There has been an attempt at criticizing traditional Islam, which we understand as Islam as defined by the madhabs, schools of Aqida, and the various Sufi Tariqats. The particular character which has attempted this criticism is one who has engaged in extreme personal character assassination, which already speaks volumes about the capacity of showing tolerance and understanding from this individual.
As far as the specific points raised I would break them down to the following:
1) Taqleed equates to not-thinking
My Response:
Taqleed is actually about thinking. In fact, it is about thinking very clearly about the world, and the roles and responsibilities of people. Taqleed is about recognizing the world is indeed full of many different types of people. It is about respecting the process of learning, the manners of being a student, the authorization of teaching.
Unlike the world of the pseudo-scholar, looking to seek some means for a quick path from an unknown past, to believing layman, to Ustadh. Traditionalism is about recognizing the difficult road in learning about the principals of Islamic Law.
Some people are teachers, others are students of knowledge, others still are publishers and distributors of their work, others still are listeners and readers. Taqleed is all about respecting the final group as people and believers, and even possibly: those loved by Allah. The modern day approach of forgetting those people, or enforcing some type of inferiority complex on them is one that is abandoned by taqleed. In fact, Taqleed is about empowering them with the ability to follow qualified opinions, in the plural, and having them feel confident about the Islamic life that they lead.
The alternative leads to tossing them to the side as irrelevant to the conversation of Islam. Leaving them confused about each and every issue in their own lives, as they are not educated in the sciences of Shariat.
2) Taqleed involves separating from the primary sources of Islam
Response:
Not at all. Taqleed is actually about connecting ourselves to the primary sources of Islam by realizing that text on paper doesn’t stand on its own. It is key to understand that there is indeed an interpretive process with any text, it occurs automatically in everyones mind based on the knowledge they have learned in their lives, the context of the society around them, the prejudices they have. This process is one where the nafs and lack of knowledge can easily become involved and corrupt.
Taqleed is therefore the *absolutely* necessary first step in getting the interpretive context of the source texts of the first three generations.
3) “Traditionalism” is a vague term
Response:
When I generally see Muslims using traditionalism they are speaking of the Islam which is contained within the Sunni four Madhabs, the two schools of Aqida, and the orthodox Sufi Tariqats. Hope that clears it up for anyone confused on the subject.
4) Traditionalism equals perennialism
Response:
See above definition of traditionalism in the Islamic context, perennialism has been explicitly excluded by everyone who understands the above definition of Islamic traditionalism.
5) Traditionalism focuses on classical texts and in times past
Response:
Indeed it does, focusing on classical text is one means with which we can, as a community disconnected from the interpretative traditional of scholarship, bring back that context and interpretation. This is within a contained pluralism, with clear boundaries but also clear freedom.
6) Traditionalists leave the first three generations of Muslims for times such as growth of al-Andalus.
Response:
Not at all. We find the classical texts, the people of al-Andalus, of Ottoman times, as people who continued the tradition of carrying Islam to us. We respect their sacrifice, their knowledge, and their authority in correctly portraying to us the beliefs of the first three generations. We respect their interpretative tradition, the methodologies that they used to come to conclusions as being ones inherited from the first three generations of Muslims.
7) Traditionalists are not focusing on becoming scholars
Response:
This is true, we don’t believe everyone needs to be a scholar. We believe the few which can carry that heavy burden are to be commended, and we pray that they find means to achieve that goal through the proper means.
8 ) Traditionalists use post-modern tools to perform analysis of Salafis
Response:
(Chuckle: post-modern is a word that brought a great deal of trouble)
As far as the concept: Possibly. Who said traditionalists could not adopt modern ideas and techniques? Rather the idea is that tradition connects us to the past so we can move forward.
The flag was dropped when we lost authority (and respect for it) in Islam, and it needs to be picked up in order to carry the march forward. Having everyone independently start knitting their own leads to many banners and a confused discourse, and no one left to do any actual work.
9) Traditionalism is a place for the exhausted intellectual to escape into
Response:
Possibly. Best to find clarity as a means to escape from confusion. Islam might be an escape for the unbeliever in this regard.
10) Traditionalists reject the University system for an Islamic education. An Eastern university system is frowned upon by traditionalists.
Response:
Not at all. Most traditionalists have great respect for Islamic institutions of learning, including universities. At the same time, universities are still contingent to the traditional ijazaat system when it comes to being an authority on Islamic Law to actual Muslim laypeople.
At the same time, education at most universities is based in secularism. The subtle affects of secular teachings about knowledge have infiltrated most of the world, including those who think there is a means outside of the traditional to be considered an Islamic scholar. In the West, Universities also teach Islamic studies, and the professors are often atheists or other non-Muslims.
