Why we don’t see more genuine and since Muslim reformers, chapter 3298:
“Egypt jails Muslim scholar for suggesting Islamic reform,” Arutz Sheva, December 29, 2015:
An Egyptian court has reduced the jail term for a Muslim scholar convicted of “insulting Islam” on his television show from five years to one, judicial officials and his lawyer said Tuesday.
Islam al-Behairy faced an uproar in April after remarks he made on his program “With Islam,” in which he called for reforms in “traditional Islamic discourse.”
On his show on private satellite channel Al-Kahera Wel Nas, Behairy often questioned ancient Islamic preachings and centuries-old interpretations of the faith.
That came as President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has repeatedly urged reforms in interpretation of the faith.
But Behairy’s views outraged the influential Cairo-based Sunni Islamic learning center Al-Azhar, which claimed the program did not advocate “reforms” but rather “were insults to Islamic heritage.”
The channel later suspended the program, saying the decision was taken “to defend the national interest, out of respect for a large segment of society and in response to the request of the grand sheikh of al-Azhar.”
“The channel’s management does not encourage debates or programs aimed at dividing Muslims.”
Behairy said his program was suspended due to a disagreement between him and the channel.
“We are moving far, far, far backwards. What is coming is much worse, beyond imagination,” he wrote on his Facebook page.
Behairy was later put on trial and sentenced to five years in prison, but the sentence was reduced on appeal.
Lawyer Gamil Saed, confirming the new sentence, said: “My client didn’t insult the religion. The pillars of Islam are Allah and the Koran, and my client didn’t talk of them” in his program.
“He discussed religious opinions of some old preachers in the context of reforming the religious discourse,” he told AFP.
Saed said he will file a petition to stop the sentence’s implementation, and also file an appeal in the Court of Cassation.
Egypt’s constitution outlaws insults against the three monotheist religions recognized by the state – Islam, Christianity and Judaism, although Christians and Jews have undergone serious persecution in the country, with nearly the entire Jewish population being driven out around the period of the establishment of Israel….

Scott says
Isn’t that the same thing Assisi eygpt pres said 8 months ago?
Voytek Gagalka says
Yes, but the difference is that he is in power, and not just a common, defenseless citizen…
ArcadiaP says
Yes but remember Sadat who was president and was a little too liberal for the Muslim Brotherhood. I believe at that time he was assassinated by a number of his own soldiers (Muslim Brotherhood plants?). President al-Sisi is really stepping out on the limb when he is calling for reform because there are hard line Imams at al Azhar university that want strict adherence to Sharia Law.
TH says
Sisi has to be careful and if he is smart he should only have Copts as his body guards.
Rob says
Al Si Si followed up on his previous comments just a few days ago.
I recall that one of Al Si Si’s points in the original statement to the Imams was: ‘Surely there’s something wrong when our religion is feared and avoided world wide?’
Good point Mr President.
Can you give Barry a call?
Myxlplik says
Nobody can even mutter the thought that there is something wrong with Islam.
If you do you get:
1- Ridiculed my the media, chastised by government establishments, and possibly fired from your job.
2- Killed by jihadists
3- Imprisoned for offending Islamic feelings
Dark times, and darker ahead.
Project Zero says
This is the problem for those of you in the West who do not study Islam classically, you fall victim to the points mentioned by Mr. Mxyplix because you are attacking Islam and leaving its adherents.
The solution that you need, but which you have been avoiding is to rather attack the Muslims from within their own intellectual tradition, using a variety of older and authoriative views, and then you can even hold the Azharites to question. There is a vast repertoire of literature and material to this end, which is not being used, by which you can systematically attack the rigid mentality of modern diseased idiots who go by the name of Islam from all different angles: 1) Theology 2) Law, 3) Scripture/Hermeneutics, 4) Sufism/Psychology, 5) History/Politics, etc.
If you keep reacting in self defence by insulting Islam and calling the Prophet a paedophile, your endless cycle will continue to revolve, and you will continue to encounter these idiotic fools who keep prompting your inner hatred and then repeat ominous lines such as “Dark times ahead”.
What makes it even more fun is if you refer to yourself as Muslim while doing this, consider yourself as a ‘reformed’ Muslim, and then attack the mentality of the backward from within their comfort zone, and stab them intellectually in the heart.
milad meah says
But Sisi can get away with it
Voytek Gagalka says
As long he stays in power….
salim says
I visited Egypt months ago and, in my hotel’s room, happened to watch this guy’s show about Islam. That episode was about one of the earliest apostates in Islam (Ibn Sarh), which is on its own a good reason to leave Islam. This guy was going round and round to use the story as a reason that apostasy is allowed in Islam!
