Rehabilitation of Reasoning: Reviving the Muslim Mind

By Leslie Terebessy

The results of analysis are just as reliable as the method used in reaching them. A reliable method produces reliable conclusions. By comparison, a faulty methodology produces unreliable results. Islamic exegesis and jurisprudence are tainted by politicized perspectives and unwarranted practices. These encompass treating tradition as revelation, the repression of reason, "judging" revelation by tradition, the abrogation of all verses of reconciliation, and the articulation of jihad al-talab as a "sixth pillar" of Islam. Treating tradition as revelation prepared the way for tradition to become a "judge" of revelation. Treating tradition as a "judge" of revelation reversed the relationship between revelation and tradition and enabled tradition to become a root of legislation. Treating tradition as a "judge" of revelation relegated revelation under the jurisdiction of tradition. This corrupted the knowledge of revelation. Traditions were recorded at the request of hawkish rulers. Recourse to tradition was used to endorse territorial expansion. The treatment of tradition as revelation was used to justify the recording the traditions. The recording of traditions was also justified by recourse to a tradition which reportedly says that Muhammad received two revelations, the Book of Allah and traditions. The ulama asked to record the traditions were reluctant to do so. They remembered that Allah prohibited the fabrication of revelation, and that the prophet also prohibited recording his traditions. Treating tradition as revelation enabled traditions to become roots of legislation. It also enabled traditions to "abrogate" and "replace" parts of revelation, e.g. the rulings on apostasy and adultery. The prohibition of engaging reason to understand revelation caused in a mis-rendition of the teaching of revelation. It engendered a paralysis of thought, triggering a chain of aberrations. These encompass the perception that tradition is revelation, that the use of reason to interpret revelation is kufr, and that revelation is in parts "unclear," "insufficiently detailed," and "contradictory." Rehabilitation of knowledge thus requires the rehabilitation of reason. Rehabilitation of reason requires its emancipation from enslavement by tradition. Rehabilitation of knowledge also requires restoring revelation to its pre-eminence. The reluctance to engage reason prevented exegetes from a fuller understanding the Book of Allah. Thus, they asserted that revelation is in pars "unclear." This suggests that revelation requires "explanation." As reason could not be used to explain revelation, exegetes turned to tradition. Recourse to tradition to "explain" revelation rests on the presumption that persons nearer to the prophet possessed a better understanding of revelation than everyone afterwards. Accordingly, the best "explanation" of revelation would be furnished by traditions. Tradition would, for example, explain the right way to pray. Recourse to tradition was also justified by the perception that revelation is "insufficiently detailed." But to allege that the Book of Allah requires "detailing" is to treat revelation as flawed. The turn from revelation to tradition fragmented the umma, with different denominations following different traditions. It is wiser to unite by following revelation than differing traditions. The turn from revelation to tradition triggered the fall of the empire. The characterization of tradition as revelation transformed Islam into "traditional" Islam. Recourse to the teaching of abrogation transformed Islam "political" Islam. Islamism perceives existence as a "clash" between the realm of Islam and the realm of war. Militant jurisprudence justified wars of aggression, prohibited in revelation. However, these did not end well. The umma was turned back in France in 732, in Bagdad in 1258, and at Vienna in 1529 and 1683. Eventually, the setbacks triggered by the politicization of the teaching of revelation ended the empire.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B093KJ6B96
• ISBN13: 9798744998653
• Release Date: April 2021
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 212 Pages
• Weight: 0.64 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"