What would a reformed Islam look like?

[psychoslice]

I have no idea what it would look like, but I know its got to be better than it is now.

 

[ajay0]

I think a reformed Islam would look more like the ahmediyya sect of Islam, that has renounced violence and instead focuses on scholarship instead.

This is in tune with the Prophet Muhammad's teaching , " The ink of the scholar is holier than the blood of the martyr"

The only known Islamic Nobel prize winner in the sciences is a Ahmediya, Dr. Abdus Salam.

The Ahmediyas are known for their scholarly and civilized attitude, and refrains from violence and conflict. They have translated the quran into all known languages of earth.

 

[paarsurrey]

I think a reformed Islam would look more like the ahmediyya sect of Islam, that has renounced violence and instead focuses on scholarship instead.

This is in tune with the Prophet Muhammad's teaching , " The ink of the scholar is holier than the blood of the martyr"

The only known Islamic Nobel prize winner in the sciences is a Ahmediya, Dr. Abdus Salam.

The Ahmediyas are known for their scholarly and civilized attitude, and refrains from violence and conflict. They have translated the quran into all known languages of earth.

Thanks and regards

 

[paarsurrey]

I think a reformed Islam would look more like the ahmediyya sect of Islam, that has renounced violence and instead focuses on scholarship instead.

This is in tune with the Prophet Muhammad's teaching , " The ink of the scholar is holier than the blood of the martyr"

The only known Islamic Nobel prize winner in the sciences is a Ahmediya, Dr. Abdus Salam.

The Ahmediyas are known for their scholarly and civilized attitude, and refrains from violence and conflict. They have translated the quran into all known languages of earth.

One is right there.
Regards

 

[firedragon]

So alot of people think Islam as a religion needs to be reformed to be brought more in line with liberal and secular values.

But what does a reformed Islam actually look like in your view? What are the most significant steps that Muslims could take to show that they can genuinely change their religion for the better? Is this simply about changing perceptions of Islam or are there substantive changes that you feel need to come from from within the Islamic Community?

E.g. Tolerance of homosexuality, changes in attitudes to women's rights, religious tolerance for non-muslims, apostates and atheists, etc.

They can go to the Quran. That itself is the biggest reform Muslims can experience.

 

[LuisDantas]

I think a reformed Islam would look more like the ahmediyya sect of Islam, that has renounced violence and instead focuses on scholarship instead.

This is in tune with the Prophet Muhammad's teaching , " The ink of the scholar is holier than the blood of the martyr"

The only known Islamic Nobel prize winner in the sciences is a Ahmediya, Dr. Abdus Salam.

The Ahmediyas are known for their scholarly and civilized attitude, and refrains from violence and conflict. They have translated the quran into all known languages of earth.

I have to wonder about that. Ahmadiyya sure has a reputation for being more peaceful than Shia and Sunni, but it is not like those two orthodox sects ever openly embraced violence.

Of course, it is not like they could ever have grown nearly as much had they openly and consciously made such an option for violence. If for no other reason, because other communities would no longer hesitate to oppose their growth.

The Ahmadiyya are certainly somewhat more ecletic in their appreciation of other creeds than the Shia and Sunni, but from what I have seen the perception of their contrast to those orthodox sects is greatly exagerated.

Shia and Sunni are peaceful in communities where they are a very clear minority as well. It remains to be seen how significant the doctrinary differentiation of the Ahmadiyya (who are a minority everywhere, in no small measure because the Muslim countries will not accept their doctrine) would be if they became more of a demographic presence somewhere. I have to admit that I am not optimistic.

 

[Kirran]

They can go to the Quran. That itself is the biggest reform Muslims can experience.

You reject the validity of hadith, right firedragon?

What do you think are the negative implications of accepting hadith, from an ethical and social point of view?

 

[Kirran]

I have to wonder about that. Ahmadiyya sure has a reputation for being more peaceful than Shia and Sunni, but it is not like those two orthodox sects ever openly embraced violence.

Of course, it is not like they could ever have grown nearly as much had they openly and consciously made such an option for violence. If for no other reason, because other communities would no longer hesitate to oppose their growth.

The Ahmadiyya are certainly somewhat more ecletic in their appreciation of other creeds than the Shia and Sunni, but from what I have seen the perception of their contrast to those orthodox sects is greatly exagerated.

Shia and Sunni are peaceful in communities where they are a very clear minority as well. It remains to be seen how significant the doctrinary differentiation of the Ahmadiyya (who are a minority everywhere, in no small measure because the Muslim countries will not accept their doctrine) would be if they became more of a demographic presence somewhere. I have to admit that I am not optimistic.

So far, the country with the highest percentage of Ahmadis of the overall population is Sierra Leone at 8.1%

 

[LuisDantas]

So far, the country with the highest percentage of Ahmadis of the overall population is Sierra Leone at 8.1%

Interesting... I see that Sierra Leone is almost entirely Muslim / Christian.

