“We have appointed a law and a practice for every one of you. Had God willed, He would have made you a single community, but He wanted to test you regarding what has come to you. So compete with each other in doing good. Every one of you will return to God and He will inform you regarding the things about which you differed.” (Quran;5: 48)
Modernization and the Challenge of Islamic Culture
Modernization is a general term which points to the social process like industrialization, individualization and secularization which Western societies experienced before all other nations. Modernization began with the Western societies; then other societies, including Muslim societies, experienced the same process more or less. When Muslim societies began to modernize they imitated western societies. But the religion of Islam would not accept the similarity to Christian societies. This verse is very deducible:
“O ye who believe! The one who among you turns back from his religion, then let it be known that in his stead Allah will soon bring a people whom He will love and who will love him….” (Maidah, 5:54)
And Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) says: “Whoever resembles to a society then he is from them”.
Islam is the religion of truth and would not accept elements contrary to its main principles. Consequently, during the last two centuries when the Western culture was the dominant culture, Islamic culture strongly resisted the Western culture. The most important part of it was about secularism.
At the end of this challenge, many cultural and social changes took place. Some of these new elements accepted by the Islamic culture because of their adaptability to the Islamic culture and some of them rejected. These changes do not mean that Islam is changing but these changes show that Muslim societies and groups are changing.
If we look at the Qur’an, we can find out that there were some verses pointing out to some groups which abandoned their true beliefs and customs. Here is one of them:
“Then there came after them descendants who neglected prayer, and followed evil desires. So they will meet with destruction.” (Quran;19:59)
But we can find some other verses showing that this is a temporary process and Almighty Allah will make His religion prevail over all other religions. “…And Allah is Self-Sufficient, and it is you that are needy. And if you turn your backs, He will bring in your stead a people other than you, then they will not be like you.” (Quran;47:38)
We can deduce from this verse that Muslims ultimately will turn to their own characters. Consequently, the civilization of Islam and different Muslim cultures taking part under this civilization, even if they were affected by the Western culture and civilization, have not lost their own characters. Yet, in the last few decades the speed of this process gradually decreased and even in some Muslim societies has ended. Today Muslim societies have begun to seek their bases and hold on to their own customs (and culture) the most important example is the case of Turkey.
After reading the Turkish experience of reversal to its cultural roots and Islamic heritage, in the world so Turkish scholar, one finds that the Western attitude remains persistently negative and intolerant towards Muslims and Islam.
Is West against Islam?
A recent poll published by the BBC suggested the majority of Brits don’t think Islam is compatible with Western values. This is a thoroughly disconcerting finding considering there are nearly 3 million people living in the UK who describe themselves as Muslim. But how incompatible are their views with Western values in reality? The core Western values of democracy, freedom and justice can be seen as the bedrock of its civilization – and for practicing, for informed Muslims freedom and democratic values are anything but new to them. Islam from its very outset advocated for complete freedom, justice and democratic values.
Many are quick to point out that today many Islamic nations seem to have fallen back into the Dark Ages. But it was Islamic injunctions which first spurned the great advancements made during the Islamic Golden Age from the 8th to the 13th century. The reason many so-called Islamic countries have gone backwards socially or politically is a direct consequence of failing to faithfully follow Islamic injunctions. This is because they have been pushed by their despotic autocratic, corrupt rulers to become easy prey to the hardliner clerics, who propagate the extremist ideology of hate rather than truly Islamic teachings.
From the outset, Islam has advocated for a democratic form of governance based upon Shura (consultation). So any Muslim demanding that sharia law should be imposed in Britain (while in their homeland there is hardly any law) is not only entirely ignorant of Islam but insolent towards the freedom and opportunities Western countries offer. Ironically, of course, they are able to express their views because of those very freedoms. A US Muslim leader addresses ISIS after the Orlando shooting – ‘You do not represent us. You are an aberration”
If we take justice to be one of the Western values to be proud of, those unaware of Islamic teachings would be surprised to hear how the Qur’an strongly exhorts about absolute justice on more than one occasion (5:9, 6:153, 7:30), saying, “Allah loves the just” (49:10). The Qu’ran is so clear on the importance of fair-mindedness that Harvard University declared this verse as one of the greatest expressions of justice in literature.
Some in the Middle East or radical Muslim preachers oppose the Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) in their words and actions and then they’re solely to blame. It doesn’t mean Islam is incompatible with freedom or human rights, it means that these hate preachers and unjust rulers who claim to be Muslims are at odds with not only Western values, but the true requirements of their faith.
Ten Major Attributes of Islamic Society
The Islamic society can clearly be distinguished from any other society in the world. It has certain characteristic attributes that differentiate it from the rest of the societies of the world and the identity of a Muslim society is universal and Muslims from different parts of the world can easily form and adjust in an Islamic society, regardless of their cultural differences. Here are some verses of Quran that describe the ten major attributes of an Islamic society. Less than 0.001% extremist terrorists distort some verses (revealed for defensive wars between early Muslims and polytheist opponents) to justify their heinous activities and crimes against humanity, maligning 1.6 Billion Muslims:
1. Belief in One God: “O you who believe! Fear God as He should be feared and die not except in a state of Islam.” (3:102)
2. Justice, Peace and Balance: “Thus have we made of you an Ummah justly balanced, that you might be witnesses over the nations, and the Apostle a witness over yourselves…..” (2:143), “Among the people, one may impress you with his utterances concerning this life, and may even call upon GOD to witness his innermost thoughts, while he is a most ardent opponent. If such people attain political power they create corruption in the earth. Their rule results in destruction of the produce of land and labor and the damage done by them affects generations. Allah loves not corruption and mischief.”(2:204,205)
3. Brotherhood: “Verily, this brotherhood of yours is a single brotherhood, and I am your lord and cherisher. Therefore, fear me (and no other).” (23:52)
4. Consultation/Democracy: “And those who have responded to their lord and established prayer and whose affair is (determined by) consultation among themselves, and from what We have provided them, they spend.” (42:38)
5. Freedom of Faith: “…there is no compulsion in the matter of religion.” (2:256).
6. Justice and Good Treatment of Minorities: “.. Nearest in affection to the believers (Muslims) are those who say: “We are Christians…” (Qur’an;5:82), “As for such (of the unbelievers) as do not fight against you on account of your faith, and neither drive you forth from your homelands, Allah does not forbid you to show them kindness and to behave towards them with full equity. Indeed, Allah loves those who act equitably” (Qur’an;60:8)
7. Commending Good, Forbidding Evil: “You are the best Ummah raised up for people: you enjoin good and forbid evil and you believe in Allah.” (3:110)
8. Not Disputing: “….And dispute not one with another, lest you get weak-hearted and your power depart, and be steadfast. Surely Allah is with the steadfast.” (8:46)
9. Self Defence: “Fight in the way of Allah those who fight you but do not transgress. Indeed, Allah does not like transgressors.” (2:190)
10. Gender Equality: “Whoso does good whether male or female, and is a believer, shall enter Paradise and they shall not be wronged a whit.” (4:124)
In short, an Islamic society is an ideal society or the next thing to utopia that a particular group of people can create in this world. The need of the time is that the world in general and Muslims in particular understand the true concept of an Islamic society and create a community where people cooperate with each other and there is justice and peace among its members. The past history is a reflection of success of Muslim society and culture and its contributions towards development of humanity.
