Pritam K. Rohila, Ph.D.
Relative calm has prevailed along international borders in 2007. But within nations things did not go well this year.
Forces of extremism, hate, and violence seem to have gained strength in many parts of the world. Communal strife, alienation of minorities, forced dislocation of people, human right violations, disregard for international conventions, and the rule of law, and in some cases even political assassinations, have characterized developments in many parts of the world.
But supporters of secularism, peace, harmony, and civil society seem demoralized and disorganized.
It appears that as activists, we need to change our strategy. Perhaps we should focus more of our efforts closer to where we live and work than at faraway places.
We could start by cleansing our minds of our prejudices. We should learn to respect and love individuals in our homes and extended families regardless of their age or gender. We should teach our children to value the rights of others, and to resolve their disagreements by negotiation and compromise instead of threats of force or violence.
After creating small oases of peace and harmony around us, we can extend our efforts to the larger communities around us. Gradually, by example and persuasion, we can thus help transform our neighborhoods, villages and towns into communities of amity, reconciliation and concord.
To accomplish this we will need to learn to view and treat others with a vision that unites rather than divides people of all caste, tribal, sectarian, religious, language and regional identities.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Thursday, February 7, 2008
On Apostasy and Islam
" ... Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear
from Error ..." [2:256]
This is Islam's unambiguous affirmation of freedom of faith, which also
applies to changing of faith. The Qur'an illuminates before the humanity
the two high! ways [90 :10], one of which leads to salvation. Islam is
an invitation to the highway toward salvation, but it is based on
FREEDOM OF CHOICE.
On Apostasy and Islam:
100+ Notable Islamic Voices affirming the Freedom of Faith
Dr. Mohammad Omar Farooq
Upper Iowa University
April 2, 2007 [Compilation in Progress; farooqm59@yahoo.com]
"As presented in excerpts from numerous sources, and links to works
available online, there is no worldly punishment solely for apostasy
[i.e., changing of one's faith/religion] mentioned in the Qur'an."
Freedom of faith is essential to Islam. Prophets and Messengers of Allah
along with their communities had to struggle for their freedom of faith.
That Islam is by choice is unambiguously stated in the Qur'an and
reflected in the Prophetic legacy. However, throughout history, the
issue has been clouded due to mixing the issue of apostasy with treason.
Now one of the biggest tools of anti-Islam/anti-Muslim propaganda is
based on the issue of apostasy, claiming that Islam does not uphold the
freedom of faith. Even our own children are getting confused and many
are quietly disavowing our wishy-washy position on as fundamental issue
as freedom of faith/religion.
Undeniably, the traditional position of Muslim scholars and jurists has
been that apostasy [riddah] is punishable by death. The longstanding
problem of the traditional position, as held by Classical jurists or
scholars, can be explained and excused as not being able to see
apostasy, an issue of pure freedom of faith and conscience, separate
from treason against the community or the state. However, the
accummulated experience over the history in terms of abuse of this
position about apostasy even against Muslims as well as the changed
context of a globally-connected, pluralistic society should help us
appreciate the contemporary challenges in light of the Qur'anic norms
and the Prophetic legacy. In this context, while the classical
misunderstanding about this issue of apostasy is excusable, the position
of some of the well-known contemporary scholars is not.
Sayyid Abul A'la Maududi (commonly known as Maulana Maududi), the late
founder and leader of Jamaat-e-Islami and a leading independent,
revivalist Islamic personality of 20th century, is frequently referred
to for his ardent argument for capital punishment for apostasy. He
argued that there is an broad agreement of the leading jurists on this
issue. He claims:
"To copy the consecutive writings of all the lawyers from the first to
the fourteenth century A.H. would make our discussion very long. Yet we
cannot avoid mentioning that however much the four Schools of Law may
differ among themselves regarding the various aspects of this problem,
in any case all four Schools without doubt agree on the point that the
punishment of the apostate is execution." [The Punishment of the
Apostate According to Islamic Law]
Such a sweeping claim s misplaced because the alleged agreement is about
apostasy-cum-treason, not about solely apostasy. Furthermore, any claim
of consensus (ijma) on almost anything should be taken with a great deal
of circumspection. [see The Doctrine of Ijma: Is there a consensus?]
