Search

In this paper I describe the nature and scope of the concept ‘sunna’ in progressive Muslim thought. I argue that, unlike the hadith-based concept of sunna found in classical Islam, the concept of sunna in progressive Islam has strong affinities with how that concept was understood during the formative period of Islamic thought. In this respect, I show that the concept of sunna in progressive Islam operates within a broad contextualist and rationalist approach to Islamic theology and ethics, that it is a general ethico-behavioural embodied concept. It is not viewed as a source of Islamic belief, nor is it considered a form of unrecited revelation - although, for hermeneutical purposes, it exists in an organic and symbiotic relationship with the Qur’an. In the last section, I discuss several concrete implications this approach to the concept of sunna has in progressive Islam, doing away with many norms, values, and practices that have been associated with the concept in classical Islamic law/ethics, such as those pertaining to family and criminal law. With respect to this, I highlight how a progressive Muslim approach to normative sunna enables the Islamic interpretive tradition to shed ethically and epistemologically outdated norms, values, and practices that have often been defended on the basis of a concept of sunna that operates within the hermeneutical confines of classical Islamic theology and Islamic legal theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The origin of the cosmos is one of the most intriguing queries facing mankind. The Qur'an presents substantial information pertaining to this matter. In this paper, a Qur'anic cosmogony, comprising physical as well as metaphysical aspects, is presented based on a number of prominent contemporary Qur'anic translations and commentaries. It is revealed that commentaries on Qur'anic cosmogonical verses vary significantly. The paper then presents the qualitative and quantitative features of Qur'anic cosmogony, and deduces some general features and principles pertaining to cosmogony. It also suggests an integrated multidimensional approach in order to articulate cosmological notions from the Qur'an. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article advances the theme that the conventional fiqhi articulations of the prescribed hudud punishments show inconsistency with the Qur'an and falls, therefore, due for a corrective. Whereas the Qur'an makes repentance (tawbah) and reform (islah) integral to the hudud punishments, the fiqh expositions of these punishments have entirely ignored that aspect of the Qur'an. To carry out this corrective and rectify the hudud theory in the way it is suggested below partakes, we believe, in veritable ijtihad that Muslim jurists and jurisdictions are strongly advised to undertake and implement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid growth of the financial system is a factor central to the development of the global economy. Despite undergoing such growth, however, the global economy has experienced several financial crises, such as the US financial crisis in 2008 and the Asian financial crisis in 1997-1998. There are several reasons behind these crises. A common reason appears to be a lack of financial education and literacy. Due to poor financial education and literacy, people become over-spenders and fail to manage their debts, investments and savings. Hence, this paper discusses the importance of Islamic financial education and literacy for Muslims as a means of promoting awareness of Islamic financial guidance, including how this guidance ensures individual and social well-being. Several articles have been reviewed to construct the philosophy of this paper. Also, several verses from the Qur'an and related Hadiths are used as references of the shariah. It is expected that this study will encourage Muslims to become more literate in Islamic finance and observe Islamic financial behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historically, the Farewell Sermon (khutbah al-wida) of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)1 has occupied an important place in Islam. The sermon was delivered during the Farewell Hajj (pilgrimage), on 9 Dhu al-Hijja 10AH (6 March 632), at Mount Arafat. The sermon consisted of summarised exhortations reflecting some of the core teachings of the Qur'an and Sunnah. There are multiple versions of the sermon, with no single consolidated source being in existence. The sermon therefore seems to have been weaved from multiple sources over time. This brief essay examines the substance of the Farewell Sermon based on its various versions and presents an analysis to determine whether it should be more appropriately called the 'Farewell Message'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three issues are explored in this article with regard to death by stoning as a punishment for adultery. First is its total absence in the Qur'an; the Qur'an makes no reference to stoning, providing a punishment of one hundred lashes of the whip for all adulterers, without any further qualification. Stoning as a punishment