Back in the UK, I watched more of his shows on Youtube, where he picked some significant flaws in Islam and did his best to sanitise the religion. Initially I thought he was an apostate in the clothes of a Muslim, but he is not.
It is frustrating when you see a Muslim who is so close to the truth but keeps hoovering around it without ever discovering it.
Like other ‘reformers’, this man has been several times on TV debating Muslim imams, he lost all those debates. Just proves that you cannot win a debate against Muslim imams as long as you are still within the islamic circle.
That said, I support Islam Al Bihiri and wish him the best.
nacazo says
Ibn Abi Sarh was one of Muhammad’s scribes. When there was “revelation” of verse (23:12) that says, “We created man of an extraction of clay”, and when Muhammad reached the part that says, “… thereafter We produced him as another creature (23:14), ‘Abdullah said, “So blessed be God the fairest of creators!” in amazement at the details of man’s creation. The Prophet said, “Write it down; for thus it has been revealed.” ‘Abdullah doubted and said, “If Muhammad is truthful then I receive the revelation as much as he does, and if he is a liar, what I said is a good as what he said.”
salim says
Egyptian president El Sissi is an average Muslim and can only think like average Muslims. He is not particularly intellectual and cannot be expected to think outside the box. Probably he regretted the couple of remarks he made about Islam being misunderstood by the radicals. I don’t think those remarks were that significant anyway. President Mubarak was far more outspoken than him and had the foresight to warn the west (repeatedly) against their policies of giving refuge to Islamic terrorists, that was 9 years before 9/11.
El Sissi is now a puppet in the hands of Saudi Arabia; his fate, and Egypt’s fate under him, is sealed.
Rob says
..and Barry went off to Cairo soon after inauguration and virtually told the Egyptians to overthrow Mubarrak*.
In came the MB which threatened to tear up the Israel peace deal.
That scared the bejesus out of the army and they installed Al Si Si.
Three bloody noses in the Israeli killing fields was enough for Egypt’s military.
* Of course true to form Barry was incensed when Bibi came to Washington and tried to influence US ME policy.
.
TH says
Obama’s Middle East policy and in general his foreign policy is in tatters. Now the government of Iraq is negotiating with Putin so as to get Russian military hardware including fighter bombers, and other stuff. They seem to be about to give up on Obama’s U.S. and the security agreement they have with the U.S. Obama is totally inept and being ridiculed and upstaged by Putin.
Jay Boo says
Surprisingly, the atheists and secular humanist crew at NPR apparently see no problem here or with Islam’s head chopping pedophile prophet. They must be to busy patting each other on the back in celebration for yet another year of shamelessly mocking the birth of Jesus with their parodies of lyrics to well known Christmas carols in order to seek their lapdog approval by the MUSLIM community at large.
In fairness, not all of NPR workers are atheists and secular humanists some are ‘spiritual’ and have crystal cube séances.
Aussie Infidel says
Jay Boo, Don’t make the mistake of tarring everyone with the same brush. I’m an atheist and a secular Humanist – and make no apology for it – but I see a lot wrong with “Islam’s head chopping pedophile prophet.” Certainly, some Atheists and some secular Humanists are apologists for Islam, and deserve a kick up the fundamental.
I have been fighting this battle for over 50 years, long before most people today had even heard of Muslims, and over the years I’ve been branded a ‘racist’, a ‘xenophobe’, a ‘bigot’ and an ‘Islamophobe’ not only by Muslims, but people I considered to be my friends. In retrospect, I’d say that all my accusers were Leftists. It’s not their lack of religious belief that has molded their pro-Islam mindsets, but their politics. Both socialism and Islam are totalitarian ideologies – and Islam is more about politics than religion. Remember, the Mufti of Jerusalem during WW II, pledged allegiance to Hitler and his Nazis.
I came from the Left, and for many years was a Party official, and even sat on their policy committees, until I resigned in disgust (partly over issues involving Muslims). I know how Leftists think and what motivates them. But many of my Atheist and Humanist friends are even further to the right politically than I am. It is not just a simple case of black and white.
I’ve listened to NPR. which is re-broadcast here over our ABC News Radio network. With few exceptions, the presenters appear to be leftist, politically correct multiculturalists, and mostly adhere to the Democratic Party line.
I had great hopes that Al-Sisi’s appeal to reform Islam might receive some support from the mullahs at Al-Azhar. But as this incident also shows, such suggestions are inevitably met with charges of ‘insulting Islam’ or ‘blasphemy’, and the person responsible is either assassinated, or spends time in jail. Consequently, most Muslims who would like to see reform, are afraid to speak out for fear of retribution from the militants or the Sharia courts.
