Why Islam Needs a Reformation – WSJ

Ayaan Hirsi Ali wrote an essay entitled, “Why Islam Needs a Reformation” in the wall Street Journal in reference to her book.

We agree with her when she states the following:

“To defeat the extremists for good, Muslims must reject those aspects of their tradition that prompt some believers to resort to oppression and holy war.”

Islam (the Arabic word Islam translates as Submission in English) as practiced by the majority today, absolutely needs a reformation. That reformation exists within the Words of God in the Quran – a basis discarded by Ayaan Ali, who calls the Quran “a book that was shaped by human hands.”

Ms. Ali refers to, “sacred texts and religious texts of Islam”. However, Islam as proclaimed in the Quran refers to only one text or scripture – the Quran itself.

Nothing in the Quran supports, “apostasy, adultery, blasphemy and even something as vague as threats to family honor or to the honor of Islam itself.” Nor does the Quran support, “..any statement critical of the Prophet or Islam .. as blasphemy and punishable by death.”

Herein lies the core issue:

“Any serious discussion of Islam must begin with its core creed, which is based on the Quran (the words said to have been revealed by the Angel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad) and the hadith (the accompanying works that detail Muhammad’s life and words).”

This is where Ayaan Ali, the Western Scholars and the vast majority of the Muslims (Meccan or Medina) cannot support their point of view from the Quran. Only the Quran is the core creed and source of religious law for Islam.

“Despite some sectarian differences, this creed unites all Muslims. All, without exception, know by heart these words: “I bear witness that there is no God but Allah; and Muhammad is His messenger.” This is the Shahada, the Muslim profession of faith.”

The Shahaada spelled out in the Quran is “I bear witness that there is no God but Allah.” This is the profession of faith for any believer.

Those who can accept and use the Quran as the only source of religious law as the Quran indeed commands us will have no issues with freedom and religious freedom practiced in the west and specifically in USA.

Here are our comments of the five areas that Ayaan Ali offers as amendments.

“Muhammad’s semi-divine status, along with the literalist reading of the Quran.”

The Quran does not consider Mohammad as infallible. He was a human like the rest of us. In fact the Quran commands us not to make distinction among any of God messengers. It is precisely the literal reading of the Quran and upholding it as the only source of religious law which will lead to reformation in Islam.

“The supremacy of life after death.”

Belief in the Hereafter goes hand in hand with belief in God. The words of the Quran do not support any of the actions of the extremists and their destiny in the Hereafter will not be in Paradise.

“Shariah, the vast body of religious legislation”

There is no such body of religious law such as Shariah in the Quran. The words of the Quran fully detail religious law.

“The right of individual Muslims to enforce Islamic law”

Freedom of religion is the basic decree in the Quran.

“The imperative to wage jihad, or holy war”

There is no support for a holy war in the Quran.