originates in the Sunnah of the Prophet, who applied it in the case of married adulterers, thus seemingly reserving the Qur'anic punishment for the unmarried adulterer. This perspective has dominated legal practice ever since. The second issue arising is as to how the conflicting rulings in the Qur'an and Sunnah relate to one another. Is it a case of specification (takhsis) or of abrogation (naskh)? If the latter, is it in order for the Sunnah to abrogate the Qur'an? The third issue is over the chronological sequence of the two rulings. If it is accepted that the Qur'anic ruling was revealed in Madinah after the few cases in which the Prophet applied stoning, then the Qur'an would have effectively overruled/abrogated the Prophetic practice. It is also said that the Prophet applied stoning by reference to the Torah, which was then set aside by the Qur'an. A minority opinion has also held that the Prophet applied stoning by way of ta'zir. A number of prominent twentieth-century shariah scholars have advised against the enforcement of stoning altogether. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Qur'an is among the most widely read books on earth, yet it is also commonly misunderstood and misquoted. Islam's critics say that it contains exhortations of violence against non-Muslims and a concept of war that is far more unbridled and indiscriminate than the western Just War theory. This study is not a general overview or critique of the Islamic laws of war, which are the varied and sometimes contradictory opinions of medieval Islamic jurists - mainly from the ninth to thirteenth centuries CE. Instead, this study analyses only the Qur'anic text itself and, by putting its verses into historical context, attempts to explain its codes of conduct in order to determine what it actually requires or permits Muslims to do in terms of the use of military force. It concludes that the Qur'an is clear: Muslims must not undertake offensive violence and are instructed, if defensive warfare should become unavoidable, always to act within a code of ethical behaviour that is closely similar to the western Just War tradition. This study attempts to dispel any misperceptions that Islam's holy book advocates the subjugation or killing of non-Muslims and reveals that, on the contrary, its key and unequivocal concepts governing warfare are based on justice and a profound belief in the sanctity of human life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a previous article I have argued that the contribution of early Muslim scholars to Semiotics needs to be unearthed and highlighted. Semiotics is broadly defined as the study of signs or sign-use behaviour leading to communication and understanding between humans in society. Semiotics emerged in the early twentieth century as distinct from mainstream philosophy or philosophy of language. As an institutionalised academic discipline, semiotics has acknowledged the implicit contributions of earlier scholars from antiquity, the middle ages and early modernity. However, to date the contribution of Muslim scholars is conspicuously absent. Hence, in this article I intend to recapitulate perspectives from selected Muslim scholars in order to obtain a more balanced notion of sign-function and its potential implications. This is where the unique contributions of al-Ghazali (1058-1111) and Ibn Barrajan (n.d.-1141) come in, whose perspectives are reflected in key modern approaches to sign models and their interpretational tendencies. The article suggests that there is a need to explore the legacy of Muslim scholars in the field of semiotics in a much more systematic and comprehensive way, given that sign-based thinking (or the ayah doctrine) is a major theme in the Qur'an. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statistics as a modern discipline has emerged and developed as part of the development of scientific inquiry. While Islamic civilisation has contributed to many key areas of modern knowledge, statistics is one area that has rarely been explored in this context. This paper examines the concept of statistics in Islamic scriptures, particularly the Qur'an, and how the concept has evolved in the history of Islamic civilisation. Evidence presented in the paper sheds important light on how close the modern concept of statistics is to the term al-ihsa' in the Qur'an. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the emergence of empiricism, a perception developed that rationality and faith are 'incompatible.' According to this view, religion is based on faith rather than knowledge. Attachment to faith is fundamentally arbitrary and lacks a rational foundation. In education, the 'separation' of reason from faith produces either graduates with knowledge for the purpose of employment but little spiritual awareness or persons with religious beliefs that have few marketable skills. What is required is balanced education, where instruction in revealed knowledge is provided together with training in present-day knowledge. To facilitate holistic education, it is necessary to recognise that faith and present-day knowledge complement rather