Need for reinterpreting Islam


By Altaf Hussain

THE international geopolitical scene has changed radically since the cataclysm of 9/11. In the heyday of the Cold War, when the Soviet Union was the adversary for the West, the Islamic concept of Ijtihad had an entirely different connotation and perception in the minds of the Americans and the Europeans than is the case today.

The tragedy of 7/7, perpetrated right in the heart of London, has further radicalized the western perception of Islam and the Muslims.

What reigns supreme today on the minds of the West is a highly distorted and convoluted image of Islam. A religion of peace and tranquillity that Islam inherently is in its pristine sense is, regrettably, associated with violence, bloodletting and terrorism, Islam, today, is stuck in the western mind as a religion which has ‘zero tolerance’ for other religions and their followers.

We all know that this is not what Islam stands for. However, it is also a fact that the ill-informed, fanatical and, in a sense, opportunistic religious orthodoxy — the so-called clerics and mullahs — have only fuelled this erroneous perception of Islam in the western minds because of their ill-advised exhortations and sermons that do no service to Islam. The erstwhile Taliban regime in Afghanistan, for instance, did enormous damage to the name of Islam in the western world and made the Muslims a laughing stock throughout the world.

Enlightened and well-informed Muslims — in a clear majority in the Muslim ummah — are, indeed, conscious of the fact that these radical and extremist clerics don’t represent them and don’t speak for them. The majority of the Muslims in the world consist of moderate, law-abiding and pacifist people who neither believe in preaching a gospel of hatred against any other religion, nor do they subscribe to a distorted philosophy of jihad.

I believe that I speak for every sensible, enlightened and moderate Muslim in the world when I declare that the Islamic spirit of accommodation for others is ignited by the Quranic teaching of Lakum deen-o-kum, wallya deen, which translates as your religion is yours and my religion is mine.

Another universally applauded verse of the Holy Quran categorically lays down that there is no compulsion, or force, in Islam; the Quranic injunction says: La Ikraha fid Deen.

I would, therefore, like to appeal to my fellow countrymen, women, students, teachers and others to use all possible and peaceful means at their disposal to rectify and set right the wilfully propagated, and erroneous, perception in the western mind that Islam and violence are synonymous.

The early history of Islam as a message of hope and redemption is replete with glorious examples of Islam enriching the world with its mission of peace. The first temporal period of Islamic rule, the Khilafat-e-Rashida (the Enlightened Caliphate), that spanned three decades after the demise of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), was the finest example of governance guided by peace and tolerance for all, Muslims or non-Muslims.

Although khilafat as an institution fell on bad days after the murder of the last enlightened caliph, Hazrat Ali, the basic Islamic norm of tolerance and peaceful coexistence with others and among the Muslims themselves continued to hold sway. The learned Imams — spiritual guides and religion’s interpreters — whose teachings are still regarded as beacons of light by Muslims all over the world — never wavered from a course of moderation and tolerance. Scholars and guides, such as Imam Malik, Imam Shafai, Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal and Imam Jafer Sadiq, may have differed in their interpretation and exegesis of Islam but never issued a fatwa against others. Today, mullahs and two-bit scholars among the Muslim ummah feel free to declare their opponents kafirs (non-believers) and don’t shy away from preaching intolerance and violence in the name of Islam.

Let it be known to all that Islam doesn’t teach its followers to remain cut off from, or non-communicative with, the followers of other religions such as Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, Jews and others. The Holy Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) interacted actively with believers of other religions and didn’t mind entering into contractual commitments and agreements with them.

It was ironic that in an age as advanced and enlightened as the 21st century the world was witness to an obscurantist and regressive Muslim regime like the Taliban, who violated the Islamic values of non-violence and tolerance. They were so archaic and backward in their views as to declare radio, television and other modern means of communication as unIslamic; they also made a mockery of Islam by forcibly excluding women from the mainstream of life and denying them the fruit of education. What else were the Taliban if not belonging to the long gone Stone Age?

What our younger generation of Muslims, students in particular, ought to remember is that in this age when non-Muslims are keeping a hawk’s vigil on the words and deeds of us Muslims, there is an unavoidable need for us to be realistic in our vision of Islam and pragmatic in its application to our everyday life.

