> Modernist Ziauddin Sardar

[salman]

:

Sunni response and discussion on views of Pakistani modernist "Islamic Scholar" Dr. Ziauddin Sardar. Amazingly, all these modernists and Islamic reformists, who want to get rid of "terrorism" and "extremism", are living in west and hardly active in Muslim communities to bring any changes. Many of them are not even heard by Muslims or known in Islamic knowledge circles. However, they are quite famous among kufaar, specially in west, and labelled as "Islamic scholars", because they serve west's agenda and open doors for kufaar to point fingers at Islam and Muslims. Dr. Ziauddin Sardar is another modernist in that crew and we thank our member, Mr. SilverLJ, for bringing him to our attention so that we can expose this heretic liar and modernist kafir. You can read his short biogrpahy at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ziauddin_Sardar

akhee boriqee, this is the first time I heard about this Dr Ziauddin and then I googled him and guess what I found on wikipedia:

Islam, Qur'an and Islamic reform

A believing Muslim, Sardar is one of the strongest internal critics of Islam. He believes that the tendency to fall back comfortably on age-old interpretations is now dangerously obsolete. Islam’s relationship and attitude to women, minorities, and notions of exclusivity and exclusive truth need to change fundamentally. In his work, Reformist Ideas and Muslim Intellectuals, Sardar states that: "Muslims have been on the verge of physical, cultural and intellectual extinction simply because they have allowed parochialism and traditionalism to rule their minds." He adds: "We must break free from the ghetto mentality."

Sardar's most consistent output has been in the area of post-colonial Islamic reform, which is the subject of many of his books, including Islamic Futures: the Shape of Ideas to Come (Mansell, 1985) and The Future of Muslim Civilization (Mansell, 1987). Sardar believes that present-day Islamic societies have allowed creative thinking to fossilize. This is a situation which stands in contrast to Islamic history when scholars and scientists let their minds roam free and created an extraordinary renaissance in ideas, new knowledge and technology.

In Islamic futures, Sardar enunciates several principles that need to be at the heart of all contemporary Islamic societies. These include: the need to recognize and promote plurality and diversity; the need to achieve progress through a consensus; and to engage constructively with the modern world.

On the subject of Hadith and Qur'an, Sardar believes strongly that each generation must "reinterpret the textual sources in the light of its own experience", as happened throughout Islamic history and in each of the world's Islamic cultures. Sardar says that scripture needs to be seen as as a product of its time and, therefore, must be periodically re-examined. If this process ceases to happen, sacred texts, according to Sardar, will lose their relevance to those who use and love them. Such a point of view is not shared by all religious believers, and there are many who would say that sacred texts such as The Qur'an need to be read and interpreted more literally -- and that this is a sign of their timelessness

Ziauddin Sardar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I mean come on, this guy is supposedly Islamic "Scholar". All these Paki modernists and pseudo Islamic "scholars" come from this prevazi modernist firqa. The Ghamdi group, which you deal with in the past, is also part of this new firqa; however, they don't "advertise" of being part this firqa, because pervazi rejects the ahadeeth. The new modernists are bit smart, because they don't want to admit that they reject the ahadith openly to avoid the apostasy fatawa on them; however, they do it under the disguise of re-interpreting them or saying certain ahadith were only applicable at that time and such.

I wonder where he got

each generation must "reinterpret the textual sources in the light of its own experience"

this from? To me it seems like their typical poor attempt and blunder regarding their understanding of ijtihaad. Do you remember your old work on Rashid Manji? I'm going to attach it for benefit of others.

[al-boriqee]

Originally Posted by salman

^akhee, this is the first time I heard about this Dr Ziauddin and then I googled him and guess what I found on wikipedia:

Islam, Qur'an and Islamic reform

ah yes, these people.