than exclude each other. Present-day knowledge is used primarily for the purpose of employment. Revealed knowledge is intended for the purpose of guidance. The two are complementary rather than mutually exclusive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is both an overview of liberation theology as developed in modern Christian theology in the West and an explanation of Islamic liberation theology from a socio-economic and theological perspective, excerpted from the Qur'an and its hermeneutics. Islam has, since its inception, through the injunctions of the Qur'an and the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad, liberated human beings from all sorts of sufferings and revived their dignity from social scourges. Islam, by its initial teachings, denounced ignorance and socio-economic injustice and then promoted knowledge, wisdom, justice, equality, respect, and fairness. All such teachings regarding liberation from all sorts of socio-economic sufferings and oppressions are clearly mentioned and their solution described in the Qur'an and in the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad. Classical Islamic theology in only its metaphysical form has been criticised by progressive Muslims because it does not imply human liberation in worldly life. This paper also discusses liberation theology in Islam through its sociological, ontological, epistemological and axiological perspectives and as many have also been propagated with respect to Islamisation. It also addresses the modern issues and challenges of cultural globalisation or the Westernisation of science in view of new dialectical theology (kalam e jadid) and proposes de-Westernisation of academic culture as an integral part of Muslim's liberation in modern age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article goes behind the semiotic stereotypes of western representations of nature and language, to track and discuss discursive limitations in an attempt to place these semiotic concepts within their Qur'anic paradigmatic context. A cursory literature review of Western semiotics suggests systematic bias towards conventional signs, at the cost of naturallyoccurring ones. Drawing on the work of U. Eco, J. Deely, J. Hoffmeyer and other prominent semioticians, as well as the Qur'an as a 'semiotician's paradise par excellence', I examine a more comprehensive notion of sign and its relevance as a potential epistemological bridge between nature and culture, between internal phenomenological realities and the external world. My argument is that even at this postmodern, advanced stage of semiotics as a more comprehensive and inclusive study field, the downplaying of the semiotics of nature and its communication value continues to run as a subtext of the process of secularisation. Thus, the ethical and religious meta-representations that come with nature are likely to be neglected, with further ecological implications. All these findings seem to suggest that there is a need to reconsider and review these matters in a much more comprehensive way, given that reflection on the natural signs is one of the major themes in the Qur'an, alongside the reoccurring message that the only way to attain true belief in the Creator is to think through signs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hirabah is the nearest Shariah legal concept to terrorism. Modern technological change, however, has altered the nature of this crime so much that corresponding adjustments in the law of hirabah are inevitable. Remote control devices, precision device-timing, vastly destructive weapons, and even suicide bombings were not considered by early Muslim jurists in their scholastic articulations of hirabah. The Qur'anic conception of this crime, on the other hand, is broad enough to accommodate the needed adjustments, and which is what this article attempts to do - in other words, to reconnect the fiqh of hirabah to its Qur'anic origins. This is necessary as, in its global reach, the scourge of contemporary terrorism has greatly pained and anguished, not only Muslims, but humanity at large. The nature of the phenomenon before us demands suitable Shariah responses. To facilitate this, we have attempted to comprehend contemporary terrorism in its own terms. The discussion therefore begins by defining terrorism and hirabah. A review of the principal Qur'anic verse on hirabah is presented at the outset and then followed by a review and analysis of the fiqh of hirabah in the expositions of the leading schools of Islamic law. Being one of the prescribed hudud crimes, the Qur'an provides a four-fold punishment for hirabah, but while also opening the prospect of repentance and pardon for its perpetrators under certain conditions, and which Muslim scholars have elaborated upon in their deliberations. Yet what they have said in this regard has naturally been bound by the conditions of their own environment and time. This has involved elements of interpretation and speculative ijtihad. In our own attempt to bridge the gap between the fiqhi conception of hirabah and contemporary terrorism, we look into contemporary