I believe that we must correlate our action to measure up to the requirements of our age and adopt a realistic and pragmatic code of life that takes into account the following facts:

a. thought process and thinking changes with the passage of time; b. moral and civic values change too with a new lifestyle and dress code; c. technology dictates its own changes, introduces new inventions in sciences, communications medicine, pharmacy etc. d. sexual mores and traits change and usher in values that may have been taboo before; e. old myths die, or are radically transformed beyond recognition, and are replaced by values that may eventually become myths themselves.

There is an ineluctable compulsion on us, especially in this age when Muslims are being subjected to microscopic inspection by the non-Muslim world, to establish our values transparently and leave no confusion about them.

For instance, we have to let the world know clearly and categorically that Islam is not at war with the world, or with modern technology and inventions; and that we are an enlightened and progressive people who can coexist happily and comfortably with other peoples, irrespective of their beliefs or religious dogmas.

We must get rid of our weakness to get fixated on ideas and concepts proven wrong with the passage of time. Islam’s universalist ideology is what we must preach to ourselves and the world. We have done great injustice to ourselves and to the Poet of the East, Allama Iqbal, by narrowly projecting him as only an architect of Pakistan, instead of highlighting his message of universalism that he so rightly articulated in his famous poem, Sarey Jehan Se Accha Hindustan Hamara.

A qualitative change in our thought process should induce a new era of Ijtihad among the Muslims of the world. We don’t dispute the importance of the excellent commentaries and exegeses written by eminent Muslim scholars and interpreters. But what they dilated on were problems of their age, not necessarily ours too. There is, therefore, binding on us to interpret our religion in the light of the challenges posed to us by the 21st century and not remain mired in, for instance, the 17th century when the famous Fatawa-i-Alamgiri were compiled.

It is the crying need of the times that Muslims must take control of their lives by reinterpreting their religious values and mores in the light of their own age. Islam is a dynamic force that can’t, and shouldn’t, be held hostage to any one time frame or period. We must come to terms with our times and prove to the world that we are a progressive people who can move with the times and advance rapidly to take our due place among the most enlightened. This alone would ensure a place of honour for Muslims in the universal community of mankind.

The writer is the founder and leader of the MQM.

http://www.dawn.com/2005/12/04/ed.htm

never red any thing as misleading as above article

"dawn group ka islam" aur "Altaf hussain ka islam" ... apas maiN ketnay miltay jultay haiN. .... yeh "hum.ahangee" to rozay awwal say thee. lekin "DAWN group" jo aaj bhi kissi k pressure maiN aakar koi "dictating material" publish nah karneki shohrat rakhta hai ... even yeh k apnay "sponsors" ki bhi nahee sonta... lekin MQM aik "wahid exeception" hai. nine zero k agay sajdah karnay walay karachi k akhbaraat maiN "Dawn droup" sab say peechay tha. aur woh bhi oswaqt jab sindh maiN dawn group ki governorship k bawajood haroon house ko MQM k jeyalouN nay mosalsal 10 roz tak mohasra kiyeh rakha aur iss dauran haroon house maiN publish / print honay wala dawn ki aik single copy bhi bahar nahee jasaki. iss dauran dawn ko sirf dawn k amlah hi parhta raha..... youN Dawn bhi deger sahafti maalekan ki tarah chaRhtay sooraj k aagay sar nigouN hogaya.

Dawn ka eak Fashism kay samnay ser jhukanay ki taweel tu ho sakti hay.. per iss tarah ka article paish kerna..jis ka eak paragraph dosray ki tardeed ker raha hoo!!! cha.mainay.........at least Dawn ko apni reputation hi dekh laynee chahiyee thee...

discuss the message, not the messenger!

"islam aur pakistan" k hawalay say dawn ki nah pahlay koi achchee reputaion thee nah ab hai .......... yahaaN k mustaqil writers / reporters ki bharee aksariat islam to islam , pakistan say bhi bay.zaar hai. aur jahaaN tak "sahafti reputation" ka talluq hai to aap kissi bhi one month k dawn k front/back pages ko study kar laiN. lug pata jayega ....

1. dunya bhar k "press" ka pahla osool yeh hai k oskay front / pages ki maiN stories ka talluq oskay apnay mulk say hota hai........ dawn maiN aksar aisa nahee hota.

