Islam is ripe for reform, a renowned
Islamic scholar said Tuesday at Texas
Woman’s University, but the impetus must
be theological, not legal, and that
poses many problems in the politically
divided world in which potential
reformers must operate.
Islamic scholar Abdulkarim Soroush
spoke on “Reforming Islamic Societies:
Problems and Prospects” to a
standing-room-only audience at TWU, in
the latest Public Affairs Forum hosted
by the university.
The forums are designed to bring
important public issues to the forefront
and inspire student discussion, said Ann
Staton, dean of the College of Arts and
Sciences.
“We believe it’s important for our
students to be informed and aware of
issues,” she said. “The forum covers
issues important to all of us as
citizens. We’re interested in informed,
enlightened, educational and civil
discourse.”
The discourse Tuesday afternoon was
on reforming Islam.
Many people think the answer is to
reform Islamic law, Soroush said, but
it’s more important to reform theology.
“There is great change and reform on
the way. It’s not as visible, but will
be in the near future and will have an
impact on law, life and lifestyle,”
Soroush said after the presentation.
Legal reform is the byproduct of
theological reform, he said, but those
interested in Islamic reform are
thinking only about the former.
“This will not do; in order to have a
real reform in law, a real legal reform
in any issue, you have to have reform in
theology,” he said.
There are people considering Islamic
theology, Soroush said, revisiting every
issue from top to bottom, reviewed in
order, to make the appropriate change
and reform.
But, he said later, the steps to help
change and reform move along are
hampered by language barriers and
political barriers. Soroush said there
are many reformers, but they’re
scattered around the globe and
unreachable because of political
pressure.
“This is a tragic phenomenon in the
modern world. There is no communication
among the reformers,” he said. “It has
nothing to do with ideas. It’s from the
world of politics.”
Julie Pagitt, a sociology student who
posed a question on the likelihood of an
impending schism in Islam, said she was
intrigued by the swiftness with which
reform could come.
“The idea that by reforming theory
you can reform the law, you’re talking
about a whole change in society in 100
years,” she said, adding that she was
glad the university brought Soroush in
to speak.
“This is a speaker trying to reform a
religion that’s being blamed for 75
percent of the attacks on the world,”
Pagitt said. “To hear his ideas on
reform are priceless.”
Soroush said tradition can be a
treasure and a chain. As a chain, he
said, some people are so satisfied with
it they don’t think about change or
reform — which can be a good thing to an
extent, he said. There are positives to
every tradition, including Muslim
traditions, he said.
“There is always a struggle among the
traditional societies, whether they have
to keep intact or change and reform, to
renew it and make it consistent and
dynamic in the modern world.”
BJ LEWIS can be reached at
940-566-6875. His e-mail address isblewis@dentonrc.com .
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