Liberation: Acre and the End of the Crusades

清楚地介紹那段歷史 

'The Crusades: An Arab Perspective' is a four-part documentary series telling the dramatic story of the crusades seen through Arab eyes, from the seizing of Jerusalem under Pope Urban II in 1099, to its recapture by Salah Ed-Din (also known as Saladin), Richard the Lionheart's efforts to regain the city, and the end of the holy wars in 1291. Part one looked at the First Crusade and the conquest of Jerusalem. In part two, we explored the birth of the Muslim revival in the face of the crusades. Part three examined the Battle of Hattin, Saladin's siege of Jerusalem and the Third Crusade. And the final episode tells the story of the Muslim liberation of the Holy Land and the end of the crusades.  

In 1193, Salah Ed-Din Al-Ayoubi, known in the west as Saladin, fell ill and died, leaving the Ayyubid dynasty in disarray. Six years earlier, he had defeated the Christian forces in the Battle of Hattin and opened the way to the liberation of Jerusalem.

"The successors of Salah Ed-Din ruled over Egypt, the Levant and Iraq. But they failed miserably, unlike the founder of their family. Salah Ed-Din had gained his legitimacy, and that of his state, by embracing the project of defending the Islamic nation and its sanctities against crusaders. His successors relied on a policy of reaction. They never took positive action, relying instead on peace initiatives," explains Qassem Abdu Qassem, head of history at Zaqaziq University.

敘利亞阿勒頗給伊斯蘭社群的意義

這幾天最重要的國際新聞，莫過於敘利亞阿薩德政府軍完全掌控阿勒頗(Aleppo)的消息。阿勒頗過去是敘利亞第一大城，也是最重要的商業中心。5年前受周邊阿拉伯國家的大規模群眾示威抗議效應，不久群眾示威運動也在敘利亞多處爆發。一般認為，這是一場和平失威運動，呼籲政府改變政策，以符合民眾的期待。但在阿薩德政權的強力鎮壓下，示威活動從此變了調，逐漸走向內戰規模。反叛軍不久攻下了阿勒頗，與阿薩德政府軍對峙。直到最近，由於俄國積極介入，派遣空軍大規模轟炸阿勒頗，給予阿薩德軍隊反攻的機會，在今日完全掌控反叛軍控制的東阿勒頗。

關於敘利亞內戰一事，各界有許多不同的看法，穆斯林內部更是如此，但這不是該文的重點，也無意引戰。本文撰寫動機，主要是看到因阿薩德軍隊控制東阿勒頗一事，傳出平民遭到屠殺的消息，激起許多中東與西方穆斯林們情緒上的波動。在社交媒體上，他們表達出急切的心聲與憂慮，甚至譴責那些幫阿薩德政府、伊朗、俄羅斯說話的穆斯林。這是在2014年以色列轟炸加薩事件之後，再度有規模的集體自發性聲援行為。

Lives of the Khulafaa (33): Ali ibn Abi Talib - The Battle of Safeen (Part 6)

綱要
Topics Include:
• Events surrounding the Battle of Safeen
• Death of Ammar ibn Yasir
• Character of Muawiyya (R)
• The Ummayad Dynasty

該演講的重點內容：

1. 因Osman哈里發的死亡，導致Ali與Muawiyya之間發生戰爭。Muawiyya要求Ali交出兇手，但Ali拒絕。內戰造成的死傷，超過前三位哈里發、先知時期與卡非爾之間戰爭的穆斯林死亡人數。

2. 儘管如此，真正參加該戰爭的大賢，只有極少數，多數不願意參與，儘管已有了政治判斷。

3. Ali與Muawiyya之間的停戰，是因為Ammar ibn Yasir大賢的關係。先知在世時，曾說到Ammar ibn Yasir會死於戰場上。當Ammar ibn Yasir戰死時，震撼兩邊陣營。最後，Muawiyya陣營舉起古蘭，Ali陣營最後停戰。(停戰導致後來出走派暗殺Ali)

4. Muawiyya仍是大賢。Yasir Qadhi認為，Muawiyya並沒有明確否定Ali哈里發的地位。只是Muawiyya要求Ali先處理殺害Osman的兇手，之後再效忠Ali。

Ali死後，Muawiyya才宣布自己是哈里發。Muawiyya是當時最大政治勢力(在敘利亞經營20多年)。

論宣教方式

伊斯蘭鼓勵甚至要求每位穆斯林對外宣教，傳達認主獨一的訊息。過去傳統的時代，主要是透過面對面的接觸，或是透過文字印刷的方式，讓非穆斯林或是其他穆斯林了解伊斯蘭。

不過現在隨者科技日新月異的進步，宣教模式與過去大大不同。透過網路的傳播，宣教不再需要走出家門，只要有網路，手機與電腦在手，便可以即時傳播伊斯蘭訊息。可以說，宣教進入新的方式，由實體進入虛擬。

