Overview

Traditionalism presents the ""evolution"" of Islam as a process without ""disruptions."" But an enquiry reveals a different reality. Apart from different fitnas, we encounter ""breaks"" from both revelation and tradition. For a break from revelation was ipso facto a break from the tradition of the prophet, too. For the prophet followed revelation. The treatment of tradition as ""revelation from God"" reveals an epic breakdown of reasoning in Islamic learning. The repression of reasoning and the persecution of thinkers were reactions to the rationalists which plunged the umma further into unreason. The ""breaks"" were triggered by a ""turn"" from the Book of Allah to books of traditions. The ""turn"" from revelation to tradition was triggered by politics. Rulers required a re-articulation of revelation that would provide a ""religious"" justification of waging wars of aggression. They required rendering lawful what Allah prohibited: wars of aggression. A few hawkish ulama rose to the challenge. In the process they betrayed their profession. They permitted exegesis and jurisprudence to stoop to the rank of propaganda. They did it through the weaponization of exegesis and jurisprudence, by turning them into ""weapons"" justifying destruction. Their favourite tool was the teaching of the ""abrogation"" of all verses that teach peace and reconciliation by the verse of the sword. With this they transformed a religion of peace into a religion of war. The turn from revelation to traditions was justified by alleging that tradition was ""revelation from God,"" too. Unfortunately, the treatment of tradition as ""revelation from God"" corrupted the knowledge of revelation. As a result, Islam at present differs from the Islam of the prophet. The ""breaks"" from revelation and tradition were responses to the transformation brought by the Book of Allah. The turn from revelation to tradition was expedited by the repression of reason. The rejection of reason in Islam was justified by recourse to a tradition which treats using reason in religion as kufr. A parallel religion emerged in two versions: pacifist and activist Islam. Pacifist Islam is ""traditional Islam."" Activist Islam is ""political Islam."" Both rest on the repression of reason. The rejection of reason by the pacifist encompasses the rejection of causality. This prepared the way for the proliferation of the teaching of predestination. The pacifist variant sedated the umma, rendering it resistant to change. The activist version teaches the ""abrogation"" of all verses of reconciliation by the verse of the sword. This prepared the way for the advent of political Islam. The pacifist variant of traditional Islam renders the umma resigned to its fate. The activist version furnishes a justification of waging unlawful wars of aggression. The prohibition of using reason in religion rendered the umma bereft of reason. The repression of reason rendered revelation enigmatic to the umma. The repression of reason made it hard to understand and follow revelation. In this way, the repression of reason separated the umma from its religion. The rejection of causation exposed the umma to risks. It renders persons that reject causation indifferent to the effects of their acts. This encourages acting in reckless, irresponsible ways. The repression of reason subordinated reason to tradition, corrupted knowledge, subordinated revelation to tradition, and encouraged the proliferation of the teachings of abrogation, predestination, and jihad al-talab. These alterations resulted from the politicization of exegesis and jurisprudence. The politicization of the epistemology of revelation corrupted the knowledge of revelation. Renewal requires the emancipation of revelation from the shackles of tradition, the desacralization of tradition, the rehabilitation and re-engagement of reason in the interpretation of revelation, and the affirmation of the Book of Allah as the pre-eminent pillar of Islam.

Full Product Details

9798316827763

Table of Contents

Reviews

Author Information

Tab Content 6

Countries Available