opinion and research on this phenomenon so as to encapsulate its salient new features. Terrorism has been overshadowed, to some extent, by the clamour generated by the socalled 'clash of civilisations,' by Islamophobia and by confrontational politics, at the expense of reflective Shariah responses to issues. Muslim scholars have provided some through the issuance of fatwa and scholarly opinion, which we also review in a separate section below. The article ends with a conclusion and set of actionable policy recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After inheriting a multicultural yet segmented society from its colonial legacy, identity politics has heavily influenced political Islam in Malaysia. Since then, identity politics has significantly shaped Malaysia’s political dynamics, including in the bureaucratic and legal spheres. The Islamism espoused by the Malay Muslim majority is often intertwined with exclusivist ethno-religious considerations vis-à-vis the non-Muslim minorities (the Chinese and Indians). One of the most frequent manifestations of this political platform is the slogan ‘protecting Islam’ or ‘protecting religion’. This notion often finds itself at the centre of the Islamist discourse, especially in high-profile religious cases involving Muslims and non-Muslims. This paper intends to provide a descriptive analysis of ‘protecting Islam’ in the Malaysian context while also identifying key elementss in its inner-workings. It will then proceed with a discussion of maqṣad hifẓ al-dīn (the objective to preserve religion), a sub-topic in the overarching field of maq...sid al-sharīcah. This discussion will examine how this notion is understood within the Malaysian context, while also asking what the Shari’ah says about it, and what the gaps are between the two positions. Finally, the article will propose a theoretical framework for achieving an optimal Shari’ah-based policy response to the issues discussed. Possible real world applications in the Malaysian experience will also be explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article begins by looking at peace as a theological principle, before proceeding to explore peace from various other angles, such as peace through inclusivity, peace through non-violence, peace through equity and fair treatment of others. There is also an elaborate articulation of methods for the peaceful resolution of conflicts, including counselling (nasihah), conciliation (sulh), arbitration (tahkim), forgiveness (‘afwa), and truce (al-hudnah). After reviewing these, the discussion then presents a selection of Islamic legal maxims (qawa’id kulliyyah fiqhiyyah) that accentuate the primacy of peace in Islam. Legal maxims are concise epithetic declarations of principles that accentuate the higher goals and purposes of Islam. We conclude with a set of actionable recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides an analysis of amnesty and pardon in Islamic law with special reference to post-conflict justice. Topics discussed include exposition of Islamic law provisions on amnesty, fiqh positions in reference to the Qur'an or Sunnah, and conflicting interests on reconciling pardon and punishment in the sphere of criminal justice.

This paper argues that literature - story telling in particular - can be an effective way of teaching ethics. Exposing readers to good role models can help impart ethical values. The Qur'an itself uses story telling to convey many of its ethical principles. Literature can serve as a powerful instrument in the cause of civilisational renewal, not only by promoting a culture of learning and literacy, but also by contributing to the development and strengthening of moral integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a speech by politician Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, on Islamicjerusalem (Bait al-Maqdis) as a model for peaceful co-existence and mutual respect for all humankind. Topics of the speech included importance of Jerusalem in the Quran for its sanctity and relevance to Prophet Muhammad's ascension to the heavens, history of Jews and Christians in Jerusalem, and need to adopt the model of peaceful coexistence under Muslim ruler Umar ibn al-Khattab.

The article focuses on the evidence which rejects extremism in the holy book of Islam, the Qur'an. Topics discussed are committing murder, violence and terror in the name of religion by extremists including Islamic State (ISIS) loyalists and followers of Osama Bin Laden, quotes from the Qur'an objecting idoltry, known as shirk, and false claims of the radicals that they are divinely guided due to their arrogance and false pride.

The article focuses on the secular law for Muslim minorities living in West and non-Muslim minorities living in Muslim countries, called the Fiqh Al-Aqalliyāt which means jurisprudence of minorities. Topics discussed are mandatory rules to be followed by Muslims include ethical guidelines of the Quran and maintain healthy relation with the host community, recommendations from Muslim scholars for updation of law and maintain higher objective of law, rights of Muslim minorities.

