Author: sftwr2020

Independence of Thought is Islamic

Independence of thought recognized

The Holy Quran expressly recognizes independence of opinion for one and all, and requires that absolute obedience be given only to God and God’s Messenger:

“O you who believe, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority from among you; then if you quarrel about anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger…” (4:59)

This verse speaks of obedience to those in authority (ulu-l-amr), along with the obedience to the Messenger, and then mentions disputes which, it says, must be settled by referring them to God and the Messenger. The omission of ‘those in authority’ from the latter portion of the verse shows clearly that the quarrel here spoken of relates to differences with them, and in the case of such a difference the only authority is that of God and the Messenger, or the Quran and the Hadith.

Every authority in Islam, whether temporal or spiritual, is included in ulu-l-amr, and independence of thought for every Muslim is thus recognized by allowing them to differ with all except the Quran and the Hadith. The Companions, the Collectors of Hadith, the four Imams and the other jurists being thus included in ulu-l-amr, must be obeyed ordinarily, but to differ with any one or all of them, when one has the authority of the Quran and the Hadith is expressly permitted. And since the ultimate test of the correctness of Hadith is the Quran itself, the conclusion is evident that Islam allows independence of thought subject only to one condition, that the principles laid down in the Quran are not contradicted.

It will thus be seen that any Muslim community has the right to make any law for itself, the only condition being that such law shall not contravene any principle laid down by the Holy Quran. The impression prevailing in the Muslim world at present that no one has the right, even in the light of the new circumstances which a thousand years of the world’s progress have brought about, to differ with the four Imams, is entirely a mistaken one. The right to differ with the highest of men below the Holy Prophet is a Muslim’s birthright, and to take away that right is to stifle the very existence of Islam. Under the present circumstances, when conditions have quite changed and the world has been moving on for a thousand years, while Muslims have more or less stagnated, it is the duty of Muslim states and Muslim peoples to apply their own judgment to the changed conditions, and find out the ways and means for their temporal salvation.

Annotations: (Sadly, due to a lack of Ijtihad, the application of the Islamic way of life has become a challenge in many areas, especially for those living in the West. If only we all heeded the wise words of Maulana Muhammad Ali, who reminded us that the right to differ is a Muslim’s birthright.)

The Doors to Ijtihad are always open:

Excerpt from The Religion of Islam:

The door of Ijtihād is still open

Later jurists regard the door of every degree of Ijtihād to have been closed after the sixth century of Hijrah. It is said that after the immediate disciples of the first four Imams, there can only be followers (muqallidīn). They may only quote a decision (fatwā) from any of the earlier authorities, or when there are differing opinions of the earlier jurisconsults they can choose one of them, but they cannot question the correctness of what has been said. Thus Ijtihād, which was never considered to be an absolute authority by the great Imams or their immediate disciples, is now practically placed on the

same level with the Holy Quran and the Hadith and hence no one now is considered to be fit for Ijtihād.

Annotations: (We should be careful that we do not close the door of ijtihad in our times. Often it seems our exercise of judgment has also stagnated, that the opinions of previous elders are too sacred to critique, hence we have to accept their analysis as if the elders were infallible. Ijtihad is vital for us, since in order to apply Islam to our lives and to believe that Islam is for all times, we must continue to think flexibly and not remain with a fixed mindset in the past.)

It is a mistake to suppose that the door of Ijtihād was closed in any way after the four Imams mentioned above. It is quite clear that the free exercise of judgment was allowed by the Holy Quran, both the Quran and the Hadith explicitly allowed analogical deduction, and it was on the basis of these directions that the Muslim world continued to exercise its judgment in making laws for itself. 

The Companions made use of ijtihad even in the Holy Prophet’s lifetime, when it was not convenient to refer a matter to him personally. After his death, as new circumstances arose, new laws were made by the majority of the Caliph’s council and new decisions given by the learned among the Companions. The next generation added to the knowledge of the Companions, and each succeeding generation, not satisfied with what the previous one had achieved, freely applied its judgment. 

