Redefining ‘real’ Islam
While certain parts of the Islamic holy texts do contravene human rights, more often than not the worst offence come from the many interpretations of Islamic teachings.
Zurairi AR, The Malay Mail
When asked at a recent forum whether Islam goes against civil human rights, I had to preface my answer with the question: “Which kind of Islam?”.
While certain parts of the Islamic holy texts do contravene human rights, more often than not the worst offence come from the many interpretations of Islamic teachings.
This is, of course, understandable. Commonly described by adherents as syumul, the universality of Islam has made it, to a certain extent, timeless and relatable by different strata of people from all over the world.
However, this also lends itself a weakness in the form of vagueness, where many aspects of it can be interpreted in many ways, and as such be justified to support different and even competing ideologies.
In Malaysia, we can see this done by Islamist group Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) which has tried to paint itself as purveyors of the “true” way of Islam.
To achieve this goal, Isma needed a benchmark against what it sees as a lesser, “less true” group, and as such has made a bogeymen out of “liberal Muslims.”
At an Isma event in September, an Islamic preacher had helped it define a “liberal Muslim” as among others those who support democracy, pluralism and human rights and do not see those values as opposed to Islamic ones.
According to the group, these “liberal Muslims” also value a democratic government that ensures good governance, instead of insisting on an Islamic state, and would not mind if a non-Muslim were to one day take over the leadership of the country.
In another attempt this week, an Isma activist even redefined liberal Muslims as extremists. According to Umar Hakim Mohd Tajuddin, on one end of the Muslim spectrum are the liberal Muslims, and on the other are those who resort to violence.
“The effort to put the moderate label on these groups is inaccurate and deviant,” said Umar on Isma’s website, as he sought to remove the tag and perhaps pin it on a more deserving group, such as Isma.
Despite that, I can see how in the eyes of Islamists, liberal Muslims can look similar to Muslims who resort to violence.
Read more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/opinion/zurairi-ar/article/redefining-real-islam
