August 24, 2009

The More Things Change... Pro-regressive Muslims

Guess the author and the year in which this quotation was written. (Answer in the comments.)

It is my observation that most contemporary researchers and writers about Islam fall into one of two groups. The vision of one group has been blinded by the glamor of Western civilization. Overawed by this great idol, they worship it, approach it imploringly, and stand before it humbly, with downcast eyes, accepting Western principles and customs as unassailable and proven beyond doubt. Accordingly, if some aspect of Islam agrees with these principles and customs, they praise and extol it, while if some aspect opposes them, they try to find similarities and agreements, offer excuses and apologies, or resort to far fetched explanations and distortions, as if Islam had no choice except to surrender to the philosophy and customs of Western civilization. When we examine their views, we find that they permit things which Islam has prohibited, such as statues, lotteries, interest, being in privacy with a non-mahrem woman, a man's wearing gold and silk, and so on. They frown upon things which Islam has permitted, such as divorce and plurality of wives, as if, in their view, whatever is legal in the West is halal and what is illegal is haram. They forget that Islam is the word of Allah and that His word is always uppermost. Islam came to be followed, not to follow; to be dominant, not subordinate. How can the Lord of men follow men and how can the Creator submit to the whims of His creatures?
If the reality had been in accord with their desires, the heavens and the earth, and whosoever is therein, would have been in corruption... (Holy Qur'an 23:71)

Say: Is there among your partners (whom you associate with Allah) any who guides to the truth? Say: Allah guides to the truth. Then does He Who guides to the truth have more right to be obeyed, or the one who is not guided unless he receives guidance? Then what is wrong with you all? How do you judge? (10:35)

1 comment:

JDsg said...

The answer: Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, in the introduction to his book, "The Lawful and The Prohibited in Islam," pp. 2-3, written August 1960. This quotation was written 49 years ago this month, and it sounds as contemporary as any indictment made against pro-regressive Muslims today. The more things change...