By Lysium
Who is a true Muslim? One who follows
Quran and hadiths “truly”? There are several
interpretations of Quran, several schools of thoughts
several sects each with its own version of Islam claiming
they are original Muslims. Then who is true Muslim? How to
know? This is one question.
Leaving these scholarly differences,
you may consider a person true Muslim if he truly follows
what he ‘believes’ to be true principles of Islam.
On some particular issues if I feel
that Holy Prophet’s teachings are not correct and not
justified then what should I do? I personally believe that
all people should have right to choose their own religion,
there should not be any discrimination on the basis of
religion or gender or race, creed etc. But if I want to
follow Prophet’s teachings, I should not treat
non-Muslim as equal to a Muslim. Non-Muslims cannot preach
their religion, they should not be allowed to pray in
public. They should pay Jizia Tax. If a Muslim wants to
leave his religion, he should be killed. Etc. clearly
these teachings are not justified from humanitarian point
of view. Should I follow the teachings of Prophet just
because these are taught by Prophet?
I do not consider that women are
inferior to men. But Islam considers women are inferior to
men hence entitled fewer civil rights. I do not find any
reason in treating two women witness as equal to one male
witness. I consider this as a clear discrimination on the
basis of sex. No civilized and secular country can
implement these kinds of laws.
If a person tries to follow the holy
Prophet truly in all respects many consider him
fundamentalists. It is because some of the acts of Prophet
in their original form if implemented now appear
uncivilized and some times criminal.
In many countries, polygamy is not
allowed. Marrying children amounts to criminal act. But
both of these were practiced by Holy Prophet. As per
Islam, there is nothing wrong in marrying 6-year-old
girls, but the same act is treated as child abuse and rape
in many countries. Do you think that all these countries
are wrong in implementing this law as it is prohibiting
what Islam allowed? Now the question is, do you want to
follow the teachings and acts of Prophet without any
change or do you think that there should be some change as
the world is changing. I consider a person a fanatic who
does not want to change any thing from the original
teachings even though many aspects become out dated or
even harmful to society.
If a ‘Mullah’ is confined to
preaching religious things only, nobody finds fault with
him. But if he starts interfering in the secular and day
today matters and trying to impose fanatic restrictions,
then the Mullahs are under criticism. As there was no
separation between state and religion in Islamic
countries, all the religious teachings become state laws
and people do not have any right to choose the laws they
like or reject the laws they do not like. Mullahs become
interpreters of Islam and God. Each Mullah has his own
interpretation of Islam. To question a Mullah amounts to
questioning Islam and God.
Only when religion becomes a personal
matter, every one can follow whatever religion he likes
and in whatever fashion he likes. There are many Muslims
who believe in equal opportunity to all, tolerance to
other religions, equal rights to women etc. if they want
to implement all these things they have to deviate from
the original teachings of Prophet. If they consider that
the above humanitarian values are good but cannot
implement because Holy prophet is against these values,
then they have to take a decision whether to remain a
‘TRUE MUSLIM’ or to become a ‘GOOD MUSLIM’
(secular humanitarian person)
All religions have some good and some bad teachings. Some
teachings may be good at the time they proclaimed but
later as the time changes may become unsuitable.
Unfortunately people are not allowed to reform Islam on
the ground that Quran is God’s word, it is absolute and
ultimate standard for every thing and nothing can be
changed or added to it. When a religion is not reformed,
it no longer guides properly and breeds fanaticism.
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