2. dunya bhar k press ka bunyadi ossol ye hai k woh "staff reporters" ki stories ko awwaliat detay haiN aur news agencies ki same story ko saanvi darjah milta hai. dawn maiN aisa nahee hai.

3. dunya bhar k press ka oslool hai k paper jiss shahar say publish hota hai, oss shahar ki news stories ko khud report karta hai yaa local zaraye / news agencies ka sahara leta hai........... DAWN woh anokha akhbaar hai jo karachi say nikalta hai aur karachi maiN generate honay wali news AFP / Reutors k hawalay say publish karnay maiN fakhar mahsoos karta hai.

4. dunya bhar kay press ka osool hai k woh apnay mulk k aksariyati aqaid / mazhab k mannay walouN ko job / news coverage maiN tarjeeh deta hai. jamhooriat ka basic osool bhi yehi hai. pakistan ka dawn ghair muslims aur muslim daharyouN ko employement denay maiN aur onki news coverage tarjeehi bunyaadouN par karta hai......... aur sirf "majbooran" ya "ghalati" say hi kissi islam pasand ya pakistan pasand sahafi ko job deta hai.

kahaaN tak sonogay kahaaN tak sonayouN ........



agar "messenger" hi naaqaabilay etbaar nazar aajaye to oski pesh kardah kissi baat ka kia etbaar..................

i wrote my comments about the message! and not of messenger, however if the messenger is not trustworthy, message does posses any weight...

Abu adnan, who determines whether someone has a good reputation vis-a-vis Islam and pakistan? Dawn is a widely read English daily throughout and if it is anti-pakistan as you said, then why does it still have such a large leadership?

1. kia aap ko maloom hai k dawn ki circulation ketni hai.

2. kia aap jaantay haiN k dawn k ketnay % shomaray pakistani aqliataiN (non-muslims) aur pakistan maiN kaam karnay walay ghair mulki afraad paRhtay haiN.

3. kia aap ko maloom hai k dawn ki circulation pakistan maiN shaya honay walay dailies ki kull circulation ka ketnay % hai.

4. kia aap ko maloom hai k pakistan k ketnay ghair maroof / shaam k urdu akhbaaraat ki circulation, dawn say kaheeN zeyadah hai

5. kia aap ko maloom hai k dawn k editorial staff (news & mags pages) maiN aqliatouN (non-muslims) ka tanasub ketna hai aur kia yehi tanasub pakistan / karachi maiN muslims / non-muslims k tanasub say hum ahang hai?

6. kia aap ko maloom hai k dawn pakistan k kiss political khaandaan / family ka akhbaar hai ... aur onkay deeni aqaid, pakistan ki majority muslims k aqaid say ketna qareeb / door hai.

7. kia aap ko maloom hai k dawn ki employement (exceptions ko choR kar) kaisay miltee hai aur iskay liyeh aap maiN kin "qualities" ka hona zaroori hai.

agar aap ko yeh saab bataiN maloom naheeN haiN to please pahlay yeh saray haqaiq jama karaiN aur oskay baad DAWN k baray maiN koi achchee / boree roy qaim karaiN.

AA bhai app nay Dawn ki itni "siftaiN" bayan ker deeN haiN eak ka izafa maiN bhu kya dayta hooN! yahaaN diyar-e-ghair maiN, hamaray Indians Bhai ( Mush kay rishtay say) hamay amooman yeh kehtay haiN " dekho tumharay hi akhbaar nay yeh khabr chapi hay" pata nahi unhaiN iss ki (DAWN akhbar ) copy kaisay milti hay... behrhaal yeh keh ker un ko mutma'in kertay haiN.. kay Pakistan maiN azaadi-e-izhaar ki ijaazat hay... aur Dawn uss ki misaal...

Assalam-o-alaikum,

yay article likkha bhee izzat maab qaaid-e-takhreeb, sheikhul mustashriqeen, faazil daarul uloom farangiya, Hazrat Maulana Altaf Hussain sahab Muddazilluhu ney hay....

koi aur likhta tu kuch reply maen likhtey bhee.... ubb hazrat kee tehreer kay baray maen kya likkhaen....chiragh ko sooraj dikhanay jaisa hoga... rozi roti tu sab kay sath lagi hay.... imkaan hay kay Hazrat Maulana irshad ahmed haqqani sahab bhee hazrat kay mureed honay hee walay haen...

