Emerging Muslim Freethinkers and the Battle of Civilizations

The Muslim world is obviously in a mess. Political instability, unbridled corruption, lack of economic development, widespread intolerance and violence, and lack of freedom, liberty and human rights are some of the traits that characterize Muslim societies most glaringly. All indications suggest that things will get only worse over coming decades. Amongst many factors that differentiate Muslim societies from most other progressive and more peaceful societies are its missing freethinkers—namely critics and reformers—who are able to criticize the troublesome aspects of its societal core, its religious foundations. Other societies had its problems in the past. However, those societies allowed the emergence of progressive freethinking scholars, philosophers and reformers. They exercised variable measures of liberty to criticize, to point fingers at, the underlying reasons, including the religious ones, of the many ills of their societies. Jewish societies produced brilliant minds like Benedict de Spinoza, Carl Marx and Albert Einstein amongst many other; Christianity produced great thinkers like Rene Descartes, Emmanuel Kant, David Hume, John S Mill, Bertrand Russell and many more. Some of these thinkers, Spinoza for example, attracted ire from religious authorities, faced excommunication. Nonetheless, their ideas and views were not choked out; instead, they were disseminated with some measure of ease; security to their life was not threatened. The resilience, the power, of their progressive and reformative social, political and philosophical ideas eventually triumphed. As a result, those societies reformed, secularized, progressed and prospered. But Muslims societies, the core of which is most intimately integrated with its religious ideals, have never really allowed the emergence of its own breed of freethinkers and progressive reformers, particularly over the past eight centuries. One must not negate the fact that the Islamic world once excelled the rest in the so-called Golden Age of Islam (800–1200 CE). This was, however, possible only because the Islamic world fell in wrong hands soon after its founding by Prophet Muhammad (d. 632). The Arab imperialist Umayyad rulers (661–750) were mostly anti-Muhammad and anti-Islam, except when it served their purpose. For example, they exploited the Islamic doctrine of Jihad at its best for their imperialism expansion, whilst tried their best to prevent the conversion of non-Muslim subjects to Islam, so that they could extract more taxes from them. During Umayyad rule, all kinds of often-progressive but theologically heretical ideas (i.e., rationalist Mutazilism) prospered unchecked in Muslim societies. Next, the Abbasid rulers (750–1250), who—rejected the Arab ways and adopted the Persian civilization—further propped up the flourishing of this often-heretical intellectual tradition. The Persians already had a great tradition in intellectual exercise prior to Islam’s birth. The Abbasids promoted science and philosophy even at theological compromise. Caliph Al-Mamun (813–833), for example, even persecuted the orthodox; all his officials had to agree that the Quran was not divine but created by Prophet Muhammad. His policies continued during the subsequent rule of al-Mutassim (d. 842) and Al-Wathik (d. 847). Al-Wathik, embarrassingly for Muslims, became dubbed as the “Commander of the Unbeliever”. This deviation from true Islam set the emergence of the Islamic Golden Age in motion, albeit on the wings of heresy and theological compromise of all sorts. We see the greatest-ever Muslim scientist and thinker, Al-Razi (d. 945), calling Prophet Muhammad a charlatan, a fraudulent trickster; responding to Allah’s challenge of creating a book like the Quran, he called it an assorted mixture of “absurd and inconsistent fables”. The writings of Plato, Aristotle, Euclid, and Hippocrates—he asserted—contained much greater wisdom and brought greater service to humanity than the Holy Scriptures, which brought more harm than good. This was all to change soon. Islamic orthodoxy was gaining strength; it triumphed in Islamic societies by the spadework of legendary Islamic theologian Imam Ghazzali (d. 1111). He called Al-Farabi and Ibn Sina—his predecessor and the brilliant 