The Sources of Islam: Quran and Hadith and Muslim Culture
The Quran, the revealed word of God, is the primary source of Islam. According to Allama Dr. Muhammad Iqbal: The second great source of Muhammadan Law (Shari’ah) is the traditions of the Holy Prophet (Pbuh). These have been the subject of great discussion both in ancient and modern times. The early forms of Muslim culture were predominantly Arab. With the rapid expansion of the Islamic empires, Muslim culture has influenced and assimilated much from the local cultures. Traditionalists advocate adherence to all practices of Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh), though being an Arab he was adhering to Arab cultural, but where ever there was conflict with Islamic principles he did not hesitate to change. According to the progressive Muslims strict adherence to Arab cultural traditions is not necessary to be a good Muslim. They emphasize adherence to the core Islamic tenet and values and Islamic principles for their universal application among all cultures. Since Hadith literature contains mix of cultural and religious contents, there is a need to segregate them very carefully. Some progressive Muslims in a hurry try to totally disregard the valuable Hadith literature, which is unreasonable. However the central issue with Hadith is its authenticity. From the legal theoretician’s point of view, Hadith can be divided into Mutawatir (transmitted via numerous chains of narrators, number of such Hadiths varies from 100 to 300 as against thousands) and ahad (anything that is not Mutawatir, reported by single narrator or few). The medieval scholar Al-Nawawi argued that any non-Mutawatir Hadith is only probable and cannot reach the level of certainty that a Mutawatir Hadith can.
Mutawatir (Successive, Continuous chain) Hadith
A Mutawatir (continuous, successive) Hadith is a report of such a large number of narrators (at different times) that their agreement upon an untruth is inconceivable thus being accepted as unquestionable in its veracity. A Hadith is said to be Mutawatir if it was reported by a significant, though unspecified, number of narrators at each level in the chain of narration, thus reaching the succeeding generation through multiple chains of narration leading back to its source. This provides confirmation that the Hadith is authentically attributed to its source at a level above reasonable doubt. This is due to its being beyond historical possibility that narrators could have conspired to forge a narration. In contrast, an Ahaad Hadith is a narration the chain of which has not reached a number sufficient to qualify as Mutawatir. There are only two types of texts in Islamic Shari’ah which are immutable (Qaati’) a) verses of Qur’an and b) Mutawatir Hadith. If someone denies a Mutawatir Hadith, he does Kufr, there are only 100 to 310 Mutawatir Hadiths according to different collections
New Work on Hadith in Turkey
There are approximately around 159,000 Hadiths or narrations, which include repetition. For example, in the Bukhari text there are 7,275 Hadith including repetitions. When repetitions excluded the number is 2,230. Similarly when exclude the repetitions in the total 159,000, we are left with about 20,000 Hadith. In Turkey a project has been launched to understand Hadiths in the present era. Professor Mehmet Gormez, vice-president of Turkey’s “Religious Affairs Directorate, or Diyanet” explains: There are three aims of this project:
1. Firstly, to isolate misunderstandings that stem from history.
2. Secondly to make clear how much is cultural, how much is traditional and how much is religious.
3. Thirdly to help people today to understand them right.
This is a scientific and academic study. It’s not a radical reform or revision. We have a methodological approach. Emphasis is on belief, on worship, morality, individual and social life, women’s rights, relations between the individual and God, between individuals, between people and nature. ‘Our Prophet (Pbuh) stands on the threshold between the old and the new, old in terms of knowledge but new in terms of the message. Our aim is to understand our Prophet’s message to this age in a better way.
Quranism Movements
Quranists believe, Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) himself was a Quranist and the founder of Quranism, and that his followers distorted the faith and split into schisms and factions such as Sunni, Shiah, and Khawarij. Quranists reject the Hadith and follow the Quran only. The extent to which Quranists reject the authenticity of the Sunnah varies, but the more established groups have thoroughly criticized the authenticity of the Hadith and refused it for many reasons, the most prevalent being the Quranist claim that Hadith is not mentioned in the Quran as a source of Islamic theology and practice, was not recorded in written form until more than two centuries after the death of Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh), and contain perceived internal errors and contradictions. [Refuted by traditionalists, since recording of Hadith had started from the days of Prophet (Pbuh), encouraged by Caliph Umar bin Abdul Aziz (ruled 717-720 C.E, 99-101Hijrah)].
Daniel Brown notes that a group referred to as Ahl al-Kalam who lived during the time of Imam Al-Shafii also questioned the authenticity of the Hadith. The Prophetic example, they argued “has to be found elsewhere – first and foremost in following the Qur’an.” The Mu’tazilites, who are the later Ahl al-Kalam also viewed the transmission of the Prophetic Sunnah as not sufficiently reliable.
The Hadith, according to them was mere guesswork and conjecture, while the Quran was complete and perfect, and did not require the Hadith or any other book to supplement or complement it.” Their basic argument was: “The Book We have revealed to you explains everything; a Guide and Grace and the glad tiding for all those who have submitted.” (Quran;16:89). They contended that obedience to the Prophet (Pbuh) was contained in obeying only the Qur’an that God has sent down to him, and that when the Qur’an mentioned the Book together with Wisdom, the Wisdom was the specific rulings of the Book.” Daniel Brown notes that one of the arguments of Ahl al-Kalam was that “the corpus of Hadith is filled with contradictory, blasphemous, and absurd traditions.” Later in the nineteenth century Syed Ahmed Khan “questioned the historicity and authenticity of many, if not most, traditions, much as the noted scholars Ignaz Goldziher and Joseph Schacht would later do.” His student, Chiragh Ali, went further, suggesting nearly all the Hadith were fabrications. Ghulam Ahmed Pervez also noted, “No steps were taken by the Prophet (pbuh) or by his immediate followers to preserve the integrity of Hadith.
At the turn of the twentieth century, Muhammad Tawfiq Sidqi (d. 1920) of Egypt wrote an article titled ‘al-Islam huwa ul-Qur’an Wahdahu’ (‘Islam is the Qur’an Alone) that appeared in the Egyptian journal al-Manar, which argues that the Quran is sufficient as guidance: “what is obligatory for man does not go beyond God’s Book. If anything other than the Qur’an had been necessary for religion,” Sidqi notes, “the Prophet (Pbuh) would have commanded its registration in writing, and God would have guaranteed its preservation.” “Sidqi held that nothing of the Hadith was recorded until after enough time had elapsed to allow the infiltration of numerous absurd or corrupt traditions.”(Traditionalists refute it). Although Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal never rejected the Hadith wholesale, he proposed limitations on its usage by arguing that it should be taken contextually and circumstantially.
Umer bin Khattab prohibited Hadith writing, other Rightly Guided Caliphs maintained it:
The restrictions imposed on Hadith writing by the second Caliph Umar bin Khattab which continued till next century also cited by Quranists to support their point, who said: Book of Allah (Quran) enough for us (Saheeh Bukhari#5721).