Allah dey "zor-e-qalam" aur zyada...

wassalaam,
farooqi.

itnay zyada logooN nay likha hay yeh article !!! issi liya her line dosri ki nafi kerti hay!!!

Mujhe to kaafi behtar laga hai ye article bus aik do cheezain hain kuch jin par objection kya jaa sakta hai laikin aisa to har aik ki taqreer ya column mein hota hai....maslan jahan universalism ki misaal de ker Allama Iqbal ka hawala diya gaya hai wahan ye baat nazar andaaz ker di ke baad mein iqbal ne issi unversalism ya watniyyat ko thukra diya tha aur apnay khayalaat change ker liye thay........kyunke watniyyat aur 2 qaumi nazarriya mutzaad cheezain hain........iss liye kisi shakhs ke aisay hawalay ka zikr kerna jis se usne rajoo ker liya ho sahi nahin hai. baki aik jaga jahan kaha gaya hai ke sexual mores change hotay rehtay hain to ye bhi objectionable baat hai baki to takreeban saara article first class hai...

how do u define the term "Moderate Muslim"

Moderate muslims , yani jo tashaddud pasand na hon

Tashaddud pasand muslims wo hotay hain jo ghair muslim civilians jo qatal ker dena jaaiz samajhtay hon, jo apnay islam ko tashaddud se phailana chahtay hon aur doosray par ala waj-hul baseerat nahin balkeh zabardasti thonsana chahtay hon, jo har doosri baat par danday aur bandooqein utha kar aman e aama ko tabah ker detay hon yani qanoon ki pabandi jin ke liye koi maani na rakhti ho, jo apni islamic thoughts par criticism sunnay aur usko bardasht kerne kay guts na rakhtay hon,jo aitdaal pasand na hon etc etc......

ye ho gaye non-moderate muslims , aur inkay ulat ho gaye wo jinka aapne poocha hai yani moderate muslims

bhai non-moderates ki baat nahi key thee seedha sawal tha per aap kaheeN aur hi nikal rahay haiN!!!

khair

asr-e-hazir kay moderate muslims maiN say koy example hi day daiN agr app inhaiN define nahi ker saktay!!!

"agr app inhaiN define nahi ker saktay"

Oh khan bhai define ker to diya........ooper waalay reply mein jo khaslatein meine batayi thi wo jis mein nahin hon gi wo moderate muslim ho ga.......iss mein define na kerne waali kya baat hui bhala

hummmmmm app nay kaha



eak mazara bhi tashadud pasand nahi hota..chahay zameendar uss ki izat ko hi pamaal kyoN na ker day!!!kiya woh bhi isi category maiN aata hay!!! bhai jaan app nay buhat hi broad term istaymaal key hay b precise...




yeh tu bataya nahi kay yeh "tashadud pasand" log kon haiN.... woh jin kay mulk, waqar per ghair mulki hamla'awar haiN ya inhooN nay kisi mulk ko invade kiya howa hay.. bhai jan again yeh bhibuhta hi broad term hay....


aakhir ap moderate muslims ko exactly define kernay ya uss ki example kyon nahi day rahay... kiya app nahi chahtay kay meay ilm maiN bhi izafa ho!!!

Laikin jo ilm honay ke bawajood aisa kahay to phir banda kya karay :d, mere bhai ye koi mushkil istalah nahin hai bilkul simple si hai aur har thori si samajh bhooj rakhne waala jaanta hai ke iss se kya ye kaise loag muraad hain..........agarche baaz istalahaat ko exact science ki tarz par define ker dena bouhat hi mushkil cheez hai laikin meine aapko ajmaali sa taaruf to de diya na



Meine ye Islam ke maani mein liya hai buzdali ya doosri examples ke liye nahin.......



meine to poora para likha tha iss par , dobara dekhein na....