I can’t see that Islam will ever be reformed. Our only hope is to declare it a criminal organization, so it is illegal to practise it in the West; close their mosques; ban Muslim immigration; and hopefully it will wither on the vine. It will also need to be confined to Muslim countries, so it does not re-infect Western societies.
rooare says
Some of my fellow Christians are apologists for Islam. Whether theist, atheist, humanist, etc. it seems some can’t see the evil that is Islam and some have common sense.
Atheist7 says
Imagine a trial in which a defendant is accused of murder. The prosecution is about to introduce evidence that proves the person’s guilt when the defense appeals to the judge and says that the introduction of evidence could generate hateful feelings for the defendant and therefore cannot be allowed. The judge dismisses the case and sentences the prosecution to a 1 year jail term.
billybob says
Islam does not need “reform”. It needs to be abandoned! There is no way to turn this ship around. Islam has spread misery and oppression everywhere it went. There is not a single Islamic country in the world today where modern democratic values are upheld, where the ideal at least is justice for all and freedom from oppression. Not one!
However, that said, there are a group in North America who wish to try.
They call themselves the “Muslim Reform Movement”. http://muslimreformmovement.org/
One of them posted an article on WaPo asking that non-Muslims NOT wear hijabs in sympathy with Muslims, as that is just reinforcing “Political Islamists” who want all Muslims women in hijabs.
The comments came at them from all angles. Traditional Muslims thought they are a bunch of apostates. The “progressive liberals” didn’t get their message and still think they should wear hijabs to support their Muslim friends, and the Islamophobes kept right on attacking Islam (including me – posting as “Slamfobe”). They did garner some support from other liberal-minded Muslims – maybe a dozen? Not sure.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/12/21/as-muslim-women-we-actually-ask-you-not-to-wear-the-hijab-in-the-name-of-interfaith-solidarity/
This group are the real thing, and they are putting their lives on the line by speaking out. They embrace the highest ideals, and deserve our support. As far as I am concerned, with the noble goals they espouse, they have earned the right to believe whatever it is they believe – which doesn’t seem to me to be Islam anymore. I don’t care what they believe. They are a shining light.
Check out their website and watch the video, and you will become a believer. That doesn’t mean you’ll stop hating Islam, nor will I. I guess I am just saying, if you run across these people, give them a break.
What they stand for…
“Peace: We reject interpretations of Islam that call for any violence, social injustice and politicized Islam. We invite our fellow Muslims and neighbors to join us.
Human Rights: We reject bigotry, oppression and violence against all people based on any prejudice, including ethnicity, gender, language, belief, religion, sexual orientation and gender expression.
Secular Governance: We are for secular governance, democracy and liberty. Every individual has the right to publicly express criticism of Islam. Ideas do not have rights. Human beings have rights.
We stand for peace, human rights and secular governance. Please stand with us!”
Note – I am a regular poster here, endorsing Robert’s articles as enthusiastically as everybody else. I am not here to promote anybody or any group, but this is something I felt worth sharing here.
Especially Robert Spencer – I wanted to bring this to your attention.
mortimer says
Thanks to BB for sharing. Islam is defended by vigilantism which keeps reformers from attracting a following.
We are aware of the ‘Koran-only’ groups, etc. They will eventually be visited by Islamist vigilantes, threatened and told to stop or else. Then, the reformers will move to another city, possibly change their names and drop out of activism, not even contacting their families.
Vigilantism is the real Islamic method, the secret of Islam’s success…going right back to Mohammed. You can only criticize Islam if you live in an apartment building with massive security.
Islam al-Behairy (poor fellow) forgot that Islam is defended by vigilantes. Now he will never forget that.
Rob says
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2002/01/what-went-wrong/302387/
Insightful from Bernard Lewis.
Should be required reading for Islamists.
billybob says
That was very interesting. I saw a few flaws in his thesis – or rather, they seemed to me – gaping holes, yet these should not impair the provocative mission of the article. It should provoke much thought and begin a profound discussion among adherents of Islam as well as those impacted by Islam (just about everybody) wherever they may be. If only it were written by a Muslim! …but I think a Muslim would be incapable of that kind of perspective, which needs to come from the outside. I shall eagerly follow the comments.
steve says
I agree with you that it was an interesting article but, in my opinion, it doesn’t address the adequately the underlying driven nature of sharia and jihad in islam that promotes much of its interaction with other cultures. It is true that forces of economy and challenges from the west have existed but throughout history islam since its inception has been pushing its peace by conquering agenda in the name of allah. Only when it has been stopped by others or by its own infighting has there been reprieve. I think as people are becoming more historically educated about islam due to the threats being faced today they are realizing we are dealing with a culture that is not just driven by the forces of interaction between cultures but by an inherent violent war-like islamist culture that for the most part is stuck or kept buried in a 7th century belief system.
