Why don’t we see more genuine efforts at reform among Muslims? Because reformers are often treated as apostates or heretics, and prosecuted (or worse) accordingly.
“Bahrain charges religious reformers with questioning Islam,” Associated Press, February 20, 2023:
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The Gulf nation of Bahrain plans to put three religious reformers on trial Tuesday for allegedly questioning the foundations of Islam, a case that has divided the Shiite majority of the country ruled by a Sunni monarchy.
The three are members of Tajdeed, a local Shiite cultural society that advocates open discussion of religion, and whose members have questioned Islamic jurisprudence and scholarly opinions. Such questioning is taboo in many parts of the Muslim world, where religious and political authorities enforce orthodoxy.
Prosecutors specializing in cybercrimes referred three individuals to a criminal court, accusing them of “deliberately undermining the basics of the Islamic religion on which all Muslims and sects agree,” the state-run Bahrain News Agency reported.
Jalal al-Qassab and Redha Rajab were summoned to appear in court, tweeted Nader Rajab, a founding member of Tajdeed. They face up to a year in prison if convicted. The third suspect has not been publicly identified.
Tajdeed has produced a series of YouTube programs that have angered prominent Shiite clerics in Bahrain, who have portrayed the group’s work as an attack on Islam and called on people to ostracize its members.
Tajdeed says it does not question the Quran or the teachings of the Prophet Mohammad, which are at the heart of Islam, but rather the opinions of religious scholars and others who came later, including modern-day clerics….
Walter Sieruk says
On the topic of a reformation within Islam, a very different yet possible valid and true view on this had been explain by the Christian, Nabeel Qureshi ,who was in the past was a Muslim .He wrote in his book which is entitled ANSWERING JIHAD wrote about the suggestion “that Islam needs a reformation .What they may not realize is that radical Islam is the Islamic reformation. This might sound shocking, but consider: Just as the Protestant Reformation was an attempt to raze centuries of Catholic tradition and return to the canonical text, so radical Islam is an attempt to raze centuries of traditions of various schools of Islamic thought and return to the canonical text of the Quran and Muhammad’s life. This desire to return to the original form of Islam can be seen not only in the words of Sayyid Qutb, but also in his method. He focused almost entirely on references to the Quran. it is true also of the Muslim Brotherhood and ISIS today, whose publications and proclamations are punctuated by references to the Quran and hadith literature. Radical Muslim organizations are explicit in their aim to reform Islam.” page 75.
Further on pages 79,80 the author makes his case clear by writing that “Radical Islam is the Islamic reformation . The endeavor to modernize Islam and make it relevant to the twenty -first century is called progressive Islam. Progressive Muslim thought leaders, though few in number and limited in influence are present and are working to recreate Islam’s religious framework from within. Indeed, that is what it would take for Islam to become devoted to peace – not reformation but reimagination. “
gravenimage says
+1
James Lincoln says
One of my deployments to the Middle East was in the mid-1990s when I was attached to NAVCENT in Manama, Bahrain.
Seemed like a fairly “moderate” islamic country at the time; seems like it has changed for the worse.
gravenimage says
Too true, James.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
The choices in Bahrein seem to be either the Wahabi ruling family – the Hanafas, or the majority shi’a population, accused of being lackeys of Iran
I hope nothing happens to those 3 reformers
gravenimage says
Bahrain: Three Shi’ite reformers go on trial for allegedly questioning the foundations of Islam
……………………………..
So much for freedom of speech and freedom of religion in the Muslim world.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Also, those in love w/ the 4 Arab countries that signed the Abraham Accords should think again