“If Islam appears rigid and doctrinaire, it is because the learned interpreters make it so. They tended to be harsh and intolerant when interpreting during the hey-day of the Muslim Empires. And they and their followers brook no opposition to their writs once they were made. And so, long after the Muslims have lost their predominant position, long after the world environment has changed, the Muslims were exhorted to adhere to interpretations, which are no longer adequate or relevant or practicable. What Muslims must do is to go back to the Quran and the genuine hadiths, study and interpret them in the context of the present world. It is Allahs will that the world has changed. It is not for man to reverse what has been willed by Allah. The faithful must look for guidance from the teachings of the Quran and Hadith in the present context. Islam is not meant only for 7th Century Arabs. Islam is for all times and for every part of the world. If we Muslims understand this, then there will be less misunderstandings among us. If the non-Muslims appreciate the problems that the Muslims have in trying to adjust to modern changes, then they will not misunderstand Islam and the Muslims as much as they do now. And the world will be a better place if all these misunderstandings are removed” (Former Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, April 16th 1996; Being a speech delivered at the Oxford Center for Islamic Studies Oxford, United Kingdom). -Copied from the wall of Moses Ochonu
Posted on: Mon, 11 Aug 2014 04:22:17 +0000
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