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Back to basics

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in response to reader comment: What is a moderate Muslim?

Submitted by jennifer solis (United States), May 5, 2008 at 02:34

Generally, a moderate Muslim is one who does not impose his ideology and beliefs on others.

Is this possible without diluting Islam? Can a moderate Muslim claim piety, loyalty towards his religion?

There are Muslims who say, yes, and go as far as to "re-interpret" Quranic dogma.

One such is Mahmud Muhammad Taha, a co-founder of the Sudanese Republican Party, who fundamentally re-interpreted the Qur'an, claiming women and other people of other faiths were accorded equal status, and Quranic concepts of compassion, mercy, justice, and beauty supersede some of the less tolerant passages of the Sunna.

There is no mention of Shar'ia law in the Qur'an.

No mention of Dar al-Harb, or Dar al-Islam.

I have heard it said that the Qur'an is "content without context" - and while some verses in the Qur'an are difficult to not take at face value, I believe that it could be argued that certain passages are applicable only towards existing circumstance at the the time which they were written.

While personally no fan of the Qur'an, I do believe the possibility of interpretation of the Qur'an which would justify moderate Muslim status exists.

Regrettably, numerous additional outside "dynamia" have led to the current predicament.

As a side note - I don't believe "moderate Muslims" are the sole solution.

Only when "radical Muslims" see that their ideology is to their detriment; that will promote, and result in, the spread of "moderate Islam".

"Moderate Islam" will never, in and of itself, produce a "reformation".

Submitting....

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Reader comments (50) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
moderate muslims [188 words]alexAug 6, 2008 07:09136348
The New Yorker's Cartoon on the Obama's deserves a bit of thought. [502 words]Uni-faceted New Yorker Responses-let's be real!Jul 14, 2008 16:27135083
Islamism is not Bida [492 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Archimedes2Jul 10, 2008 12:52134783
NO MUSLIM IS OUR ALLY [212 words]Jdamn13Jul 7, 2008 23:50134608
Intellect and Reason will always win out [357 words]Gabrielle CroftsJun 15, 2008 02:29132161
Western Invention [68 words]J TimeJun 13, 2008 22:58132054
Spot on [61 words]Arif Jayish Al AmirkiJun 2, 2008 21:39130927
Islam is a political system not a religion [117 words]PabloMay 29, 2008 20:00130506
To hell with political correctness! [370 words]Nick4693Jul 12, 2008 21:04130506
non Islamic Muslams.. [109 words]donvanMay 27, 2008 10:58130191
Moderates vs. Radicals [116 words]Rebecca MouldsMay 21, 2008 08:04129411
Muslims Against Terrorism [181 words]DianaMay 19, 2008 19:47129212
moderate... [108 words]donvanMay 19, 2008 11:10129133
religion could be bad [140 words]aval31May 16, 2008 08:47128826
Why we are suspicious of Muslims [1921 words]gary fouseMay 11, 2008 22:43128425
Hi Gary [46 words]Straight_Talk_LuigiMay 13, 2008 18:58128425
Islam existing in freedom requires ignorance of Islamic scripture [563 words]jennifer solisMay 16, 2008 03:04128425
Muslims all over the world must learn to respect and be tolerant in order to gain respect and tolerance as well! [362 words]TROYMay 31, 2008 07:48128425
kuran hurts (and intends to hurt) non-muslims [123 words]G.VishvasMay 9, 2008 10:16128202
it would be nice . . . [43 words]Phil GreendMay 8, 2008 22:29128173
An unfailing compass [116 words]Victor TordjmanMay 5, 2008 21:57127830
I concur completely with Victor. [97 words]MarkMay 6, 2008 20:26127830
Joshua Muravchik: the Walter Duranty of our times [116 words]Timothy HunterMay 5, 2008 11:36127769
Joshua Muravchik concerning "Moderate Islamists" [121 words]Sol ShalitMay 5, 2008 11:28127767
Excellent Point [24 words]jennifer solisMay 5, 2008 18:07127767
Absolute Idolatry [931 words]Prof. Paul EidelbergMay 5, 2008 11:11127766
Moderate Islamists (Muslims) [435 words]Nick4693May 4, 2008 19:44127711
50+ "typos" in Commentary Magazine - Daniel Pipes is a gentleman [118 words]jennifer solisMay 4, 2008 18:31127701
Peaceful "Brotherhood"? (When donkeys fly) [90 words]Edgar Malcolm ErvinMay 4, 2008 17:49127695
Painful to see Muravchik lose even more credibility [165 words]Edgar Malcolm ErvinMay 4, 2008 17:11127690
When push comes... [91 words]Randy LeemanMay 4, 2008 17:11127689
A Bridge to "Moderate" Islam Is In Fact a Road to Hell [5706 words]Amil ImaniMay 4, 2008 15:50127685
Amil, you hit the nail on the head! [565 words]Nick4693May 6, 2008 20:18127685
Mr. Imani, that was a very good expose of 'moderate Islamists' [42 words]M.D'SouzaMay 10, 2008 12:41127685
Moderate Muslims? [85 words]Margaret HoodMay 4, 2008 15:41127684
Moderate Muslims [189 words]janusz KowalikMay 4, 2008 18:40127684
Moderate Islamists and western strategy. [141 words]janusz KowalikMay 4, 2008 14:49127676
"Moderate Islam" [75 words]Gail MitchellMay 4, 2008 14:03127674
Muravchik's further response [91 words]Judy HershonMay 4, 2008 14:02127672
The continuing mini-major fracas[ee] of mini-major sectaries.... [412 words]Jascha KesslerMay 4, 2008 13:58127671
Joshua Muravchik is rude and lost [548 words]jennifer solisMay 3, 2008 20:46127603
What is a moderate Muslim? [109 words]Steve KleinMay 4, 2008 13:36127603
Back to basics [249 words]jennifer solisMay 5, 2008 02:34127603
what "moderate" Muslim??? [96 words]JaladhiMay 6, 2008 21:50127603
moderation is a virture, and a moderate Moslem is a virtuous Moslem [331 words]trans-parereMay 7, 2008 08:41127603
"Doing good" without objective perspective [213 words]jennifer solisMay 8, 2008 18:42127603
Moderater Muslims?...Yes, you do find them in India. [56 words]M.D'SouzaMay 9, 2008 17:45127603
exemplify the positive [586 words]trans-parereMay 9, 2008 19:10127603
The "good nature" of man [628 words]jennifer solisMay 11, 2008 02:40127603
nothing cries louder than a liberal who can't impose their idealism on the guy they want to pay for that idealism [994 words]trans-parereMay 12, 2008 22:57127603

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