Risks in a Muslim Reformation

Diana Muir writes: 'Salman Rushdie, Thomas Friedman, Nicholas Kristof and Mansour al-Nogaidan are among the well-intentioned people who have called for an Islamic Reformation. They should be careful what they wish for."

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Wow! What an interesting selection she picked! And to talk about their "niyyat" just like that, more interesting!

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And yet, even as some hope for such a turn of events -- presuming, it seems, a certain conclusion -- a Reformation is sweeping through the Muslim world.

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Depends really on "what" one sees as refore. Wahhabism is considered a reform in some places!

In some European countries, the Reformation or the Counter-Reformation produced a rigid orthodoxy that stifled development for generations. In other countries the wars of religion were followed by the Enlightenment. Muslims might not follow a European course. They will choose whether they prefer societies shaped by Sayyid Qutb, who advocated closing the Islamic mind to everything but the ancient texts, or Ibn Rushd (also known as Averroes), who preferred the open embrace of all knowledge.

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Interesting selection again, Sayyid Qutb, 20th century figure standing opposed to Ibn Rushd! I wish everything was as simple as that! Comparing apples and oranges just does not cut it because everything is different from historical, to social, to political, to economical conditions. Plus there were plenty reformers in the late 19th century to draw on. Muhammad Abduh, Jamal Eddin Al Afghani etc etc

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In the near term, though, the Islamic Reformation will divide Muslim society as the Reformation divided Europe.

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NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

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A fervent minority in many countries is already pressing for narrow interpretations on issues such as veiling, whether to listen to music and replacing secular laws with religious codes. As we have seen in Europe and more recently in Afghanistan, Muslim Puritans are likely to take over communities where they are far from being the majority. Meanwhile, the majority has yet to construct an effective ideological defense of moderation.

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Back to calling Wahhabism reform! I think that people need to familiarize themselves first with the topic they intend to write about! And then they are most welcome to write instead of ramble!