Renewal of contemporary Islamic Religious Thought and The Obstacles of Neo-literalism and Ultra-liberalism

• one of the approach is thru the maqasid alshaariah - Imam Shaffie- alghazali, AlShatibi, shah waliyullah al-DIhlawi , rashid reda, mahmus shaltutu. Mustaffa Assiba'i, Muhammad AlGhazali, Sayyid Sabiq, Yusuf AlQardawi

considers the wisdom behind the law

ALGhazali (maslahah ... aldaruriyat, alhajiyyat, altahsiniyat0

alSHATIBI ( aL-Usul Alkhamsah)

1) preservation of religion (hifz al din)
2) life (nafs)
3) progeny
4) alaql

5) property


ibn ashur .. adapted version ...
alqardawi -- for maqasid is more wellbeing for individuals, maqasid privelleges  for righteous individual-family-society- ummH-well being of humanity-- innovates few fiqh..fish alsunan, fiqh al-muwazanah, fiqh al-awlawiyat, fiqh al aqaliyah, fiqh azzakah


The challenges

a) The Zahiris

• literallist (Azzahiris)- neo literallist who interpret text rigidly and literally (harfiyyun) without giving attention  to the general objectives of those texts. although their piety, sincerity cant be denied, their stern literalism has deformed the true image of Islam and its shariah. their stand on issues of woman and family , culture, education , economics, administration, politics, international relations and relationship with nonmuslims is coloured with  rigid literalism and intolerance
• the obsession of literalist that only their own views are correct. views outside their group in unacceptable, refused to see the possibility that their opinions are wrong, refused to cooperated on matters that are agreed upon, excuse one another in matters that they differ

b) the liberalist

• Muslim intellectuals, professionals, academics ..in the name of upholding the general well being  of society  and the universal objectives  of Islam put aside the particular religious texts and based their views mainly on their liberal intellectual interpretation of Islamicteachings
• lack of sounnd knowledge of shariah, lack of understanding of Islamic laws and jurisprudence,  they have th audacity to pass judgemntd and make pronouncements based purely on their liberal and independent thinking
• flaw method of application the concept of maslahah
• on the pretext serving the genral objectives of the shariaah and public good, they would reject the categorical  and well established texts and challenge the necessity of fulfulling the fundamental religious obligation as traditionally understood and practised. 
• wrong interpretation of maqasid, change it to means.. switcth to one ownintepration .. no need to perform religious ritual so long as the so long as  one ca achieve spiritual purifications, absentism, rememberance of AlLah thru some other means

HOW TO OVERCOME IT?
1) distinguish btw fixed objectives  and the changing means ( maqasid  althabitah vs alwasa'il almutaghayyirah)
2) prayers have to correct objective and form wise as prescribed by the rpophet saw
3)  find ways to be close to AlLah SWT  based  to bring self close to AlLAh .. which is intergrated from the larger mainstream of spiritual tradition of Islam. it shouldnt be taken just as  a"Sufism" as  a practice  or exercise for spirituality that is not connected to true Islamic  teachings .

