Summary

In this article, the author argues that these thinkers are essentially creating a "new Islam" rather than genuinely renewing traditional Islam. He focuses particularly on:

1. The interconnectedness of Islamic concepts - arguing that changing one fundamental concept (like the status of non-Muslims) necessarily changes others, creating a different religion altogether
2. Specific case study of Muhammad Salim Al-Awa - criticizing his academic background as being more focused on secular law than Islamic scholarship, and his positions on issues like women's blood money and the status of Coptic Christians
3. Three root causes for what he sees as deviation:
   • Defeat and defeatism before Western/secular attacks
   • Corrupted Islamic education mixed with philosophy and Western thought
   • Prioritizing personal desires over established religious evidence
4. The end result - claiming these thinkers are creating something closer to an "American version of Islam" that accommodates secular values rather than authentic Islamic principles

I also concluded by calling on traditional Sunni scholars to actively oppose these trends rather than remaining silent out of courtesy or personal relationships.

The piece maintains the same critical, traditionalist tone as the previous documents, representing a conservative Islamic perspective opposing modernist interpretations of Islamic law and theology.

Read the rest of the Article in the following link

October 19, 2010

 

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