By AY Mol on 23-7-2010 14:14

This is one of my current projects in The Netherlands, where of course the debate about Islam has become very negative. Together with several other Muslim theolgians and writers, have we created a new website where we can combine the voices in Holland, to create a critical and selfreflecting debate about muslimcultures, interpretation of Islam etc.

 

See here the newsarticle:

 

A group of Islamic 'contemporary thinkers' launched a new website today in order to develop 'critical (self)-reflection' in the Muslim communities in the Netherlands. The Nieuwemoskee site [New Mosque] wants to break down rigid ideas about Islam and add depth to the fierce, but mostly oversimplified, Islam debate.

 

Reflections about the difficulty of Islam to nestle in Western society are often due to simplicity, according to the founders. In...

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By AY Mol on 10-6-2010 8:23

The Dutch anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders hasn't won the elections in Holland, but gained 15 more seats in the Dutch parlement, having now 24 seats of the 150 parlement seats.

 

There is a good chance he will form the main government together with the Dutch version of the Liberal party (VVD) and the christian democrats (CDA). 1.5 million voted for Wilders.

 

Many people in Holland are shocked. Because of WWII, to vote for a known-racist party was always a big taboo in Holland as any discrimination is immediately linked to the Nazi's. It is interesting that in the polls before the elections it was predicted Wilders would get 18 seats, but as many are ashamed to tell their real vote, everybody knew he would get more. And even today on Dutch television, people are reluctant to admit they voted for Wilders, as they still experience it as a taboo.

 

Wilders' Freedom Party doesn't have a democratic structure where people can become member and be involved in the party policies or candidates. It has only one member, Wilders himself, and he chooses the candidates and the policies. And no other candidate is allowed to talk to the press except himself or a chosen person who has been instructed by Wilders what to say. So it isn't just his policies what scare people, it is also the way he runs his party; undemocratic and as a dictator. His party is the only party of the 17 parties, and the only in Dutch history even, that is structured as such.

...

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By AY Mol on 8-6-2010 11:32

Als moslims horen wij constant verschillende geluiden van verschillende moslim groeperingen en allochtonen instanties om wel of niet te gaan stemmen. Is het nou haram of halal, voor wie doe ik het, wat helpt het mij, helpt het de moslims? Al dit soort vragen en meningen circuleren door de media en het internet en veroorzaken een verwarring onder vele moslim jongeren. Ik zeg hier jongeren, omdat de meeste moslim ouderen er niet aan twijfelen dat stemmen niet alleen mag, maar zelfs moet vanuit hun denken. De lage opkomst van moslims ouderen bij het stemmen, hebben dan ook eerder te maken met onwetendheid over het systeem van stemmen en de verwarring op wie zij zullen stemmen. Bij de jongeren is er geen sprake van verwarring over het systeem of onwetendheid over partijen, maar over betrokkenheid. En de kwestie van betrokkenheid kan zowel door verschillende religieuze ideeën als identiteit bepaald worden.

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By AY Mol on 1-6-2010 13:58

Er zijn jammer genoeg sommige Moslims die denken dat Democratie tegenstrijdig is aan de Islam, en dat stemmen in landen als Nederland verboden is. Dat dit een belachelijk idee is kan al bewezen worden door naar de kernwaarden van de Quran te wijzen. De Quran wil vrede (10:25) en rechtvaardigheid (16:90) op aarde creeren, maar geeft tegelijkertijd aan dat niet iedereen Moslim zal worden (5:48, 49:13) en dat iedereen ook de vrijheid heeft om te kiezen (2:256). Daarom zegt de Quran ook dat Moslims samen met niet-Moslims tot een gezamelijke overeenstemming moeten komen (kalimatin sawa'in, 3:64), en moeten samenwerken in het streven naar het goede voor alle mensen (istabiqu al-Khayrat, 5:48, 2:148) en om goede relaties te hebben met niet-Moslims (60:8-9). Moslims worden zelfs verplicht om kerken, synagogen en tempels te beschermen (22:39-40)! In verzen 42:38-43, die in de vroege periode van de Islam waren geopenbaard (in Mekka), wordt democratie (Shura, letterlijk overleg, consultatie) en het opkomen van mensenrechten...

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By AY Mol on 30-4-2010 19:00

All religions are constructed of an image of the Divine (theology), worldview and vision of the future (eschatology). These forms of language, culture and history of the specific details of the religion which distinguishes them from others. The main religions clash with the cultural and theological differences arising from geographical and historical processes that are unique to that specific people or culture. But the common elements are often in the majority because they deal with features that arise from human nature. Eventually all of mankind tries to understand reality and our place in this existence. This quest has been expressed in various ways over the centuries, and thus we share the search. Ethical values as respect for life, being good to the weak in society and conflict resolution are answers we almost all have discovered. To work with each other in a positive way, there must be a dialogue in order to understand each other's differences, but especially to find the similarities.

