Renaissance
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How do we bring about a renaissance in the Islamic world? How do we break down their ignorance and intolerance; how do we change them, so that they can see the true power of the people? How could we bring about a democracy there so powerful, that it surpasses the ones in India and the United States?
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I find that tnhe kind of rennaissance that has as a purpose to have a democracy better than that of the USA or India is not he kind of aspiration to maove aybody to anything. Quite the opposite it would result in the same thing we have because in fact it is the same thing reacting, reacting, reacting.
The Muslims should believe and should not be afraid od daring. Muslims today do not dare anything. One cannot get ahead in anything if one looks all the time to the sides, instead of ahead. Muslims, as a whole today do not have any ahead, either they fall back to a wondrous past or they look to others, which are successful in worldly endeavours right now at whatever price it may be, but in fact tghey do not have any aim or idea of what they would really want to be.
Reacting one does not get anywhere. One must believe and dare to be whatever one believes in, never mind whether it is popular or not. If it is successful at any time it will automtically become popular. Success is the most popular things.
Salaam
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Given that the vast majority of people living in ISIS controlled territory are completely unwilling to do anything about their predicament, and in some cases prefer it, the Concept of a world wide renaissance is extremely unlikely.
My above example is mostly to show that muslims even after all the atrocities in the past 20-30 years are still happy to still their head in the sand and the pain has still yet to reach a stage of unbearability that would likely unlock the idea of Renaissance.
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I prefer approaches that are simple and have wide appeal, e.g.
A simple poster/leaflet to put on Mosque noticeboard or Muslim student board at uni/college
www.studyquran.co.uk/SQ_leaflet.pdfInteresting and educational website for "non-Muslims" (and perhaps Muslims) to try
www.AreYouMuslim.comA simple website that tackles common misconceptions about islam, with leaflets one can print and hand out
http//misconceptions-about-islam.com
http//misconceptions-about-islam.com/promote/Spreading the word is a simple start.
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Peace Huruf,
I agree with your sentiment; that if we want change, then we have to be the ones to cause it. We can start educating the people as Waqas stated, and we must be able to mobilize the people against a common enemy. I know to some people this might sound impossible, but I strongly believe in the power of the people. I strongly believe that if the people persist long enough, then, undoubtly, we would be able to end terrorism and dictatorship with nonviolence. In fact, if this is something that peaks your interest, there is a book called "From Dictatorship to Democracy" by Gene Sharp that outlines 198 forms of civil disobedience. It only takes one act to compell people to act.
God Bless you all.
P.S. I apologize for any bad spelling and grammar.
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I think bringing renaissance in the Islamic World is a long, tough process.
The reason Muslims have ignorance is because the theocracy governments and religious institutions discourage thinking and critical knowledge. They are taught to follow Islam by listening to them so that they can easily convince them anything by forbidding them to use their brains. The first baby step to renaissance is spreading knowledge and asking critical questions to other people, whether in online or not. Like huruf said, Muslims should dare themselves by doing it rather than hide their free thinking. This news http//www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/30/womens-mosque-los-angeles_n_6572388.html?ir=India is one of the contribution of changing social norms in Muslim communities. These Muslim women created women-friendly mosque as a reaction against mainstream Muslim's mosques that lacks prayer space for women. Doing it is more effective than saying it. -
Peace
For those who think that taghut will let this renaissance take place without bloodshed,
confrontation and subversion, have conveniently forgotten history and the Quran.
Please read Quran and note what length the enemies of Allah will go to remain in
power. Are we ready to overthrow taghut? Are we prepared? Are we willing to
sacrifice our lives, wealth, and comfort? Are we willing to emigrate?God bless
peace
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Renaissance once came to Middle East because of Mutazila's who fought against hadith books and traditionalists while urging Muslims to use brain and be part of rational Islam.
In short, renaissance was the result of Quran only Islam. I know its something hard to come across these days because traditionalists have done an excellent job of creating propaganda against that group.
The biggest problem we have is that the bubble of mainstream Islam is strong and majority of the Muslims in the world have no interest in reading the Quran to understand it. Its far easier when someone else feeds them what they need to do to be good Muslim. I won't blame them at all because that's how most people in the world behave.
Intolerance and ignorance, both come from hadith books and corrupted translations of Quran. We need to educate people on that.
Peace
For those who think that taghut will let this renaissance take place without bloodshed,
confrontation and subversion, have conveniently forgotten history and the Quran.
Please read Quran and note what length the enemies of Allah will go to remain in
power. Are we ready to overthrow taghut? Are we prepared? Are we willing to
sacrifice our lives, wealth, and comfort? Are we willing to emigrate?God bless
peace
This is what scares me too Hawk. That is why I think it is best to avoid educating people directly at mosques of traditionalists.
