A Time for Renewal

Janaab Minai,

Nice sentiments, but ask yourself this: If you knew nothing at all about the koran and did not have the benefit of being surrounded by wonderful muslims since you were born, and you picked up a copy of the koran, what kind of impression would it leave on you? Americans emptying out the bookstore shelves of the koran are probably interested to see what jihad is, for example, and what are they going to find? This is an ominous development for islam in its dealings with the west.

Nuanced interpretations work only for the subset (self-selected) believers who are looking for justification and inspiration for good deeds. They proabaly would have done well with or without the koran. The key is, as you have mentioned it yourself, that there is enough harsh stuff in there to antagonize unbelievers.

It`s ironic that you should mention catholicism as somehow similar, because catholicism has been criticised for its ``idolatry`` and its emphasis that the bible by itself does not constitute the religion. There`s the tradition and the church and the mystery and so on, which in their totality constitute the catholic faith. Islam on the other hand is unwavering and uncompromising in its dogmatism. I am not saying muslims are, but islam is. That`s the big difference. Anyone who is trying to discover islam apart from its practitioners is going to be shocked by the darkness of the dogma. (I know this the exact opposite of islam good, muslims bad thesis propounded here and elsewhere.)

A pretty good article along the same lines as those of Ronald K Rodebaugh and Urstrulys` recent articles. IMHO, this article also suggest Muslims to challenge extremism and blind faith by lifting selective quotes from the pages of Quran and following the ``glorious`` liberal and rational traditions that flowered once every 500 or so years among faithful Muslims. Waiting for the next ice-age, when the decadent western culture, the free society, the individual freedom and persuit of happiness in pluralistic traditions will all be buried by the ice sheets covering temperate region of decadent west? That will be the greatest victory of Islam helped by god and Muslim prayers for the destruction of enemies of Islam.

One very obvious avenue to freedom and rationalism, often conveniently ignored by Muslims is to look elsewhere-beyond Quran and Islamic traditions. How can any sensible person not take such a possibility seriously that better or much better ideas existed alongwith Islamic ones during the last 1400 or 2000 or 3000 years ago? Were all Indians, Chinese, native Americans and Africans living in caves at the height of Islamic/ Arabic culture and empires? Fact is that world was full of equally good or better alternatives to Islamic/ Christian/ Judaic philosophies of nomads of Jerusalem and Arabia. So I repeat my cheap and effective remedy or cure for the ills of Islam-decrease the importance of religion in personal, social, public and political life. All other alternatives require, a sort of genetic engineering, to change the thinking of most of the 1400 year of history of Muslims.

By the way, I was also working on an article along the same lines with the title, ``Delusions of Grandeur``. But now I feel, the issue has been thoroughly discussed lately and no need for my article.

P.S. V. S. Naipaul wins Nobel Prize for literature. Lets see who wins Nobel Prize for Peace? How about Abdul Sattar Edhi?

Ali Sahib:

Excellent thoughts and very well summed up at the end. Never was there a greater need to part ways with the fundamentalists. Let them go to heaven via fedex..er Kandahar while the rest of us show solidarity with the rest of the civilized world.

later

-sac

The best and worst thing about Islam is that it plays heavily upon dualities (It did borrow quite a few things from an earlier Persian faith...)

In that sense Islam tends to be ULTRA-INCLUSIVE. I havent read any other scripture like the Quran. Most books actually lay the line down by saying this is permissible, that isn`t...

For example, the Quran will say an eye for an eye is permissable but its better for us if we forgive. This satisfies both the moderate and the extremist and also makes both their opinions theologically correct.

Thus Islam is like the circle IN WHICH are found the yin and yan (or moderates and extremists)...

While this ultra-inclusiveness may reflect the wisdom of the creator, some suggest (like I) that those who are moderate are more intuned with the spirit vs letter duality.

Anyways I do not see any type of resurgance on the part of moderate Islam. I doubt it will happen in my lifetime, and personally I hope it doesnt. I hope humanity rises to a level where people become indifferent to one anothers opinions on an ineffable reality. That they join together to improve the human condition while putting race, religion etc on the back burner...

PS: While extremists are generally idiots, these days they make much more sense than the tyrannical waste of space that is America.

One more thing...

To the Moderates: KNOW and ACCEPT that extremists will ALWAYS be there, you will never root them out AND they are a fundamental part of Islam...

Fundamentalism is a movement which can be percieved as both good and bad. (Had the west african slaves listened to a preacher calling for war each friday, perhaps slavery would have ended sooner?)

These days its not the closet intellectual Im feeling, its the dirt poor, illiterate idiot on the street who`s burning an AmeriKKKan flag.

So called moderates have been too busy trying to gain the acceptance of the west...

-look at them on tv ``yessir I fully disagree with terrorism.`` Who`s gonna keep it real and tell them they BROUGHT THIS UPON THEMSELVES?-

So called moderates have not voiced their concerns on REAL terrorism. So called moderates should study American foriegn policy and the millions it has killed from S. America to S. Asia.

Maybe then there`d be less coolie SLAVES begging the west for forgiveness and more Malcolm X`s telling the white man the truth to his face.

I wonder if Tahmed would consider Ali Ahmed Minai to be a Hindu bigot.