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By AY Mol on 29-4-2010 8:46

 In Qur'an verses 2:62 and 5:69 we are told that 'Those who believe/protect', those that follow the Jewish faith, those that follow Jesus (al-Nazara) and those that are from other traditions (al-Saba'een: those that shift as the stars), that all these who believe in God, in a Judgment of their deeds, and uphold and create Peace and Justice, that all these people will be accepted by God (they do not to have fear or grieve).

 

  ان الذين ءامنوا والذين هادوا والنصرى والصبين من ءامن بالله واليوم الءاخر وعمل صلحا فلهم اجرهم عند ربهم ولا خوف عليهم ولا هم يحزنون

2:62 Surely those who acknowledge, and those who are Jewish, and the Nazarenes, and those who follow other religions, any one of them who acknowledge God and the Last day, and uphold and create Peace and Justice (amilu saliha), they will have their reward with their Lord, with no fear over them, nor will they grieve.

 

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By AY Mol on 26-4-2010 9:48

The demand and idea of Islamic reform has created from the West and from the Muslim world two responses. On the one side we the West demanding reform of Islam so Muslims will be more 'like them'. But at the same time we see the West being skeptical of an Islamic reform from within, believing that Humanism is a western value that is directly related to the Christian reforms of the Renaissance, while forgetting that the Enlightenment is a mostly Deistic and philosophical product that had to turn against the established religious institutions that protected oppressive ruling systems. Reform is not a 'western' invention, and is thus possible for any society. But the possibility of Islamic reform is mostly judged on the current interpretation of Islam and Shari'a, and creates skepticism of a reform due to their theocratic tendencies. Many people in the West thus believe that democracy and human rights in the Muslim world can only be achieved by 'leaving Islam'.

At the other side we see Muslims feeling attacked...

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By AY Mol on 15-3-2010 11:06

Dear brothers and sisters: 

 

Please read this invitation and answer the questions regarding your participation and the topics you are interested in as a panelist. We would like to receive your answers to the questions ASAP.

 

 

Send these to contact@deenresearchcenter.com

 

This year the conference of Critical Thinkers for Islamic Reform – The Way Forward will be held at Oxford University in June 11-13, God willing. The participants are individuals who agree on the imperative of a drastic reformation in the Muslim world. Though each of us are independent thinkers, we are all in agreement regarding the urgency of  reforming our theology, attitude, action and our organizational strategies to further align ourselves to the Quran interpreted in light of reason.

We have successfully organized a conference in Atlanta, USA in  2008 where thinkers and scholars from both the East and West came together in an effort towards instigating a reform to promote monotheism, peace, justice, progress, critical thinking, and freedom in the Muslim world.

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By AY Mol on 7-3-2010 1:59

The first commandment is the only religious creed of the list, and refers to the duty of understanding that Allah is above and beyond existence. We can philosophize and discuss this subject with other people, as many people have an irrational and childish view on God which does not confirm with the framework of the universe, and are thus stuck in unrealistic ideas, but nobody may ever be forced into accepting a view. We can only truly understand ourselves correctly, when we try to understand the universe and its Creator, as this framework will explain to us His Manifestation. Many people reject religion and faith in a God, because of the irrational ideas perpetrated by many traditional theologies, as they contradict reality (al-Haqq).

 

The second to ninth commands are all ethical values which are shared by all human beings, taking care and protection of the weaker persons among us, to not kill other people, to be honest in all dealings and moments of life, from paying for your gum to testifying in courts, to equal sharing of all resources, foods etc., to hold to our oaths and agreements. This the way we must follow, and these ethics do not contradict our natural disposition (fitrat), as this the path which keeps mankind erect (sirati mustaqim) and righteous (attaquna), and these are the most honourable with God (49:13), and certainly also with all the rest of mankind. The world would be a lot safer and more prosperous if the majority of the people were to uphold these universal ethics and the obligation (al-Din) of peacemaking (al-Islam), which unites mankind in their humanity and positive behaviour.

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By AY Mol on 17-2-2010 22:41

State of Mankind: Introduction into Qur'anic Universalism.
How God sees us, how we see ourselves
by Arnold Yasin Mol

A detailed study of the Qur'anic inclusive message which calls for a cooperation between all people on earth who want to create and maintain peace and welfare. The Qur'an induces people on two levels. Al-Islam is the universal and natural thought and behaviour system (al-Deen 30:30, 2:62, 41:33, 3:64) which represents a pluralistic ethical value system that induces cooperation between different groups among mankind. While al-Iman is the system of the people who accept the truthfull origins of all religions and the Qur'an, are responsible for maintaining peace (amina) and encourage dialogue and justice among all the groups. As expressed in this essay:

"The potential of the Qur’an as a universal guide towards peace and progress can thus manifest itself more clearly. It unites mankind in purpose and direction, while respecting their differences."

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