Blogs

The Current Predicament of American Muslims and Their Responsibilities in the New Reality

By Abdur Rab on 5/12/2011 4:42 PM

The American Muslims are currently going through what one could characterize as a critical, trying time. It’s a great irony that today, they find themselves trapped in a very delicate situation due to home-grown terrorism that has involved “Muslims” in name. Such “Muslims” are a microscopic minority of extremists – examples: Nidal Hasan, Faisal Shahzad and their likes. Nidal Hasan is an American-born Army Major of Palestinian descent who is shortly to undergo trial, having been accused of killing more than a dozen soldiers and injuring dozens more at the Fort Hood army base. Pakistani-born Faisal Shahzad is serving a life in prison term for attempting a car-bomb attack at the New York Times Square. They are self-declared, self-righteous, so-called jihadists or soldiers of God who are influenced by the fundamentalist, fanatic, and militant ideas of some Muslim writers like Sayyid Qutb of Egypt and Maulana Mawdudi of Pakistan. Other extremists include American-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki now probably holed up in Yemen, five American Muslim students who were recently arrested in Pakistan for contacting al Qaeda via the Internet and for trying to join a Pakistani militant-training camp and one Saudi student of Texas who was recently caught buying explosive chemicals online. They are a handful of indoctrinated Muslims who would not hesitate to even kill themselves to take innocent lives. This new development is a matter of serious concern to all Americans, and in particular to Muslim Americans. The critical question they face is: How do they deal with this situation?

The Hadith is Unacceptable as Reliable Religious Guidance

By Abdur Rab on 2/13/2011 4:56 PM

Dr. Asghar Ali’s “Some Thoughts on Training Ulama” posted on his blog on this website has some good points and suggestions, but, unfortunately, his suggested strategy to train our religious ulama (singular alim) falls terribly short of what is needed to bring about a fundamental change in the status quo. The basic premise from which such discourse should start is to recognize the big mess the traditional ulama have made of our religion.

Remarrying a Divorced Wife: Reinterpreting the Quranic Verse 2:230

By Abdur Rab on 12/25/2010 7:29 PM

An act of great social tragedy and crime is being committed in parts of the Muslim world in the name of Islam under our very nose, alas indeed, escaping the attention, or with the connivance, or tacit approval, of our Muslim scholars. I am referring to the practice of hilla (or hullah) system that entitles a divorced wife to return to her husband, if both husband and wife so desire, but only after remarrying another person and after that person divorces her. Unfortunately, this practice owes to the way the Quranic verse 2:230 is usually interpreted to mean and to the further related message that has come from the Hadith literature.

Civilization on Trial

By Abdur Rab on 10/22/2010 3:56 PM

The ongoing trial of an influential politician and lawmaker of the Netherlands, Geert Wilders, for his anti-Muslim and anti-Islam remarks represents in fact a trial of civilization itself, to coin after the celebrated Historian Arnold Toynbee’s “Civilization on Trial.” The very fact that the judicial system of the Netherlands has, on complaints from the Dutch Muslims, taken up a case against Wilders bears testimony to the civilized nature of the Dutch society at large. Wilders has made many nasty, unpardonable remarks against Muslims, Islam, and the Quran. He faces charges of inciting hatred against Muslims for many remarks, including some equating Islam with fascism and violence and others calling for a ban on the Quran and a tax on Muslim headscarves. His remarks include "let not one more Muslim immigrate" and "I've had enough of the Quran in the Netherlands: Forbid that fascist book."

Announcement: The second edition of my book is now in the market!

By Abdur Rab on 10/13/2010 5:05 PM

Dear Patrons, Friends, Brothers, and Sisters,

It is with a heart filled with praise and gratitude to Gracious God and some real gratification and excitement that I would like to share with you the news of publication of the second edition of my book Exploring Islam in a New Light, thanks to Brother Edip Yuksel who has been kind to beautifully publish it through his Brainbow Press (See the amazon web link: http://www.amazon.com/Exploring-Islam-New-Light-Abdur/dp/098258671X).

Divine Will and Human Freedom — Part I. Divine Predestination: How Far Real?

By Abdur Rab on 1/9/2010 6:00 PM

Abstract. The kind of approach to the subject of divine will and human freedom that dominates the religious outlook (belief system) of Muslims is that major events such as life, death, livelihood, etc., if not all that happens, are divinely preordained, fixed, and inevitable — i.e., unalterable by human effort. Such a belief is encouraged by the Hadith literature and the opinions of some Muslim theologians. However, the Quran does not support this belief. This article demonstrates, in light of the Quran, that this idea is a major misconception. The Quran strongly upholds human freedom, responsibility, and accountability. Destiny, of course, plays a part in human life. But that part often gets overemphasized to the virtual exclusion of human freedom. The truth is, as it has been throughout the history of human civilization, that man is largely the architect of his own destiny. If that is not the case, the whole foundation of religion falls apart.

My Book: A Snapshot

By Abdur Rab on 9/28/2009 8:02 PM

As promised in my opening statement on this blog, below I provide you with a
brief summary of my book, Exploring Islam in a New Light: An Understanding from the Quranic Perspective (A second revised edition is titled "Exploring Islam in a New Light: A View from the Quranic Perspective" published by Brainbow Press in 2010).

The book is a renewed attempt to provide a new, comprehensive vision of Islam. It makes a compelling case for a reformed Islamic practice that follows only the Quran, and rejects the widely revered Hadith literature. It seeks to promote a new way of thinking about a reformed Islam—one that can reconcile all Muslims and create the civil, moral Islam the Quran dictates.

The Opening Statement: What Religion?

By Abdur Rab on 7/24/2009 6:43 PM

Religion, or call it “deen” if you will, is arguably often the least understood, or the most misunderstood, and probably the most contentious, subject. Part of the reason is, of course, that there have been different prophets and books and teachings by their names, and partly because of the fact that with the coming of each religion, false prophets or religious clerics emerged on the scene, who deliberately introduced new things into the religion. Because ideas die hard, the followers of earlier religions though superseded by later ones generally stick to their own books of such teachings. Interpretations of religions vary even more. There are multiple interpretations of the same religion, even among followers who have grown in their intellect and wisdom. However, differences in religious understanding tend to narrow when wisdom grows to a certain level. Since the source of religion is God and divine revelation, all prophets must have brought the same message, and religion with God always must have been, or must be, the same one (3:1; 41:43; 42:13; 6:115).

Blogs by DRC researchers

DRC's own researchers discussing and posting on diverse subjects on the Qur'an, the world, human society, interpretation, Muslim world, history, science, philosophy etc.