eg fixed objective  without fixed means : concept of syura

Challenges towards practising wasattiyah

Item	Action	Details
1.	Adopting	Principles of discussion (Assyura) , justice ( al-adalah) ,freedom people ( hurriyat al-shu’ub) & human rights (huquq al-insaan)  democracy issues-conflicts btw pro and anti, is democracy is Islamic, the term theo democracy the concept of soverignty of AlLah swt as the governence, source of hukum consultation with the people as an important principle of democracy--details not specified by Islam --it is opened to solutions based on the need of the time.. 3 major principles 1) no collective matter discussed without consulting the people appointed rep ( or people concerned) this rules out the possibility of monarchy, dictatorship 2) the consultation should be free, impartials and genuine Issues on women political rights  as ministers or hold administrative rules in the government: provided they observe the Islamic norms, etiquette realtions between genders in public.according to Qardawi they play equal role in society ?permissibility of Muslim Participation in non-Islamic government or political system: 1)  it is ok so long is not for injustice, tyranny,dictatorial, oppressive or anti-Islamic 2) participate versus non participate principles has to be based on: a)the possibility of reducing injustice and evils to one's ability (eg to alleviate people sufferings , strengthen the weak positions etc b) taking the lesser evils ... tolerating a minor evil for fear of incurring a greater evil c) descending from the lofty ideals to the closest reality is allowed by Islamic law because of necessity or genuine inability to achieve ideals based on various usul fiqh principles like al-mashaqqah tajlib altaisir...hardship brings facilitation, necessities render permissible what is prohibited (aldarurah tubih almahzurah) d) observing the norm of gradualism (sunnat altadarruj)...also the principle on usul fiqh... if one cannot achieve everything , one abandon everything..  towards ummatic maturity 1) changing from form and outer to reality and substance 1) aqidah tawhidyah 2) sincere ibadah 3) truthfulness muamalat ( traansaction) 4) khuluq with mercy 5) tashri" legistlation is justice 6) amal is perfection 7) ethics is spiritual consciousness 8) alaqah (human bonding) is brotherhood 9) civilisation is balance 2)from talking and bickering to giving and doing looking for mistakes of others, preoccupation with nonproductive plant a seed even the last moment  of qiyamah, x wait for almahdi, mujaddid x wait till islamic state is established in order to do reform activities 3) from sentimental and clamourous attitude to rational and scientific attitiude x emotional rhetoric; over-glorification of certain individuals. excessiveness in love or hatred, drowning int he worls of fanciful dreams, impatient to achieve results making hasty decisions, incorrect way of trusting AlLah, to exagerate or to be little important to focus on internal and self-originating impediments than to concentrate on the obstacles placed in our path as part of external plots against us suggest to be neutral, realistic, objective ad rationale attitude in assesing matters, evalutating works, interpretation of events and history , perceiving of suporters and adversaries , defininf of position  scientific thinking 1) objective.. know the truth that the owner of the truth 2) respect the specialization 3)ability to take and accept criticism 4) employing the ltest and best techniques in trying the achieve the objectives 5) critical thinking in everything except in incontestible intellectual and religious matters ..critical querry and examination , irrespective of whether the results are in accordnace with one's interest or not 6) refraininf from being hasty in coming up with tulings and decisions except after having conducttedd a careful study based on reliable investigations and statistics after a constructive dialaogue (with relevant parties) that would revela the defects or negative aspects of particular issues 7) appreciating other perspectives besides one's own and respectiinf different views of other matters 4) Change from preoccupation with the subsidiary and periphery to the primary and fundamental talking and disputing. to 1) amal alfikri 2) amal altarbawi 3) amal alharaki 4) amal alijtimai 5) change from bigotry (alta'assub) and exclusivism (al-inqhilaq) to forbearance ( altasamuh) and inclusivism (al-intilaq) 60:8-9 ukhuwaah alwataniyah alukhuwwah alqawmiyah Noah as brother to his disbeliever people, Shu"ayyb also as abrother of disbelieving people of madyan 6) change of violence and rancour to gentleness and compassion methodology of islamic propagatio aldakwah islamiyah .. gentleness (ALrifq), tenderness (al-lin),graciousness (al-riqqah ), compassionate neokhawarij group..faulty and defective understanding of jihad, changing wrong doings by force, fighting or revolting against the rules , accusing others of disbeliefing (fiqh altakfir) misunderstood jihad: assuming that it is obligatory to fight disbelievers even though they are at peace with the mslims: commit trangression 2;190
2.	Balancing	Permanent principles ( Al-thawaabit) of Islamic law and the changing conditions ( mutaghayyirat)
3.	Being	Just (insaf) to women , liberating them from being oppressed by 1) customs inherited from eras of backwardness 2) customs coming from civilisation of disintegration
4.	Combining	Assalafiyah and tajdiid ( renewal) Assoolah (authenticity)  and  Al mu’asholah ( contemporary) Salaffiyah : implies returning to the original principles (alusul), the root , the sources ... in return to the Quran and Sunnah Salafi : orinal to the roots and the sources ie Alquran and Sunnah The salaf people of the first generation , whe were regarded as the best generation ..the return does not mean a carbon reproduction of conditions..first generation is the best in terms  of : 1)      Understanding 2)      faith 3)      Behaviour 4)      commitment  it is the essence /spirit  `not the hardcopy Tajdiid: living in times, keeping abreast with current  knowledge , freedom from the the clutches of the frozen mid (aljumud) and thoughtless imitation
5.	Coupling	Alwajib ( religious duty) and social reality ( al-waqi’)
6.	Engaging	Dialogue ( alhiwar) and co-existence ( al ta’ayush) with others ( muslims and non muslims) (tolerance) Al-tasaamuh with those differs *hiwaar with rational rulers, rational secularist, rational westerners, orientalist, western writers high level muslim-christian dialogue
7.	Facilitating	In giving fatwa and emphatising glad tidings (al-tabshiir) extrimism tend to make things difficult  (alta'asir) and frightening ( al-tanfir) eg sternness and severity in giving opinions Principles:  make things easy in matters of branches (alfuru') while firm and noncompromise in matters of principles eg case of sahabah RA who died after the ritual bath from junub when he was wounded and died because of it. Ar rasul saw adv tayamum instead
8.	Presenting	Balanced integrated civilisation mission  ( risalah hadhariyyah) Revival, liberation, unification of ummah