Tashaddud pasand muslims wo hotay hain jo ghair muslim civilians jo qatal ker dena jaaiz samajhtay hon, jo apnay islam ko tashaddud se phailana chahtay hon aur doosray par ala waj-hul baseerat nahin balkeh zabardasti thonsana chahtay hon, jo har doosri baat par danday aur bandooqein utha kar aman e aama ko tabah ker detay hon yani qanoon ki pabandi jin ke liye koi maani na rakhti ho, jo apni islamic thoughts par criticism sunnay aur usko bardasht kerne kay guts na rakhtay hon,jo aitdaal pasand na hon etc etc......



Aap dekh saktay hain ke ooper meine tashaddud pasandon ki jo alamaat zaahir ki hain un mein jehad waghaira shaamil nahin kyunke ye tashaddud nahin........dushman agar aap ke mulk par hamla-aawar ho to uss se apna difaa kerna tashaddud pasandi nahin laikin doosray mumalik ke ya doosray firqay ke civilians ko qatal ker dena tashaddud pasandi hai..........

Ok lets try tu define them

Moderate Muslims woh haiN ju

Quran aur Hadees (sahi) say apnay ahkamaat hasil kertay haiN!!! ju agr kaheeN in ahkamaat ki khilaf warzi daikhaiN tu ussay kum us kum zuban say roknay ki koshish kertay haiN. Ju Zameen per Allah kay deen ki tabligh kertay haiN ( zubani aur amali andaaz maiN ). Ahkam-e-Illahi ki roo say zailm aur mazloom dono ki madad kerna apna farz samjhtay haiN. kisi ka bhi haq nahi martay.. aur waqt paRay tu Jihad b.saif per bhi labaik kehtay haiN

baqi aap add karaiN

I think kuch add kerne ki zaroorat nahin, balkeh sirf aapki likhi hui pehli line hi kaafi hai baki sab baatein jo aapne ki wo to ussi pehli line se hi nikli hain.......laikin iss mein sab se aham cheez hai ke Quran o Sunnah ki taleem ko as a whole liya jaaye, kahin se aik aadh ayat kaat ker apna matlab na nikala jaaye maslan, Alqaida ki videos mein hi nahin balkeh Lashkar e Taiba etc ke jalson mein bhi aik ayat ko bilkul ghalat tareekay se apnay maqsad ke liye pesh kya jaata hai aur banners par likha hota hai "Aur mushrikeen ko jahan paao qatal karo".........jabke Surah Tauba mein mukammal taur par bataya gaya hai ke ye baat sirf fitna angaiz mushrikeen ke hawalay se thi jo baar baar musalmanao se apnay muahidaat bhi toar detay thay to ye hukm aisi situation ka hai............laikin iss ayat ko siyaq o sabaaq se kaat ker iss tarha pesh kya jaata hai jaisay ye Quran ka hukm hai ke jahan bhi koi non-muslim dekho usko qatal ker do............ye hota hai tashaddud pasandana "islam", jab aisi videos baahir kem umalik mein dikhayi jaati hain to khud sochein ke islamke mutallik kaisa manfi ravayyah paida hota hai, balkeh aik indian movie dekh raha tha "Escape From Taliban" uss mein bhi ye baat baar baar dikhayi gayi ta ke islam ki subqi ho iskay bawajood ke film ke takhleeq kaaron mein ziada tar indian muslims hi thay...........issi liye kaha jaata hai ke hamein aik moderate muslimban ker aik moderate islam ko jo sahi maani mein islam hai ussay pesh kerna chahaiye.........

Aapne moderate muslim ki examplemaangi thi to moderate muslimki sab se achhi aur behtareen example khud Rasool(PBUH) hain..........