Should Muslims now consider a degree granted by these institutions equivalent to a qualified ijazaat in fiqh? The university doesn’t distinguish between believer and non-believer.
In terms of spiritual teachings, this is completely divorced from the university, whose goal is outer knowledge, not inner.
11) Taqleed caused Muslims to stay away from technological advancements
Response:
Buying into western propaganda about Muslims.
In what way did Taqleed cause us to stay away from technology? It was during a time which respected taqleed that we found not everyone had to focus on being a scholar of Islamic Law. The Ottomans developed winged rockets, had advanced architecture. The scientific and social achievements of Andalus are well known, a type of steel was developed which we still cannot mimic today.
In fact I would suggest the complete opposite is true about Taqleed. We find that the technological achievements greatly fell with the absence of authority in Islam, which is indeed what Taqleed is all about.
==
I have more to say on this subject, but that will be for a later time inshaAllah.
May 9th, 2007 - 2:14 pm
I don’t know Br. Yursil. I think the point of the article as a whole might have been taken out of context in this response.
Especially in the comments about Taqlid. Usually when Taqlid is mentioned, many traditional (at leas indo-pak traditional) IMMDIATELY think Fiqh Fiqh Fiqh and go so far as to limit the word to meaning Fiqh-ul-’ibadaat.
I think this goes beyond that understanding and is really about approach. From what I read of the article, I don’t think it was criticizing tradition - it was criticizing the way in which some Muslims may have limited tradition to time and place…rather than methodology over the years.
At least that was how I understood it.
I think much of the argumentation is over terms, not over concepts. There are extremes to Taqlid wherein a school/institution or a scholar may begin to completely ignore the present and the future and look only to the fatawaa of the past in order to come about with solutions. Rather, it is being said - use the methodology of the traditional but do not look to the fataawa of the past to give you your answers. Rather, look to the method by which those fataawa came and apply them now to bring new fataawa for the new issues.
Surely, if one is following the method - one cannot call it “anti-taqlid”, because in essence it is not. It is a balance.
Also, I have heard a number of deobandi ‘ulama bash on the university system. Not all of course, I’m just saying, it happens alot, maybe there is something to the claim that there IS some friction. Wallahu alam.
wa alaikum assalam
Abdul Sattar
May 9th, 2007 - 2:27 pm
as-salamu’alaikum Abdul Sattar,
Something possibly could have been taken out of context, though, I looked at key points and itemized them.
Responding to it as a whole and the ensuing discussion about activism, approach, etc, in the comments, this is what I will address shortly.
As far as the university system, indeed, you will hear quite a few bash it, I would think. But on what point?
That they don’t teach math properly, or that they teach Islam improperly? Or just criticizing the system in general?
The last is indeed important, as the university system often fails on preparing its students for real life. In fact, even Westerners are questioning the effectiveness of a system which costs tens of thousands over a span of four years, creating a subculture of professors and academics who cannot at all relate to a practical reality (sounds familiar.. :)) In my field, it is openly acknowledged that a college degree (and its associated curriculum) is basically a formality and a waste of time.
http://www.onlamp.com/pub/wlg/7757
For a large majority of students, university is a means to escape Islamic boundaries. My Shaykh often speaks of such things, the end result being he still encourages people to get their education, but keeping a focus on character and spiritual development is also something that should not be forgotten.
wassalam
-Yursil
July 19th, 2007 - 1:21 pm
786
as-salaam alaykum Yursil:
As a former teacher in an acedemic setting, I can say it is goofy. Most of it is a joke and just a sorting machine that seperates one group of people from another. If you have gone to college you remember that the first 2 years are just senseless striving, and after that you get some practice preparation only.
When I entered the actual job I was presumeably trained for, I found that 99% of what I was expecting to do and achieve was non-existant. So I had spent all this time and money only to get a tajalliy that was only a burden and not useful.
As you are experiencing Shaykh Kerem’s path, you will see that it is quite practical. It is on the job training, and there is not a whole lot of “collegic freedom” in it. Even if you do try to learn some things on your own, I’m sure you know better than me that it will be difficult to do and still keep the whole external sunnat.
In that way he is protecting you, although it may not seem right sometimes.
The word taqleed means to blindly follow, or imitate. Does that feel familiar? The root word means to adorn or decorate. When I remember the dergah, it is surely based on decorating. The sunnat garb is what looks to people as “adornment”.
I’m sure many people will attack based on seeing “adornment” taqleed as hypocrisy. I have experienced it myself here in philly. I was told that if I didn’t stop being such an asshole by dressing like Maulana, or they would kick me out of the masjeed.