Implications for contemporary religious discourse

Principles

• inviting to the path of AlLah with wisdom (al-Hikmah) 

            argue with them with the best of arguments

• 9th 11 the western powers has irked the Muslim countries to review not only the religious discourse of Islamic dakwah but the education curricula. westers's intellectual arrogance,condescencion, anti Islamic prejudice because no such demands are made on the anti-Islamic religious discourses of the jews  and the christians, neo0conservative christians fundamentalist, zionist christions and zionist jews.

• because the discourse is a matter of mutaghayyirah principkesm it needs to be continously improved, renewed and corrected not because of foreign pressures but because it is dictated by the Islamic norm of tajdid and the need to sustain the justly balanced spirit of Islam and the Muslim Umah
• ummatic changes :

justly balanced

contribute positively to inter religious and inter civilisation understanding

amongst  the hikmah : 

1) to use the word of  nonmuslim instead of kuffar in addressing adherents of other religions esp the people of the book, the use of the word almuwatinun citizen instaed of kafir harb

• 15 guidelines

item
1	faith	Only God, sustainer without denying the importance , the honour , thi dignity , the freedom and the rights of man Spiritual crises. Abundance of material comforts with deprivation of spiritual components Divine  revelations and conveys the truth in creed, religious obligations, laws, ethics, concepts and traditions
2	Intergration ulum naqliyh and aqliyah	The compatibility of “the uncontaminated intellect” and “ the true revealed knowledge” as described by AlGhazali ·        problems are  due to lack of sound intellect and useful knowledge of world and nature ·        Problems from  strangehold of impulses, beliefs in the supernatural powers of black magics, ignorance of superficial religious  teachers
3	Balance btwn inner core of religion which spiritual (aljanib arruh) and outer  which material dimension (aljanib almaddi)	Purifications of heart  from false beliefs and diseases “almuhlikat”  ( eg pridem self admiration, deception, love of the world, love of wealth, love of fame, excessive anger, jealousy and hatred)
4	Fulfilment of religious obligations	Solat, fasting, zakat, hajj , good conducts and ethical behavioural are frutis of right belief Balance btw being pious  and conduct in the ares of human relations and worldly dealings and transactions Conduct akhlaq in academic, alakhalq alimiyyah-alfardhiyyah, lausraiyyaha, society –ijtimayyah, alsiyasiyah, economic I’tisadiyyah
5	tawheed	Comprehensive, unadulterated
6	Being religious in every aspects	Self-families, society and nations
7	Strive for seriousness, purity, constancy,path of righteousness Moral rectitude, upholding justice, combattng evil desire  etc
8	Universalism of Islamic message	“Global village “ revolution in information and communication technology,,  current globalisation that has been used to extend the economic and cultural hegemonies of powerful western forces… Globalisation can  be a well-orchestrated  “new imperialism” and a new emergence of “new world order” The threats that can undermined  traditional religious values and institutions
9	contemporaneity	Up to date  in all possible developments, philosophical , discourse, technologies, intellectual currents , behaviouralism  Islamic discourse does not and can not live in the past The views have to keep abreast with the changing circumstances.. However, it s reneweaal, flexibility, openness should not be influenced by the ultra liberal spirit . the discourse  has to clign to its al-soolah  authenticity which is grounded I Quran ic theology,epistemology, law and ethics
10	Future oriented
11	Principle of finding easy solution  supported by ALquran and Sunna