The second century saw the four great luminaries appear on the horizon of Ijtihād. The appearance of these great jurists one after another, each evidently dissatisfied with what his predecessor had achieved, is another conclusive argument that Islam permitted human judgment to be exercised freely in order to meet new circumstances.

Ijtihād was a great blessing to the Muslim people; it was the only way through which the needs of succeeding generations and the requirements of different races merging into Islam could be met. Neither the Holy Prophet, nor any of his Companions, nor any of the great jurists ever said that Muslims were forbidden to apply their own judgment to new circumstances and the ever changing needs of a growing community after a certain time. What happened was that the attention of the great intellects of the third century was directed towards the collection and criticism of Hadith. On the other hand, the four Imams rose so high above the ordinary jurists that the latter were dwarfed into insignificance, and the impression gained ground gradually that no one could exercise their judgment independently of the former. This impression in its turn led to limitations upon Ijtihād and the independence of thought to which Islam had given an impetus. Being thus restrained by a false impression, the intellect of Islam suffered a heavy loss and the increasing demand of knowledge being brought to a standstill, stagnation and ignorance took its place.

Preface to Annotations by Humaira Ahmad:

Preface by Humaira Ahmad 

In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful. 

Society is a dynamic beast, ever-changing with each generation, era, and individual, each offering their unique perspective on life’s grand adventure. In the midst of society’s ceaseless evolution, one might wonder how we can navigate life according to a guide penned way back in 610 AD – the Holy Qur’an.

Now, don’t get me wrong; the Holy Qur’an is a reservoir of profound insights, replete with answers to life’s profound questions. However, it seems to maintain a certain distance from today’s youthful generation or any youthful generation, for that matter. Given society’s continuous transformation, which many find increasingly at odds with the teachings of the Qur’an, questions inevitably arise. These questions are posed not only by the youth but also resonate with segments of the older generation, those unafraid to voice their concerns and seek clarity on various aspects of the Holy Book.

As a British Pakistani Muslim woman residing in the UK, I have frequently found myself pondering various aspects of the Qur’an that appear enigmatic. Questions often arise concerning the roles of women, the patriarchal undertones embedded within the sacred text, and the apparent absence of discourse pertaining to the LGBTQ community. I once believed that certain facets of the Qur’an had grown outdated, seemingly unfit for the modern world, as they failed to acknowledge and accord respect to a significant segment of the population.

However, my outlook underwent a transformative shift after delving into “Religion of Islam” by Maulana Muhammad Ali, and with invaluable guidance from the patient and wise Zainib Ahmad (who also happens to be my aunt), as well as Dr. Zahid Aziz. I found that Islam has more flexibility within it than I earlier thought possible.

Through a meticulous process of annotating Maulana Muhammad Ali’s work, Zainib khala and I engaged in thought-provoking discussions concerning aspects that warranted a contemporary perspective, one that resonated with people today. These annotations reflect my individual viewpoint, shaped by my upbringing, my society, my circle of friends, and my personal conception of what Islam – and indeed all religions – should represent. I approach it from the standpoint of a young woman who has strived for equal access to nearly everything accessible to men, hence preferring to avoid reading the Qur’an through a patriarchal lens.

Our aspiration is that the dialogue and annotations Zainib khala and I have shared may extend solace and illumination to those grappling with similar questions, thereby serving as a stepping stone to reveal that Islam is indeed a faith for all times. When approached with a progressive and modern interpretation, the Qur’an can seamlessly transcend the epochs, adapting to the needs of today and to needs yet to unfold.

It’s conceivable that when women interpret the Qur’an, its message acquires a different hue; after all, the world appears distinct through a woman’s lens than through a man’s. The intersectionality of our backgrounds and our intergenerational discourse give rise to thought-provoking inquiries, opening up more avenues of exploration than they resolve. Nevertheless, the process of dialogue and annotation has proven to be an immensely rewarding experience, one rendered feasible through the unwavering support, courage, and patience of my cherished Zainib khala. Her profound understanding and profound knowledge of Islam have been instrumental in bringing this venture to fruition.

Our hope is that this interpretation of Islam may provide a sense of relief and inspiration to those uncertain in their faith and contribute to the ongoing expansion of the realm of inquiry.

