Revolution in Islam?

Last updated on: January 8, 2015 at 11:55 am by Gerald McDermott

Revolution in Islam? 2015-01-08T11:55:16-04:00 Gerald McDermott

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An important Muslim scholar is calling for an Islamic revolution–in thought.

I posted his essay yesterday.

Ahmed Vanya, a fellow at the American Islamic Forum for Democracy, has issued what amounts to a manifesto, whose principal theses could be summarized as follows:

1. There are many peaceful Muslims, but Islam itself, at least in its current dominant form using Sharia Law, is not peaceful.

2. Muslims need to “cleanse and purify” classical Islamic law so that a new version affirms and promotes universally accepted human rights and values.

3. The problem is that classical Islamic law is being used to justify beheadings, slavery, and abuses against women. The root cause is not misinterpretation but the law itself.

4. Muslims went astray early on, when they developed a “massive doctrine and theology of intolerance.” This was due to their pride and quest for power.

5. Even in the “golden age” of Islamic rule in Spain, non-Muslim subjects were not treated with full equality. Their lives could be “a bit nightmarish.”

6. The Hadith, the 6-volume collection of Muhammad’s actions and sayings that are the basis with the Qur’an for Islamic law, contains mountains of dubious material. Much of this material betrays the true spirit of Islam.

7. In the 10th century theologians called the Mutazila called for independent reasoning in legal matters, using reason to interpret sacred texts, but they lost their struggle with the legalistic and literalist mainstream. The result has been a supremacist ethos that is inimical to pluralistic and humanist values.

8. This now-dominant Islam is not true Islam, which is found only by using reason to reinterpret the tradition according to the values of peace and justice taught by the Qur’an. It is the “duty” of Muslims to use reason and common sense to reinterpret the scriptures to produce an Islam that promotes universally accepted rights and values.

9. The god of mainstream Islam is not a merciful and rational God but a god of power whose motto is “Might is right!” Like the Judeo-Christian tradition, Muslims must balance revelation with reason. As Jews and Muslims recognize, God speaks to man with equal force through his reason. There are “signs” in all of nature that reason can use to interpret the scriptures.

10. A religion that kills apostates, condones slavery, stones and beheads and flogs and amputates, criminalizes free speech and freedom of religion, is at war with non-believers, demeans women and those of other religions is the Religion of Bigots and Bullies.

11. Therefore classical Islamic law is not peaceful or benign; nor is it suitable for this age.

12. It is our duty as Muslims to cleanse and purify classical Islam to make an Islam that is worthy to be called beautiful.

Will other Muslims listen to Vanya? Will there be a revolution in thinking?

The answer to these questions will largely determine how our planet develops.

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