Westman says
Thanks for the refreshing reference, Billybob. Let’s hope they can make a difference and the list of founders does not become a persecution list for vigilantes.
mortimer says
Obscurantism is the repression of critical thought. In Islam, faith trumps reason. Because of that, Muslims needn’t check facts. All the thinking is done by the mullahs. Muslims simply follow blindly. That gives the mullahs the power to manipulate and threaten Muslims, have them imprisoned, beaten, robbed and even murdered. The mullahs control the Muslim mafia…a bunch of fanatical jihadists who get their kicks from murder for Allah. Vigilantism is enshrined in Sharia law. A mullah is not even needed to give the order, but they normally approve of the murders of apostates or blasphemers.
Mullahs know Islam is false, but continue in the Death Cult so they can have a job. Mullahs are all aware of the problems within Islam. Someday they will all just quit together and pretend they were never Muslims.
Matthieu Baudin says
“… But Behairy’s views outraged the influential Cairo-based Sunni Islamic learning center Al-Azhar, which claimed the program did not advocate “reforms” but rather “were insults to Islamic heritage…”
This is indicative of the tussle going on within Egypt between state power and the religious establishment. Behairy probably wouldn’t have crawled out alive in a number of Middle Eastern, North African and South Asian countries. If he is released early after beginning the one year sentence, then the reform process may have been assisted despite the personal sacrifice.
خَليفة says
Not surprised, every time this happens some one dies or is imprisoned.
This is proof that the civilized world ( id est, dar al-harb دار الحرب ) needs to get a big stick and play whack-a-mole with muslim clerics/leaders/imams, everywhere a Muslim sticks his head up *whack* until they are beaten and revert to Meccan-Mode. The civilized world needs to demand Islamic countries come into the modern world with equal rights for everyone – the civilized world needs to do what ever it takes, including complete boycotts, removal of financial, medical and ALL forms of aid – even deny the sale of food, technology, travel and immigration.
Islamic countries won’t civilize themselves, so the civilized world has 3 choices: 1) “force civilization” onto these barbarians, 2) live in a constant state of terrorism or 3) surrender, commit cultural suicide and fade away
For any Muslim reading this, don’t kid yourself, Islam is the epitome of barbarism, the antithesis of civil society. You may think Islam is civilized but you are horrible mistaken.
The only good Muslim is an ex Muslim
Ned says
Great post!
“… so the civilized world has 3 choices:
1) “force civilization” onto these barbarians,
2) live in a constant state of terrorism or
3) surrender, commit cultural suicide and fade away “…
Germany is getting used to living in a constant state of fear as they keep IMPORTING MORE Muslims.
We will see ANY European country kiss their western culture and Christianity goodbye. They are working on doing that HERE in the U.S. but they don’t have enough time to FINISH the JOB.
VOTE TRUMP -Send ALL the illegals and SYRIAN MUSLIMS BACK! He will DO JUST THAT and MORE.
Michael Copeland says
The smiling Merkel greeting:
“Come on in and destroy our culture.”
https://www.facebook.com/LibertyGBParty/photos/pb.376566465793805.-2207520000.1451659628./875071895943257/?type=3&theater
http://gatesofvienna.net/2015/12/terror-alert-in-munich/
Bangu says
Thank You.
duh)swami says
Perfection cannot be reformed…Allah keeps a pot of boiling water on the stove to quench the thirst of ‘reformers’ who show up for an interview…..
scott camillo says
Where is the mainstream media and our fearless leaders coming out in support of people risking their lives who want reform Islam.
steve says
You can hardly blame this guy for trying to reform that cult since he grew up with it. Its likely an attempt to salvage a vestige of respect and hope for himself and his way of life. I think his is not simply a case of reform as luther with the catholics who were simply morally crooked and disobeying the inherently good religion and its bible. His task is more like trying to reform not only a crooked established order of doing things but also a bipolar inherently bad “split”doctrine of belief – mecca versus medina. It may be that his task would be harder than swimming up niagra falls without feet. He certainly has some spirit but he’ll have a entire year to plan his next move. I’d be thinking about an escape to a more enlightened place.
Angemon says
“Islamic heritage”? You mean, how Egypt went from being a fertile, advanced nation, to an islamic hellhole? Wouldn’t want to offend the “heritage” of rapist and murderers, would you?