The only problem is that, like the Christian Reformation, an Islamic reformation will only result in a return to Qur'an, Hadith, and Sira, and that is always bad for the Infidel and Apostate.
From EO:
Gordon,
...I see no inherent conflict in taking the Koran--as you do the Bible--as a system of spiritual guidance under the laws of the United States of America....Christ makes clear a separation between the civil and spiritual kingdoms; Islam requires rule over every aspect of life. This is why Christianity can exist peacefully under every form of just government; Islam will only exist peacefully when it is the government.
...the problem with Islam today is a failure of its true believers to stand up for the message on its principles....Principles like these?
"...fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them..." (Qur’an 9:5)"Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued" (Qur'an 9:29)."...fight them on until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah altogether and everywhere...." (Qur'an 8:39).“A man came to Allah’s Apostle and said, ‘Instruct me as to such a deed as equals Jihad in reward.’ He replied, ‘I do not find such a deed’” (Bukhari Volume 4, Book 52, Number 44)."O ye who believe! what is the matter with you, that, when ye are asked to go forth in the cause of Allah, ye cling heavily to the earth? Do ye prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the Hereafter. Unless ye go forth, He will punish you with a grievous penalty...." (Qur'an 9:38, 39).“Allah’s Apostle said, ‘I have been made victorious with terror....’” (Bukhari Volume 4, Book 52, Number 220)."The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter..." (Qur'an 5:33)."Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him" (Bukhari Volume 9, Book 84, Number 57)."War is deceit" (Bukhari Volume 4, Book 52, Number 268).“Allah’s Apostle told Aisha [his six-year-old bride and nine-year-old sexual "partner"], ‘You were shown to me twice in my dreams. I beheld a man or angel carrying you in a silken cloth. He said to me, “She is yours, so uncover her.” And behold, it was you. I would then say to myself, “If this is from Allah, then it must happen”’” (Bukhari Volume 9, Book 87, Number 139-40).Are these the "teachings and life examples given by Islam's Prophet Muhammed" Mansoor doesn't want anyone misinterpreting?
I wonder why?
Islam does not need reformation, its followers do. It is their hypocrisy in politicizing Allah's message....Islam is a political message. It divides the world into two lands: Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb, the Lands of Islam and of War. (Guess where we are?)
...Muslims...cannot get past their own internal demons of anger and animosity when they see how we treat them in our press and how we portray their religion and their prophet in our judeo-Christian world.Blame the victim.
That's why:
-Muslims behead Indonesian Christian schoolgirls.-Muslims rape and massacre schoolchildren in Beslan.-Muslims blow up tourists in Bali, worshipers in Tel Aviv, commuters in Madrid and London, and people going about their business on sunny New York mornings.-Muslims go into a village, ask the women if they're Christian or Muslim, then rape, slice off the breasts of, and leave for dead in the middle of town Sudanese Christian women.-Muslims kidnap, rape, forcibly convert, and then tell the fathers of Egyptian Copts their daughters are "safe in the arms of Islam now."-Muslims kidnapped, enslaved, and forcibly converted to Islam European boys for centuries.-Muslims kidnapped, emasculated, and enslaved untold numbers of African boys for over a millennium.-Muslims committed genocide against millions of Armenians and Hindus.It's all because we are so insensitive!
They--who have nothing--then feel they have no alternatives left but to rise up against us with anger and hatred on that "NO WAY OUT" road to paradise.The road provided by Allah, by the way.
This need not be, but it is us with the greater understanding and knowledge, and the material resources to do something about it, that will have to help reformist Muslims spark the reformation of Islam from within....In other words, "Give us your money and maybe we'll not kill you."
Almost every single passage in the Koran...that has to do with the killing/maiming/go kill the Jews stuff, or whatever other phraseology there is in the Koran which non-Muslims believe is derogatory and anti-human....We only "believe" that "kill the Jews stuff" is "derogatory and anti-human." At least he admits it's there (someone tell Boonton).
...the bin Laden's and Zawahiri's and Zarqawi's of the world have succeeded in dredging up the anger harbored inside otherwise docile Muslim followers by harking back to a time that has no relationship whatsoever to modern day realities....He's setting limits Allah doesn't set. Allah will not be pleased.
...but what God has ordained in the Koran (some of which was only for that time and some of which was for all times), they turn around and blame us, and then use the only tool they have available that has any authority whatsoever, the Koran, to fan their flames of hatred. On top of that, they misuse modern technology fueled by the petrodollars of Wahhabists who seek to turn the clock back to spread their hatred like wildfire.At least he acknowledges that Qur'an does teach warfare against the Infidel. The problem is, since Allah's commands for fighting against, subduing and humiliating, and killing the Infidel do not have the expiration dates he claims they do, this "moderate" is going to have a hard time convincing his co-religionists of his position.
In short, there is such a thing as a moderate/reformist muslim, who looks to the more irenic principles in the Quran and nuslim traditions more widely, for his inspiration. The use of the idea of temporal relevance vs principles for all time may be a way forward.How will the "reformers" ("apostates"?) be able to convince their fellow Muslims when Islam's "sacred" texts do not limit Jihad to the seventh century?
I suspect that the issue of the principles of interpretation that led more radical muslims to their hard line stance, on the strength of a lot of muslim history, are more flexible than either the UBLS or this world or some of those who are inclined to take the statments on the strength of UBL etc's reading, perceive.Allah doesn't allow for flexibility. You cannot have Islam apart from Qur'an, Hadith, and Sira. You cannot have Islam apart from Mohammed.
To encourage reform rather than radicalisation is the challenge before us. On that I submit that defeat of the radicals, backed up by sustained will to hold such militancy in check is where it's at.Mohammed said Islam cannot change. Since Allah's commands for warfare are clear and immutable, whom do you think the general Muslim population will find more persuasive, Mohammed or the "reformers"?
Then, encouragement of democratisation will give hope for a better future -- ordinatry people are seldom radicals and so whent hey are empowered it will moderate the tendencies to militancy.Islam allows only for the rule of Allah, not the rule of men. Democracy will succeed in the Muslim world only to the degree that a particular population rejects the rule of Islam.
One step in that is the consistent exposure and shaming before the world of the indefensible acts of the militants.That will persuade Muslims-In-Name-Only, but not the devout, since Allah commands those acts.
That should be linked to a deliberate encouragement of a debate on reformation."I heard the Prophet saying...'Far removed (from mercy), far removed (from mercy), those who changed (the religion) after me!'" (Bukhari Volume 9, Book 88, Number 174).