“Umar ibn al-Khattab once tried to deal with the problem of committing the Hadith to writing. The companions of the Prophet (Pbuh) whom he consulted, encouraged him, but he was not quite sure whether he should proceed. One day, moved by God’s inspiration, he made up his mind and announced: “I wanted to have the traditions of the Prophet (Pbuh) written down, but I fear that the Book of God might be encroached upon. Hence I shall not permit this to happen.” He, therefore, changed his mind and instructed the Muslims throughout the provinces: “Whoever has a document bearing a prophetic tradition, shall destroy it.” The Hadith, therefore, continued to be transmitted orally and was not collected and written down until the period of al-Mamun. (Muhammad Husayn Haykal).
“Abu-Dhahabi reports: The Caliph Abu-Bakr (R.A) compiled a work, in which there were 500 traditions of the Prophet (Pbuh), and handed it over to his daughter ‘Aishah (R.A). The next morning, he took it back from her and destroyed it, saying: “I wrote what I understood; it is possible however that there should be certain things in it which did not correspond textually with what the Prophet (Pbuh) had uttered.” … As to Umar, we learn on the authority of Ma’mar ibn Rashid, that during his caliphate, Umar once consulted the companions of the Prophet on the subject of codifying the Hadith. Everybody seconded the idea. Yet Umar continued to hesitate and pray to God for a whole month for guidance and enlightenment. Ultimately, he decided not to undertake the task, and said: “Former peoples neglected the Divine Books and concentrated only on the conduct of the prophets; I do not want to set up the possibility of confusion between the Divine Qur’an and the Prophet’s Hadith.” (Dr. Mohammad Hamidullah).
Special Status of Abubakr Siddiq and Umer bin Khattab (Razi Allah)
Among the companions of Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) two persons enjoy very special status:
1. It may be kept in view that Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) had only mentioned two persons by name to be followed after him, Abubakr Siddique and Umer bin Khattab (Ibn Majah Saheeh 97)
2. The Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) said, “Certainly, the one who will live among you will see lots of differences. So stick to my sunnah and the sunnah of the right-principled and rightly-guided successors. Bite onto that with your molar teeth.” (Sunnah Abi Dawood)
3. Allah does not like Abubakr to commit errors (Tibrani 1/42)
4. After Prophet (Pbuh) (Bukhari#3671)
5. If there was to be a Prophet after Muhammad (Pbuh), it would have been Umer (R.A) (Masnad Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Hakim, different words in Bukhari)
6. Hazrat Umer (R.A) is known to be great Mujtahid, who boldly introduced many reforms to meet new challenges.
7. Some Quranic verses are considered to be revealed fulfilling desire of Hazrat Umar (R.A). Hence if Hazrat Umar (R.A)
after consultations and deliberations decided not to permit the writing of Hadith, the policy was followed by his followers for next 90 years, it cannot be ignored or brushed aside by mere saying that he wanted Hadith not to be mixed up with Quran. Even when Quran had been recorded and official version distributed during the third Caliph, his policy was respected and continued to be practiced. There is great logic with far reaching implications which scholars of Islam have to ponder to find logical answers.
A Hypothesis
Let us assume for a while that the policy of Hazrat Umar (R.A) was strictly adhered to throughout history, some expected results which a layman can imagine:
1. Total concentration on Quran as primary source of Islam (as per vision of Umar. R.A).
2. Most of the thousands of Hadiths would have elapsed in historic process or given less importance, except the most essential Sunnah of Prophet (Pbuh) which is practiced continuously (twatir), like fundamentals of faith (Ayman), Ibadah (worship) offering prayer, Zakah, Hajj, Fasting and others related with common social, moral and legal matters.
3. The estimates mass-transmission in meaning and wording, ranges between 100 (Suyuti) to over 310 (al-Nazm al-Mutanathir). However scholars like Ibn al-Salah (d. 1245 CE), al-Ansari (d. 1707 CE), and Ibn ‘Abd al-Shakur (d. 1810 CE) found “no more than eight or nine” hadiths that fell into the Mutawatir category. A very small figure against thousands in Sahah Sitta (The famous Six Saheeh Ahadith books)
4. More unity, sects formation eliminated, less disputes and differences in multiple interpretations of Quran minimized. Goldziher writes, in his Muhammadan Studies: “it is not surprising that, among the hotly debated controversial issues of Islam, whether political or doctrinal, there is not one in which the champions of the various views are unable to cite a number of traditions, all equipped with imposing isnads”.
5. More Ijtehad, analogical reasoning (Qyas) and Ijmah to meet challenges in each age. A progressive, flexible ever modern Islam based upon Quran and Sunnah (Matwatir).
6. Now if some scholars raise the issue why should Quranists be condemned? They are drawing the strength form the Rightly Guided Caliphs and the other Muslim rulers (except one, 90 years later). The Hadith books compiled from beginning till mid third century Hijrah were the individual efforts of highly respected Muhadeseen (Hadith scholars) (may Allah bless them).
Among the modern critics Professor Goldziher has subjected Hadith literature to a searching examination in the light of modern canons of historical criticism, and arrives at the conclusion that they are, on the whole, untrustworthy! Another European writer, after examining the Muslim methods of determining the genuineness of a tradition, and pointing out the theoretical possibilities of error, arrives at the following conclusion:
“It must be said in conclusion that the preceding considerations represent only theoretical possibilities and that the question whether and how far these possibilities have become actualities is largely a matter of how far the actual circumstances offered inducements for making use of the possibilities. Doubtless, the latter, relatively speaking, were few and affected only a small proportion of the entire Sunnah. It may therefore be said that . . . for the most part the collections of Sunnah considered by the Moslems as canonical are genuine records of the rise and early growth of Islam” (Muhammadan Theories of Finance).
Distinction: The First Recipients and Universal Application of Islam
For our present purposes, however, we must distinguish traditions of a purely legal import from those which are of a non-legal character. With regard to the former, there arises a very important question as to how far they embody the pre-Islamic usages of Arabia which were in some cases left intact, and in others modified by the Prophet (Pbuh). It is difficult to make this discovery, for our early writers do not always refer to pre-Islamic usages. Nor is it possible to discover that usages, left intact by express or tacit approval of the Prophet (Pbuh) were intended to be universal in their application. Shāh Wall Allāh has a very illuminating discussion on the point, reproduce here the substance of his view.
