Reopening Islamic interpretation
stevej...@yahoo.com
http://www.washingtontimes.com
Reopening Islamic interpretation
By Claude Salhani
Published March 12, 2006
The solution to the turmoil gripping Muslim society today may be found
in reintroducing ijtihad. Reopening the gates of ijtihad will allow
Muslims "to reinterpret Islam for the 21st century," states a
comprehensive August 2004 special report produced by the United States
Institute of Peace.
"The practice of ijtihad," stresses the report compiled with the
participation of several respected Muslim scholars, "must be revived."
Ijtihad -- or hermeneutics -- refers to the institutionalized
practice of interpreting Islamic law (sharia) to take into account
changing historical circumstances and, therefore, different views.
Ijtihad is the independent or original interpretation of problems
not covered by the Koran (Islam's holy book), the Hadith (traditions
concerning the Prophet's life and utterances), and ijma' (scholarly
consensus). In the early days of the Muslim community, every adequately
qualified jurist had the right to exercise such original thinking.
Fearing too much change would weaken their political clout,
religious scholars closed the gates of ijtihad to Sunni Muslims about
500 years ago. From then on, scholars and jurists were to rely only on
the original meaning and earlier interpretations of the Koran and the
Hadith. However, there now is a growing movement among scholars and
intellectuals to revive the practice of ijtihad.
Today, Muslim society is experiencing turbulence. The wars in Iraq
and Afghanistan, the continued occupation of Palestinian lands, the
frustrations caused by oppressive regimes and the absence of democracy
have all conspired to give birth to a radical, politicized and violent
form of Islam, whose adherents have turned to terror as a means of
achieving their aims. They have politicized Islam.
Contrary to Samuel P. Huntington's belief that Islam and the West
are headed for a clash of civilizations, other scholars argue the real
clash is between two diverging ideas within Islam itself. The clash is
between the politicized Islam of a radical element which has turned to
violence as a means of expressing itself, and the mainstream majority
that remains largely silent. In fact, the violent tactics of this
fringe-force of highly-politicized Muslims have proven useful in
directly intimidating the mainstream into relative silence.
"Political Islam has proven a formidable force even though Islamic
movements or organizations often constitute a minority of the
community," states John Esposito, a professor of religion at
Washington's Georgetown University.
As in most conflicts, solutions can only come from within.
Similarly, the cures for what ails some Muslim communities can only
emerge from Islam itself. Resolutions cannot be imposed from the West.
Before that can occur, two things must happen.
First, the Muslim mainstream must play a greater role in its
community; and second, it must be given an authoritative tool enabling
it to enact positive changes. That tool is ijtihad.
The re-introduction of ijtihad enjoys the support of a growing
number of scholars, intellectuals and Islamic institutions, both in the
West and in the Arab world. Even the Saudi Arabian Minister of the
Wakf, or Religious Affairs, Sheikh Saleh Abdel Aziz al-Sheikh, and Ali
Bardakoglu, president of the Diyanet, or the highest religious
authority in Turkey, support this. Both Messrs. al-Sheikh and
Bardakoglu divulged in interviews that they favor reinstating ijtihad.
"The general strategy is to expand the base of moderates," said the
Saudi minister. He warned, however, that "so long as there were bad
things" happening in Iraq and Palestine, it would prolong negative
events in the rest of the world.
The roadblocks to ijtihad are numerous and tough. A preliminary
study shows the Muslim world remains divided over who should have the
authority to implement ijtihad and how much should be allowed to
change. There is no religious hierarchy in Sunnism, the branch of Islam
that dominates the Muslim world, as there is in Shi'ism.
Still, the belief is that with time, effort and education, ijtihad
will eventually be re-introduced, allowing important changes to be
made.
Historically, reform of Islamic law has often been confused with
criticism of Islam itself. Conservative Muslims have, at various times,
labeled those who have tried to introduce reforms as nonbelievers.
Fatwas, or religious edicts, have been issued against potential
reformers, at times condemning them to death. This hurdle is real and
requires Muslims to see the difference between critiquing Islam in
order to tear it down, and reforming Islamic law to build up Muslims
and their societies.
If ijtihad's doors remain closed and political Islam continues to
rise, this will lead to a greater schism between the average Muslim and
the radical as well as between Islam and the West. This would expand
the existing conflict, turning it into the infamous "clash of
civilizations" and would have severe repercussions for Muslims
everywhere, especially those living in the West.
Claude Salhani is international editor for United Press
International. This article is part of a series of views on "The Role
of Ijtihad in Western-Muslim Relations," published in partnership with
the Common Ground News Service-Partners in Humanity (CGNews-PiH) and
UPI.
Liberty DEFEATS Islam!
<stevej...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1142189605....@p10g2000cwp.googlegroups.com...
> The Washington Times
> http://www.washingtontimes.com
>
> Reopening Islamic interpretation
>
> By Claude Salhani
> Published March 12, 2006
>
>
> The solution to the turmoil gripping Muslim society today may be found
> in reintroducing ijtihad. Reopening the gates of ijtihad will allow
> Muslims "to reinterpret Islam for the 21st century," states a
> comprehensive August 2004 special report produced by the United States
> Institute of Peace.
Complete reformation of Islam is necessary!
Jacques Pelletier
>
> <stevej...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:1142189605....@p10g2000cwp.googlegroups.com...
>> The Washington Times
>> http://www.washingtontimes.com
>>
>> Reopening Islamic interpretation
>>
>> By Claude Salhani
>> Published March 12, 2006
>>
>>
>> The solution to the turmoil gripping Muslim society today may be found
>> in reintroducing ijtihad. Reopening the gates of ijtihad will allow
>> Muslims "to reinterpret Islam for the 21st century," states a
>> comprehensive August 2004 special report produced by the United States
>> Institute of Peace.
>
> Complete reformation of Islam is necessary!
>
>
<snip>
It should begin with a qur'anectomy.
JP