Moderation of Islam is the most effective solution to combat the phenomenon of declaring others as infidels, sinners, or heretics, the Grand Imam while in Malaysia

 

Al-Azhar’s curriculum establishes in the minds of its students the true face of Islam through an honest translation of the nature of Islamic heritage, the Grand Imam while in Malaysia

 

His Eminence emphasized that the rising phenomenon of labelling people as infidels, sinners, or heretics, which wrongly justifies killing people or trespassing on their honor and property, is a phenomenon capable of destroying the foundations of Islamic society, if left unconfronted with correct jurisprudence and pure and clear knowledge. He added that the most effective solution to face this phenomenon is adhering to the main characteristic of the Muslim nation, which is moderation, and being in a middle place between those who adhere to the mind, even if it contradicts clear and definitive sacred texts, and those who depreciate its pivotal and legitimate role in contemplating the texts and understanding their meanings. This moderation is also moderation in the purpose of legislation, as Islam is moderate in its legislation as well as its legal and social systems. The most prominent aspect of this moderation is the balance between individualism and collectivism.

 

During his speech at the celebration organized by USIM, on receiving an honorary doctorate in the studies of the Qur’an and Sunnah, His Eminence pointed out that the manifestations of that balance required today are located in the middle space between those who sanctify heritage, even if it has a margin of human error, and those who abandon it, even if the marvels of divine guidance are evident in it– a moderation between textual literalism, which is focused on the outward appearance of texts, and the figurative interpretation of texts, which deviates from the meaning of revealed texts and the sources of religion and their limits. Such deviations distort the meaning of texts in a way that disrupts their guidance, ignoring the approach that was followed by Muslims during their golden era, when they dealt with religion as text, spirit, and purpose. Now, many of us have fixed understanding based on the literal meaning of some texts, stuck to the concepts of their predecessors, and regarded them as infallible, even though they are texts that are open to renewed understanding and conscious reading of their goals and objectives in a way that spares Muslims falling into alienation or psychological disconnection between their thoughts and their behaviors.

 

His Eminence stressed that from the beginning, Al-Azhar’s educational curriculum was a curriculum that is keen to establish in the minds and consciences of Al-Azhar students the true image of Islam, through a faithful translation of the nature and essence of the Islamic heritage, in its three dimensions: textual evidence, reasoning, and personal taste. These three dimensions blend completely and harmoniously within the academic nature of Al-Azhar student through studying sciences with these three dimensions.

This approach represents the moderation of Islam, and moderate is the word which perfectly describes this valuable religion. It also represents a moderate understanding of the texts of the Qur’an and Sunnah, and the creative scientific, intellectual, and spiritual works based on them. It achieves integration between the constants of Sharia and the variables of the era, through disciplined diligence regarding the constants of the religion and its objectives which is also open to constantly emerging changes.

 

His Eminence the Grand Imam spoke about the issues of renewal in Islam, pointing out that the reality of Muslims today raises a big question about the outcome of this renewal, and the extent to which it achieves its goals in terms of its effectiveness in general. The most important of these reasons in questioning renewal is the lack of distinction - in practice - between what is constant in the religion and what is variable, as it is well known and recognized by all Muslims that Islam includes eternal constants and dynamic variables. Regarding constants they came with definitive and eternal rules that are not affected by the fluctuations of time, and they are applicable in this age as they were when they were revealed to the Prophet (PBUH).

 

His Eminence pointed out that in the field of variables, people are addressed with general principles, flexible generalities, and broad assumptions, which could be applied on ground in various ways according to the development of the circumstances, relationships, and human knowledge and experiences. His Eminence explained that the constants of religion - which do not accept change - are the aqidah, the five pillars of Islam, everything that has been proven with conclusive evidence of prohibitions, the foundations of morals, and what has been proven by conclusive evidence regarding domestic relations including marriage, divorce, inheritance, and transactions. He pointed out that the duality between constants and variables in Islam reveals the miraculous nature of Islam, and that it is - truly - the religion of innate disposition.

 

The Islamic Science University of Malaysia (USIM), awarded on Thursday, an honorary doctorate in Qur’an and Sunnah Studies to Al-Azhar Grand Imam and MCE Chairman, Prof. Ahmad Al-Tayyeb. It was handed over to His Eminence by His Highness USIM Pro-Chancellor, Tunku Ali Redhauddin, in the presence of Mr. Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, Professor Mohamed Ridza Wahiddin, USIM Vice-Chancellor, and a group of Malaysian ministers, scholars, professors, researchers and students.