So you see, maybe they don’t understand the real taqleed. It is my experience that 95% of sunnat is inside, and the other 5% is the clothes and the adab of the dergah. It is easy to dress one way and then ignore inner tazkiyyat. It is this that draws the fire of people, as even if they may be believers, they don’t believe in any external adornment.
Quite to the contrary, they are wearing the garb of a path, in this case, the path of total loss and accident due to the advice of the shaitan to men. That is “collegiate”
Reflect that when we enter grave and barzakhi life, we will not be wearing qaleed of any kind of adornment except as Allaah Aliyyion allows. That is the real blessing that you are expecting to obtain. That is the barak that we send ahead of us to Rasooallaah (sal), and why we ask on his behalf, so he (sal) may be shafi’a more and more.
So if you look carefully on the inside, you can see and hear all those we bless by salawat, and as they are adorned with qaleed, we hope for taqleed as well, in that way. We say ajma’een, but that is dependant mostly on the inside decoration, that we be located in that juma’a. You won’t need help figuring out if you are in. When that happens, you will have the yaqeen, and that will be the witness for that.
The comments of the man above, that he thinks taqleed is fiqh, and above that fiqh to the believers. That is an offhanded insult in a way. But if you look at it in the way of what the word actually means, it wont be as they are saying it now, in ignorat legality.
If you look at many people in Pakistan, they are consummed by the personality of the shaitan. They may look good wearing sunnah, but if you are seeing anger, jealosy, racial hatred, then it is easy to see which taqleed they are wearing. Check surat al-Lahab. It is like that fire, and the palm fiber rope around the neck.
That will be with them on barzakhi life too, unless corrected inside.
Abu Lahab was a direct relative of Rasoolallaah (sal), so he was ahil bait. Everybody was wearing a turban. Everybody had izar and jubbah. Everybody spoke fluent hijaz Arabic. Even kafirs where knowing Qur’an. They had to know it to fight it. There were many things like that. Was that what was needed ? Imitation ? They didnt have to imitate, they were all like that. So what is the difference ?
So this is the sunnah that was given to Rasoolallaah (sal). I will let you figure how much is external and how much is internal. Each man has to determine that qaleed for himself. Shaykh can force people to do things, but unless you get what he is saying on the inner level, it is my feeling that not much is being done. I say that as much about myself, as anyone else. As I listen to the audio Yeni posts, he is bombarding all the time. Why ?
Ikhlas. As we are doing a lot of surat al-Ikhlas this Rajab, I am doing it as tazkiyyat an-nafs. Many people give zakat on this month, because they want taqleen, and they see this time as the overall best time to do it, before Sha’aban, and Ramadan.
I am saying it for tazkiyyat, and I am adding no strings attached to it.
If people are attacking taqleed out of ignorance to what it means, what can we do about that? It is enough to get it right for ourselves. Barzakhi is personal, at least at first.
I’m sure you won’t post this probably, but maybe this will help you deal with these uninformed people who will hit your site, and dwell in the personality of shaitan. Don’t use collegiate level, and debate. We have freedom, but not in that. Know it - say it - done.
If they attack the adab and akhlaq of the Messenger (sal), what will be the result?
barak fikum -
July 25th, 2007 - 7:35 pm
As-salaam alaykum Yursil:
I was just rummaging around your site.
I went to the Abd al-Qadir site, and found qala’d al-juhwari, necklace of gems.
I only say that to support your view on “decorative” in it’s larger sense (qalaad).
Also,
I was wondering if I could tag your site ? It has an open quality that I admire.
I notice you are tagging your site so browsers are able to find your content.
Very professional ! Your site was top 5 in yahoo search engine, on Maulana(ksa).
I find many things that show your faith is strong, as you are not afraid.
I may open my site up too, if I can find people who are willing to post.
If you want, I could contribute articles based on valid sources too. I have a way of stirring up comments as well, if that is what you want. You may not, and that is up to you for sure.
A site that is used for narrow view is just the same as doing business. I tried to post that on the dergah home site, but I don’t feel they will publish it. Too partisan.
I feel that if the Tariqat is valid, it can stand critisizm. If you have to hide in sukoons and make boundaries that don’t exist in Reality, it makes us look like warriours with no guns.
I hope some of this makes sense to you.
mabrukkum:
July 26th, 2007 - 9:10 am
BismillahirRahmanirRaheem
Salamu’Alaykum Tariyki,
I don’t know what you mean about publishing on the dergah home site, and also I don’t follow what you mean about criticizing Tariqat. A fundamental aspect of Tariqat is to not criticize the Shaykhs of your Tariqat. Even when dealing with other tariqats than your own, once you accept the tariqat as real and valid, a respect and protocol has to be maintained. Criticism is for those of high stations and to be performed by those with wisdom in the subtle and proper manner. Busying ourselves with criticism is a distraction
-Yursil