An Islamic 95 Theses?
Or rather 22 Theses. According to this article, on January 24th a group of 23 Egyptian Muslim scholars posted a 22 point plan for reforming Islam.
Some highlights:
1. Reexamine the collections of the Hadith [the sayings traditionally attributed to Muhammad] and the commentaries of the Qur'an, to purify them.
3. Find a new practice of the concept of interaction between the sexes.
6. Explain the Islamic concept of jihâd [inner and outer holy war], and specify norms and obligations that regulate it.
8. Separate religion from the state.
16. Recognize the right of women to become president of the republic.
18. Invite the people to go to God through gratitude and wisdom, and not with threats.
20. Recognize the right of Christians to occupy important positions [including] the presidency of the republic.
Also noteworthy is point 6 on the holy war. The authors of the document admit it only if it is defensive, and only in Muslim territory. Never with the killing of unarmed persons, women, the elderly, children, priests, monks. Never with attacks on places of prayer. They emphasize that this has been the teaching of Islam for 1400 years, and that those who violate it seriously betray it.
I have no idea how influential these 23 scholars are, here's a partial list:
For Fr. Samir, they are all renowned scholars and believers. They include Nasr Farid Wasel, former grand mufti of Egypt; Gamal al-Banna, brother of the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood; the imam Safwat Hegazi; professors Malakah Zirâr and Âminah Noseir; the famous Islamist writer Fahmi Huweidi; the preachers of Islamic missions Khalid al-Gindi, Muhammad Hedâyah, and Mustafa Husni. Three of these are shown at the top of the document, in the photo reproduced on this page.
Anyone know more about this or have further background on these individuals?
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Sep '10
Re: An Islamic 95 Theses?
Fr Samir is a renowned Jesuit scholar on Islam and is influential at the Vatican and author of 111 Questions on Islam. Definitely worth paying attention to.
May '10
Re: An Islamic 95 Theses?
Well, these are a step in the right direction towards domesticating Islam.
Re: An Islamic 95 Theses?
Great, great post. So curious to hear what others -- our "experts" -- think.
Interesting link/source. How do you know about that organization? Chiesa? Perhaps I should know of them, but I don't. Thanks, Joseph.
Jun '10
Re: An Islamic 95 Theses?
Ursula Hennessey: Great, great post. So curious to hear what others -- our "experts" -- think.
Interesting link/source. How do you know about that organization? Chiesa? Perhaps I should know of them, but I don't. Thanks, Joseph. · Jan 31 at 2:50pm
Thanks Ursula! I found the link on the New Advent home page, a great roundup of news from around the Catholic blogosphere, and thought it was worth sharing.
Sep '10
Re: An Islamic 95 Theses?
Sandro Magister is something of a modern day legend as a journalist with access to what's really going on at the Vatican along with a very deep knowledge of the context. His columns are required reading for anyone who wants to know what is happening in Rome.
Jun '10
Re: An Islamic 95 Theses?
Good for them, but I hope they all have enough life insurance.
Dec '10
Re: An Islamic 95 Theses?
I prefer Fr. Guido Sarducce.
Edited on Feb 1, 2011 at 9:55amRe: An Islamic 95 Theses?
Such a transformation is a consummation devoutly to be wished. It must come, as it seems to be coming, from within Islam, and it must come from those who are universally recognized as learned and devout. My guess is that this document will arouse fury. I hope that I am wrong.
Re: An Islamic 95 Theses?
Joseph Stanko
Ursula Hennessey: Great, great post. So curious to hear what others -- our "experts" -- think.
Interesting link/source. How do you know about that organization? Chiesa? Perhaps I should know of them, but I don't. Thanks, Joseph. · Jan 31 at 2:50pm
Thanks Ursula! I found the link on the New Advent home page, a great roundup of news from around the Catholic blogosphere, and thought it was worth sharing. · Jan 31 at 3:17pm
Thanks Joseph and Pseudo, I guess I'll start following New Advent and Sandro. So glad this is main feed.
Jul '10
Re: An Islamic 95 Theses?
.... as they nail it to a Christian's forehead.
Jul '10
Re: An Islamic 95 Theses?