The Ahmadiyya community is considerable, but still only a fraction of the Christian one, which by its turn is dwarfed by the overall Muslim community of Sierra Leone. Native beliefs survive to some degree as well.

And yet even their eleven years of civil war seem to have been entirely unmotivated by any religions issues.

There is probably a lesson to be learned there. I would certainly not oppose giving the secular government some credit, but those things tend to be consequences rather than causes.

I wonder how well integrated the people of various beliefs are in Sierra Leone. It would not surprise me to learn that there are no clearly defined Ahmadiyya, Christian and, native beliefs neighborhoods as such.

Daily, face-to-face interaction with people of diverging beliefs goes a very long way towards Peace.

 

[Kirran]

Interesting... I see that Sierra Leone is almost entirely Muslim / Christian.

The Ahmadiyya community is considerable, but still only a fraction of the Christian one, which by its turn is dwarfed by the overall Muslim community of Sierra Leone. Native beliefs survive to some degree as well.

And yet even their eleven years of civil war seem to have been entirely unmotivated by any religions issues.

There is probably a lesson to be learned there. I would certainly not oppose giving the secular government some credit, but those things tend to be consequences rather than causes.

I wonder how well integrated the people of various beliefs are in Sierra Leone. It would not surprise me to learn that there are no clearly defined Ahmadiyya, Christian and, native beliefs neighborhoods as such.

Daily, face-to-face interaction with people of diverging beliefs goes a very long way towards Peace.

My mother spent many years on and off working there in justice development, women's representation. She found much the same.

 

[LuisDantas]

So you agree on the later part?

That is certainly nice to know, albeit not very surprising.

It is one thing to raise words against abstract people "not of our tribe". It is another entirely to see the families and children face to face and then make the same statements.

Dehumanization is very much our enemy.

 

[Kirran]

So you agree on the later part?

That is certainly nice to know, albeit not very surprising.

It is one thing to raise words against abstract people "not of our tribe". It is another entirely to see the families and children face to face and then make the same statements.

Dehumanization is very much our enemy.

Yeah, definitely.

To a fair extent I think only encountering a religion via a medium like RF can be quite damaging in that sense too. The people who come on here, especially of certain religions, are by no means representative of their religion, or even of the devout of their religion.

 

[LuisDantas]

True that.

According to this article, Sierra Leone is somewhat unusual in that it does not seem to really enforce clear divisions between allegiance to Islaam or to Christianity at all.

All things happily to all men

Not a bad development overall.

 

[Kirran]

True that.

According to this article, Sierra Leone is somewhat unusual in that it does not seem to really enforce clear divisions between allegiance to Islaam or to Christianity at all.

All things happily to all men

Not a bad development overall.

And thus, we never hear much about it

 

[LuisDantas]

And thus, we never hear much about it

There is certainly something to that.

Too bad that the life expectancy there is so low (just over 50 years!).

 

[Kirran]

There is certainly something to that.

Too bad that the life expectancy there is so low (just over 50 years!).

I suspect that this is an unrelated issue.

 

[LuisDantas]

I suspect that this is an unrelated issue.

Mostly.

Yet, morbid as it can be to point this out, a population that does not live to old age tends not to cling too much to traditional hatreds. Call it a silver lining if you will, although even I will not.

 

[Kirran]

Mostly.

Yet, morbid as it can be to point this out, a population that does not live to old age tends not to cling too much to traditional hatreds. Call it a silver lining if you will, although even I will not.

Haha, dude, that is seriously dark!

As a counterbalance, a young population is often rather more prone to emotionality and radicalism. Especially if there's widespread unemployment.

 

[LuisDantas]

True enough.

 

[paarsurrey]

Interesting... I see that Sierra Leone is almost entirely Muslim / Christian.

The Ahmadiyya community is considerable, but still only a fraction of the Christian one, which by its turn is dwarfed by the overall Muslim community of Sierra Leone. Native beliefs survive to some degree as well.

And yet even their eleven years of civil war seem to have been entirely unmotivated by any religions issues.

There is probably a lesson to be learned there. I would certainly not oppose giving the secular government some credit, but those things tend to be consequences rather than causes.

I wonder how well integrated the people of various beliefs are in Sierra Leone. It would not surprise me to learn that there are no clearly defined Ahmadiyya, Christian and, native beliefs neighborhoods as such.

Daily, face-to-face interaction with people of diverging beliefs goes a very long way towards Peace.

"There is probably a lesson to be learned there. I would certainly not oppose giving the secular government some credit, but those things tend to be consequences rather than causes"

Every country should be run by a secular government,including Sierra Leon, providing justice to all population equally and equitably. Only then peace would be established in the world.
That suits Ahmadiyya Islam, the reformed Islam or its form in the times of Muhammad.

Regards