Rehabilitation of the Knowledge of Islam: Retrieving Authentic Religion

By Leslie Terebessy

The relationship between reason and revelation requires attention. For traditionists treat reason and revelation as "adversaries," they postulate a "tension" between reason and revelation. But this perception departs form the teaching of revelation. For revelation presents reason as necessary for the understanding of revelation. The perception of reason as an "adversary" of revelation is based on a tradition according to which the use of reason to attain knowledge of revelation is kufr. This is problematic. For acquiring knowledge of revelation requires the engagement of reason. The repression of reason corrupted the knowledge of revelation. The repression of reason separated the umma from revelation. For no person could follow what he or she does not understand. The relationship between revelation and tradition similarly requires attention. For the knowledge of the relationship between revelation and tradition was affected by the treatment of tradition as explanatory "revelation from God." This is true particularly where tradition veers from revelation or surpasses revelation as root of the law. For in Islam tradition superseded revelation. This was due to political reasons. Hawkish rulers required an endorsement of wars of aggression. As they did not find it in revelation, they turned to tradition. They engaged mercenary preachers for the task. Mercenary preachers re-articulated Islam as a teaching of war by recourse to hawkish traditions and the "abrogation" of the verses of reconciliation by the verse of the sword. The treatment of tradition as "revelation from Allah" enabled tradition to supersede revelation. The subordination of tradition in relation to revelation in traditional Islam is reflected in the perception that tradition "judges" revelation. It is also reflected in the perception that "revelation requires tradition more than tradition requires revelation." The subordination of revelation to tradition enabled the corruption of legislation. It enabled rulings based on traditions to supersede rulings based on revelation. Rulings of persons were permitted to "abrogate" revealed rulings. This flouts the preeminence of revelation. Revelation is to be followed, not overruled. The punishments for apostasy, blasphemy and adultery flout the teaching of revelation. They rest upon traditions. Apart from the travesty of justice the enforcement of these laws brings, these punishments make Islam extreme. Blasphemy is not a punishable offence in revelation, yet tradition prescribes the death penalty. Apostasy is not punishable in the present world according to revelation, yet tradition prescribes the death penalty. Adultery - after a verdict reached using the testimony of four reliable witnesses - is punishable by lashing, but tradition prescribes stoning to death. These punishments are based on departures from revelation. But revelation warns against judging by what God did not reveal. It is accordingly necessary to affirm the preeminence of revelation in relation to all tradition. It is necessary to bring penal legislation into agreement with revelation. The weaponization of the epistemology of revelation corrupted knowledge and placed the umma on a course of territorial enlargement through unlawful wars of aggression. The reinterpretation of revelation as a teaching of war was achieved by the weaponization of the epistemology of revelation. This required exegesis and jurisprudence to be used for political purposes. It required scholarship to descend to the rank of propaganda. The proliferation of these aberrations was enabled by the repression of reason. The politicization of exegesis and jurisprudence transpired through recourse to warlike traditions. Recourse to jihad al-talab, waged within the context of the alleged "clash" between the dar al-Islam and the dar al-kufr, brought destruction to the umma. Renewal requires a rehabilitation and reengagement of reason, the desacralization of tradition and a return to revelation.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B093CH3WK4
• ISBN13: 9798744363390
• Release Date: April 2021
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 232 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"