A believing Muslim

Oh boy.

just a side note to all the brothers and sisters. Any time you encounter a biography of a modernist, secular types, professing and espousing western thought, and you encounter certain phrases like "a believing muslim", then know that the reality is usually opposite of this simply because a real believer is in no need to advertise their "belief". in fact, in reality, according to Islam, it is part of the islamic sould of the believer that due to the fact that he does not know what will happen to him or her, they do not affirm such a level for themselves. Umar radhiyallahu anhu, the second greatest man on the face of this earth after the prophet alaihi salatu salamhad always thought of himself as one of those who were the munafiqeen. Even Umar himself would not affirm himself as a beleiving muslim.
So when you come across scandelous statements of "praise" such as these, it is usually only stated to entrap gullible muslims so that they can push such people into the back door of Islam (as if there is another door outside of the requirements of la ilaha illallah) and thereby give legitimacy to such people and their views of kufr.

Sardar is one of the strongest internal critics of Islam.

okay. So he is a munafiq then. How nice.
critics of Islam are kafirs.
So an internal critic of Islam is a munafiq. At least we know what he is now.

He believes that the tendency to fall back comfortably on age-old interpretations is now dangerously obsolete. Islam’s relationship and attitude to women, minorities, and notions of exclusivity and exclusive truth need to change fundamentally.

Ah great, so he is also a mubadil to. Its eassuring to know he wishes to alter the religion of Allah to something else as those before us did with their respective revelations.

In his work, Reformist Ideas and Muslim Intellectuals, Sardar states that: "Muslims have been on the verge of physical, cultural and intellectual extinction simply because they have allowed parochialism and traditionalism to rule their minds."

the extinction process came as a result of people like him. When Muslims failed to support Allah in His religion, then likewise Allah held back His support for them, and when they turned to the people of jaahiliyyah for guidance, then likewise our extinction began to grow, and when we abandoned jihad and failed to implement His law on earth, that is when our extinction process really began to intensify.

He adds: "We must break free from the ghetto mentality."

I am from the ghetto. This kafir is obviously ignorant of what a ghetto mentality is.

Sardar's most consistent output has been in the area of post-colonial Islamic reform, which is the subject of many of his books, including Islamic Futures: the Shape of Ideas to Come (Mansell, 1985) and The Future of Muslim Civilization (Mansell, 1987). Sardar believes that present-day Islamic societies have allowed creative thinking to fossilize

Of course, look who runs these societies. puppet regimes or at least regims that cannot blink without the critique of these secularist visionaries and their utopian style visions of what our societies should be.

This is a situation which stands in contrast to Islamic history when scholars and scientists let their minds roam free and created an extraordinary renaissance in ideas, new knowledge and technology.

free thought was not the key to our historical success. Our obedience to Allah is what was our key to our success. When we faield to live up to the covenant, our success faded away. free thought has nothing to do with nothing, infact it initiated a chain of events that lead to the fall of some of our nations.

In Islamic futures, Sardar enunciates several principles that need to be at the heart of all contemporary Islamic societies. These include: the need to recognize and promote plurality

plurality has been in our Islamic history for ages, and it never went away. therefore, what he says is nothing but smokey mirrors. Rather what he really wishes to profess is secular thought and democracy and the ruling of kufr legislations and to alter the religion completely by prohibiting the allowable and allowing the prohibited, and every kind of vice one can think of, this is what this man is professing.

and diversity;

the same as above, we always had diversity from day one and it is even a prophecy of the prophet Muhammad that diversity will continue until the day of judgment. So with all due respect, these are things that are inherently Islamic, and have not ceased to remain in the Islamic world. So what is he really professing.

the need to achieve progress through a consensus

we already have that. its called "Ijm'aa". So again, what the heck is he really calling to.

and to engage constructively with the modern world.

we already have that. That is why we have the world economic forum, that is why various muslim authorities and scholars engage with the west. So again, what the heck is this guy talking about. Some one must inform him that we live on planet earth, and to stop bringing forh information from pluto.

