ARTICLES
Guidelines in using the word “Allah”
By Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin
Translation by Umm Jaabir (weproofread4u.blogspot.com)
I would like to suggest hereby few issues that should be looked into carefully regarding the usage of the word “Allah” by the non-Muslims.
As mentioned in my previous article (2007) entitled “The Difference between Saying ‘Allah’ and Protecting Our `Aqeedah”, this issue is more of a local issue involving public harmony, while it does not involve any specific prohibition from the authoritative evidences of Islam i.e. the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Therefore I hope that this statement will be read along with the aforementioned article.
Permission (Izin) is not Approval (Redha)
By Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin
Translation by R. Abdul-Hamid
I don’t like to be too philosophical in what I say. The purpose of speech and the written word is for the message to be understood by those on the receiving end, not for it to be so convoluted so as to confuse them. Having said that, there are certain terms that need further clarification, not for the sake of mere philosophizing, but because elaboration is necessary to avoid conflict between Muslims.
NO! to Wahhabi
By Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin
Translation by Umm Jaabir (weproofread4u.blogspot.com)
It is unfortunate that those known as devout or pious are actually very un-scholarly, though knowledge is the essence of Islam’s purity and authenticity. Of the qualities of being devoid of knowledge is to accuse others with baseless accusations when he is unable or refusing to answer questions raised by others. This mind-set is akin to the prevailing American government’s purview, which labels as terrorist any who criticizes them, albeit without any evidence.
Al-Qardawi: A Man of Reform
By Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin
Translation by Umm Jaabir (weproofread4u.blogspot.com)
The coming of Dr Yusuf al-Qardawi to Malaysia was most welcomed. Though I was not able to attend his lecture yesterday morning, in which I was told he talked about his recent book, Fiqh al-Jihad, I had already purchased a copy few of months ago. This book is among his major work after Fiqh az-Zakaah.
Fear The Wahhabi Ghost!
By Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin
Translation by Umm Jaabir (weproofread4u.blogspot.com)
Several individuals had suggested that I briefly expound in my column regarding what was mentioned last week by a tarekat (Sufi sect) activist that had commented on my arrest.
Personally, it is a norm for these tarekat followers to feel antsy with me because few of my previous articles contained criticisms on the culture of blind-following (taklid buta) or the abandonment of rational thinking, which is very common in many tarekat groups where its followers would perform anything instructed by their “shaykh” (leader) without questioning the basis of such command.
Wahhabi: A Mystery in Malaysia
By Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin
Translation by Umm Jabir (weproofread4u.blogspot.com)
In the context of Western journalism, the word ‘Wahhabi’ has many connotations. All of them lead to an understanding that it is an Islamic movement perceived as strictly following the legal opinions and evidences (nas) from al-Quran and as-Sunnah in its literal sense, while refusing to consider the more modern or ‘western-influenced’ interpretations. Clinton Bennet grouped ‘Wahhabis’ and Deobandis under the ‘traditionalist’ school of thought, and therefore among the ‘fundamentalists’ (refer to: Muslim and Modernity 18-20, London: Continuum).