The prophetic method of teaching, according to Shāh Wall Allāh, is that, generally speaking, the law revealed by a prophet (Pbuh) takes especial notice of the habits, ways, and peculiarities of the people to whom he is specifically sent. The prophet (Pbuh) who aims at all-embracing principles, however, can neither reveal different principles for different peoples, nor leaves them to work out their own rules of conduct. Hisﷺ method is to train one particular people, and to use them as a nucleus for the building up of a universal Shari’ah. In doing so he accentuates the principles underlying the social life of all mankind, and applies them to concrete cases in the light of the specific habits of the people immediately before him. The Shari’ah values (Ahkām) resulting from this application (e.g. rules relating to penalties for crimes) are in a sense specific to that people; and since their observance is not an end in itself they cannot be strictly enforced in the case of future generations. It was perhaps in view of this that Abū Hanīfah, who had a keen insight into the universal character of Islam, made practically no use of these traditions. The fact that he introduced the principle of Istihsān, i.e. juristic preference, which necessitates a careful study of actual conditions in legal thinking, throws further light on the motives which determined his attitude towards this source of Muhammadan Law. It is said that Abū Hanīfah made no use of traditions because there were no regular collections in his day. In the first place, it is not true to say that there were no collections in his day, as the collections of ‘Abd al-Mālik and Zuhrī were made not less than thirty years before the death of Abū Hanīfah. But even if we suppose that these collections never reached him, or that they did not contain traditions of a legal import, Abū Hanīfah, like Mālik and Ahmad Ibn Hanbal after him, could have easily made his own collection if he had deemed such a thing necessary. On the whole, then, the attitude of Abū Hanīfah towards the traditions of a purely legal import is to my mind perfectly sound; and if modern Liberalism (progressives) considers it safer not to make any indiscriminate use of them as a source of law, it will be only following one of the greatest exponents of Muhammadan Law in Sunnī Islam. It is, however, impossible to deny the fact that the traditionists, by insisting on the value of the concrete case as against the tendency to abstract thinking in law, have done the greatest service to the Law of Islam. And a further intelligent study of the literature of traditions, if used as indicative of the spirit in which the Prophet (Pbuh) himself interpreted his Revelation, may still be of great help in understanding the life-value of the legal principles enunciated in the Qur’an. A complete grasp of their life-value alone can equip us in our endeavour to reinterpret the foundational principles. [“Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam” Lecture-6, by Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, The Principle of Movement in the Structure of Islam]
Islam in 21st Century
“The claim of the present generation of Muslim liberals (progressive Muslims) to reinterpret the foundational legal principles, in the light of their own experience and the altered conditions of modern life is, in my opinion, perfectly justified.” – Allama Dr. Muhammad Iqbal
The terminology “Liberal Muslim” or “Liberal Islam” is used here to mean “Progressive Muslim” not in the sense defined and used by West. Liberalism is a Western political philosophy or worldview founded on ideas of liberty and equality. Whereas classical liberalism emphasises the role of liberty, social liberalism stresses the importance of equality. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally they support ideas and programmes such as freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, free markets, civil rights, democratic societies, secular governments, gender equality, and international cooperation. While “Progressive Muslims” accept these principles without compromising the principles of Islamic faith.
Reform or Progressive Muslims, like their more orthodox peers, believe in the basic tenets of Islam, such as the Six Elements of Belief and the Five Pillars and they consider their views to be fully compatible with Islam. The Egyptian scholar Muhammad Abduh, who traveled in Europe, famously said that in Paris he saw “Islam without Muslims,” and on his return to Egypt he saw “Muslims without Islam.” Islam is compatible with the spirit of modernity if interpreted properly. It is a tradition within Islam that subscribes to liberal (progressive) and modern values, such as opposition to theocracy, support for democracy, guarantees of the rights of women and non-Muslims in Islamic societies, defense of freedom of thought, and belief in the potential for human progress. The orthodox treat any attempt to reform or liberalize Islam (progressive) as heresy, on the pretext that that Islam was already revealed as the perfect and unchanging religion, the complete code of life for all times to come, hence there is no question of reformation. The ignore Ijtehad (independent reasoning) which was started even in the life time of Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) when he sent Muadh ibn Jabal to Yemin. Omar bin Khatab (R.A), the second Caliph, introduced many reforms just 2 years after departure of Prophet (Pbuh). He banned codification of Hadiths (traditions, sayings attributed to Prophet, Pbuh), probably to maintain flexibility for the changing environments in future. The reformists notice that some of the troubling Hadith (sayings attributed to Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) might not be authentic, and could be representing only the misogyny and the bigotry of some medieval men. They, therefore, want to reassess them (one such project is underway in Turkey), re-read the Quran in the light of the modern age.
Their main differences with more conservative Islamic opinion are twofold.
The first lies in differences of interpretation of how to apply the core Islamic values to modern life, the second a more reactionary dialectic which criticizes traditional narratives or even rejects them, thus denying any obligation to follow them while also allowing greater freedom in interpreting Quran, according lower priority to the hadith, some even disregarding.
Progressive movements within Islam involve professed Muslims who have produced a considerable body of liberal thought on the re-interpretation and reform of Islamic understanding and practice. Their work is sometimes characterized as “Progressive Islam”, some regard progressive Islam and liberal Islam as two distinct movements. The methodologies of liberal or progressive Islam rest on the interpretation and re-interpretation of traditional Islamic scripture (the Quran) and other texts (such as the Hadith), a process called ijtihad. However there are limits, THERE IS NO WAY TO ABANDON THE BASIC TEACHINGS OF ISLAM, to become totally westernized.
Liberal or Progressive Muslim intellectuals who have focused on religious reform include Muhammad Ali, Sayyid al-Qimni, Irshad Manji, Nasr Abu Zayd, Khalil Abdel-Karim, Abdolkarim Soroush, Mohammed Arkoun, Mohammed Shahrour, Ahmed Subhy Mansour, Edip Yuksel, Gamal al-Banna, Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na’im, Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, Javed Ahmad Ghamidi, Ahmed Al-Gubbanchi, Mahmoud Mohammed Taha, and Faraj Foda. Taha was hanged in 1985 under the sharia regime of Jaafar al-Nimeiri and Foda was assassinated in 1992 by al-Gama’a al-Islamiyya.
Some Progressive Muslims see themselves as returning to the principles of the early Ummah and to a claimed ethical and pluralistic intent of the Quran. They distance themselves from some traditional and less progressive interpretations of Islamic law which they regard as culturally based and without universal applicability. The reform movement uses monotheism (Tawhid) “as an organizing principle for human society and the basis of religious knowledge, history, metaphysics, aesthetics, and ethics, as well as social, economic and world order”.
There is emphasis on Ijtihad, Human rights, Feminism, Secularism (not Atheism), Tolerance and non-violence, reliance on secular scholarship (science and technology).
Why Progressive Movements Failed?
The reasons for the lack of success of progressive movements in Islam may be attributed to a series of historical circumstances, rather than to some inherent flaw in Islam. Some reasons according to Aykol are:
• The temptations of power politics corrupted Muslims in much the same way that Christianity was corrupted after the conversion of Emperor Constantine.
• In the medieval war of ideas between reason and tradition, reason became associated with the merchant class and tradition with the landlord class. When the landlords won the political/economic conflict, the Islam of the merchants was suppressed. When Europe reached a similar point centuries later, the merchants won.
• Ottoman liberalization came too late, and the Empire fell before it could finish reforming itself. The post-Ottoman nationalist movements identified liberal Islam with the bad old days, and distinguished themselves either by turning to conservative Islam (as in Wahhabist Arabia) or to an Islam-suppressing secularism (as in Ataturk’s Turkey).
• Between the world wars, the British and French dominated the heart of the Muslim world. They propped up conservative extremist governments like the House of Saud, while lecturing Muslims about liberal values. As a result, any liberalizing Muslims seemed to be aping the hated West and denouncing their own culture.
• The vast oil wealth of Arabia was a historical accident that provided near-infinite resources for the spread of Wahhabism. In addition, the oil wealth of other Muslim-majority countries has influenced history in a different way: Economies in which wealth derives from resource extraction rather than enterprise are inherently conservative.