11th-century philosophers and scientists of Muslim world—apostates, which demands death. Luckily for the latter, they had already left the world. The rational and progressive thoughts became increasing suppressed. Religious orthodoxy, obscurantism and intolerance entered the body of Islamic societies. The Golden Age of Islam was dead. (My just-released book, Islamic Jihad: A Legacy of Forced Conversion, Imperialism and Slavery, discusses in Chapter IV the circumstances that made the so-called Golden Age in the Muslim world a reality). Progressive thoughts and ideas have been choked out in Muslim societies with the instruments of intimidation and violence ever since. When colonial powers briefly imposed some measure of tolerance in Islamic countries, a few Muslim intellectuals of note emerged. After the colonial powers withdrew, the Islamic world has marched towards orthodoxy and intolerance, particularly after the oil-boom in the 1970s. Its progressive freethinkers, the generators of new ideas and creativity and propellers of civilization, are dealt with intolerance and brutality by authorities as well as by mobs. As long as intolerance of dissenting ideas remain in force, Islamic world will unlikely emerge from its current malaise and lack of material progress. It is unlikely to change any time soon. There is, however, a glimmer of hope. Kicked out of their home countries, some Muslim dissidents—harbored by the liberal West—are showing their intellectual prowess. Muslim apostates like Ibn Warraq and Ayaan Hirsi Ali have written bestselling books. Most of all, they, for the first time, are pointing fingers at the debilitating nature of the Islamic theology, which must undergo modernization as have other creeds. The new-age information technology, the Internet, have also come to their aid. Another lesser known, but more populous, breed of Muslim intellectuals have taken up pens for pointing out the troublesome aspects of the theological foundations of Islam and are airing their views through increasingly popular Websites, such as Islam Watch, Faith Freedom International, Apostates of Islam and more. More and more intellectually capable writers from Muslim backgrounds are being generated through these Internet-based ventures. As Muslim countries become increasingly networked to the Internet, the pool of Muslim readers, accessing their messages, will inevitably grow and help their enlightenment, which is already happening. Samuel Huntington, in his Clash of Civilizations, quite correctly points to a prominent ongoing clash of Islam with the rest humanity, which is all there for one to see. It is raging by the day and will undoubtedly accentuate over coming decades. Islam’s history, particularly until the European colonial interventions in the Muslim world, has been a monotonous saga of continual war against non-Muslims; it has claimed hundreds of millions of lives from Asia to Africa to Europe. Even the far-off United States was not spared this Islamic brutality: her ship-crews captured and enslaved in North African waters suffered horribly. The war is being reinvigorated again. Since the 9/11 attacks, there have been no less than 12,800 Islam-inspired acts of violence committed by Muslim militants and mobs globally as tracked by a Website (a small fraction of them against Western targets). While this battle now claims thousands of lives annually, millions of lives could be at stake in the not-too-distant future. It is Muslims, who are waging this raging new war against their non-Muslim neighbors all over the world; it is in their hands, too, to end it peacefully. Only a dawn of Islamic enlightenment—which entails Muslims’ recognition that there is unjustified violence and intolerance integrated in their religion and that these must be abandoned in order for them to be a peaceful part of the global humanity—can avert this dreadful prospect. This is a battle not winnable through military might. The global Muslim community’s access to the rather unsavory views of this emerging band of Muslim freethinkers, and their willingness to pay heed to latter’s message may end this long-standing war of Islam against non-Muslim humanity with reduced damage to life and property. Else, humanity stands to lose immensely in this battle of civilizations. Muslims will lose no less.