12	Ijtihad	Call for wider use of ijtihad without transgressing against the well-established doctrines, principles, laws and institutions of Islam
13	Reject forbidden terrorism Support legitimate jihad	The best jihads os the convey the word of truth before an unjust ruler Ibnu qayyim divides jihas ito thirteen categoriesn, four (self), 3 (injustice) 4(disbelievers and hypocrites Clean  the wrong conceptions of  radical militant muslims Correct the misconception that the genuine defenders of their land nd honour are terrorists
14	Female	Complementary, equal rights
15	Protection of ethnic minorities

Fault in understanding the issue of revolting against the rulers

• Muslims should demand the rulers of Muslims to implement the laws of AlLah based 

2:85, nevertheless Islam teaches us to oppose to the militant ways by using arms and revolting rules by physical force...

• The Quran teaches  us to enjoin patience and perseverance in the face of the wrongdoings of the rulers. Several hadiths strongly discourage acts of rebellion against rules unless open and manifest disbelief have emanated from them. 

• The general position adopted by majority Islamic scholars are the importance of the following principles are observed:

1) public interest to maintain the unity of the ummah
2) prevent blood shed among Muslims
3) prevent uncontrolled civil strife
4) deep rifts

• In Muslim countries , the rulers can be divided into:

1) recognise Islam as an official religion and shariah is the source of law but they have shortcomings in implementing it --they are SINFUL
2) reject and ridicule the shariah and consider it incompatible with civilisation and progress..justifiable to go against BUT:
a) has to be based on ones" capability and capacity 2:286
b) peaceful way to change
c) search the wisdom in analysing strategies even if they originates from non Islamic so long as they do not contradict  the Quran and sunnah, the shariah prescribed by those texts. (almarsalih mursalah)

• extremistsm includes takfirisation of other fellow muslims, hijacking civilian plans, kidnapping and killing tourists is from flaws in understanding the true Islam.
• Muslims have to realised that the Quran has taught that to bring change it has to start from themselves 13:11
• only in two situations when "violence" are justified, which are meant for defense and even then it has to decided by relevant authority and legitimate decision makes ( ahl al-hall wa al-'aqd) NOT  by unauthorised people or individuals who do not have legitimate authority and even then it has to be carried out based on one's capasity and capability
• the two situations are :

1) resistance against colonialism , illegal occupation or invasion of Muslim land and property such as the Israeli occupation of Palestine

2) opposition to a critical situation  in a Muslim country in which open disbelief or defiant irreligiously on the part of Muslim rulers or power--holders has become rampant or overbearing

• with regards to the historical  fact, the first caliph Saidina Abu Bakar RA despite of being a calm, non violent personality but had carried out  to fight against the apostate movement. that was a form of rebellion against a legitimate Islamic government. ( *)

          A concern being  highlighted is that the current apostasy in Muslim countries has to be handled  and tackled wisely and cautiously as this in the past has shown to lead to undesireable and potentially explosive situations

( this is  my humble notes from lectures delivered by, and  paper written by beloved teacher Tan Sri Prof Dr Muhammad Kamal b Hassan,  "Moulding a Wasatiyyah Community today"  presented for  RRG, Singapore.
The paper is based on few write ups by As-Syaikh Yusuf AlQardawi books like Min Fiqh Addaulah)

So, how are we supposed to involve, to react, to lead to whatsoever in the community..?