The emergence of taqlid or indiscriminate imitation of the work of former scholars by later scholars was a major turning point in Islamic history. It created two classes of scholars, those who referred to the primary sources of the Shariah (the early scholars), and those that did not (the later scholars). As a result of the expectation to follow and build on the work of the early scholars, the Qur'an and Sunnah attained the status of "remote" sources, at least as far as the later scholars were concerned. The works of the early scholars, by contrast, were brought forward and came to be treated, for all practical purposes, as "primary sources." The distancing of the later Muslims from the Qur'an was reflected in how Muslims came to relate to the sacred text. Scholars began to look outside of the Qur'an itself for the meaning of the Qur'an, more specifically in the commentaries of their predecessors. Other Muslims were advised to focus on recitation and leave the interpretation of the sacred text to scholars. As it was the Qur'an that provided the impetus to the rise of the Islamic civilisation in the first place, civilisational renewal will require a re-engagement with the Qur'an, by scholars as well as the wider Muslim community. Reopening access the Qur'an will have to begin with a reappraisal of learning methodologies currently in use. This will require first and foremost overcoming taqlid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that the cosmic signs or āyāt repeatedly mentioned in the Qur'an can be understood, and indeed have been understood in classical Islam, as theophanic manifestations of His Being and Qualities; hence a metaphysical intuition of their divine roots goes beyond reason as mere decipherer of the wonders of structure and mechanics of the world. By contrast, literalist reformist and modernist discourses tend to shun the Quranic evidences of Divine immanence while emphasising exclusively the distance between God and His creation. This is why most contemporary Islamic apologists of modern science understand the world as a realm of cosmogonic "signatures" rather than one of metaphysical theophany. As a response to this type of views, it is argued herein that both the reductive and problematic treatment of the Qur'an as a kind of scientific manual and, at the other extreme, the denial of the conjunction between tawhīd and the traditional Islamic concept and practice of science fail to do justice to the deeper layers of meaning of āyāt. Only a consideration of a sense of the qualitative meaning of the cosmos through a restoration of a consciousness of Divine Immanence can provide an antidote to such reductive readings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contentment is an important dimension of virtuous human character (akhlaq) in the context of our attitude towards material provision and worldly sustenance, and our attitude towards sharing our sustenance with others. We first explore the position which the discipline of cultivating human character holds in Islam. It discloses the direct relationship of human character with our society and the environment. These relations are the foundation on which the treatment of contentment (qana'ah) is based. After defining the term qana'ah, we discuss the "good wholesome life (hayatan tayyibah)" mentioned in the Qur'an (al-Nahl 16:97) which denotes 'self-contentment'. The term provides the premise that a virtuous and pure life in this world is based on human self-control towards his means of provision, his society, and the environment. With a disciplined human attitude towards material means, material abundance or scarcity of worldly things will not disrupt one's conviction and self-sufficiency. We then discuss the by-products of non-contentment and greed such as wasting of food and other natural resources. This leads us to the topic of self-discipline in terms of dealing with the material world and our fellows. Finally we discuss the importance of self-discipline through frugal-moderation for individual and civilisational renewal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Important Islamic principles and values in governance are identified from the Qur'an, Sunna and the essential Shariah objectives (Maqasid al-Sharicah). The principles (vicegerency, rule of law, justice, social welfare, separation of powers, accountability, consultation, obedience, public participation, inclusiveness, equality, dignity, hisbah or enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, limiting money politics, and ensuring a free, independent media, and peace and security) have considerable bearing on the structure of government institutions and in ensuring good governance, while the values (trustworthiness, transparency, cooperation towards good, moderation, eagerness for knowledge, frugality and valuing time, and good neighbourliness) relate more to the moral qualities required by rulers, leaders and government officers alike. The proposed process of integrating these into governance is based on a systems thinking approach which acknowledges that governance works in a systemic framework. It also stresses the modern discipline of change management but points out that both it and a systems approach were already applied most successfully by Prophet Muhammad [pbuh]. Working examples, which can be adapted for use in Muslim countries for government departments and civic society have been identified from Canada and Malaysia, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses renewal of Islamic civilisation and two principles or axes of faith of Islam which is the Qur'an and the Divine and the Prophet and the human. Topics include prophetic role model, consequences of ignorance of prophetic mission, and experiencing spiritual transformation and Divine revelation within oneself.