Islamic Jihad : A Legacy of Forced Conversion, Imperialism and Slavery -- by MA Khan Purchase option: Paperback 17.95 | Kindle edition: $ 7.96 | E.Book: $ 6:00 | Also available at your nearby bookstores. Look for cheaper offers on print editions at Barnes & Noble etc. "I read your book and found it fascinating. It is one of those few books which everybody, Muslims and non-Muslims, must read."

--- Prof. Sami Alrabaa "With this book, M A Khan joins the ranks of luminaries like Ibn Warraq, Ali Sina, Bat Yeor and Geert Wilders" . -- Objective Reader, Amazon.com

Learn more here .

Name: closed Comment: Comments Notes: Keep comments short. Our system cannot separate paragraphs. Comments must be relevant to the topic of the article. Irrelevant comments, materials, adds of other websites, pasting external articles etc. are not allowed. We may ban such nuisance posters.

Name: dvine words my brother such a good article...very good

Date: Thursday March 05, 2009

Time: 01:04:45 -0500



Comment

divine words my brother such a good article...very good

Editor: Please refrain from diverting the discussion from the subject in question

Name: you are loosing jobs due to islam

Date: Thursday March 05, 2009

Time: 01:37:48 -0500



Comment

you are loosing jobs due to islam.Mad fanatic osama ordered 9/11 on WTC. Immediately Uncle sam (US) ordered war on terrorirm instead of keeping queit like dumb indians who never consider loss of its citizens. Upto this it is ok. but George bush faught the war with out knowing the real root cause of terrorism, islam and terrorism breeder feild Pakistan. onside he is waging war terrorist in Afghan on the other hand he stupidly aided billions into pakistan undeer Musharaf regime for support in his war but large part of it was diverted to couner indian waepons rather than dismantling teror network in pakistan and terror financing petro dollar banks. After bush waged another war on iraq on suspicion of nucleur weapons with Saddham. This was death knell for US which made it to bakrupt utterly weaken its economy. The consequence is its citizens lost their jobs which lead to to non paymemnt of bank loans of their houses and credit cards. Then it lead to collapsing of baks. This lead to cascading effect of global econmy which all the world central banks have invested their hard earned foriegn exchange in US banks by buying US treasury bonds.All these effects lead to recession job losses .Thousands of indians are loosing hitehc software and hard ware jobs which are outsourced to them from US as part of india's opening door to globalisation and American goods like drinks, american apples and corn imports. India is still suffering financially from pakistan and islam even after 60 years of partition .Islam is like a toxic tree which does not die by cutting its branches. WE have to cu it roots and stem.No more silence. Let us all world citizens fallow Einstein steps to criticise evil religions and fanatism in general islam in particular. First islam must be condemned in all forms of media right from internet ,print and literature like novels. Let us appreciate Anwar sheaik, Taslima and SALMAN RUSHDIE like people who have early predicted evil islam its danger and daringly critised and warned danger of it.

Name: Freedom and Democracy

Date: Thursday March 05, 2009

Time: 02:30:40 -0500



Comment

Freedom and democracy are essential in a progressive society. Both are incompatible with Islam.

Name: Nice Article!

Date: Thursday March 05, 2009

Time: 03:07:50 -0500



Comment

It reveals that the so-called Golden Age of Islam was only possible because it was less islamic than most muslims believe. Todays muslims have only this choice: Progress, Wealth and Democracy OR Islam!

Name: PK

Date: Thursday March 05, 2009

Time: 05:12:21 -0500



Comment

Dear Editor, Mention of only Jews and Christians is biased. Why do you want to ignore contributions of your ancestral Indian Hindu civilisation? Can you ever forget Hindu civilisations' contribution to the world "zero", or the preservation of sanskrit language or invention of wireless communication by our scientists, but credit for which went to European scientists.

Name: balam

Date: Thursday March 05, 2009

Time: 06:29:18 -0500



Comment

Excellant article.Unfortunately,it can not be sent to Muslim countries because of ban on ISLAM WATCH.Truth does not seem to be pallatable to the Muslim mind.Islam is like a mill-stone around the neck of Muslims,but they are quite happy with that.It is the fear of Allah and Mohammad,which has paralysed them to submission.The future of Islam and Muslims is very bleak unless they change their thinking about this dangerous cult of hatred and ignorance. Time and tide waits for no man.