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Peace
For those who think that taghut will let this renaissance take place without bloodshed,
confrontation and subversion, have conveniently forgotten history and the Quran.
Please read Quran and note what length the enemies of Allah will go to remain in
power. Are we ready to overthrow taghut? Are we prepared? Are we willing to
sacrifice our lives, wealth, and comfort? Are we willing to emigrate?God bless
peace
THAT IS TRUE. And the proof is that all attempts by progressive efforts within the muslim world have thwarted by taghut, or imperials by another name. It would be false to say that there has been no movement and no real interest by muslims to progress or renew. But it has been thwarted. Still that is no reason not to persist and strive for it.
I think it would be VERY wishful thinking to believe that one can make an omelet without breaking up eggs. Unfortunagtely it is not so, except that God wants to give us a respite and dispose it otherwise.
The effort is for us to make as many do now or as it may be necessary to do int he future and God will say whether we meet success in this world or not. We knwo that in this or in the next, God rewards do nto fail.
Salaam
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This is what scares me too Hawk. That is why I think it is best to avoid educating people directly at mosques of traditionalists.
Reel, we must also not forget about what the 95 thesis helped to bring in Europe religious reform and enlightenment thought (although the latter might not be correct). That one act of Martin Luther helped people to basically open their eyes, and break away from mainstream Christianity. Yes bloodshed did occur, and Martin Luther did get persucated later, but ultimately religious tolerance was achieved in Europe. Change is a long process that starts from an individual or individuals.
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Assuming "Islamic World" = "Middle East + Persia"..
Then I'll start with some quotes
"If the people of this religion are asked about the proof for the soundness of their religion, they flare up, get angry and spill the blood of whoever confronts them with this question. They forbid rational speculation, and strive to kill their adversaries. This is why truth became thoroughly silenced and concealed."
"You claim that the evidentiary miracle is present and available, namely, the Koran. You say "Whoever denies it, let him produce a similar one." Indeed, we shall produce a thousand similar, from the works of rhetoricians, eloquent speakers and valiant poets, which are more appropriately phrased and state the issues more succinctly. They convey the meaning better and their rhymed prose is in better meter. ? By God what you say astonishes us! You are talking about a work which recounts ancient myths, and which at the same time is full of contradictions and does not contain any useful information or explanation. Then you say "Produce something like it""
-- Muhammad ibn Zakariya Razi, 9th-10th century
Renaissance or should I say "European Renaissance" during the medieval ages was ignited due to the mass migration of people like Razi above to the european land. The migration took place due to the pressure from the new religious regime in Syria+Iraq+Iran (middle east) and the mongolian invasion.
In short, the "European Renaissance" was originated from Middle East+Persia a.k.a "Islamic World".
The pattern for 'renaissance' in any part of the world at any point in time are similar
- Order, Security and Fair Justice system.
- The demise of religious power (Church, Rabbi, Imam) and dogmatic mindset.
- The rise of critical and creative thinking. (the opposite of dogmatic thinking)
- Free speech / opinion.
- Multiculturalism (as people with different point of view working together might came up with innovative idea to solve a problem)
Implement the above and those who does shall experienced a "renaissance"...
Salam / Peace
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Salaam Jafar,
After some contemplation I actually affirm that the Biblical Gospels and some complementary texts from the same so-called 'New Testament' teach something that could be regarded as "something similar". At least similar to a Quran that is properly interpreted.
These Gospels teach the same thing as the Quran.
And they all, including Quran, do teach about mindset and how God is in the person that acts in likewise manner. "La Elah ila Allah" of Quran or "I am in the Creator and the Creator in me" of Jesus" or "I am that am I" of Moses and when God said to Moses "Go to the Children of Israel and say I AM has sent you".
Salaam
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A renaissance? I "ll call that a pipe dream at this point. We Muslims haven't even gotten to the stage of admitting our problems and faults, how can we talk of a reform or renaissance? Somehow, i hinted at this in one of my previous topics; http//free-minds.org/forum/index.php?topic=9607179.0
We can't talk of renaissance when don't want to listen to our critics, when we undermine the role of our mainstream/orthodox Islamic narratives on terror, intolerance or extremism but blame it on non-Muslims or conspiracy theories. If we want a renaissance at least for our grand children, we ought to forget "Islamophobia" at this point and actively oppose the politicization of our faith; Islamism/Islamofascism by the theocratic supremacists and absolutists in our midst.
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If a man wants to lift up the mundane world to a greater level, then let him elevate himself with the godliness; every man must detach him from the clutches of mass gatherings and leaderships and become individuals. This is not for the Islam or Christianity but for the entire mankind; each man has the capacity and the direction unique to himself for no two humans are the same at any point of time. The topic could be THE RENAISSANCE OF MAN.