Yes, for people like us who want to contribute to the ummah sincerely, may find that at times we are not sure that we are on the right tract.. 

How to react if your so called comrades suddenly highlight the issue  which seems to be conflicting like pluralism? or even liberalism?  say the ISSUE OF HUDUD  for example...

yes.. we are amongst the Islamic activists but we cant imposed our values to our nonmuslim comrades..

yes... we are aware of the notion..." let us start from our "common things" then what will happen if we are at the conflicting junctures? 




Quite often we will bump into our relatives who simply refuse to join  family events like tahlil, insist that female circumcision is haram and starts labelling people as "sesat"


Just sharing these 20 principles outlined by Islam as described by AlShaiykh Yusuf Qardawi in his book of 
Sakhsiyah Al-‘Am Al-Islamiyyah , 2000, Maktabah Wahbah, p.144.. and had been elaborated by Tan Sri Prof Kamal Hassan in his class..

i found it useful for us beginners at least to understand with the stands taken by certain Islamic movement when dealing with our recent "conflicts" in Malaysia... like the wahabi issues, mazhab issues, pleuralism issues, hudud etc....


I have classified them in accordance to level of individual, action ,  organisation for better understanding

**** AND WHAT BEING RECOMMENDED BY iSLAM IS to advocate the middle stance and balance between the two extremes... (AlBaqarah, 2:143)

Level	Area	Issues
Mindset	Halal walharam	Extreme in forbidding Exaggerate in permitting
	Reality	Ignores obstacles and dangers Overly pessimistic  and do not anticipate the break of dawn
	Reality	Absorb in the present matters without thinking of the future Talk about the future without dealing with present matters
	Result Orientation	Pick up before ripe enough Neglect even it is ripe and has fallen into the hands of others
	Fiqh (maqasid shari’ah)	Disregard the established reveal texts  by claiming in order to accommodate the maqasid shaariah Disregard the general objective of divine law (maqasid shaariah) in the name of accommodating the revealed text.
	Alkalam (aql) versus Annas	Those who use logic and aqal  even it goes against the conclusive nash(qati’e) Those who use nash only without referring to logic
	Fiqh :Tashaddud versus tasahul	Tashaddud in brances Tasahul even in the principles
	Mazhab	Strict adherence of jurisprudence school Loose adherence
	Tasawwuf and bidaah	Support tasawwuf despite in areas with clear innovation(bidaah) Oppose tasawwuf even in areas that are proper and abiding to shariah
Philosophy	Idealist versus realist	Idealists who hardly concern the reality Realist who do not believe or have in lofty moral ideals.
	Individualism and collectivism ( liberalism versus marxism)	Bestow the values of individual at the expense of society Bestow the values of society at the expense of society
Action	Level	Advocates worldwide without regarding local conditions and environment Advocates narrow regional actions with no global or world connection
	Organisation	Those who regard it as sacred and idolized it Totally abandon the need to work in organised manner
	politics	Expense of education ( tarbiyah) Focus on tarbiyah with total negligence of politics
	Organisation /individual	Extremism ( ghulluw) accussing others as kafir AlMutasahhilun over tolerance even in the matter of apostasy
	Organisation/individual	Advocates opening up to the world ( al-infithah) without any constraint Advocates of locking oneself in without justification
	Heritage	Regarded as sacred eventhough human failures are evident in it Disregards the heritage even it shows the signs of hidayah