Another well-known Muslim scholar and jurist of our time, whom I also
generally hold in high regard, is Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi. He asserts:
"The duty of the Muslim community ? in order to preserve its identity
? is to combat apostasy in all its forms and wherefrom it comes,
giving it no chance to pervade in the Muslim world." Similar to Maulana
Maududi, he also claims ijma on this: "That is why the Muslim jurists
are unanimous that apostates must be punished. ... apostasy is a
criminal act." [Apostasy! : Major and Minor]
Dr. Al-Qaradawi also fails to separate apostasy from treason. It is
unfortunate that such scholars of high repute have shown such serious
lapse in recognizing that, as Dr. Irfan Ahmad Khan, a scholar and
Qur'anic exegete, argues: "Freedom of faith and religion is meaningless
without the freedom to change one's faith."
Then, also there are scholars, even in the USA, who are either
wishy-washy or ambivalent in regard to their positions. Some are too
much beholden to the traditional views held in the past, right or wrong.
Views and positions of scholars and leaders, such as Maududi and
al-Qaradawi, not only provide powerful ammunition for propaganda against
Islam and Muslims, but also confound the mind of our own community,
including our youth, whose discerning mind sees through the
double-standard or self-contraditiction quite transparently.
While many contemporary Muslim scholars have expressed their views
affirming the freedom of faith, the collective voice of Muslims is still
feeble and little known. In this write-up we have collated opinions and
positions of various Muslim scholars, academics, intellectuals, imams,
professionals, community leaders and others on this issue. Even young
students are voicing against the double-standard that contradicts the
Islamic values and principles.
These voices, representing a broad spectrum of Muslim community/ummah,
are tipping the scale of the discourse on this issue in favor of
affirming and upholding the pristine Islamic principle about freedom of
faith. It also debunks the claim of unanimity (ijma), which was not
quite true in the past, and it is even less true in the present.
Some additional explanatory notes: (a) Views of some of the early
scholars might not be categorical or without variant reports. However,
the excerpts included can be basis for identifying them as the
precursors of the contemporary views on this issue. (b) There are (or
have been) many scholars, early and contemporary, who hold that in case
of apostasy capital punishment is not warranted, but have sanctioned or
kept open the possibility of other punishments. There views have not
been included here. (c) There are also scholars who belive that
punishment of apostasy is not hadd (mandatory, specified punishment
based on the Qur'an or sunnah), but it is subject to ta'zir
[discretionary punishment, determined by the proper Islamic judicial
system]. In this collection, there views have not been included either....
Mohammad Omar Farooq
from Error ..." [2:256]
This is Islam's unambiguous affirmation of freedom of faith, which also
applies to changing of faith. The Qur'an illuminates before the humanity
the two high! ways [90 :10], one of which leads to salvation. Islam is
an invitation to the highway toward salvation, but it is based on
FREEDOM OF CHOICE.
On Apostasy and Islam:
100+ Notable Islamic Voices affirming the Freedom of Faith
Dr. Mohammad Omar Farooq
Upper Iowa University
April 2, 2007 [Compilation in Progress; farooqm59@yahoo.com]
"As presented in excerpts from numerous sources, and links to works
available online, there is no worldly punishment solely for apostasy
[i.e., changing of one's faith/religion] mentioned in the Qur'an."
Freedom of faith is essential to Islam. Prophets and Messengers of Allah
along with their communities had to struggle for their freedom of faith.
That Islam is by choice is unambiguously stated in the Qur'an and
reflected in the Prophetic legacy. However, throughout history, the
issue has been clouded due to mixing the issue of apostasy with treason.
Now one of the biggest tools of anti-Islam/anti-Muslim propaganda is
based on the issue of apostasy, claiming that Islam does not uphold the
freedom of faith. Even our own children are getting confused and many
are quietly disavowing our wishy-washy position on as fundamental issue
as freedom of faith/religion.