Brave fellows. Cue the accusations of apostasy and death threats in 3...2...
Jul '10
Re: An Islamic 95 Theses?
This does seem like a real positive.
One point on the definition of jihad, it seems to me that "defensive" and, more to the point, "Muslim territory" are open to shenanigans.
Anyone know more about this or have further background on these individuals?
Well the fact that Gamal al-Banna is the brother of the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood didn't seem too reassuring. However, here are a couple of write-ups that suggest he's legit:
http://muslim-chronicle.blogspot.com/2006/08/gamal-el-banna-hijab-is-not-islamic.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/20/world/africa/20iht-profile.3237674.html
Jun '10
Re: An Islamic 95 Theses?
Lest we forget, the Christian Reformation sparked over 100 years of civil war throughout Europe and tensions between Catholics and Protestants that persist to this day in places like Northern Ireland. Perhaps we should be careful what we wish for...
May '10
Re: An Islamic 95 Theses?
This would be wonderful if it could be realized. I have grave doubts it can be. Whereas Christian reforms called for a deeper and fuller realization in society of the truths given once and for all in the gospel, these reforms seem to me to radically undermine the coherence of Islam as a religious system.
On what grounds and by what authority can a self-appointed group of "scholars" revise the words of Mohammed?
I hope I prove too pessimistic.
Jun '10
Re: An Islamic 95 Theses?
Great point. The more militant factions often claim that any land that has ever been under Muslim control (such as Israel or Spain) remains "Muslim territory" forever, so any attempts to drive out the current "occupiers" is in some sense "defensive."
Sep '10
Re: An Islamic 95 Theses?
One point on the definition of jihad, it seems to me that "defensive" and, more to the point, "Muslim territory" are open to shenanigans.
Now that the Obama Administration has created Muslim outreach initiatives through NASA, I assume that interplanetary jihad will be the next ecumenical crisis at the World Day of Prayer.
May '10
Re: An Islamic 95 Theses?
Luther's went up in the early 1500's. Christian persecution of Christians whole sale stopped in the 1800's? So, sometime early in the 23rd Century the reformation will bear fruit?
Oct '10
Re: An Islamic 95 Theses?
These positions are consistant with the Abrahamic Covenant, which has been recognized and respected, but frequently violated, by Arabs and Jews (Ishmael and Isaac) from antiquity. Peaceful co-existance between the monotheistic religions, from the Biblical perspective, should be the norm. Each group has been guilty of religious tyrrany over the centuries, but there is a shared concept of covenentalism which does give some hope for "moderation" of the current conflict.
Edited on Feb 1, 2011 at 11:35amMay '10
Re: An Islamic 95 Theses?
I don't care for the implied moral equivalence, Good Berean.
It's true that Christian monarchs have been guilty of terrible abuses of power. But, over time, Christians, as a body, have come to recognize the essential incompatibility between the demands of the gospel and such practices.
In other words, their reforms were internal reforms, springing from their own sources.
Why should Islamists treat "peaceful coexistence" with the infidel as the norm?
Edited on Feb 1, 2011 at 11:55amDec '10
Re: An Islamic 95 Theses?
Why not tell Mohammed “you lie!” recall his angel Gabriel and rewrite the 77,701 words of the Qur’an?
Not quite to that extent, but this has happened:
“In 1972, during the restoration of the Great Mosque of Sana’a, in Yemen, a gravesite containing a mash of old parchment pages was discovered.”
“the Sana’a parchment pages […] written in a script that originates from the Hijaz—the region of Arabia where the prophet Muhammad purportedly lived […] one of the earliest copies of the Koran ever.”
“conclude that the Muslim holy book has undergone a textual evolution rather than simply the Word of God as revealed in its entirety to the Prophet Muhammad in the seventh century.”
http://frontpagemag.com/2009/12/14/the-yemeni-koran-by-jamie-glazov/
So, the prefatory thesis should be: “In the beginning, the Qur’an was fudged.”
Only after the woolly mullahs digest that truth and convey it to their votaries in all of Mohammedandom can they “Modify the presentation of the biography of the Prophet in a way adapted for the West” or “Separate religion from the state” rather than heads from shoulders of apostates.