Liberalism and progressivism within Islam

In modern times there have been a number of liberal movements within Islam (sometimes called in Arabic : الإسلام الإجتهادية or 'interpretation-based Islam'; also الإسلام المتقدمة or 'progressive Islam'). These generally denote religious outlooks which depend mainly on ijtihad or re-interpretations of scriptures. Liberal Muslims interpret the Qur'an and Hadith from their personal perspective rather than the medievalist traditional Muslim point of view. Liberals generally claim that they are returning to the principles of the early Muslim community, arguing that the medievalists have diverged from true Islam through their focus on the literal word rather than the ethical intent of scripture.

( Learn how and when to remove this message ) World Muslim population by percentage ( Pew Research Center , 2014). Liberal movements within Islam involve professed Muslims who have produced a considerable body of liberal thought on the re-interpretation and reform of Islamic understanding and practice. Their work is sometimes characterised as " progressive Islam" ( al-Islām at-taqaddumī ), although some consider progressive Islam and liberal Islam to be two distinct movements. The methodologies of liberal or progressive Islam rest on the interpretation and re-interpretation of traditional Islamic scripture (the Quran ) and other texts (such as the Hadith ), a process called ijtihad (see below ). This can vary from the slight to the most liberal, where only the meaning of the Quran is considered to be a revelation while its expression in words is the work of the Islamic prophet Muhammad at his particular time and context. As a consequence, verses from the Quran may then be interpreted allegorically or even set aside. Among the most liberal Muslim intellectuals who have focused on religious reform are Muhammad Ali , Sayyid al-Qimni , Nasr Abu Zayd , Khalil Abdel-Karim , Abdolkarim Soroush , Mohammed Arkoun , Mohammed Shahrour , Ahmed Subhy Mansour , Edip Yuksel , Gamal al-Banna , Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na'im , Javed Ahmad Ghamidi , Ahmed Al-Gubbanchi , Mahmoud Mohammed Taha , and Faraj Foda . Taha was executed for apostasy and Foda was assassinated by extremists, while most of the others have been criticised by more traditional Islamic scholars. Some liberal Muslims claim that they are returning to the principles of the early Ummah and to the ethical and pluralistic intent of their scripture, the Quran. They distance themselves from some traditional and less liberal interpretations of Islamic law, as they consider these to be culturally based and without universal applicability. The reform movement uses monotheism ( tawhid ) "as an organizing principle for human society and the basis of religious knowledge, history, metaphysics, aesthetics, and ethics, as well as social, economic and world order". Muslim Council of Britain "Tawhid" .

Liberalism and progressivism within Islam involve professed Muslims who have created a considerable body of liberal thought about Islamic understanding and practice. Their work is sometimes characterized as " progressive Islam" ( al-Islām at-taqaddumī ); some scholars, such as Omid Safi , regard progressive Islam and liberal Islam as two distinct movements. Liberal ideas are considered controversial by some traditional Muslims , who criticize liberal ideas on the grounds of being too Western or rationalistic . The methodologies of liberal or progressive Islam rest on the interpretation of traditional Islamic scripture (the Quran ) and other texts (such as the Hadith ), a process called ijtihad (see below ). This can vary from the slight to the most liberal, where only the meaning of the Quran is considered to be a revelation , with its expression in words seen as the work of the prophet Muhammad in his particular time and context. Liberal Muslims see themselves as returning to the principles of the early Ummah ethical and pluralistic intent of the Quran. They distance themselves from some traditional and less liberal interpretations of Islamic law which they regard as culturally based and without universal applicability. The reform movement uses monotheism ( tawhid ) "as an organizing principle for human society and the basis of religious knowledge, history, metaphysics , aesthetics, and ethics, as well as social, economic and world order". Progressive Muslims: on justice, gender and pluralism . OCLC 52380025 . : Invalid |ref=harv ( help ) Safi, Omid . No god but God: the origins, evolution, and future of Islam (Updated ed.).

