Bruce Feiler - Where God Was Born, Abraham, Walking The Bible

The Inerrancy of the Koran
Thursday, July 12, 2007

I've recently reestablished contact with Irshad Manji, a onetime acquaintance who's become one of the most outspoken voices in moderate Islam since we first met back in 2002. You can hear an audio of a recent interview she did over here at VOA.

Irshad Manji notes that the Qur’an contains three times as many verses calling on Muslims to “think and reflect and analyze” as those that tell believers “what is absolutely right or wrong.” Thus, she says, Islam gives permission “not just to interpret but to continually reinterpret to update [one’s] practices for a brand new time.” Ms. Manji says that in Islam all individuals are equal in the eyes of the Creator, “whether you are a man or woman, young or old,” and have both a “conscience and free will.”

What she regards as the “trouble” with Muslims today is literalism. And by that Ms. Manji means an “uncritical and unquestioning approach to the faith.” She emphasizes that every major religion in the world has its “share of literalists.” But, she argues, it is “only in Islam today that literalism is mainstream worldwide.”

Ms. Manji says that even “moderate” Muslims take the Qur’an as the “final – and therefore supreme – word of God.” But, she suggests, that concept “disproportionately empowers the radical fringe in [her] religion” – for example, the jihadis. Furthermore, it stops those who call themselves “moderates” from asking hard questions “about what happens when faith becomes dogma.” What Ms. Manji’s book argues is that Muslims have lost an important element of their Islamic heritage – their “glorious tradition of questioning.” And she suggests that Muslims today need to “start taking responsibility for traditions such as ijtihad,” and by reviving those traditions it will become apparent “how much more glorious [their] religion is for the 21st century.” Ms. Manji says the revival of ijtihad has the “best chance of success when it is pursued by middle-class, reform-minded Muslims from open societies” where there is no fear of government retaliation. However, she says she believes that even those who are illiterate, including women, “deserve the opportunity to be able to interpret the Qur’an for themselves.”

Labels: Islam

Posted by B Feiler at 7:00 AM
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Muslims Against Sharia said...: Many people talk about the need to reform Islam. Now you can stop talking and start helping.

With the help of our readers we went through the Koran and removed every verse that we believe did not come from Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. However, it is possible that we missed something, and we could use your help. If you find verses in the reformed version of the Koran that promote violence, divisiveness, religious or gender superiority, bigotry, or discrimination, please let us know the number of the verse and the reason why it should be removed. Please email your suggestions to koran-AT-reformislam.org.

When we finish editing process, we would like to publish Reform Koran in as many languages as possible. If you could help with translation or distribution of the Reform Koran, please email us at koran-AT-reformislam.org. If you could provide financial support, please visit our support page.

In Memoriam of Aqsa Parvez.

http://www.reformislam.org/reform.php; December 16, 2007 7:15:00 PM EST