Islamic history answers many contemporary problems: Armstrong

From: Daily Times.

By Nayel Noorani

KARACHI: The word of God is as transcendent as God Himself and is infinite: It can never be limited to the interpretation of any single individual, cautioned comparative religions expert and author Karen Armstrong at a talk Monday held at the Aga Khan University. The lecture, the final of a five part series, was part of the on-going celebrations of the golden jubilee of the ascent of the Aga Khan to the Imamat, the spiritual leadership of the Ismaili community. Armstrong, who spoke in Karachi last year as well at the AKUH to nearly five packed auditoriums, began by talking about how despite being so united by the presence of technology and the inter-linking of economic fortunes, we live in world that is divided dangerously as never before. Emphasizing how there was no difference between Islam and so-called ‘modernism’, Armstrong referred to Abdi, an Egyptian Sunni fundamentalist, who fought for independence for his country from the British. He had lived in France and said, “In France, I saw Islam but no Muslims. Here, I see Muslims but no Islam.” Abdi meant that he had seen the values of Islam applied in the democratic constitution in France and felt that these ideals were missing from Muslim communities. In Iran, the mullahs had campaigned for democracy side by side with secularists and when the Shah was overthrown, Ayatollah Khomeini said that achieving a democratic constitution was the next best thing to the coming of the hidden Imam. She talked about the need for all religions to grow and change. “The scriptures give people the grounding with which to branch out,” she said. Religion can never be about following written edicts without reasoning. Instead, Ijtihad, the process of understanding the fundamental principles and applying them to current situations, is the ‘skilled religion’ that the Buddhists talk about. Change is difficult but necessary. She quoted examples from the Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) life where despite resistance from his own companions, he did what he felt was right. The Hijra was an unthinkable step in those times, as was the equitable treatment of women. The Treaty of Hudaibiyah greatly disturbed all the Companions (RA), yet the Prophet (PBUH) went ahead and signed it. This decision was ratified by the revelation of the victory surah immediately afterward. In today’s world where we clash only because we do not understand each other’s cultures and traditions, dialogue is more important than it ever was before. “Dialogue does not mean only talking, but also means listening, not only to the words being spoken, but to the undercurrent of rage, anger, fear and frustration underneath. It means being willing to change rather than just bludgeoning your opponent,” she added. This was the final of five lectures in Pakistan on the pluralistic and intellectual traditions of Islam.

Blogger Comment:

1- There are pillars in Islam we have to follow like the ten commandmants, five prayers a day, the fasting month is Ramdan and so forth.
2- There are other things in our lives like the shape of government and how to govern that God left to us to work it out.
3- The simple role in Quran is governing by consultaion. How to shape it and if we to include non-Muslims is our process.
4- We know God by reason and most of the religion of Islam is built on reason. You will find the reasoning of prayers, fasting, pilgrim, Zaka ... in many articles ove the internet and my blog.
5- It is the underlying thinking process that has to follow the roles of God as wisdom, justice, kindness .....
6- I do not see a clash of civilization but departure from following the roles of God.