Name: Get the Facts Straight

Date: Thursday March 05, 2009

Time: 07:35:31 -0500



Comment

--"Why do you want to ignore contributions of your ancestral Indian Hindu civilisation? Can you ever forget Hindu civilisations' contribution to the world "zero", or the preservation of sanskrit language or invention of wireless communication by our scientists, but credit for which went to European scientists."--These were the men responsible for the development of radio, Michael Faraday, James Clerk Maxwell, William Henry Ward, Mahlon Loomis, Thomas Edison, David E. Hughes, Calzecchi-Onesti, Edouard Branly, Heinrich Rudolf Hertz, Roberto Landell de Moura, Nikola Tesla, Oliver Lodge, Jagdish Chandra Bose, Alexander Popov, Ernest Rutherford, Guglielmo Marconi, Julio Cervera Baviera. No one man can claim the credit for the the development of wireless transmission or radio. Do not misled people by your claim. The Mesoamerican Long Count calendar developed in south-central Mexico required the use of zero as a place-holder within its vigesimal (base-20) positional numeral system. Many different glyphs, including this partial quatrefoil——were used as a zero symbol for these Long Count dates, the earliest of which (on Stela 2 at Chiapa de Corzo, Chiapas) has a date of 36 BCE. Although this discussion is out of topic but some misconception and false claim must be addressed.

Name: Mutazilism

Date: Thursday March 05, 2009

Time: 08:28:18 -0500



Comment

Mu'tazili theology originated in the 8th century in Basra (Iraq) when Wasil ibn Ata (d. 131 A.H./748 A.D.) left the teaching lessons of al-Hasan al-Basri after a theological dispute regarding the issue of Al-Manzilah bayna al-Manzilatayn (described below); thus he, and his followers, including Amr ibn Ubayd (d. 144 A.H./ 761 A.D.), were labelled Mu'tazili [1]. Later, Mu'tazilis called themselves Ahl al-Tawhid wa al-'Adl ("People of Divine Unity and Justice") based on the theology they advocated, which sought to ground Islamic creedal system in reason. Though Mu'tazilis later relied on logic and different aspects of early Islamic philosophy, Greek philosophy, and Hellenistic philosophy, the truths of Islam were their starting point and ultimate reference.[2] The accusations leveled against them by rival schools of theology that they gave absolute authority to extra-Islamic paradigms reflect more the fierce polemics between various schools of theology than any objective reality. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mu'tazili

Name: Mu'tazili tenets focus on the Five Principles

Date: Thursday March 05, 2009

Time: 08:34:26 -0500



Comment

(1) Al-Tawhid - Divine Unity. Mu'tazilis believed in the absolute unity and oneness of God. (2) Al-'Adl - Divine Justice. Facing the problem of existence of evil in the world, the Mu'tazilis pointed at the free will of human beings, so that evil was defined as something that stems from the errors in human acts. (3) Al-Wa'd wa al-Wa'id - Promise and Threat. This comprised questions on the Last day and the Qiyamah (Islamic Day of Judgment). (4) Al-Manzilah bayna al-Manzilatayn - the intermediate position. (5) Al-amr bil ma'ruf wa al-nahy 'an al munkar - advocating the good and forbidding the evil. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mu'tazili

Name: MA Khan is a liar

Date: Thursday March 05, 2009

Time: 08:44:30 -0500



Comment

MA Khan has lied about the Mu'tazilis. They were true Muslims. They had never doubted about the authenticity of the Quran neither had they ever criticized Prophet Muhammad. It's absurd! Instead they had tried to rationalize the basic tenets and teachings of Islam, and it's absolutely OK according to the Spirit of the Quran.

Name: MA Khan's lie about Mu'tazilis is exposed

Date: Thursday March 05, 2009

Time: 08:50:31 -0500



Comment

By the end of the ninth century, Mu'tazilis were subjected to vehement attacks from the traditionalists on one hand, and from the atheists, deists, philosophers, non-Muslim thinkers, etc. on the other. It is important to note that the traditionalists, as opposed to Mu'tazili rationalists, were not irrationalists. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mu'tazili