Liberalism and progressivism within Islam involve professed Muslims who have created a considerable body of progressive thought about Islamic understanding and practice. Their work is sometimes characterized as "progressive Islam" ( al-Islām at-taqaddumī ). Some scholars, such as Omid Safi , differentiate between "Progressive Muslims" (post-colonial, anti-imperialist, and critical of modernity) and "Liberal advocates of Islam" (an older movement embracing modernity). Liberal Islam originally emerged out of the Islamic revivalist movement of the 18th-19th centuries. Liberal and progressive ideas within Islam are considered controversial by some traditional Muslims , who criticize liberal Muslims on the grounds of being too Western and/or rationalistic . The methodologies of liberal and progressive Islam rest on the re-interpretation of traditional Islamic sacred scriptures (the Quran ) and other texts (the Hadith ), a process called ijtihad (see below ). This can vary from the slight to the most liberal, where only the meaning of the Quran is considered to be a revelation , with its expression in words seen as the work of the Islamic prophet Muhammad in his particular time and context. Liberal Muslims see themselves as returning to the principles of the early Ummah and as promoting the ethical and pluralistic intent of the Quran. The reform movement uses monotheism ( tawhid ) "as an organizing principle for human society and the basis of religious knowledge, history, metaphysics , aesthetics, and ethics, as well as social, economic and world order". Liberal Muslims affirm the promotion of progressive values such as democracy , gender equality , human rights , LGBT rights , women's rights , religious pluralism , interfaith marriage , freedom of expression , freedom of thought , and freedom of religion ; opposition to theocracy and total rejection of Islamism and Islamic fundamentalism ; and a modern view of Islamic theology , ethics , sharia , culture , tradition, and other ritualistic practices in Islam. Liberal Islam emphasizes the re-interpretation of the Islamic scriptures in order to preserve their relevance in the 21st century. In Kurzman, Charles (ed.). Liberal Islam: A Sourcebook . Progressive Muslims: on justice, gender and pluralism . No god but God: the origins, evolution, and future of Islam (Updated ed.). Policy and Society . 25 (4).

Liberal and progressive ideas within Islam is a range of interpretation of Islamic understanding and practice, ranging from centrist to left-wing perspectives. Some Muslims have created a considerable body of progressive interpretation of Islamic understanding and practice. Their work is sometimes characterized as progressive ( Arabic : الإسلام التقدمي al-Islām at-taqaddumī ) or liberal Islam. Some scholars, such as Omid Safi , differentiate between "progressive Muslims" (post-colonial, anti-imperialist, and critical of modernity and the West) versus "liberal advocates of Islam" (an older movement embracing modernity). Liberal Islam originally emerged from the Islamic revivalist movement of the 18th–19th centuries. Leftist ideas are considered controversial by some traditional fundamentalist Muslims, who criticize liberal Muslims on the grounds of being too Western and/or rationalistic . The methodologies of liberal and progressive Islam rest on the re-interpretation of traditional Islamic sacred scriptures (the Quran ) and other texts (the Hadith ), a process called ijtihad . This reinterpreting can vary from minor to fundamental, including re-interpretation based on the belief that while the meaning of the Quran is a revelation , its expression in words is the work of the Islamic prophet Muhammad in his particular time and context. Liberal Muslims see themselves as returning to the principles of the early ummah and as promoting the ethical and pluralistic intent of the Quran. The reform movement uses monotheism ( tawhid ) as "an organizing principle for human society and the basis of religious knowledge, history, metaphysics , aesthetics, and ethics, as well as social, economic and world order". Liberal Muslims affirm the promotion of progressive values such as democracy , gender equality , human rights , LGBT rights , women's rights , religious pluralism , interfaith marriage , freedom of expression , freedom of thought , and freedom of religion ; opposition to theocracy and total rejection of Islamism and Islamic fundamentalism ; and a modern view of Islamic theology , ethics , sharia , culture , tradition, and other ritualistic practices in Islam. Liberal Muslims claim that the re-interpretation of the Islamic scriptures is important in order to preserve their relevance in the 21st century. In Kurzman, Charles (ed.). Liberal Islam: A Sourcebook . Progressive Muslims: on justice, gender and pluralism . No god but God: the origins, evolution, and future of Islam (Updated ed.). Policy and Society . 25 (4).