I remember watching a video of a Christian speaker well-versed in theology, stating that the problem with modern-day American charismatics was their lack of Biblical knowledge and the emphasis on "feeling" over facts. Likewise, a friend of mine attended a public seminar given by a well-known Catholic speaker in Auckland, New Zealand where said speaker stated that Protestants worshiped the Bible whilst Catholics worshiped the Church. The point I'm trying to make is that modern-day Christianity (at least the Pentecostal, charismatic kind) is almost at odds with its older, more regimented ancestor, and this causes friction. This is not so much the Catholic versus Protestant paradigm I'm referring to inasmuch as the heightened (and perhaps over-emphasized) focus upon emotionally-driven "spirituality" present amongst charismatics of the Pentecostal persuasion.
Likewise within Islam, the new progressives or "liberals" as I like to call them (which also includes me by the way), are also almost at odds with our older, more regimented ancestor, and this causes friction. I'm not referring to the jihadists and their ilk when I talk about an Islamic ancestor, as I don't consider them Muslims; on the contrary, I see them as bizarre individuals who use the name of the Lord GOD and the Quran to vindicate their violent criminal tendencies. This now covered the older, more "regimented ancestor" in my opinion are the orthodox Muslims who view any form of progression, change or adaption as a betrayal of the very foundation of Islam. This has been better discussed by others so there is little I can add here, apart from saying that when comparing Islam to Christianity, one sees the Orthodox as the Church (Catholic or Protestant it doesn't matter), and the Liberals as an Islamic version of the foot-stomping, tongues-uttering charismatics of the American strain.
I think this a very important point to bare in mind: as a Liberal myself I don't suddenly have free reign to reinvent the Quran or cast Islam into my own mold. Just because the jihadists have made Islam a source of global derision doesn't mean Islam actually is: the jihadists are, certainly, but not Islam. Yes, large parts of the Quran - and the Tanakh and the Bible - belong solely within their historical context. Absolutely and yes, parts of all three are dubious, metaphorical, symbolic, recent "additions" and even completely unrelated passages cobbled together at their author's discretion, and clearly many authors were involved in the creation of all three. These last two sentences are in fact another example of Liberal Islam: the Orthodox would be whipping the masses up over such statements into a fury of self-righteous zeal, the same kind that resulted from the Danish cartoons of Muhammad (oh, and some others the Danish imams decided to "include" just to stir the pot further - refer http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/775).
Whether latecomers like myself submit ourselves to GOD [Islam] or those who were Muslims for a very long time submit themselves afresh, we are ultimately submitting to the One first and foremost with an emphasis of spirit over rote (I admit I struggle with the concept of being "born" a Muslim, or a Christian or a follower of Judaism etc. as I personally believe that at regular points you and I must make a decision for or against GOD, away or towards GOD, and that this results in a daily submission to GOD that is continuously walked in, renewed and expressed). It is this very cry from our hearts to the lord GOD of Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac that leads us towards the living GOD: not a historical icon wrapped up in Arabism and steeped in theological "schools" all heavily coated with rote-learning, repetition and systemic worship. If you or I had wanted this then neither of us would be on this internet site right now. No, it was Creator's drawing us towards Al-Haqq or The Truth that has led us to be believers in this time and for this time, in this place and for this place.
Islam never went through the reformation Christianity did (the Jews moved from their Levitical temple worship to the synagogue-based Judaism of today which hardly caused a ripple in their respective societies), so the gradual rise across the entire Muslim spectrum of revisionists, progressives, liberals or whatever terminology you employ is really quite astounding. I find this encouraging because I see the hand of GOD at work in our world redeeming Islam through the many men and women, young and old, who have woken up as if from a slumber and who have realized that Islam can support equality, human rights, democracy, freedoms (of expression, religion, meeting, media, travel, protest etc.) and who truly are submitted to GOD. What I would caution all of us to not do is to not get so carried away with what we are convinced of that such things as integrity, dignity, wisdom, empathy, kindness, compassion, love and humility are thrown out the door as we stomp all over men and women who really do love GOD but in an orthodox fashion. Please don't forget that: just because some Muslims may not see what you see, hear what you hear or even understand what you have come to understand, does not make them somehow spiritually illiterate and "lesser". GOD sees us all as equals.
Sura 7:205-206 reads "[Prophet], remember your Lord inwardly, in all humility and awe, without raising your voice, in the mornings and the evenings - do not be one of the heedless - [even] those who live in the presence of your Lord are not too proud to worship Him: they glorify Him and bow down before Him." In the Hebrew Bible (and by the way, as Mithst Muslims we strongly support the reading of all three of the Holy books given to the Abrahamic faiths), it reads: "For the eyes of the Lord seek to and fro across the earth to strongly support those whose hearts are truly His." Both these ayah sum up the correct heart-attitude you and I need to ensure we have because if any Jew, Christian or Muslim was to see this in the other, they could but only give thanks to GOD in recognition of Creator. So I think it's important as liberals who represent the reformation that we do not allow a sense of self-righteous pride to creep in but rather, servant hood and conviction that GOD consciousness will win out because I assure you, it will.
Lastly, religion is perhaps best described as the "vehicle" through which we know GOD, and if you have sat in the same vehicle your whole life, it's very hard to leave it or even consider that other "vehicles" are equally valid. We as Muslims need to continue finding common ground amongst ourselves and yes, even with Christians here in the West, because the similarities between us are greater than our differences. In the end you and I are ultimately responsible for ourselves, and I have always admired the words of the Prophet Isa (Yeshua/Jesus): "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?" There is no point in our rushing out to redeem, rejuvenate, reinvent or revitalize the Orthodox merely for the sake of being able to say we played a part in dragging them into modernity like some spiritual Kemal Ataturk, only to find our intent was impure. Creator looks at our intent and it is by this same nasikh we are measured; we are accountable solely for our own stories, so we must write them carefully. If you wish to redeem Muslims, redeem yourself first. If you wish to change Islam, change it with love. Thank you for your time and patience dear brothers and sisters, la ilaha illallah.