Name: MA Khan's lie about Mu'tazilis is exposed

Date: Thursday March 05, 2009

Time: 08:51:50 -0500



Comment

The Mu'tazilis had a nuanced theory regarding reason, Divine revelation, and the relationship between them. They celebrated power of reason and human intellectual power. To them, it is the human intellect that guides a human to know God, His attributes, and the very basics of morality. Once this foundational knowledge is attained and one ascertains the truth of Islam and the Divine origins of the Qur'an, the intellect then interacts with scripture such that both reason and revelation come together to be the main source of guidance and knowledge for Muslims. Harun Nasution in the Mu'tazila and Rational Philosophy, translated in Martin (1997), commented on Mu'tazili extensive use of rationality in the development of their religious views saying: "It is not surprising that opponents of the Mu'tazila often charge the Mu'tazila with the view that humanity does not need revelation, that everything can be known through reason, that there is a conflict between reason and revelation, that they cling to reason and put revelation aside, and even that the Mu'tazila do not believe in revelation. But is it true that the Mu'tazila are of the opinion that everything can be known through reason and therefore that revelation is unnecessary? The writings of the Mu'tazila give exactly the opposite portrait. In their opinion, human reason is not sufficiently powerful to know everything and for this reason humans need revelation in order to reach conclusions concerning what is good and what is bad for them.

Name: MA Khan ----> Mutazili guy...

Date: Thursday March 05, 2009

Time: 10:29:02 -0500



Comment

Please stop messing up the forum. A little knowledge you can gain reading wikipedia does not necessarily tell the whole thing. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing and you are a proof. Of course, Mutazilis were believers; indeed, they were Muslim. But it is also because of their ideas that Caliph Al-Mamun started persecuting those, who claimed the Quran was divine. Al-Mamun made all his top officers to take oath by the pledge that Quran was created. His officers in turn did the same upon lower-ranked officers. The biggest victim of Al-Mamun's persecution was orthodox jurist Ibn Hanbal for his refusal accept that Quran was created.

Name:

Date: Thursday March 05, 2009

Time: 12:21:19 -0500



Comment

MA Khan should stop using copy-paste stuff from missionaries' sites to spread lies and harted against Islam and Muslims. Or maybe he himself is a missionary! In fact there are lots of proofs in his sites that he is probably a missionary in the guise of ex-muzlim.

Name: About Mutazilism

Date: Thursday March 05, 2009

Time: 15:30:43 -0500



Comment

They believed that the quran was man-made and with power only limited for a certain period. Ibn Hanbal, Ibn Taimiyya and almost all orthodox Muslims who are ruling today are strongly agaist Mutazilism because they cannot share their view that the quran was created by humans and that logic is more than believe. Today Muslims are facing the same problem that their is no other choice: Progress, Democracy and Wealth OR Islam.

Name: Morris

Date: Thursday March 05, 2009

Time: 17:53:21 -0500



Comment

I think that human creativity is directly related to freedom of thinking. That is to say that greater the freedom of thinking, more likely the person could be creative. And the reverse may be true too. I just wonder whether this subject has been studied and has any found any evidence of this proposition. I do not know. Does anyone?

Name: Bad News

Date: Thursday March 05, 2009

Time: 21:06:08 -0500



Comment

I know this is slight off the topic, but just wanted to bring this to your attention. There is a bad news that all the freedom lovers should be worried about. http://wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=90736

Name: Re: PK.... from MA Khan

Date: Thursday March 05, 2009

Time: 23:02:21 -0500



Comment

I had a couple of lines in the original article, referring to reformists in Hindu religion. But I removed it before posting. I try to avoid making any reference to Hinduism in the light of some recent experience in this site.

Name: To MA Khan

Date: Thursday March 05, 2009

Time: 23:53:18 -0500



Comment

Swami Dayanand Saraswati, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Gandhi, Swami Vivekanand were some of the reformists in Hindu religion. The practice of widow burning which started with the Muslim invasion was finally stopped by these reformers. I am a Hindu and I say that there were some off-scriptural practices in Hinduism. The great reformers enlightened us. Hindus are open to knowledge.

Name: Mayans and Aztec civilisation of Mexiacans is also Hindu

Date: Friday March 06, 2009

Time: 01:11:38 -0500



Comment

Mayans and Aztec civilisation of Mexiacans is also Hindu religion.Thier gods and and prayer with musical instruments,temples of vishnu all reveal this.Even their vocabulary of varoius languages derived from sanskrit.Please know about american redindians and religion history and their vishnu worship.REd indians are hindus migrated as tribals from ancient siberia and russia through land bridge then existed called The "Bering land bridge" thier musical intruments are all similar to classical musical intruments of ancient india.THier wars also similar to arrow wars of ancient india.THough this is off topic comment ,i am writing this as half knoweldge and misconception is dangerous

Name: Utopian Land

Date: Friday March 06, 2009

Time: 02:38:55 -0500



Comment

Now the Mayans and the Aztecs are of Hindu origin? What a preposterous and laughable idea. These people would like to think that all of the world's great contributions to civilization were Hindus. How about contributing something to eliminate the millions of beggars, homeless and hungry in your Utopian Land.