現代宣教的另一個特點，即清真寺不再成為主要宣教與接受伊斯蘭知識的場所。人人都可以成為宣教士，在封閉與虛擬的網路空間得到在真實世界中無法享有的滿足感。可以自由地發表自己的評論，遇到不高興的評論，則進行抨擊；或是持續不斷強調伊斯蘭的某一層次的主題，卻忽略其他同樣重要的議題。這些非專業訓練的人士，憑者口才與文字表達，吸引許多虛擬世界的追隨者，取代傳統宗教學者傳授伊斯蘭知識的角色。


這邊並不是批評其他人不准對外宣教，向他人介紹伊斯蘭的訊息，本是應該的。但沒有經過長期專業的伊斯蘭教育訓練，僅在網路上學習其他知名穆斯林學者的演說，或是片段擷取過去學者的言論，卻沒有通盤整體性的研讀經典，進而成為虛擬世界的宗教權威，個人認為是有風險的。

雖然伊斯蘭鼓勵穆斯林宣教，但我還是認為，宣教工作必須交由專業的來，而不是只憑者一股熱情與信念，靠一人之力就可以達成。過去在台灣，只有阿訇有資格講授伊斯蘭知識，這些阿訇至少都有國外伊斯蘭大學的學士學位，在阿拉伯世界生活也至少10年以上。在我的記憶中，是沒有看過其他教親，認為自己肩負起復興伊斯蘭的重責大任，自行在公開場合或是虛擬世界傳授伊斯蘭知識。(待續)

Incest & Widow Burning: How Much Can Muslims Stomach?

作者從伊斯蘭法與歷史說明，過去穆斯林統治的地區，如何處理非穆斯林的習慣，特別是違背伊斯蘭的信仰(如釀酒、賺利息，印度還有寡婦自焚的傳統)。作者表示，即使非穆斯林的生活習慣有違背伊斯蘭信仰，但根據伊斯蘭法的原則，只要沒有影響到穆斯林社群，穆斯林統治者不應該介入非穆斯林社群的生活。

A few months ago, I wrote that, as a Muslim and as an American:

I support the right of same-sex couples to have civil marriages according to US law. Islam does not approve of same-sex acts, but I don’t believe that the social or religious traditions of any one group should dictate what sort of contracts or unions those of other beliefs can engage in. I want to preserve my right to have my Shariah marriage contract with my wife recognized by US law even though I know many Americans consider Islam’s conception of marriage to be unpalatable. I don’t see the desire of gay couples as any different.

In the near-carpal-tunnel-syndrome inducing outrage that followed that piece, many Muslims objected that I was ‘enjoining wrong’ instead of forbidding it. My response was that the Shariah has always, to a certain degree, allowed practices that Islam condemns as reprehensible among religious minorities (ahl al-dhimma) living under Muslim rule, practices that Muslim rulers could easily have banned (at least on paper). I wrote:

In classical Islamic civilization, Muslim authorities allowed Zoroastrians to engage in brother-sister marriage, Jews to charge interest, and Christians to cultivate wine and pigs. (Correction!  In the previous article I added ‘Muslim judges could even hear such cases brought by non-Muslim litigants by applying the laws of their respective communities instead of the Shariah.’  I cannot actually find any evidence to back this up. To the contrary, all evidence seems to be against this!)

何謂伊斯蘭：基本原則大綱 （整理中）

伊斯蘭信仰基礎大綱

1. 伊斯蘭的定義很簡單，其信仰的核心基礎(中國穆斯林稱為「清真言」)，即是「沒有其他的神，只有真主；穆罕默德是真主的使者」(一般中文慣用是「萬物非主，唯有真主；穆罕默德是真主的使者」)，這是成為穆斯林的先決條件。

2. 至於穆斯林字面意義是指順服真主的人，相信與遵守真主給予人類今世的規範，為永恆的後世做好準備。

3. 至於如何順從真主，伊斯蘭有兩大依據。第一，古蘭經。真主派遣人類最後一位先知穆罕默德，在23年的歲月中，陸續透過吉卜利大天使啟示給先知。之後這些啟示編輯成冊，到現在一字沒有更改過，世界各地的穆斯林，無論你是遜尼、什業，或是蘇菲，手上拿的古蘭經都是同一個版本。