Undeniably, the traditional position of Muslim scholars and jurists has
been that apostasy [riddah] is punishable by death. The longstanding
problem of the traditional position, as held by Classical jurists or
scholars, can be explained and excused as not being able to see
apostasy, an issue of pure freedom of faith and conscience, separate
from treason against the community or the state. However, the
accummulated experience over the history in terms of abuse of this
position about apostasy even against Muslims as well as the changed
context of a globally-connected, pluralistic society should help us
appreciate the contemporary challenges in light of the Qur'anic norms
and the Prophetic legacy. In this context, while the classical
misunderstanding about this issue of apostasy is excusable, the position
of some of the well-known contemporary scholars is not.
Sayyid Abul A'la Maududi (commonly known as Maulana Maududi), the late
founder and leader of Jamaat-e-Islami and a leading independent,
revivalist Islamic personality of 20th century, is frequently referred
to for his ardent argument for capital punishment for apostasy. He
argued that there is an broad agreement of the leading jurists on this
issue. He claims:
"To copy the consecutive writings of all the lawyers from the first to
the fourteenth century A.H. would make our discussion very long. Yet we
cannot avoid mentioning that however much the four Schools of Law may
differ among themselves regarding the various aspects of this problem,
in any case all four Schools without doubt agree on the point that the
punishment of the apostate is execution." [The Punishment of the
Apostate According to Islamic Law]
Such a sweeping claim s misplaced because the alleged agreement is about
apostasy-cum-treason, not about solely apostasy. Furthermore, any claim
of consensus (ijma) on almost anything should be taken with a great deal
of circumspection. [see The Doctrine of Ijma: Is there a consensus?]
Another well-known Muslim scholar and jurist of our time, whom I also
generally hold in high regard, is Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi. He asserts:
"The duty of the Muslim community ? in order to preserve its identity
? is to combat apostasy in all its forms and wherefrom it comes,
giving it no chance to pervade in the Muslim world." Similar to Maulana
Maududi, he also claims ijma on this: "That is why the Muslim jurists
are unanimous that apostates must be punished. ... apostasy is a
criminal act." [Apostasy! : Major and Minor]
Dr. Al-Qaradawi also fails to separate apostasy from treason. It is
unfortunate that such scholars of high repute have shown such serious
lapse in recognizing that, as Dr. Irfan Ahmad Khan, a scholar and
Qur'anic exegete, argues: "Freedom of faith and religion is meaningless
without the freedom to change one's faith."
Then, also there are scholars, even in the USA, who are either
wishy-washy or ambivalent in regard to their positions. Some are too
much beholden to the traditional views held in the past, right or wrong.
Views and positions of scholars and leaders, such as Maududi and
al-Qaradawi, not only provide powerful ammunition for propaganda against
Islam and Muslims, but also confound the mind of our own community,
including our youth, whose discerning mind sees through the
double-standard or self-contraditiction quite transparently.
While many contemporary Muslim scholars have expressed their views
affirming the freedom of faith, the collective voice of Muslims is still
feeble and little known. In this write-up we have collated opinions and
positions of various Muslim scholars, academics, intellectuals, imams,
professionals, community leaders and others on this issue. Even young
students are voicing against the double-standard that contradicts the
Islamic values and principles.
These voices, representing a broad spectrum of Muslim community/ummah,
are tipping the scale of the discourse on this issue in favor of
affirming and upholding the pristine Islamic principle about freedom of
faith. It also debunks the claim of unanimity (ijma), which was not
quite true in the past, and it is even less true in the present.
Some additional explanatory notes: (a) Views of some of the early
scholars might not be categorical or without variant reports. However,
the excerpts included can be basis for identifying them as the
precursors of the contemporary views on this issue. (b) There are (or
have been) many scholars, early and contemporary, who hold that in case
of apostasy capital punishment is not warranted, but have sanctioned or
kept open the possibility of other punishments. There views have not
been included here. (c) There are also scholars who belive that
punishment of apostasy is not hadd (mandatory, specified punishment
based on the Qur'an or sunnah), but it is subject to ta'zir
[discretionary punishment, determined by the proper Islamic judicial
system]. In this collection, there views have not been included either....
Mohammad Omar Farooq
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