Likewise within Islam, the new progressives or "liberals" as I like to call them (which also includes me by the way), are also almost at odds with our older, more regimented ancestor, and this causes friction. I'm not referring to the jihadists and their ilk when I talk about an Islamic ancestor, as I don't consider them Muslims; on the contrary, I see them as bizarre individuals who use the name of the Lord GOD and the Quran to vindicate their violent criminal tendencies. This now covered the older, more "regimented ancestor" in my opinion are the orthodox Muslims who view any form of progression, change or adaption as a betrayal of the very foundation of Islam. This has been better discussed by others so there is little I can add here, apart from saying that when comparing Islam to Christianity, one sees the Orthodox as the Church (Catholic or Protestant it doesn't matter), and the Liberals as an Islamic version of the foot-stomping, tongues-uttering charismatics of the American strain.
I think this a very important point to bare in mind: as a Liberal myself I don't suddenly have free reign to reinvent the Quran or cast Islam into my own mold. Just because the jihadists have made Islam a source of global derision doesn't mean Islam actually is: the jihadists are, certainly, but not Islam. Yes, large parts of the Quran - and the Tanakh and the Bible - belong solely within their historical context. Absolutely and yes, parts of all three are dubious, metaphorical, symbolic, recent "additions" and even completely unrelated passages cobbled together at their author's discretion, and clearly many authors were involved in the creation of all three. These last two sentences are in fact another example of Liberal Islam: the Orthodox would be whipping the masses up over such statements into a fury of self-righteous zeal, the same kind that resulted from the Danish cartoons of Muhammad (oh, and some others the Danish imams decided to "include" just to stir the pot further - refer http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/775).
Whether latecomers like myself submit ourselves to GOD [Islam] or those who were Muslims for a very long time submit themselves afresh, we are ultimately submitting to the One first and foremost with an emphasis of spirit over rote (I admit I struggle with the concept of being "born" a Muslim, or a Christian or a follower of Judaism etc. as I personally believe that at regular points you and I must make a decision for or against GOD, away or towards GOD, and that this results in a daily submission to GOD that is continuously walked in, renewed and expressed). It is this very cry from our hearts to the lord GOD of Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac that leads us towards the living GOD: not a historical icon wrapped up in Arabism and steeped in theological "schools" all heavily coated with rote-learning, repetition and systemic worship. If you or I had wanted this then neither of us would be on this internet site right now. No, it was Creator's drawing us towards Al-Haqq or The Truth that has led us to be believers in this time and for this time, in this place and for this place.
Islam never went through the reformation Christianity did (the Jews moved from their Levitical temple worship to the synagogue-based Judaism of today which hardly caused a ripple in their respective societies), so the gradual rise across the entire Muslim spectrum of revisionists, progressives, liberals or whatever terminology you employ is really quite astounding. I find this encouraging because I see the hand of GOD at work in our world redeeming Islam through the many men and women, young and old, who have woken up as if from a slumber and who have realized that Islam can support equality, human rights, democracy, freedoms (of expression, religion, meeting, media, travel, protest etc.) and who truly are submitted to GOD. What I would caution all of us to not do is to not get so carried away with what we are convinced of that such things as integrity, dignity, wisdom, empathy, kindness, compassion, love and humility are thrown out the door as we stomp all over men and women who really do love GOD but in an orthodox fashion. Please don't forget that: just because some Muslims may not see what you see, hear what you hear or even understand what you have come to understand, does not make them somehow spiritually illiterate and "lesser". GOD sees us all as equals.
Sura 7:205-206 reads "[Prophet], remember your Lord inwardly, in all humility and awe, without raising your voice, in the mornings and the evenings - do not be one of the heedless - [even] those who live in the presence of your Lord are not too proud to worship Him: they glorify Him and bow down before Him." In the Hebrew Bible (and by the way, as Mithst Muslims we strongly support the reading of all three of the Holy books given to the Abrahamic faiths), it reads: "For the eyes of the Lord seek to and fro across the earth to strongly support those whose hearts are truly His." Both these ayah sum up the correct heart-attitude you and I need to ensure we have because if any Jew, Christian or Muslim was to see this in the other, they could but only give thanks to GOD in recognition of Creator. So I think it's important as liberals who represent the reformation that we do not allow a sense of self-righteous pride to creep in but rather, servant hood and conviction that GOD consciousness will win out because I assure you, it will.
Lastly, religion is perhaps best described as the "vehicle" through which we know GOD, and if you have sat in the same vehicle your whole life, it's very hard to leave it or even consider that other "vehicles" are equally valid. We as Muslims need to continue finding common ground amongst ourselves and yes, even with Christians here in the West, because the similarities between us are greater than our differences. In the end you and I are ultimately responsible for ourselves, and I have always admired the words of the Prophet Isa (Yeshua/Jesus): "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?" There is no point in our rushing out to redeem, rejuvenate, reinvent or revitalize the Orthodox merely for the sake of being able to say we played a part in dragging them into modernity like some spiritual Kemal Ataturk, only to find our intent was impure. Creator looks at our intent and it is by this same nasikh we are measured; we are accountable solely for our own stories, so we must write them carefully. If you wish to redeem Muslims, redeem yourself first. If you wish to change Islam, change it with love. Thank you for your time and patience dear brothers and sisters, la ilaha illallah.
Mashallah, Arman Ogilvy
www.mithst.org
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