We moderns have been persuaded that we each have 'a right to think for ourselves,' and we imagine that we exercise such a right freely and autonomously. But we are unwilling to acknowledge, despite the plethora of evidences and examples around us, that our every thought is (and continues to be) shaped by cultural influences…
Footprints on the Sands of Time 2
'Modernity is simply our context,' wrote Dr Sherman Jackson, 'We must never allow it to become our excuse.' As various global forces currently conspire against the call to Abrahamic monotheism, here are a few more Footprints exploring the nature of Islam, Muslims and modernity (the first set of Footprints can be read here): ♦ On humility: The mark of those who…
The Juggernaut of Modernity
Islam is an inherently conservative tradition, in the sense that a cardinal tenet of such a tradition is to conserve and preserve revealed truths, defending them against attack. Pivotal to this preservation are the ‘ulema or religious scholars. One hadith says: 'This knowledge will be carried by the trustworthy of each generation. They shall rid…