The basic theme of this article is that civilisational renewal is an integral part of Islamic thought. The article looks into the meaning, definition and origins of tajdīd, islāh and their relationship with ijtihād, and how these have been manifested in the writings and contributions of the thought leaders of Islam throughout its history. The article develops tajdīd-related formulas and guidelines that should lead the efforts of contemporary Muslims in articulating the objectives of inter-civilisational harmony and their cooperation for the common good. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this article is to discuss the meaning and characteristics of Islamic civilisation and its global presence, particularly in the field of knowledge culture. Since both terms have been contested in contemporary scholarship to the point of their critics denying epistemic legitimacy to the concept of Islamic civilisation itself, the article devotes a lengthy discussion to defending its continuing validity and legitimacy. The most serious challenge comes from the concept of world-system developed by a number of Western thinkers, especially Immanuel Wallerstein. The article also explains the meaning of a civilisation's global presence, which it argues exists at three different levels, namely territorial presence, cultural presence, and intellectual-spiritual presence. It argues that in the case of Islamic civilisation, its global presence exists at all the three levels. Since knowledge culture is presented as the very heart of Islamic civilisation given the fact that Islam claims to be the religion of knowledge, the article provides an introductory discussion of some important aspects of knowledge culture originating from Islamic civilisation that have become accepted through the West as integral parts of our common modern civilisation. The article concludes with suggestions for further studies and research on the theme of Islamic civilisation's global presence but from new perspectives in the light of new realities in intercultural and inter-civilisational relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is an attempt to compare the teachings of Confucius and Islam, specifically The Four Books, which are authoritative works on Confucius, and the original sources of Islam, Qur’ān and Sunnah. The Four Books are the most quoted sources of Confucius’ thought, namely The Great Learning (Da Xue), The Doctrine of the Mean (Zhong Yong), The Confucian Analects (Lun Yu) and The Works of Mencius (Mengzi). The focus shall be on the concept of family and filial piety as found in Confucianism and Qur’ān and Sunnah. Both the teachings of Confucius and Islam emphasise the importance of virtues, ties and order in the family system, for example, the husband is the head of the family and responsible for the family’s existence and security. Islam and Confucianism are both patriarchal, and the husband and men are protectors of the family and deserve much respect. Young members of the family must respect and obey the elders and vice versa. To Confucius, these virtues are the heavenly way and must be cultivated and developed accordingly as li or good manners from an early age. The young and old must be treated according to their age. Similar values are also upheld in Islam. However, there are also differences between the two approaches which shall be highlighted as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Islam emphasises the belief that the family is the cornerstone of human civilisation. This article explains that Islamic teachings regarding family structure are unique in providing theoretical and practical answers to modern challenges and have the ability to reform any deviation. Furthermore, it constructs, from the study of the Qur’ān and the prophetic applications, a model for gender equality and harmonious family relations. The methodology of this article is based on conducting a textual analysis of relevant qur’ānic concepts and Prophetic applications. It is my hope that having this understanding may show the way towards realising the significance of enforcing gender equity in order to establish healthy and peaceful human relations, especially among family members, which in turn will lead to generating a peaceful human culture and society in our modern time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article features with a general characterisation of the Qur’ān with reference to family law and gender equity. Its main purpose is to visualise the broader picture of qur’ānic dispensations and the manner they are manifested in the sharīʿah. A brief outline of the higher objectives (maqās􀌛id) on family welfare and reproductive health is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author discusses aspects of the Hijrah, which is migration or exodus of the Prophet Muhammad. He tells how the hijrah is projected in the history of Islam and Qur'an as migration from Mecca to Abyssinia. He also analyzes the message of hijrah to the Muslims which includes the test of faith , transformation, and sense of abandonment.

In this article the author discusses the act of saving an abandoned child based on Islam faith. It is noted that due to the qur'ānic emphasis on the sanctity of life, it is considered as an act of great merit and service to humanity. Moreover, issues concerning the parental and religious identity of the child, as well as the responsibility for the child's maintenance and care, and criminal acts are explored.