melting pot. But I will tell you that within Islam across the globe, it's really not sects that are the problem, it's nationalism. Yes, it sounds strange, but it's true. In other words, there are those Saudi Arabian Muslims who don't think Indonesians are true Muslims, Egyptians who don't think Yemenis are true Muslims, on and on ad infinitum. Believe me, although they don't broadcast it, it is there and very strongly felt. That's why they can't bond together as one Muslim voice.

As I alluded to earlier, their heritage is so intertwined with their faith, it has become an integral part of it. So, differences in customs are often understood to be differences in the practice of their faith. I seeded an interesting article by Taner Edis, who fascinatingly enough is a physicist, and writes some very intriguing articles on Islam. Of course, my seed didn't get any attention, sadly, but here it is for your perusal: A False Quest for a True IslamYou may want to track him, he's got some great stuff, give him a google.

{"commentId":958785,"threadId":"139411","contentId":"904671","authorDomain":"hamid"}

3 votes

#3.4 - Sun Aug 19, 2007 11:51 AM EDT

{"commentId":959033,"authorDomain":"gase"}

Gary Severance

Thanks for the reference to Taner Edis - I'll look him up.

Would it be possible for you to give an example of a passage from the Qur'an that could lead to benign Re-interpretation, creative reasoning by all readers?

{"commentId":959033,"threadId":"139411","contentId":"904671","authorDomain":"gase"}

1 vote

#3.5 - Sun Aug 19, 2007 1:52 PM EDT

{"commentId":959065,"authorDomain":"hamid"}

hamid.nyc

Gary,
I would check out the links in the article and Irshad Manji's work. She is well recognized among Muslims for her progressive thoughts on the subject. I myself am an atheist, although I do read scripture from both the Qu'ran and the Bible, strictly for exegetical purposes, of course. You might also find Sufism interesting, it is a mystical approach to Islam. Incidentally, I believe Irshad Manji has received death threats over her perceived heresy as is common in Islam when anyone isn't towing the party line.

{"commentId":959065,"threadId":"139411","contentId":"904671","authorDomain":"hamid"}

3 votes

#4 - Sun Aug 19, 2007 2:12 PM EDT

{"commentId":959308,"authorDomain":"gase"}

Gary Severance

Hamid,
Thank you. I'll explore the sites.

{"commentId":959308,"threadId":"139411","contentId":"904671","authorDomain":"gase"}

1 vote

#4.1 - Sun Aug 19, 2007 4:19 PM EDT

{"commentId":961811,"authorDomain":"Rebecca-Yarowsky"}

Rebecca Yarowsky

Good article, Hamid!

{"commentId":961811,"threadId":"139411","contentId":"904671","authorDomain":"Rebecca-Yarowsky"}

2 votes

#5 - Mon Aug 20, 2007 3:08 PM EDT

{"commentId":961814,"authorDomain":"Rebecca-Yarowsky"}

Rebecca Yarowsky

And insightful, too!

{"commentId":961814,"threadId":"139411","contentId":"904671","authorDomain":"Rebecca-Yarowsky"}

2 votes

#6 - Mon Aug 20, 2007 3:08 PM EDT

{"commentId":961845,"authorDomain":"hamid"}

hamid.nyc

Thanks Rebecca, she's becoming really popular, especially among young Muslims...

{"commentId":961845,"threadId":"139411","contentId":"904671","authorDomain":"hamid"}

2 votes

#6.1 - Mon Aug 20, 2007 3:15 PM EDT

{"canLink":false,"threadId":"139411","isPrivate":false}

	Islam Needs an Age of Reason	The Washington Post	Fri Aug 17	17
	Ave, Muhammad: a plea for reason in the debate about Islam	Handshake	Wed Aug 15	18

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