Turkey in radical revision of Islamic texts from BBC.co.uk/news

Rev Hellfire

I happened upon an interesting article on the beeb, an excellent source for work avoidance

Basically it refers to an ongoing effort by the Turkish state to re-examine the Hadith using modern forensic methodologies.

Its an interesting article (at least I thought so) and shows that the idea of islam as an intractable religion trapped in the past and holding its followers there is not necessarily the case.

Linkage -> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7264903.stm

wes

Turkey in radical revision of Islamic texts

By Robert Piggott
Religious affairs correspondent, BBC News

---

Turkey is preparing to publish a document that represents a revolutionary reinterpretation of Islam - and a controversial and radical modernisation of the religion.

The country's powerful Department of Religious Affairs has commissioned a team of theologians at Ankara University to carry out a fundamental revision of the Hadith, the second most sacred text in Islam after the Koran.

The Hadith is a collection of thousands of sayings reputed to come from the Prophet Muhammad.

As such, it is the principal guide for Muslims in interpreting the Koran and the source of the vast majority of Islamic law, or Sharia.

But the Turkish state has come to see the Hadith as having an often negative influence on a society it is in a hurry to modernise, and believes it responsible for obscuring the original values of Islam.

It says that a significant number of the sayings were never uttered by Muhammad, and even some that were need now to be reinterpreted.

Click here for rest of article

Very interesting this. I think its too early to judge just yet, but they look like there going in the right direction.

Rev Hellfire

Bet you to it by a minute

wes

Rev Hellfire wrote: »

Bet you to it by a minute

Damn my fancy formatting, taking so much time . I am sure a mod will merge the threads or something.

donaghs

Always good to question and re-examine such things. But I suspect this is happening because of the present Turkish government's Islamic tendancies.

Would I be right in saying that other previous more secular Turkish governments would have little interest in "recreating Islam - changing it from a religion whose rules must be obeyed, to one designed to serve the needs of people in a modern secular democracy" . And they preferred to ignore religious influences?

wes

donaghs wrote: »

Would I be right in saying that other previous more secular Turkish governments would have little interest in "recreating Islam - changing it from a religion whose rules must be obeyed, to one designed to serve the needs of people in a modern secular democracy" . And they preferred to ignore religious influences?

Well the problem with some secularist in Turkey is that they were very much ultra nationalists. Hence the law against insulting Turkishness, which is basically a secular replaced for blasphemy almost. They also represented an elite, which in recent times have been replaced by a new religious middle class coming into cities. So there is very much a class aspect to the whole thing as well.

So I see this as a way for Muslims trying to reconcile there faith in a modern secular democratic society, which if it works out well, can only be a good thing.

I doubt the secularists were ever interested in doing something like the current Turkish government is doing.

Sesshoumaru

A small nugget of hope there. I'd like to see what the finished product turns out like. I just hope it can compete in Europe against Saudi money and influence. I wonder will illustrations of Muhammad be permitted in this new remade version of Islam?

Hero Of College

The Turks are Islams best hope. Along with the Iranian student body. Drinking, the relaxing of the Headscarf dogman, vaginoplastys {cosmetic surgery for women having sex outside of Marriage, thus retaining their honour}, respect for Armenians and a recognition of Islams sins of the past- will help soften the edges a bit. Of course, its no longer "Islam" by that stage but then again we all have to make sacrifices and concessions in the drive for peace and understanding. Of course, the Turkish army, so long the vanguard of Militant Islam Round Europe {MIRE} today in fact GUARANTEES secular values in Turkey.

As for beating Arabic {Wahhabi} money to the punch, thats unlikely. That will come thru innate and time honoured European resistance, and a slow weaning off Arabic oil imports.

But Turkeys own stability and forward-lookingness will help stabilise things while we wait for a turn around in the fight against Wahhabism and all that it entails.

DinoBot

I think this is whats needed in the Islamic faith. Muslims need to take resposability for the direction their religion has been going in recent years and reclaim the origonal message again IMO,

Jannah

The worst thing any human being can do is to try to interfere with the word of God by changing it. Anybody who tries to change the word of God - if it is the true word of God- is simply implying that he is either more intelligent and know better than God or that he does not believe that what he is altering is the true word of God. God is infallible and it is impossible that He forgets or makes a mistake. He is infinite and beyond time and space. He had indeed created time and space. So, He is not contained by them -like us- since He had created them! His words are eternal and are valid in every age and place. He is the All-knowing. His knowledge is beyond limit. He is not like His creation who are limited by time and space; who have a limited knowledge and mental capacity; who cannot predict the future; who are not aware of everything and many aspects are hidden from them; and who change their minds by time and find that they had made mistakes. So, the question of the words of God in the Qur'an being in need of update does not arise AT ALL. Anything else other than the Qur'an and the authentic words of the Prophet Muhammad -for Prophets are also infallible- is fallible. This means that the opinion or interpretation of any Muslim scholar, no matter how great that scholar is, is not sacred and is subject to change.

Suff

This is not new at all !

It's been done a number of times and is an ongoing project, started by highly educated Islamic scholars to determine and examine its authenticity based on if the Hadith has valid, accurate and a good historical backing otherwise it would be labeled as "Weak Hadith". Weak hadiths are rarely used and if used then as an example but don't follow its message due to issues with its authenticity. No practices are based on weak hadiths.

CK.1

Hero Of College wrote: »

... Drinking...will help soften the edges a bit. Of course, its no longer "Islam" by that stage but then again we all have to make sacrifices and concessions in the drive for peace and understanding..

Erm, what has allowing drinking got to do with encouraging "peace and understanding"??? You obviously haven't been in Temple Bar (or any Irish town) on a weekend night lately have you?