The Sharing Group Discussion: Why is Islam Over-Regulated?

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Jay Adam posted, on The Sharing Group, on the 16^th January 2017, “One observation that bugs me and should everyone else!  Why is faith over-regulated through the prism of misogyny and rituals when faith was meant to free us from misogyny and redirect our focus to values such as kindness, fairness, justice?  It appears the spirit of Islam died when Muhammad (s.a.w.) died, and what we have had since is just a glimpse of the message and wisdom he chose to impart.” 

Brother Terence Helikaon Nunis: To understand that, we have to understand the history of the Muslims.  The time of the Salaf also coincided with the Umayyads and the Abbasids, and while they had a handful of good rulers, they had many terrible ones as well.  This was also the time of ahadits manufacture, where narrations were forged to enforce the legitimacy of rule regardless of the fitness of the rulers, and this shaped some of our theological positions.  Despite all this, because of the brilliance of our collective scholarship, Islam thrived. 

And then, like any civilisation, it underwent a decline.  In our case, it was the closing of the door of ijtihad.  Essentially, Muslims stopped thinking and discouraged others from thinking.  The scholars became sedentary, and it was in their interest to maintain that status quo.  That is when our jurisprudence became ossified.  But that is the past, and we are the future.  One of the reasons we have this group is to force Muslims to think, to be challenged.  It is not enough to believe, but to know why we believe.  When we have that, our faith cannot be shaken. 

Consider the answer to many questions raised, particularly on public threads.  When difficult questions are asked, we get rote answers.  They would say, this ayat states this or that hadits states that, or such and such scholar said this or that.  And then the conversation stops.  Nobody asks why and how, or the circumstances and context.  Those who ask are told they lack faith.  Since when was ignorance ever a condition of faith?  We have a multitude of scholars and asatidzah in this age who can regurgitate verses and ahadits and entire passages from books, but they cannot explain why it is so.  Muslims must be challenged to stand up for their beliefs.  If we cannot defend our positions amongst ourselves, we can forget about engaging the wider world. 

Brother Jay Adam: Comprehensive response and very true.  Thanks. 

Brother Nicholas Jenkins: I have studied physics and philosophy and am still in the process of learning Islam.  One thing that bugged me was the concept of free will.  Why do we have it and do not have it at the same time?  I believe I may have a conclusion.  By saying that Allah (s.w.t.) has full knowledge and control over the universe can be accurate as outside this universe, time does not move at the same speed.  So, while we imagine everything from the inside out, we often consider the things outside as working the same ways on the inside.  But they do not.  So, from the outside looking in, everything is one object relatively even as it moves through time, kind of like spewing a movie reel on to the floor.  But consider it a mousetrap we cannot escape.  According to Allah (s.w.t.), we were created to submit to Allah (s.w.t.).  So, I have to look at this from an external perspective.  Let us say I create an AI..  I have the ability to programme this AI to worship me if I wish because I am the programmer.  But what if I did not?  What if I gave the option to the AI to decide whether it wants to worship me or not?  I would be far more grateful if it did.  So, instead of getting shaped and tooled and broken into what Allah (s.w.t.) wants of me, I am allotted some time here with sets of instructions and the ability to decide for myself without the agony of getting punished for it in the hereafter. 

Our faith seems to be regulated by other people, however that is simply our personal choice.  Most people prefer not to think for themselves but prefer others to think for them as assurance they are correct in their thoughts.  Humans are a crowd-pleasing group and quite often seek approval from others rather than the approval of the basics of what is right and wrong in our hearts.  In no part was faith intended to give one person power over another, yet people as competitive by nature will persistently manipulate anything to get authority over others.  The best you can do is be kind to everyone, because everyone is on a journey and for many; it is not a pleasant one despite what their appearances may say.  It is an image-oriented society, after all. 

Brother Jay Adam: Again, a comprehensive answer to a simple observation, both of which I feel have merit.  I am on my morning commute, but from what I gather, you mention we have free will as individuals to use reason and not blindly follow the popular. 

Brother Nicholas Jenkins: Right, it is our nature to group up, and we like to feel accepted, so when a popular person says things we consider it even if it is wrong for us. 

Brother Jay Adam: Brother Nicholas Jenkins, so true, unfortunately, in all facets of life. 

Brother Damir Sans Souci: Democracy and human rights are supposed to have eradicated racism and bigotry, yet there is still racism and bigotry. 

Brother Sri Nahar: Democracy in itself is an amoral system – it is nothing but the will of the masses legitimising power.  For democracy to work, it must be limited by systems which in themselves are not democratic, such as the courts and monarchies and aristocracies. 

Brother Damir Sans Souci: That is true for democracy, but what about human rights?  Human rights are enshrined in the law of many countries, and even make up part of the national ethos in most Western democracies, yet there is still racism, sexism.  Is that not the same as asking why is there misogyny, when faith supposed to lead us away from it? 

Brother Sri Nahar: I agree.