Rethinking Tradition in Islam: Rehabilitation of the Knowledge of the Book of Allah

By Leslie Terebessy

Traditional Islam portrays itself an unbroken sequence of events, without significant ruptures. But ruptures including those known as fitnas, there were. There were also polemics, which also emerged in politics. An examination reveals a different reality. A break - akin to a counter-revolution - transpired. This was the break from both revelation and tradition. The break produced profound repercussions on the Muslim umma and the rest of its history. It also explains why Islam went from a position of preeminence to a position of subjugation. This would not be the first time this transpired in history. For the Book of Allah teaches that we will never fins a change on the "sunna of Allah." Merely declaring oneself to be a Muslim is not enough to ensure success in this world and in the hereafter. We need to prove by actions that we mean what we say. "Do people think that they will be let go merely by saying: "We believe," and that they will not be tested." (Quran, 29: 2). This break transpired when the umma, under political pressure, turned from revelation to tradition. The turn from revelation to tradition was reflected in the recording of the traditions. The recording transpired in response to requests by caliphs ibn Hisham, Umar II, and al-Mansur. These requests were politically motivated. They were to justify wars of aggression by referring to traditions and the teaching of the abrogation of the peace verses by the verse of the sword. The expectation to accept the teaching of abrogation of verse of the Book of Allah was tantamount to a request to reject this verse as no longer applicable. This request to abrogate verses of the Quran represented an effort to tamper with the teaching of revelation, by stripping it of its teaching of peace and reconciliation. The request to accept the teaching of the abrogation of entire swathes of verses is nothing less than an invitation to disbelieve in the allegedly "abrogated verses" It is an invitation to kufr. This shows the extent to which exegesis was corrupted by politics and mis-rendered the teaching of revelation. As a result of these mis-renditions of revelation Islam is perceived with apprehension by many non-Muslims and even by not a few Muslims. The association of Islam with violence and conquest is causing a few persons to abandon what they perceive as a religion of violence and opt for allegedly "more peaceful" alternatives. The image of Islam as a violent teaching s also preventing potential reverts from entering Islam. By recourse to the teaching of the abrogation of the peace verses, hawkish ulama in the service of their political masters re-invented Islam the teaching of reconciliation as a blueprint and a "religious" justification for waging wars of aggression and territorial enlargement under the banner of religion by resorting to force, contrary to the teaching of revelation. The "religious justification" for waging unlawful wars of aggression under the pretext of spreading Islam by the sword was provided by recourse to the teaching of the "abrogation" of revelation. This provided rulers with what they wanted. Mercenary ulama provided their rulers with a justification for the perpetration of war crimes, portrayed as a jihad to spread religion through compulsion, prohibited in revelation. This paved the way for the emergence of militant Islam and even terrorism. To ease the acceptance of the recording of the traditions, it is asserted that tradition is also "revelation from God," and that the prophet "abrogated" his prohibition of the recording of traditions. Bestowing upon tradition the rank of revelation produced far-reaching repercussions. It amalgamated tradition with revelation. The recording of the traditions tainted the knowledge of revelation and transformed the life of the umma.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0C2TBB3V1
• ISBN13: 9798392185016
• Release Date: April 2023
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 118 Pages
• Weight: 0.37 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.0" x 9.0"