Sincerely,

Humaira Ahmad

New Blog Series :Annotations of “The Religion of Islam” by Maulana Muhammad Ali, and abridged by Dr. Zahid Aziz

Preface:

In the name of Allah, the Extremely Merciful, Especially Merciful

O Nourisher, increase me in knowledge and wisdom. Open my heart so that I may learn and express myself.

The questions are everywhere, and we dodge them, or hide from them, but we cannot make them go away. We should not even try to. That realization hit me one day as my teenage daughter asked me yet another question about equal rights for Muslim women, and I felt myself respond anxiously and defensively. In a blessed moment, this thought came: Was Islam not strong enough for each new generation to wrestle with it, and to find their life’s guidance in it? Did I think Islam was fragile? I was finally able to see what was behind my daughter’s repeated questions and critical analysis. What she was doing was simply trying to make Islam her own, to understand it in the context of modern times, not simply in the context of the past. Yet here we were, mother and daughter, stuck in this tug of war between old and new perspectives, immigrant and American-born views, the generation gap looming like a chasm before us. Would we ever bridge the gap?

It also took me a while to realize that this struggle was not unique to us. As I talked to more and more parents with strong, outspoken, critically thinking daughters in all continents, I came to realize that this was a scene replayed in every home where people think and engage with Islam. My generation was trained to be accepting and obedient, and we simply didn’t see as much conflict between traditional values and modern society. Our children are growing up in diverse societies, in schools that value critical thinking and individuality, and they are not trained to swallow all that we give them hook, line, and sinker. Are we ready to reexamine our faith with them? Or will we stick to the perspective we grew up with, refusing to budge at all? 

Islam is for all times, is a statement we have heard endlessly, yet maybe it is up to us to make it true by being able to take the solid, basic principles of Islam, and have the wisdom to understand their application in modern times.

Alhamdolillah for the wisdom of our elders, who studied and wrote tirelessly, lighting the way for us with their piety, dedication, and scholarship. We could not even begin to understand Islam as we do, without their guidance. Yet, we cannot simply take their analysis as the final word. We need to go back to the book of Allah and extract the timelessness from it, using our own critical thinking and good judgment. If we find certain principles to be impractical in modern times, what new principles and limits can we craft for ourselves? If we don’t do this, the danger is that our youth will throw the baby out with the bathwater, and simply do as society teaches them to, and while there are many values in modern times that are worth emulating, in many areas of life, people have left all restrictions behind, falling prey to greed and lust, with devastating consequences.

How can we take the best of our religion and find the best of societal values and see how they complement each other? How can we examine the clashes and contradictions and come to a better understanding about them? This annotation of the chapter of Marriage from Maulana Muhammad Ali’s The Religion of Islam, is one such effort, undertaken in a spirit of sincere seeking. 

I owe mountains of gratitude to Allah, the blessed Prophet Muhammad, my parents: Saadat Ahmad and Rifat Ahmad, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, Maulana Muhammad Ali, Dr. Zahid Aziz, Aafia and Aarif Ahmad, Samira Ahmad and Habiba Anwar for helping in this journey. Humaira Azhar has been my honest, wise, and fearless companion, sharing her thoughts freely and openly, and helping me see Islam through her young, bold, and discerning eyes. I hope we use this book as the starting point of many productive discussions about the applicability of this beautiful religion in our lives.

The majority of the text is from Maulana Muhammad Ali’s Religion of Islam, which has been abridged by Dr. Zahid Aziz. Only minor changes have been made in the language of this text by Maulana Muhammad Ali. The annotations have been added are in a different font, to distinguish them from the original writing. 

The chapter about Ijtihad (logical reasoning), which starts this work, shows how ardently Maulana Muhammad Ali believed in critical thinking and independent reasoning, and how he clearly never saw the pious predecessors as infallible. One can reasonably conclude from Maulana Sahib’s opinions on ijtihad, that he would not consider his writing the final word on any subject as well. He believed in critical thinking. I like to think that he would be happy that his writing was being used as a continual solid foundation for Islamic learning, with minor additions and changes as befit the times, and benefit the public good.

Zainib Ahmad

Austin, Texas