Several generally accepted tenets have emerged:
There are many trends which are not considered acceptable by the traditionalists, like the autonomy of the individual in interpreting the Quran and Hadith. More liberal trends include rejecting Hadiths completely (like Quran Alone Muslims) or partially (including Hadiths considered authentic (Sahih) by traditionalists) like Gamal Al-Banna.
• A more critical and diverse examination of religious texts, as well as traditional Islamic precedents.
• Gender equality in all aspects, including ritual prayer and observance. A more open view on modern culture in relation to customs, dress, and common practices.
• Certain rules on modesty amongst men and women are still self-enforced in response to the Quran’s injunction against immodest dress.
• The individual use of ijtihad (interpretation) and fitrah (natural sense of right and wrong) is advocated.
• Secularism is claimed by reformists to be compatible with Islam, though bitterly opposed by traditionalists. The quest for secularism has inspired some Muslim scholars who argue that secular government is the best way to observe sharia; “enforcing [sharia] through coercive power of the state negates its religious nature, because Muslims would be observing the law of the state and not freely performing their religious obligation as Muslims” says Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na’im, a professor of law at Emory University and author of Islam and the secular state: negotiating the future of Shari’a. Moreover, some scholars argue that secular states have existed in the Muslim world since the Middle Ages.
Islamic Modernism
The Salafi movement or Salafist movement or Salafism is an ultra-conservative reform movement within Sunni Islam that developed in Arabia in the first half of the 18th century against a background of European colonialism. It advocated a return to the traditions of the “devout ancestors” (the salaf). Some scholars define this movement as Modernist Salafism. The Salafist doctrine can be summed up as taking “a fundamentalist approach to Islam, emulating the Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) and his earliest followers – al-salaf al-salih, the ‘pious forefathers’.” “They reject religious innovation, or bid’ah, and support the implementation of sharia (Islamic law).” The movement is often divided into three categories: the largest group are the purists (or quietists), who avoid politics; the second largest group are the activists, who get involved in politics; and the smallest group are jihadists, who form a small minority.
The Salafi movement is often described as being synonymous with Wahhabism, but Salafists consider the term “Wahhabi” to be derogatory. Salafism has become associated with literalist, strict and puritanical approaches to Islam. Particularly in the West it is associated with Salafi jihadists, who espouse jihad as a legitimate expression of Islam against those they deem to be enemies of Islam. Traditional Salafism concentrated in Saudi Arabia is opposed to the newer groups calling themselves people of Salafism, such as the Muslim Brotherhood concentrated in Egypt, whose leaders such as Sayyed Qutub call for revolutions and secularism in deep contrast with Saudi Arabia historically. In legal matters, Salafis are divided between those who, in the name of independent legal judgement (ijtihad), reject strict adherence (taqlid) to the four Sunni schools of law (madhahib), and others who remain faithful to these.
Islamic Modernism, also sometimes referred to as Modernist Salafism, (not extremist Salafis) is a movement that has been described as “the first Muslim ideological response” attempting to reconcile Islamic faith with modern Western values such as nationalism, democracy, civil rights, rationality, equality, and progress. It featured a “critical re-examination of the classical conceptions and methods of jurisprudence” and a new approach to Islamic theology and Quranic exegesis (Tafsir).
The early Islamic Modernists (al-Afghani and Muhammad Abdu) used the term “salafiyyah to refer to their attempt at renovation of Islamic thought, and this “salafiyya movement” is often known in the West as “Islamic modernism,” although it is very different from what is currently called the Salafi movement, which generally signifies “ideologies such as Wahhabism”. Muhammad Abduh, was a Sheikh of Al-Azhar University for a brief period before his death in 1905, others were Jamal ad-Din al-Afghani, and Muhammad Rashid Rida (d. 1935).
Since its inception, Modernism has suffered from co-option of its original reformism by both secularist rulers and by “the official ulama” whose “task it is to legitimise” rulers’ actions in religious terms. Modernism differs from secularism in that it insists on the importance of religious faith in public life, and from Salafism or Islamism in that it embraces contemporary European institutions, social processes, and values.
Quran and Hadith Distinction
Mustafa Akyol, a Turkish writer, never expresses any doubt that Allah is real or that the Qur’an is a revelation that Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) received from Allah. Instead, he argues from within the Islamic tradition that there have all along been multiple interpretations of the Qur’an, and that the fundamentalist ones currently popular are their corruptions due to unfortunate historical circumstances of the post-Qur’anic era. In particular, he distinguishes between the Qur’an and the Hadiths — sayings and stories attributed to Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) that are not part of the Qur’an, but were told and codified in the centuries immediately after the Prophet’s death. Conservative Muslims regard the Hadiths as authoritative, but Akyol does not, for two reasons. First, some Hadiths were probably fabricated by later caliphs who wanted to justify their own policies. And second, the message of the Qur’an is what speaks with divine authority. When he was not reciting what had been told to him by the archangel, Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) was a man of his time. Mustafa Akyol believes he was a good and wise man, or Allah would not have chosen him to be His messenger. But, unlike the common Christian view of Jesus, Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) was not himself divine.
Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) brought a message relevant for all ages, in other words, but he lived a life of his own age. … In fact, expecting from Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) a perfect universal wisdom, totally unbound from his time and culture, would not be consistent with Qur’anic theology. At least one traditional story makes this distinction explicit:
During a military campaign, a general question whether the spot the Prophet (Pbuh) has chosen to camp comes from divine revelation or just war tactics. When Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) answers “war tactics”, the general proposes a more favorable camp site, which Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) accepts. In other words, in his lifetime Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) could be criticized and corrected. So saying “Muhammad did it this way” even if we could be sure he did indeed do it that way, which is not always clear — does not by itself prove that a practice is best in all times and places.
Muslim Contributions
The contributions in the advancement of knowledge for betterment of humanity are enormous, which have been summed up in Encyclopedia Britannica:
“The Madrasahs generally offered instruction in both the religious sciences and other branches of knowledge. The contribution of these institutions to the advancement of knowledge was vast. Muslim scholars calculated the angle of the ecliptic; measured the size of the Earth; calculated the precession of the equinoxes; explained, in the field of optics and physics, such phenomena as refraction of light, gravity, capillary attraction, and twilight; and developed observatories for the empirical study of heavenly bodies. They made advances in the uses of drugs, herbs, and foods for medication; established hospitals with a system of interns and externs; discovered causes of certain diseases and developed correct diagnoses of them; proposed new concepts of hygiene; made use of anesthetics in surgery with newly innovated surgical tools; and introduced the science of dissection in anatomy. Muslims furthered the scientific breeding of horses and cattle; found new ways of grafting to produce new types of flowers and fruits; introduced new concepts of irrigation, fertilization, and soil cultivation; and improved upon the science of navigation. In the area of chemistry, Muslim scholarship led to the discovery of such substances as potash, alcohol, nitrate of silver, nitric acid, sulfuric acid, and mercury chloride.
Muslims scientists also developed to a high degree of perfection the arts of textiles, ceramics, and metallurgy.” According to a US study published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science in its Journal on 21 February 2007; ‘Designs on surface tiles in the Islamic world during the Middle Ages revealed their maker’s understanding of mathematical concepts not grasped in the West until 500 years later. Many Medieval Islamic buildings walls have ornate geometric star and polygon or ‘girih’, patterns, which are often overlaid with a swirling network of lines – This girih tile method was more efficient and precise than the previous approach, allowing for an important breakthrough in Islamic mathematics and design.’