Name: JG

Date: Friday March 06, 2009

Time: 10:07:16 -0500



Comment

Really excellent article, thanks for posting. One of the more hopeful texts I have written on this issue. It is my fervent hope that the sane, kind Muslims in the world are able to lead the charge against the extreme faction. The lack of innovation and creativity that has turned most Islamic nations into cesspools may leave the Islamic world high and dry when the oil dries up, perhaps this will inspire the change?

Name: To Utopian

Date: Saturday March 07, 2009

Time: 06:38:18 -0500



Comment

How about removing beggary and horrendous crime, racketeering ,drug peddling,etc in the West? Officially USA has already lost 7 million jobs adding to millions of others living off doles and supplementing with criminal activities, prostituting,etc. Look at the beggary in your own countries which are supposed to be "rich" before you poke fun at others. Has that bastard Jesus Christ delvered your from the rampant profligacy and crime ,especially in the USA? How can he for the dead corpse on a cross that you are worshipping is himself the greatest BEGGAR and FRAUD in the history of Humanity - this pathetic jew that you worship as the 'son of God', for he doesn't know who his Earthly father was ,this bastard and ultmate fraudulent beggar, a cheat and a moral wreck!

Name: Man Without Love

Date: Saturday March 07, 2009

Time: 10:55:32 -0500



Comment

A man who does not know love does not know God.

Name: Kit-S.CA USA

Date: Sunday March 08, 2009

Time: 02:58:14 -0500



Comment

Great article....sending this to my Saudi Arabian atheist buddy. The next leader type there.

Name: Archpagan

Date: Sunday March 08, 2009

Time: 06:42:55 -0500



Comment

Christianity is the biggest fraud the humanity has ever been subjected to. The man who could not save himself has been foisted as the savior of entire mankind!Love? Your love made the entire population of the two American continents vanish from the face of earth. 'Love thy neighbour' is concomitant with 'hate thine Gods'. "Go into the bush and compel them to come".

Name: To Archpagan

Date: Sunday March 08, 2009

Time: 11:46:09 -0500



Comment

It is a pity that your point of view regarding Christianity is distorted. The death of Jesus on the cross has a great significance for all mankind. If you are truly seeking for the truth with an open mind please read Jesus's Sermon on the Mount.

Name: Brokeback Prophet

Date: Monday March 09, 2009

Time: 19:56:41 -0500



Comment

1400 years of Islam and they are still crapping in holes dug in front of their mud houses, raping children and beating wives. What a shameful superstition.

Name: Well done Khan

Date: Monday March 09, 2009

Time: 23:04:12 -0500



Comment

MA Khan knows how Abul Kasem's ass got burnt and lost reputation as a writer for concocting hallucinations on Hinduism. After seeing the rebuttal to Abul Kasem's article, people have come to the conclusion that Kasem knows only about Arabic night stories. MA Khan feels that he might stand naked in the eyes of internet if he decided to write anything stupid. Khan uses his intelligence to save his ass

Name: Archpagan

Date: Tuesday March 10, 2009

Time: 03:35:12 -0500



Comment

On careful study of semetic scriptues vis-a-vis world history I found the original sin is not eating of the apple of wisdom but strategic monotheism, propounded by Abraham/Ibrahim and put to practice by the Jews. Jews art still paying for such sin.While making a travesty of Judaism St. paul committed the second original sin, which is religious conversion. It only taught intolerance and exclusivism destroying cultures across the globe. It is sort of colonising the mind by creating mental clones. Muhammad just added the third by beautifying violence throughjehad. Abrahamites are the real prodigal children of the Mother earth.