OutSyed The Box

Posted: 11 Jul 2012 11:44 PM PDT

Yesterday the Razak School of Government (RSOG) invited Professor Tariq Ramadan to talk about Islam and Government. It was a small audience comprising our local literati, some academics, a Mufti and maybe a closet ayatollah.

Tariq Ramadhan is of course the well known Western based intellect, academic, thinker, writer and speaker who came to speak about Muslims, identity and diversity. He presently holds a Chair at Oxford University and is a well known public figure in the West. Tariq Ramadan is well known for his debate with Nicholas Sarkozy in 2003 where the audience was not too sure about Tariq's stand on the idea of "stoning the adulterer to death". Although denying Nicholas Sarkozy's contention that he (Tariq) agreed with stoning the adulterer to death, Tariq had suggested a 'moratorium' on such practises pending further discussion.

I would assume that after 1400 years of Islam, there would be a permanent moratorium on such practises already. Stoning the adulterer to death is not a Quranic punsihment - there is no stoning to death of anyone for anything as a prescribed punishment in the Quran.

Anyway I dont know why Nicholas Sarkozy would be so aghast at 'stoning people to death'. It is written clearly in the Bible. Plus, as late as 1977, the French were chopping off peoples' heads at the guillotine.

Here is a picture of yours truly with Tariq Ramadan yesterday :

After listening to Tariq Ramadan for about an hour yesterday it reconfirmed my belief that the Muslims and especially the Muslim intellectuals of the 21st century are facing a serious crisis of confusion.

Tariq Ramadan said that there should be no law or punishment preventing Muslims from leaving Islam. However I suspect he faces a problem about how to justify such an idea to the Muslims themselves. Although he quoted some verses from the Quran throughout his presentation he did not quote anything from the Quran (especially Surah 4:137) to support his idea that there is no punishment for apostates.

This is the problem faced by many Muslims. You know that something is just not right but you dont know how to go about suggesting the right solution.

To me the solution is very simple : just refer to the Quran. Not only is there absolutely no punishment for apostasy in the Quran but the Quran even deals with apostasy. Just refer Surah 4:137 which I have mentioned so many times already. Letih lah.

Later at tea time I also met Dr Juanda Jaya, the present Mufti of Perlis who agreed that there was no punishment for apostasy in Islam. Dr Juanda Jaya has understood this from his years of studying religion all the way up to his PhD.

I understood the same thing after reading Surah 4:137 in the Quran. Tak payah pi "mengaji" jauh-jauh pun.

Just like there is no stoning the adulterer to death in the Quran. Unfortunately the Muslim intellectuals cannot bring themselves to just say what is and is not in the Quran. Instead they waste time beating around the bush, quoting this imam and that imam, quoting this and that religious scholar.

To an impartial observer from say the planet Mars, it would appear that the Muslims are actually worshipping their religious scholars. They are not listening to Allah, the Rasul and the Quran.

The more modernised among the Muslim scholars say, 'lets reinterpret the interpretations of the scholars'. This is a very big mistake. I think this is what Tariq Ramadan is doing. Hence his call for a "moratorium" on stoning the adulterer to death - which he mentioned in 2003 - nine years ago already. I have an easier suggestion - just throw out the interpretations of the scholars. Put it in the waste basket.

Anyway at yesterday's talk, during the first half I noticed plenty of smiles and nodding heads when Tariq spoke about the Muslim identity and how the Muslim minority in the West are being pressured by the majority "powers that be" to prove or show their loyalty to the West.

However when Tariq advised the majority Muslims in Malaysia not to do the same to the non Muslim minority here, there were fewer heads nodding. One young woman not only stopped smiling but quietly left the room.

During question time, one professor embarrassed a few of us when he made a less than polite (and also trite) comment that Tariq Ramadan was on a journey but he had "not yet reached his destination." At tea time a few of us agreed that the comment was not very polite. It is the typical holier than thou attitude of the religiously inclined again.

Prof Tariq Ramadan has held professorships in major European universities including now at Oxford University. He has authored many books and has presented numerous papers and is a sought after speaker the world over. He has most certainly travelled quite a distance in his journey. Orang lain pula masih tunggu di "stesen bas."

Anyway folks, here is Surah 4:137 (I cannot tire from quoting the Quran):

4:137 "Surely, those who believe, then disbelieve, then believe, then disbelieve, then plunge deeper into disbelief, Allah will not forgive them, nor will He guide them in any way."

This verse describes a person moving in and out of "belief", not once or twice but FOUR times.

Step 1. those who believe
Step 2. then disbelieve
Step 3. then believe
Step 4. then disbelieve, then plunge deeper into disbelief,

Allah will not forgive them or guide them in the right way.

There is no punishment prescribed for this person. Where is the punishment of death? If apostasy is punishable by death, then how does this person get to Step 3? He would have already been killed at Step 2 when he first rejected belief. So folks, tak payah pi mengaji jauh-jauh. Just read the Quran and the Muslims will get out of the Club of Doom.

The question the Muslims have to answer is "Do you believe your own Quran?" This is the soalan cepu mas.

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OutSyed The Box

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