aadhi ayat ya hadees bila-shuba puray hukm ki shakl hi badl ker rakh daytee hay!!! Lashker-e-Taiba ki jahaaN tak baat hay tu maiN in-kay Pakistan kay under kisi bhi waqaye maiN mola'wis honay say la.ilm hooN haaN yeh Indian Army kay liya khasay sar-dard banay howay haiN iss liya Pakistan maiN bhi muhibaan-e-hind ko khaTaktay haiN... Indian Movie koy authenticate zaria nahi hay kisi ko bhi judge kernay ka na hi iss kisam ki propoganDa filmaiN sanjeeda tabkay ko muta'sir kerteeN haiN.. haaN yeh baat durust hay kay "So-Called" al-qaida nay Islam ko civilains ki killings per hi base kiya howa hay!!! aur issi so-called al-qaida kay kuch operative members ( jin ka taluq British Army say hay) ko Iraqi police nay rangay hathooN ( jab woh un per firing ker kay farar ho rahay thay, tu
Police nay naka.bandi ker kay unhaiN arrest ker liya, in kay pass iraq maiN khud.kush hamlooN maiN istayma'al honay wala explosivs bhi milay) giraftar ker liya, tu kuch hi dair maiN "Al-qaida" nay TankooN ki madad say thanay ka muhasira ker liya aur apnay "members" ko chuRa ker lay gayee... janab yeh thee khabr... jis per Jack Straw nay bayan diya tha kay nahi ham tank sirf apni hifazat kay liya lay ker gay thay!!! tu bhai jan agr ghair-muslim hi aisi harkataiN karaiN aur media power say nam muslmanooN ka lagayaiN..tu muslmaan kiya karaiN... apnay jayaiz haq kay liya bhi chup saad laiN kay kaheeN hamay mutashadid na samajh liya jaye!!!!


JahaaN Tak App (SAAW) ki example hay tu Hazoor (SAAW) ko maghrib sab say baRa bunyadparst kehta hay!!! aur app Moderate... jab kay meray khayal say App (SAAW) insaniyaat ka behtreen roop thay! aur App (SAAW) nay un tamam batooN say mana kiya tha jinhaiN aaj kal kay so-called moderate muslman apnay uper halal samjh rahay haiN ya us ki mukhalifat iss DaR say nahi kertay kay kaheeN BUNYAD-PARASTI ka label na lug jaye!!!

nahin meine sirf misaal di thi ke unkay jalson mein aisay banners hotay hain, baki meine un par koi comment nahin diya..........



Wakayi authenticate zarriya nahin laikin iss se ye pata chalta hai ke duniya hamaray baaray mein kya sochti hai, aur iss se aam afraad ke zehno par asraat zaroor murattab hotay hain.......



Maghrib ke ye khayalaat hamari hi "tashaddud pasandana islami taleemaat" ki tarweej ka sabab hain.....aap dekh saktay hain ke pehlay maghrib ke ye khayalaat nahin thay sirf kuch paadri hi aitraaz kertay thay aur unko ussi wakt jawab de diya jaata tha , laikin guzaishta kuch saalon mein islam aur Muhammad(PBUH) ko jis tarha wahan portrate kya gaya hai aur kya jaa raha hai wo sirf unki hi taasub pasandi ka nateeja nahin balkeh hamari hi ghaltiyun ka nateeja hai jo islam ko iss andaaz mein pesh kya ........



Moderate se yahi muraad hai........moderate se muraad musharraf nahin jisnay kal bayaan diya tha ke saqafat aur islam ko alag alag rakhna chaahiye inka aapas mein koi taaluk nahin.........



Aapne aisay logon ko khud hi "so called" moderate kaha hai aur mein bhi aisa hi samajhta hon..........roshan khayali ya jiddat pasandi ya moderate honay ka matlab qatan ye nahin hai ke islami ahkaam se nazrein chura li jaain , kyunke sab se bara roshan khayal shakhs to khud arab mein paida hua yani Muhammad(PBUH).........roshan khayali ko buray maani mein le kar kuch logon par iss lafz ko chispaan ker ke iss istalah ko hi kharab ker dena sahi nahin........yakeenan islam aik roshan khayal deen hai tareek pasand nahin.

Moderate ka matlab hi ye hai ke dono extremes ke darmiyaan, kuch loag jo islam ko tashaddud pasandana mazhab saabit kertay hain wo bhi extremist hain aur jo ziada hi "khulay zehan" ke hain wo bhi extremist hain (na ke roshan khayal), islam na iski himayat kerta hai na hi uski.........balkeh aik tawazan qaim kerta hai dono extremes ke darmiyaan aur iss tawazun aur aitdaal pasandi ko moderation kaha jaata hai.......

YahaaN per eak statement add karooN ga

go Christianity kay aman ka concept Islam maiN nahi hay! per yeh Wahid DEEN hay ju kay da'ime aman ka dayee hay!..




rest later