On the subject of Hadith and Qur'an, Sardar believes strongly that each generation must "reinterpret the textual sources in the light of its own experience",

what a load of hogwash. Ask ANY sane person who believes in a religion. ask them what is the purpose of scriptural textual sources. Any average and sane purpose will always come to the logical conclusion, which is a conclusion that is based in common sense, and that is that the reason for textual sources is to provide guidance for their lives.

So in reality two matters are at stake here
1. everyone, muslim or not, by default uses the scriptural sources to help them in their own life. So if this is what he is talking about, then please, someone inform him that we are n planet earth, as this is what has been our practice for 14 centuries. So what is he talking about and what is he really trying to profess which leads me to point 2.
2. what he is really trying to profess is to alter and change the very intent of these texts and to shift them into realities that opposses its stated or higher meanings. In other words, these texts become somewhat useless as they have lost their purpose through the route of reinterpreting them. What inherent value does scripture have in the wake of someone who comes along and professes something that is opposing or nullifies what the text actually says. If the purpose of religion is to submit to its doctrine, then how absurd does one look when they enforce the religion to submit to them and their views rather than to submit to what the religion came with.

as happened throughout Islamic history and in each of the world's Islamic cultures.

a blatent lie deserving of no response

Sardar says that scripture needs to be seen as as a product of its time and, therefore, must be periodically re-examined.

there is only one slight problem. all of guidance is beyond the properties of time. homosexuality is exactly repugant now as it was in every time frame if human civilization. Women who uncover is just as indescent now as it was in every time frame of human civilization. pretty much everything that religion comes with, particualrly Islam, are all things that fall beyond the properties of time, and thus on that basis there is no change in them simply beause our natures have no changed.

If this process ceases to happen, sacred texts, according to Sardar, will lose their relevance to those who use and love them.

that could never happen to those who love them, rather it could only happen to those who use them.

I mean come on, this guy is supposedly Islamic "Scholar". All these Paki modernists and pseudo Islamic "scholars" come from this prevazi modernist firqa. The Ghamdi group, which you deal with in the past, is also part of this new firqa; however, they don't "advertise" of being part this firqa, because pervazi rejects the ahadeeth. The new modernists are bit smart, because they don't want to admit that they reject the ahadith openly to avoid the apostasy fatawa on them; however, they do it under the disguise of re-interpreting them or saying certain ahadith were only applicable at that time and such.

I wonder where he got

each generation must "reinterpret the textual sources in the light of its own experience"

this from? To me it seems like their typical poor attempt and blunder regarding their understanding of ijtihaad. Do you remember your old work on Rashid Manji? I'm going to attach it for benefit of others.

actually akh, there is no exact "firqa" of modernism. it has levels and trends and figures. its not like a traditional form of a firqa that we have been aquianted of in islamic history. modernism is more like a pile of horse elephant crap. everyone and anyone can take their pick and form it and digest it the way they see fit. its like "anything goes" type of deal.

[al-boriqee]

As I was discussing with a member here on the forum, our very own SilverLJ, he has linked us to a wonderful and "brilliant" personality by the name of Ziauddeen Zardar. Wonderfully, brother Salman brought some biographical information on this person who is a "believer" as he claims on wikipedia.

here is some additional information from ummahpulse.com


Transferable Egos of Ed Husain, Maajid Nawaz and Ziauddin Sardar

I suspected they may have a piece on him since I learned of his british residence and adding to the fact of his secularist disbelieving form of progressive modernism, I had a hunch that he has some connection to the disbelieving munafiqs as Quilliam Foundation and if that was true, then I was sure that our brothers at ummahpulse would have something on him. Sho nuff (sure enough, for those of you in Canada and UKstonia haha) my hunch was on point.

We ask that if anyone has any of his works online, to send them or upload them here or on al-Mustaqeem Publications by going to the comments section and sending it to the email account posted there.