Author Archives: Zorro

Literalism: it’s literally not the only problem

By Zorro | Published: October 15, 2010

Much has been said of religious interpretations and essentialist readings of scripture. Whether it is reading texts demanding the burning of books, killing of infidels, or being a ‘Jewish Muslim’ or ‘Muslim Jew’. Some will argue that as scripture is human in origin it is not surprising that humans interpret it according to their influences, environment, culture, time and place. Religious people themselves will often see religious interpretations as being precisely that – a human effort to understanding the scripture, the ‘mind’ of God, or the intent of the text. The teacher of Imam al-Ghazali described the intent and effort as being significant in striving to find God’s injunctions, not the end product or rule.

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Posted in Hermeneutics | 10 Comments

The hijab, Sarkozy and all that

By Zorro | Published: June 25, 2009

Sarkozy’s call for a ban on the veil has indeed opened up a number of issues and perspectives, even if he may well have had his own motives for doing so!

We have had the normal reaction on the left to condemn him, the reaction from the right in the UK to call for a ban and even claim Muslims support them and this has caused a little stir amongst Islamists.

iEngage for example originally followed the 1st electronic print of the Express article stating that Ghaffar Hussain from the Quilliam Foundation had stated that the Burka/Burqa was a cultural practice and not sanctioned in the Quran, but then went further and mistakenly claimed that he supported a ban. This has subsequently been “corrected”, by both the Express and iEngage.

A number of ancilliary discussions have persisted some of which are quite interesting, hypocritical and opportunistic.

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Posted in Anti Fascism, Anti Muslim bigotry, Democracy, Ethics, Exegesis, Freedom of Expression, Hermeneutics, Human Rights, Islamism, Politics, Secularism, Sharia | 4 Comments

Why Sharia doesn’t seek the Sharia to be enforced by the State

By Zorro | Published: June 17, 2009

It seems that the Islamists, and some anti-Islamists, are getting into the debate involving the implementation of Sharia with certain assumptions in mind.

1. There is such a thing as The Sharia!

This is simply not true. Muslim scholars do not have a single detailed rule of Sharia that they agree upon. They agree on broad principles which most humans do, but in general they do not agree on a single body of law which they call Sharia. They have loads of different interpretations on most aspects of their religious code – if not all. To give an example let’s take the rulings of alcohol and wine. Is wine or alcohol forbidden? If it is both or either, is there a punishment? If so, what is the punishment? If not then it is up to the authorities to criminalize or not – a process called Tazir. The fact is there is no consensus on such issues.

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Posted in Ethics, Exegesis, Islamism, Secularism, Sharia | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Islamist Economics and the Capitalist System – Riba!

By Zorro | Published: June 11, 2009

“Islamic” economic ‘thinkers’ and Islamist political activists ranging from the terror crew (Bin Laden et al), to the “moderates” often like to have a rant at the evil Capitalist economic system, and specifically interest based banking.  They often equate the above with the Islamic prohibition on Riba – usually vaguely translated as usury.

Many Islamic theologians/scholars do in fact consider interest an aspect of usury, though many don’t (see here for a full discussion of all of the Islamic scholars who permitted interest and did not see it as Riba). Assuming many did forbid interest as Riba, it does not necessarilly mean that is the complete picture.

Traditionally theologians have developed elaborate means of ensuring that effective financial transactions are not prevented through the blanket application of Islamic rules of Fiqh (human interpretations of Sharia divine law) to situations without recourse to strategies where necessary.

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Posted in Ethics, Exegesis, Hermeneutics, Islamism, Sharia | 5 Comments

Obama: A new beginning

By Zorro | Published: June 5, 2009

Obama has completed the third and final leg of his “Islamic World” ‘Odyssey’.  In his speech from Turkey he stated that America was not at war with Islam. He visited Saudi Arabia, the ‘birth place of Islam’, for advice from his majesty, King Abdullah, on how to address the “Islamic World” on issues including but not restricted to, Democracy, Womens rights and tolerence.

He ended his tour, in Cairo, where extreme security measures were undertaken, where students were pre-emptively arrested, detained and huge security measures enforced in the City leaving the city with one of the most densely populated cities in the World, with empty streets.

Whilst many commentators have welcomed his open approach, his olive branch to Iran on Nayruz, to the Arabs and Muslim majority countries calling for mutual interests and murual respect to be reknewed, his shift from militant rhetoric, his recognition of Muslim contributions to America and the World at large, and his  assertion  that he will close  down  Guantanomo bay  etc, other commentators have rasied legitimate concerns.

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Posted in Democracy, Human Rights, Identity Politics, International Affairs, Islamism, Politics | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

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