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Reel, we must also not forget about what the 95 thesis helped to bring in Europe religious reform and enlightenment thought (although the latter might not be correct). That one act of Martin Luther helped people to basically open their eyes, and break away from mainstream Christianity. Yes bloodshed did occur, and Martin Luther did get persucated later, but ultimately religious tolerance was achieved in Europe. Change is a long process that starts from an individual or individuals.
Sorry, I didn't see you replied to my post. Religious reform in Europe occurred only after people became fed up of all the blood shedding done by christian priests. But I do feel that Europeans feel far more for their countries. They were always good with philosophy.
But same cant be told about Muslim countries because they have gone too deep inside the stomach of Islamic traditionalists. And you know there is not much difference between mafia and Muslim scholars. The biggest problem is that they have the media and gangs in their hands. Also the average Muslims are overly into the idea that without hadiths one cannot go to heaven. When they hear that its fraud they feel outraged.
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If a man wants to lift up the mundane world to a greater level, then let him elevate himself with the godliness; every man must detach him from the clutches of mass gatherings and leaderships and become individuals. This is not for the Islam or Christianity but for the entire mankind; each man has the capacity and the direction unique to himself for no two humans are the same at any point of time. The topic could be THE RENAISSANCE OF MAN.
YES! Exactly!!
The issue at hand is actually how all of us, each individual in the world, are to elevate ourselves above our current level. The issue is how to evolve.
Commonly we look at the external world for problems and solutions. We look at religions, countries and ideologies. If we only look outside ourselves, we as humanity, will keep oscillating between extremes, progressing in some areas and even regressing in other areas. Only time will change things in this situation, and we'd have to just sit it out and watch history run its course.
But if we want to be responsible and proactive and actually do something worthwhile, we must start the work within ourselves. The world is composed of nothing but a bunch of individuals. If we do not change and progress on the individual level, no real progress will happen in the world, except perhaps for some random changes.
It's not about religion, or politics. It's about ego and knowing ourselves. If we don't start to learn about ourselves, we'll never be able to change anything vital. Instead it will just be a continuous battle between egoes. Religion, politics, culture and nationalism is all about ego and identity.
It's a natural law that we will defend our identity till the last drop of blood. The problem then is when we identify with things that have absolutely nothing to do with our real selves. THIS is the real problem of this world. We don't know who we are. We identify with our religion, with our culture, with our language, with our nation. It's all BS, and we'll keep reaping more BS the more BS we sow.
Peace y'all
Here's a place to start for each person interested themselves
http//www.amazon.co.uk/You-Are-Not-Your-Brain/dp/1583334831/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423312709&sr=8-1&keywords=you+are+not+your+brain -
Sorry, I didn't see you replied to my post. Religious reform in Europe occurred only after people became fed up of all the blood shedding done by christian priests. But I do feel that Europeans feel far more for their countries. They were always good with philosophy.
But same cant be told about Muslim countries because they have gone too deep inside the stomach of Islamic traditionalists. And you know there is not much difference between mafia and Muslim scholars. The biggest problem is that they have the media and gangs in their hands. Also the average Muslims are overly into the idea that without hadiths one cannot go to heaven. When they hear that its fraud they feel outraged.
I apologize for the late reply; as I was busy and not present at this forum for a while.
Now, I testify with what you had said in your previous post, but I also feel like Muslims are fed up with the bloodshed that ISIS and other traditional upholders have caused. And, if there would be a rennaissance, then it should be at the aftermath of terrorism.
Now, there is one problem, and that is that the average Muslims should be the ones to terrorism. The reasons for that would be, one, for unity; as they would unite with other people not of their likeness, against a common enemy, and the bigger reason would be; that the plebieans there would see the power in themselves, and, thus, they would not be afraid to bring down any other oppressive regime In the future.
Now, just to acheive that, there would have to be massive shifts in the populist's minds; one that would make secularism and tolerance more acceptable. And, it would be useless for a preacher to preach those ideas to the plebeian because, if the plebeian is not ready for a change, then the preacher would be the one executed.
Overall, I am saying that the people would have to be the ones to liberate themselves; which would be extremely hard, and I get lost at what to do at that part.
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Overall, I am saying that the people would have to be the ones to liberate themselves; which would be extremely hard, and I get lost at what to do at that part.
First we must start sorting out our selves. This means our brain/mind/mental patterns. If we are not aware that our Ego is running most of the show, and that the objects of our self-identification is keeping us prisoner, then we won't be able to change.
First we MUST start getting to know ourselves, i.e. how we as thinking being work. It doesn't have to be hard. Forget the complications of psychology and psychoanalysis and such theoretical swamps.
