In my recent article for the DT, I expressed my disapprobation of a few articles proposing perspectives of analysing Islam which contradict with the most rudimentary and firmly established doctrines of Islam.
Their propositions are so extraordinarily incongruous with the fundamental principles of Islam that it assumes a disposition of almost complete commonality with the secular philosophy of life nurtured in the West. In my humble effort, I demonstrated that these radical views are emerging out of mistakes – inadvertent or calculated – in understanding Qur’anic verses, ahadith and other religious texts, and at the same time, of a very exceptionable lack of knowledge.
Fallacious reasoning and dearth of knowledge in these cases are results of underestimating Islam and its depth. In some cases, I was shocked to find that the proponents of these radical ideas are conspicuously unfamiliar with all relevant ahadith and Qur’anic verses connected to their theories and analyses. “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing” is a very pertinent proverb in explaining their deplorably serious mistakes. However, this might also be a case of feigning ignorance, but it is not my responsibility to judge intentions.
I formally wrote to the DT and I was told that everyone has a right to express his or her opinion. I was also advised to respect differences in opinions. In fact, not only the DT, the gentlemen who commented first on my “protest” article donated the same advice. What seems to be entirely ignored is that when a third grader writes 2+2=3, it is not a difference in opinion, it is a mistake.
When different people look at a goat and they differ in opinion about the colour of the animal, different opinions can suggest different colours, but if someone claims it is not a goat but an airplane, then it is not tolerable. Freedom of speech is a right but like every other right it can be abused.
With every right, attached is a responsibility and those who want to enjoy freedom of speech must take care that they do not say just about anything after thinking for five seconds. And as for respecting differences in opinions, the inimitable reverence the prominent Muslim scholars used to have in the golden for each other despite having so much difference is quintessential.
For a practicing Muslim, nothing could be more distasteful than receiving advices on honour, respect, fairness, and tolerance from those who are inspired by hedonism, materialism and perversion.
You may naturally ask if the mistakes I am talking about in the articles on Islam I protested against are of the same magnitude as adding two twos to get three. I already exposed (“Intellectual attacks on Islam”, Dhaka Tribune, February 16) a very frivolous mistake in the deduction of the writer who wrote “Must Islam and feminism contradict?” (February 15).
He ended up confusing equal rewards with equal responsibilities in his effort to explain a Qur’anic verse, and the mistake is not difficult to understand even for laymen. The whole foundation of his argument is weakened immediately. His article also showed that he is unaware of the existence of other relevant ahadith and Qur’anic verses which clearly contradict his thesis. He simply did not research enough on the subject and ended up disseminating half-baked ideas.
Which Qur’anic verses and ahadith am I talking about then? I shall mention only two here and they should suffice. Notice the 33rd verse of the 33rd chapter: “And abide quietly in your homes, and do not flaunt your charms as they used to flaunt them in the old days of pagan ignorance.”
What about this very pertinent hadith? “Narrated by ibn Mas’ud: Allah’s apostle (S) said: ‘(Unveiled) woman is a cause of corruption. Once she goes out, Satan beautifies her in the eyes of men. At her home, she is the closest to her Lord.”
I do not think after listing these self explanatory quotations, and it is possible to mention more, there is any need for expatiation. Islam does not ask women to be men. They have different roles, different rights, and different spheres of operation. Feminists have criticised Islam for such a philosophy but there is a certain novelty in trying to stress that Islam has nothing against feminism! The problem I thus have is in people trying to create a distorted and wrong image of Islam.
The main goal of writing this article is to forbid these so-called intellectuals to indulge in expressing whimsical thoughts on Islam. Islam is deeper than quantum mechanics, and I can say that confidently having studied both. If you do not have the time to read and research before you write, just do not! Any Muslim should know that his ignorance can harm a million others and therefore he must be more careful.