Philosophy
Islamic scholars translated philosophic texts from a variety of cultures. These include works from China, India, and Ancient Greece. Scholarly commentary written about these texts influenced a variety of cultures, including European civilizations. During the 12th-century Renaissance in Europe, Latin translations of Arabic texts were introduced. The Holy Quran was also translated.
Math and Science
Islamic scholars studied both Greek and Indian mathematics before making important contributions of their own. The most well known Islamic mathematician was al-Khwarizimi, who pioneered the study of algebra. His textbook on the subject became a standard in European universities for centuries. Islamic scholars were also skilled in astronomy. They studied eclipses, the rotation of the planets, and calculated the circumference of the earth to within a few thousand feet.
Medicine
Many advances were also made in the field of medicine. Physicians and pharmacists were required to pass exams before treating patients. They setup hospitals that had separate areas for trauma cases, this is the basis for today’s emergency rooms. Physicians developed treatments for cataracts, used a variety of herbal remedies, and were adept at treating a variety of injuries. Islamic pharmacists were the first to mix sweet tasting syrups with medicine, ensuring that they would be taken. Ibn Sina, a famous Islamic physician, wrote a book called Canon on Medicine, which was an encyclopedia of Greek, Arabic, and his own knowledge of medicine. This book became the standard medical text in Europe for over five hundred years.
Economic Achievements
Under the Abbassids, a vast trading network was created which helped to spread religion, culture, and technology. New business practices such as, partnerships, the use of credit, and banks to exchange currency, were developed to handle the increase in trade. The establishment of such vast trading networks made the Islamic Empire very wealthy, and helped to stimulate many of their cultural and intellectual achievements.
Law
Islam developed a system of law based on the Quran. This system was created to help people apply the Quran to everyday life and situations. The book of laws, called the Sharia, regulates all aspects of life including, moral behavior, family life, business dealings, and government. In South Asia, high percentages in all the countries surveyed support making sharia the official law, including nearly universal support among Muslims in Afghanistan (99%). More than eight-in-ten Muslims in Pakistan (84%) and Bangladesh (82%) also hold this view. The percentage of Muslims who say they favor making Islamic law the official law in their country is nearly as high across the Southeast Asian countries surveyed (86% in Malaysia, 77% in Thailand and 72% in Indonesia).According to PEW Research; “Although many Muslims around the world say sharia should be the law of the land in their country, the survey reveals divergent opinions about the precise application of Islamic law. Generally, supporters of sharia are most comfortable with its application in cases of family or property disputes. In most regions, fewer favor other specific aspects of sharia, such as cutting off the hands of thieves and executing people who convert from Islam to another faith.”
Arts
It is generally perceived that Islam is against ‘Fine Art’, which is concerned primarily with the creation of beauty and generally taken to include painting, printmaking, sculpture, and architecture, with literature, music, and dance sometimes being added. In its strict sense, fine art is to be distinguished from such decorative arts and crafts as wall painting, pottery, weaving, metalworking, and furniture making, all of which have utility as an end; the architect being differentiated from the builder in this respect. Islam is the religion of moderation in harmony with the nature; it does not impose unnecessary restrictions on the adornments which God has created for the enjoyment and development of human faculties. Asceticism often means the negation of art and beauty, it has no necessary sanctity attached to it. God has laid down the broad guidelines of lawful and prohibitions in Qur’an:
“Say: Who hath forbidden the (zenah) adornment of God which He has brought forth for His devotees, and the good things of His providing? Say: “All these things are for the enjoyment of the believers in the life of this world though shared by others; but these shall be exclusively theirs on the Day of Resurrection. Thus do We make Our revelations clear for those who understand. Say: The things that my Lord hath indeed forbidden are: shameful deeds whether open or secret; sins and trespasses against truth or reason; assigning of partners to God for which he hath given no authority; and saying things about God of which you have no knowledge.” (Qur’an;7:32-33).
The beautiful and good things of life are really meant for, and should be the privilege of those with faith in God. If they do not always have them in this life, and if there is sometimes the semblance of others having them who do not deserve them, it should be kept in view that this is a test from God. In the life to come they will be purely for the faithful. The forbidden things are described in four categories: (1) What is shameful or unbecoming; the sort of things which have also legal and social sanctions, not of a local but of a universal kind; they may be called offences against society: (2) Sins against self and trespasses or excesses of every sort; these are against truth and reason; here would come in indiscipline, failure in doing intangible duties not clearly defined by law; selfishness or self-aggrandizement, which may be condoned by custom and not punished by law, etc.- (3) Erecting fetishes or false gods; this is treason against the true God; and (4) Corrupting religion by debasing superstitions, saying things about God which are not true.
With in the parameters laid down by Qur’an, in broad-spectrum the Muslims have created such an immense variety of literatures, performing arts, visual arts, and music that it virtually defies any comprehensive definition. In the narrowest sense, the arts of the Muslims might be said to include only those arising directly from the practice of Islam; more commonly, however, the term is extended to include all of the arts produced by Muslim peoples, whether connected with their religion or not. It is difficult to establish a common denominator for all of the artistic expressions of the Muslims. Such a common denominator would have to be meaningful for miniature painting and historiography, for a musical mode and the form of a poem. The relationship between the art of the Muslims and its religious basis is anything but direct. Islam is not against fine arts with in the limits laid down by God and His last Messenger (peace be upon him).
Recreation, Amusements, Music and Singing
According to Fiqh us Sunnah Volume 2, Number; 153, “Recreation, amusements, and singing, if they stay within the moral bounds, are permissible on the days of Eid” Narrated Aysha: Allah’s Apostle (peace be upon him) came to my house while two girls were singing beside me the songs of Buath (a story about the war between the two tribes of the Ansar, the Khazraj and the Aus, before Islam). The Prophet (peace be upon him) lay down and turned his face to the other side. Then Abu Bakr came and spoke to me harshly saying, “Musical instruments of Satan near the Prophet (peace be upon him)?” Allah’s Apostle (peace be upon him) turned his face towards him and said, “Leave them.” When Abu Bakr became inattentive, I signaled to those girls to go out and they left. It was the day of ‘Eid, and the Black people were playing with shields and spears so either I requested the Prophet (peace be upon him) or he asked me whether I would like to see the display. I replied in the affirmative. Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) made me stand behind him and my cheek was touching his cheek and he was saying, “Carry on! O Bani Arfida,” till I got tired. The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked me, “Are you satisfied (Is that sufficient for you)?” I replied in the affirmative and he told me to leave. (Sahih Al Bukhari Hadith number; 2:70). This Hadith is cited by scholars as evidence for the permissibility of singing, and some scholars cite it also in argument in favour of musical instruments, if within Islamic values and principles. The traditional Ulema consider musical instruments totally forbidden (Haram). However some modernist think that the music, which encourages un-Islamic practices, is forbidden for that reason but the music which is not erotic, but relaxing and has a healthy effect on the listener, may be acceptable. Music, differentiated as it may be in the countries between Morocco and India, follows variations of highest subtlety on a comparatively simple given subject or theme.
