Project Ijtihad

[McCulloch]

Project Ijtihad

What's ijtihad?

Ijtihad (pronounced “ij-tee-had�) is Islam’s own tradition of independent thinking. In the early centuries of Islam, thanks to the spirit of ijtihad, 135 schools of thought thrived. Inspired by ijtihad, Muslims gave the world inventions from the astrolabe to the university. So much of what we consider "western" pop culture came from Muslims: the guitar, mocha coffee, even the ultra-Spanish expression "Ole!" (which has its root in the Arabic word for God, "Allah").

What's the mission of Project Ijtihad?

Project Ijtihad is a charitable initiative to promote the spirit of Ijtihad, Islam’s own tradition of critical thinking, debate and dissent. We support a positive vision of Islam that embraces diversity of choices, expression and spirituality. To achieve this, Project Ijtihad will help build the world’s most inclusive network of reform-minded Muslims and non-Muslim allies.

Reform-minded Muslims already exist in spades. Our goal is to bring them out of the shadows. They need to know that Islam gives them the permission to be thoughtful and faithful at the same time. Because they’re not alone, they can have such faith without fear.

Let me be clear: ours is not a call for the legal practise of ijtihad to be popularized. It's a call for the spirit of ijtihad to be broadened. We believe that anything less is a form of elitism that cements a pattern of submissiveness among today's Muslims -- a submissiveness not to God but to God's self-appointed ambassadors. This stops peace-loving Muslims from speaking up even as extremists take over.

Muslim dissidents receive death threats regularly.

Question for debate: Is there hope for Islamic reform? Can the values of pluralism and toleration be integrated with Islam?

[byofrcs]

Project Ijtihad

What's ijtihad?

Ijtihad (pronounced “ij-tee-had�) is Islam’s own tradition of independent thinking. In the early centuries of Islam, thanks to the spirit of ijtihad, 135 schools of thought thrived. Inspired by ijtihad, Muslims gave the world inventions from the astrolabe to the university. So much of what we consider "western" pop culture came from Muslims: the guitar, mocha coffee, even the ultra-Spanish expression "Ole!" (which has its root in the Arabic word for God, "Allah").

What's the mission of Project Ijtihad?

Project Ijtihad is a charitable initiative to promote the spirit of Ijtihad, Islam’s own tradition of critical thinking, debate and dissent. We support a positive vision of Islam that embraces diversity of choices, expression and spirituality. To achieve this, Project Ijtihad will help build the world’s most inclusive network of reform-minded Muslims and non-Muslim allies.

Reform-minded Muslims already exist in spades. Our goal is to bring them out of the shadows. They need to know that Islam gives them the permission to be thoughtful and faithful at the same time. Because they’re not alone, they can have such faith without fear.

Let me be clear: ours is not a call for the legal practise of ijtihad to be popularized. It's a call for the spirit of ijtihad to be broadened. We believe that anything less is a form of elitism that cements a pattern of submissiveness among today's Muslims -- a submissiveness not to God but to God's self-appointed ambassadors. This stops peace-loving Muslims from speaking up even as extremists take over.

Muslim dissidents receive death threats regularly.

Question for debate: Is there hope for Islamic reform? Can the values of pluralism and toleration be integrated with Islam?

...as much as they do with Christianity, meaning that Muslims will find a common enemy in the form of secularists. I suppose if a common enemy stops Sunni and Shite from blowing 3 forms of hell out of each other then it is a good thing but why can't they go medieval on say Scientologists ?. We can all agree, Christian, Muslim, Jew and Atheist, that the only good Scientologist is now broke.

Why is it that they all pick on Secularism, Methodical Naturalists and Atheists ?