Trinity Institute’s Bob Scott talks with Tariq Ramadan about Religion and Violence
Trinity Institute’s Bob Scott talks with Tariq Ramadan about Religion and Violence
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Salam
It’s always a pleasure to listen to brother Tariq. Though i appreciate part of his explanation, i found however that he’s leaving some important points leading to confusion mainly when speaking with westerners. Those points are:
1) Universalism of Islam.
He’s right, Islam has brought us something to share with others as well as learning from others in knowing one another.
But where I found Tariq lacking some clarity, is to openly agree that the first main task of Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is calling all nations and people regardless of their colour, language etc.. to Islam. He shouldn’t be in the defensive to agree this point. He fell in the trap of the journalist to say that : well Islam is peacefull and is not meánt at calling people to it…which is totally wrong when considering Islamic text from within as he does like to use the word.
Having said that, the main aim of Islam is calling all nation to the ONENESS of ALLAH, the most beautiful of it is that, Allah has not made it compulsory for people to follow it. Everyone is free to abide by it after hearing his call and we Muslim have only to convey the message. Guidance is in the hand of Allah the Allmighty. Allah has openly mentionned the freedom in following Islam in teh Quran while pointing strongly the benefit of whoever has followed it:
“Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects Evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things. ” Quran 2: 256
2) The second point is the repeated justification of the moratorium on stoning and corporel punishment
I am sill trying to understand the máin reason of Tariq toward this moratorium. But what makes me doubt his intension as a Muslim who want to revive the Sunnah of the prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is the fact that he proposed an antagonist justification!
How can you submit the condition these of corporel punishment to study and again vehemetly and unilaterally admit that they are irrelevant to our time????
Who are we to question what Allah has ordered for us?
Of course, i am of the opinion to question the conditions in which these laws are applied in accordance with our society innovation, if all the requirement are not met based on what has been revealed from the Quran and the Sunnah. But totally objecting to their application for me is something leading to rejecting Allah commandment…Wa Allahou Ya’a lam.
3) The third point is the topic of reform
Reform is a concept that varies from western point of view to Islamic point of view.
We as Muslim will understand it as a way to revive the sunnah of the Prophet (PBUP) and his nobles companions that have been forgotten. And we have as proof, a Hadith:
“Whoever revives an aspect of my Sunnah that is forgotten after my death, he will have a reward equivalent to that of the people who follow him, without it detracting in the least from their reward.”
[Reported by al-Tirmidhi]
Talking about reform in this aspect of view while making Ijtihad to come up with good explantions in the light of the Quran and Sunnah is very laudable. And the term is known since the night of time among the Muslim scolars such as the four Imams.
But we should be cautiou when discussing this term of Reform with westerners because their unerstanding is connected to the reform that took place with Judaism and Christianity: which was to completely go against it and divide the state from the faith!
On my point of view,we Muslim sould make it clear without doubt to these westerners the right understanding of this Reform when coming to ISLAMIC matters. And that’s what i don’t think Tariq has perfectly done though some of his talk are appreciable when coming in the defense of Islam in the west.
I give him credit for these defense but would also advise him to be humble and serve solely the aim of Islam.
i m always glad to listen Brother Tariq and to brother Amin, i think you have to deal with the shortness of the interview,and to who are you speaking (ie: the level he can understand thing you are telling)
May God help us (amin)