Very good. Very impressive Mr. Minai. A detailed note will follow later but in this post I wanted to throw some light on Daniel Pipes, a name that Mr. Minai has mentioned in his article. I have been hearing several interviews and comments of Mr. Pipes on ABC lately. He seems to be a great proponent of turning the course of events into a new Cold War between too ideologies/civilizations. Please check his website and add to Mr. Minai`s thread.

http://www.danielpipes.org/

Ali Minai:

Beautiful!

I concur with your arguments; but I must point out, that each reader, will interpret this article, based on his leanings.

I guess one should thank Allah Taala for gifting the mankind with this tool, commonly known as, ``mind.`` :)

Ali Minai wrote:

``A liberal humanist Muslim can find
enough in the Islamic texts to justify a peaceful view of Islam --- and this is being done with great fervor these days``

Ali Sahib, I sure hope so (about the above) but remain in doubt. Many of our people have almost lost the ability to be reasonable about religion
and practice almost a fascist approach instead.
In this regard, they were certainly assisted by American foreign policy for a number of years.
In the case of Pakistan, many of these religious
fanatics care very little for the country, being that they have become a part of the Umma, and do not need the country concept anymore. And not only that but they frown on dissent and individual creativity (poetry and music etc.).
Pakistan was founded by liberal Muslims and the concept of religion forwarded by Sir Syed. Unfortunately I have to admit that as of today
some of our people (both here in the USA and in
in Pakistan) have lost their marbles.

Ras

Ras Sidd:

Excuse my intrusion here - I think you took a wrong statement from Ali Minai`s[Very Poetic Name reminds me of: Yeh, Gum`bad`ae` Min`ai]article to support your argument.

Many moderates, are hesitant to take that peaceful aspect into consideration, for various reasons. One maybe: they do not practice those peaceful teachings. Now, if they do not practice, then it`s pretty damn hard to talk about that aspect genuinely, with one`s heart and soul. I think as we become alert of our surroundings, we do learn to read genuine people for their genuinenss ;provided we have earned something in life.

Another example will be: poetry recitations or qawwali sessions. Many times, the qawwali sessions involve religious fervor, and that gives a strength of expression to the qawwal. It`s not yelling; it`s bringing out one`s heartfelt emotions that can bring tears to the listeners` eyes and move their heart. How? Why? Because the qawwal is singing, keeping his inside, in front of him.

I believe, if you truly believe[practice alongwith the belief] in something, you can have immense power of convincing. For the sake of brevity, I would like to stick to the positive impact of that power.

In other words, there are so many things told in the holy book to look into, that unless we do not look into them personally, we cannot go and preach them.

Ironically, the real moderates(sarcasm intended)are not able to think outside of their rigid box(mind). They forget the concept of community and the shape of that community. Another example will be: I can be a lunatic, living in my own quarters, and as long as my lunacy exists with me, that`s fine. But when I go outside, with that ``virus,`` I can have a drastic impact on my surroundings. Realizing the power of that impact is the key. That realization comes with the sense of responsibility; and, I think, that`s what the writer is calling for.

Dear Minai Sahib,

This is an excellent piece, and expresses so well what most people in the world feel today. If what you say were somehow to come true, it would herald a new era of peace and understanding in the world.

-narain

Nothing has changed, the big plop in the ocean was covered up a few seconds after the meteor fell.

A great job, ali. You play the critical role of what Bilal Ahmed would call an ``organic`` change agent - a change agent from within. One need not be reminded that such people face enormous challenges when they try to put their ideas into practice.

An elementary cost-benefit analysis will show that it is far easier for a rational person to give in to prevailing dogmas than to resist them. But then mankind has always needed relatively fewer change agents. That is what makes them blessed, and sets them apart from the rest.

As for the good or bad interpretations of religion, here is a hypothesis that may well be a law:

Unless challenged by good people, bad religion will always drive out good religion over time.

re: MaheshG # 6

Hey Mahesh, what`s your beef against tahmed?

Mr. Minai:

excellent! To Ijtehad, add, Ijma and Shura.

Moderates, fundamentalists, etc are completely unhelpful terms. If Islam is misunderstood in the West, allow me to say that it is also misunderstood within Islamia itself.

Islam offers a universe of intellectual, spiritual, psychological and emotional tapestry and experience. To access it, a Muslim or non-Muslim, must first be armed with education.

Mr. Minia, Western or anybody else`s perception of Islam is not the problem; It is the ignorance of Islam(s) by the majority of persons who call themselves, Muslims, that is the biggest problem for Islam.

Read!, Recite!, yet a majority of Muslims cannot, not by chance, but by design. For the fear is that they may have doubt (Shob). But faith cannot exist without Shob; it is part of what defines faith and is an element of the mystery of that expanding and contracting experience. To love requires discipline and practice. Let those that bear the scares, cuts, smiles and satisfaction, testify to the mystery, the extacy of the creature`s need of his/her Creator.

Not to worry, Allah does not abandon his creation, in such times we should be mindful that even now Allah is carrying us in the palm of his hand, and we do shower in His Mercy and His Compassion, because he crafted us to animate his love. If I may, I would invite all to shun despondency and fear, to remember that the cords of Faith and Love entwine to form the essence of Hope, even as Reason and Liberty are foundations supporting the moral choices of Muslims.

It seems to be that the muslim world is getting ready for a renessaiance. It would be interesting to compare the state of medievial europe to the state of the Islamic world today to identify potential similarities and crucial differences between the two.

-narain