The Bible mentions about use of music by David (Pbuh) while praising God: “Moreover four thousand were porters and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith.” (1Chronicles;23:5); “And the priests waited on their offices: the Levites also with instruments of music of the LORD, which David the king had made to praise the LORD, because his mercy endures forever, when David praised by their ministry; and the priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Israel stood.” (2Chronicles;7:6); “So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.” (2Samuel;6:15).
Pictures and Sculptures
Making of statues existed in the time of David and Solomon, as indicated in the Qur’an: “They worked for him (Solomon) as he desired: making arches, statue…” (Qur’an;34:13); but because the pagans used the pictures and idols for worship hence the Muslim scholars are in agreement about prohibition of statues, and paintings of living creatures. However the Prophet (peace be upon him) once used a piece of cloth with pictures on it for prayers. After he finished, he expressed his dislike to that piece of cloth and said that it distracted him from his prayers. From this it may be deduced that it is discouraged to use such material for a prayer mat. Its use, however, does not affect the validity of prayer. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned that pictures are strongly discouraged, he made the exception “unless they be printed on material.” This means material which is used for making clothes. So it may not be appropriate to say that photography, as it is used today, is forbidden, though some scholars hold opposite view. Indeed, it has numerous beneficial uses. If it is used for a bad purpose, as in the case of pornography or compromising individual privacy it becomes forbidden.
Calligraphy
The centre of the Islamic artistic tradition lies in calligraphy, a distinguishing feature of this culture, in which the word as the medium of divine revelation (Qur’an) plays such an important role. After the 13th century a highly refined art of miniature developed, primarily in the non-Arab countries; it dwells, however, only rarely upon religious subjects. And a perfect harmony is reached in some of the miniature manuscripts of Iran, Muslim India, or Ottoman Turkey, which, in their lucid colours and fine details of execution, recall both the perfection of the calligraphy that surrounds them on delicate paper and the subtlety of the stories or poems that they accompany or illustrate
Arabesque & Architecture
The typical expression of Muslim art is the arabesque, both in its geometric and in its vegetabilic form; one leaf, one flower growing out of the other, without beginning and end and capable of almost innumerable variations, only gradually detected by the eye -which never lose their charm. The arabesques, were developed according to a strict ritual to a mathematical pattern and were refined until they reached a perfection of geometrical complicated figures, as in the dome of the Karatay Medrese in Konya (1251); it corresponds both to the most intricate lacelike Kufic inscriptions around this dome and to the poetical style of Jalal ad-Din ar-Rumi, who wrote in that very place and during those years. According to a US study published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science in its Journal on 21 February 2007; ‘Designs on arabesque tiles in the Islamic world during the Middle Ages revealed their maker’s understanding of mathematical concepts not grasped in the West until 500 years later. Many Medieval Islamic buildings walls have ornate geometric star and polygon or ‘girih’, patterns, which are often overlaid with a swirling network of lines – This girih tile method was more efficient and precise than the previous approach, allowing for an important breakthrough in Islamic mathematics and design.’ An aversion to empty spaces distinguishes that art; neither the tile-covered walls of a mosque nor the rich imagery of a poem allows an unembellished area; and the decoration of a carpet can be extended almost without limit. The architecture of mosques with big halls, of Iran and adjacent countries; central buildings with the wonderfully shaped domes of the Ottoman Empire, and Muslim Spain are unique in elegance. If any decoration was needed, it was the words of God, beautifully written or carved in the walls or around the domes. At first connected with the mosques and later independent of them are schools, mausoleums, rooms for the students, and cells for the religious masters. The Mughals in India have left most beautiful buildings like Taj Mahal, mosques and gardens like Shalimar.
Poetry
The aimless poetry with pagan inclinations is not approved in Islam, however there is no restrictions on good poetry: “Shall I tell you, O people, on whom the devils descend? – They descend on every slandering sinner. Those who listen to hearsay – and most of them are liars and those poets who are followed by those who go astray. Do you not see, how aimlessly they wander in every valley, preaching what they do not practice themselves? However, an exception is made for those (poets) who believe, do good deeds, engage much in the remembrance of Allah and defend themselves when wronged, showing no vindictiveness. The unjust oppressors will soon find out what vicissitudes their affairs will take.” (Qur’an;26:221-227). Narrated Ubai bin Kab: Allah’s Apostle said, “Some poetry contains wisdom.” (Sahih Bukhari Hadith. Number;8.166). The ambiguity of Persian poetry, which oscillates between the worldly, the divine, and often the political level, is typical of Islamic writings. A similar characteristic even conditions innumerable historical works in Arabic, Persian, and Turkish, which, especially in classical times, contain much valuable information. The immortal mystical poems of Rumi comprise thousands of variations on the central theme of love. Although such a perfect congruency of poetry and fine arts is not frequently found, the precept about Persian art that “its wings are too heavy with beauty” can also be applied to Persian poetry. Thus, the tile work of a Persian mosque, which combines different levels of arabesque work with different styles of writing, is reminiscent of the way Persian poetry combines at least two levels of reality. The 20th century great Muslim poet, philosopher Muhammad Iqbal beautifully conveyed the divine message through his poetry, reviving the spirit among Muslims of India, resulting in creation of Pakistan.
Influence on Europe
Europe has known art objects of Islamic origin since the early Middle Ages when they were brought home by the crusaders or manufactured by the Arabs in Sicily and Spain. Much admired and even imitated, they formed part of the material culture in those times, so much so that even the coronation robes of the German emperor were decorated with an Arabic inscription. At the same time, Islamic motives wandered into the belles letters of Europe, and Islamic scientific books formed a basis for the development of Western science. Islamic culture as such, however, was rather an object of hatred than of admiration; a more objective appreciation of both the works of art and of literature did not start until the mid-17th century, when travelers told of the magnificent buildings in Iran and Mughal India, and the first works from Persian literature were translated, influencing German classical literature. Indian miniatures inspired Rembrandt, Persian carpets were among the most coveted gifts for princes and princesses. A bias against the cultures of the East persisted, however, until after the 18th-century Age of Enlightenment; the indefatigable work of the British scholars at ‘Fort William’ at Calcutta brought new literary treasures to Europe, where they were studied carefully by specialists in the emerging field of Islamic studies. Poets such as Goethe in Germany in the early 19th century paved the way for a deeper understanding of Islamic poetry. Islamic literatures, however, continue to be known to the larger Western public almost exclusively by The Thousand and One Nights, or The Arabian Nights’ Entertainment (translated first in the early 18th century), Omar Khayyam’s roba’iyat, and the lyrics of Hafez. Although the beauty of the Alhambra, for example, had already inspired European scholars and artists in the early 19th century, a thorough study of Islamic art as an independent field began only in the 20th century. Islam piqued interest among European scholars, setting off the movement of Orientalism. The founder of modern Islamic studies in Europe was Ignác Goldziher, who began studying Islam in the late 19th century.
European Islam
European Islam is a hypothesized new branch of Islam, which some believe is emerging in Europe, and which would combine the duties and principles of Islam with the contemporary European cultures, including Europe’s post-Enlightenment values and traditions such as human rights, rule of law, democracy and gender equality. A distinction must be made between Islamic reform and Islamic political activism conducted under the banner of Islam. The latter is sometimes characterized by extremism, fanaticism, and violence, which are contrary to Islamic precepts. But these manifestations of a socio-political nature must not be confused with the ideals and values of Islam.
The Perfected Religion
Islam was completed during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh), during the last Hajj, Allah declared:
“…. This day have I perfected your religion for you and completed My favour unto you, and have chosen for you as religion al-Islam.” (Quran”: 5:3)
The famous six Hadith (Tradition) books were written about 250 years later, through individual private collections. While the Quran had been officially compiled and approved, Hadiths had not. Muslims were already offering prayers 5 times a day, all other practices were in place, some not fully elaborated in Quran, were very much in practice, through Sunnah of Prophet (pbuh) in Twatir (unbroken continuity). Probably this could be one of reason of not officially codifying Hadiths by rightly the guided caliphs, Allah says:
“These (Quran) are the Messages of Allah We convey to you with Truth. Then, in what HADITH, if not in Allah and His Verses, will they believe?” (Quran 45:6)
With the passage of time many believers and scholars started making a record of the practice and narrations of the Prophet (Pbuh) in a text form for the use of future generations (some reported to be recording, memorizing during time of Prophet, Pbuh). Amongst the thousands of records kept through time, the works of six eminent and pious scholars was accepted by the believers to be the most authentic amongst them namely: Imam Bukhari, Imam Muslim, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood, Ibn Maajah, Imam Maalik. The records of the above six eminent scholars later came to be recognized as the Saha Sitta or the Six most authentic records.
The traditionalist majority Ulema present and quote dozens of arguments from Quran and Sunnah in favour of the Hadith literature as source of Islam along with Quran. Hence they reject Quranists as misguided. The true Muslims must take a balanced view or the middle way when dealing with anything. Just because someone calls a statement or a deed a hadith, we are not to completely submit to it, nor completely reject it; but the right and correct mode of conduct would be to do a thorough investigation to determine whether the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) indeed did do or say the thing claimed by the narrator. The scholars have developed very comprehensive “Science of Hadith”, and classified the level of authenticity of Ahadiths into many categories. The terrorists use Quran and many Hadith (Traditions) by twisting their meanings to justify their heinous crimes. The job of Ulema cannot be done by people of little or no knowledge.
Islam Perfected (5:3) – Need of Analytical Study
Allah said: “This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion (Quran;5:3)
When this verse was revealed Umar cried. The Prophet (Pbuh) said, `What makes you cry’ He said, `What made me cry is that our religion is being perfected for us. Now it is perfect, nothing is perfect, but it is bound to deteriorate.’ The Prophet (Pbuh) said, (You have said the truth.)’’ What supports the meaning of this Hadith is (another) authentic Hadith: “Islam was strange in its beginning and will return strange once more (Sahih Muslim 145, Tafseer Ibn Kathir)
There is need of thorough analytical study by scholars of highest eminence to determine the situation and ‘Perfected’ state of Islam at the time of revelation of (5:3), era of four rightly guided caliphs from theological aspects and reasons of official ban on recording Hadith literature. Since Allah had already declared completion of religion Islam. The deterioration was to follow!
Salient Aspects of Islamic Society and Culture
• Islamic society is to be governed through (Shura) consultation, based upon justice through Shari’a law, which is only possible in Muslim dominated societies. There are many Muslim countries which are secular. The choice should be left to the people rather than imposing through coercion. The Muslims living in other countries have to adhere to the law of land, which grants freedom of faith and religion to everyone according to UN charter.
• Riba (‘usury or interest) is prohibited in Islam, to avoid exploitation and develop economy. Islamic banking is flourishing not only in Muslim countries but also in West.
• Muslims are allowed to eat everything (halal) which is good for the health and permissible. Pork and alcohol is prohibited for Muslims, it should be respected by others.
• Muslim women dress modestly, wearing of Hijab does not affect freedom of others. The Christian nuns dress modestly in similar way.
• LGBT is un-Islamic, should not be enforced.
• Humanitarian obligations (Haqooq-ul-Ibad) are highly relevant in Muslim communities. It is totally baseless malicious propaganda to state that the minorities are not well treated in Islam. The Charter of Medina, in fact was the first ever written constitution in the history of mankind which gave the non-Muslims right of choosing a legal system they wished their affairs be governed by, be it Islamic or Jewish law or pre-Islamic Arab tribal traditions. The Christians and Jews have special place in Islam, they are called People of the Book in Qur’an. The history of Islam proves this, when Muslims, Christians, and Jews lived together in dominant Islamic societies in Spain, Baghdad and Ottomans empire. There are other social courtesies which Muslims are urged to extend to non Muslims.
• Human life has very high value according to Qur’an. Islam, being the religion of moderation is in total harmony with the human nature, it allows the fine arts, the adornments, which God has created, for the enjoyment and development of human faculties within the bounds of decency and faith.
• Islam emphasizes moderation and balance in every sphere. The society based upon Islamic principles is not the society of ascetics and hermits. Ethics and human rights are accorded high priority. Many such aspects projected as ‘Dilemma’ are nothing but ‘Delusion’.
• The cardinal principle of peaceful coexistence of any society be based upon: “be good to your parents, kinfolks, orphans, the helpless, near and far neighbors who keep company with you..”(Qur’an;4:36), “Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyselfs.”.(Matthew 22:39-40, similarly Leviticus 19:18)
Conclusion
It can be concluded that Islam isn’t just compatible with Western values but also with human values; it started to espouse and establish them long before western democracies. However there are differences due to man-made values and those given by the Creator. The differences are normal with people with different beliefs and cultures, but they can always be reconciled with toleration, mutual respect and due regard for the sentiments of others. Muslims avoid pork, wine, they emphasize women modesty and other different cultural and moral practices should be acceptable to West or anyone else as long as it does not affect their freedom. If autocratic rulers of Muslim countries, who survive with the support of the West and the radical Muslim preachers, twist the teachings of Quran and Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) in their words and actions, then blaming Islam is unfair.
The Islamic world today is spread over vast land mass stretching from one corner of the world to the other, with significant presence in Europe and America, vigorously attached to the teachings of Islam and seeking to assert its own identity. Despite the presence of nationalism and various secular ideologies in their midst, Muslims wish to live in the modern world but without blindly imitating the ways followed by the West. The Muslims world wishes to live at peace with the West as well as the East without accepting their hegemony. Muslims want to harness their resources and energies for building a better life for their people on the basis of the teachings of Islam and not to squander its resources in either internal or external conflicts. Muslims want to create better understanding with the West and to be better understood by the West and rest of the world. The Muslim theologians and scholars need to work in total harmony to present the real progressive face of Islam, source of guidance for the humanity. Critical study of secondary sources after Quran in the light of instructions and acts of Hazrat Umar and four Rightly Guided Caliphs (R.A) in this context is needed. The future of the Islamic world and the West cannot be totally secluded; hence it is only through understanding and respect of cultures that we can make it a peaceful world.
“Our Lord, do not take us to task if we forget or make a mistake!”(Quran:2:286)
References
http://AftabKhan-net.page.tl