穆斯林如何順從真主的第二個依據，則是效法先知穆罕默德的言行。先知在伊斯蘭中是一個完人的典範，受到真主的保護，不會犯錯。因此，先知的行誼成為每個穆斯林學習的榜樣。

遵守古蘭與聖訓，都是每個穆斯林必須接受的原則。假如有人說他是穆斯林，他只信仰古蘭，但否定聖訓；或是只相信古蘭經的一部份內容，從學理上來說，這個人並不能定義為穆斯林。

至於古蘭與聖訓為何重要，因為穆斯林相信，今世是短暫的，後世是永恆的。後世只有兩個去處，天堂與火獄。至於後世的歸屬則是取決於今世的行為。這些行為在古蘭與聖訓中都有清楚的規範，所以穆斯林必須要好好學習經典。至於如何學習，怎麼學習，跟誰學習，則是另外一個層次的話題。

4. 藉由學習古蘭與聖訓，成為一個順從真主的人。順從真主的人，可以分成內外兩個層次。

以內在層次來說，無論在任何情況下，穆斯林都必須坦然接受，相信真主安排的一切，沒有怨言。即使經歷生病、戰爭等造成心理上重大創傷的外在衝擊，穆斯林最終仍要相信這是真主給我們的考驗，相信在後世真主會給我們最公正的報償。(古蘭經多處經文有提到此觀點)。這個則是「前定」的概念。所謂前定是指人的一生，從出生到死亡，都已經安排好了，沒有任何例外。小至你的呼吸頻率，血管的流動速度，大至人生的生老病死，都是在真主的掌控之中，不會有任何偏差。

至於外在層次，可以分成三個面向。第一個面向是人與真主的關係。真主給穆斯林的基本宗教功課：禮拜、封齋、齋戒是否都有做到。第二個面向是人與人之間的關係，也就是人際關係。人際關係又分與父母，朋友與其他人的關係。第三個層面則是人與自然的關係。

5. 成為順從真主的穆斯林不是一觸可及，而是循序漸進的。根據一則聖訓，穆斯林信仰有三層境界。第一層境界是作證「萬物非主，唯有真主；穆罕默德是真主的使者」(Islam)。第二層境界是信仰安拉、天仙、經典、使者、末日與前定(Iman)。第三層境界是崇拜真主時，感覺到真主在看這你(Ihsan)。因此，信仰最高的層次，則是時時刻刻感覺到真主的存在，自然對真主產生敬畏(taqwa)之心，不會去做違背真主不喜歡的事情。

從原則到實踐

Secularization in the Muslim World - Hamza Yusuf

內容： 
1. Hadith談到Islam , Iman, Ihsan三個層次。
2. 現在討論的伊斯蘭是在西方後殖民的架構下
3. 現代化之前，過去兩個事件影響穆斯林社群：安達魯西亞與巴格達的淪陷
4. 為何穆斯林世界一一成為西方的殖民地？
(1) 末日到來的跡象。
(2) 對傳統的放棄：不再追求知識與科技的進展。(對哲學的攻擊)。歐洲翻譯Ibn Rushd對亞里斯多德思想的註解，採用理性模式。穆斯林本身不強調理性思維，重視後世，遠離今世。
(3) 現代化現象：Muhammad Abduh 回歸理性傳統。

The Shariah, Homosexuality & Safeguarding Each Other’s Rights in a Pluralist Society

很好的一篇文章，該文從穆斯林歷史、伊斯蘭法學原則、穆斯林宗教學者論點、當前美國穆斯林民意調查多重角度，解讀同性戀議題。

從這篇文章可以得知，所謂教法與國法之爭，又是一套東方主義者的無知論述。

因為只要非穆斯林政府沒有限制穆斯林宗教自由，穆斯林必須有遵守當地法律的義務。這讓我想到對岸的「清真」立法議題。

Jonathan Brown

In recent days there has been much debate over Islam’s position on homosexuality. Anyone who has read any Persian poetry, read a forthright travel guide to the Gulf or heard Pakistanis or Afghans joking knows that same-sex attraction and activity has not been unusual in Muslim societies. A wealth of top quality scholarship has demonstrated that Islam, Muslim societies and the Shariah tradition did not conceive of ‘homosexuality’ as an identity. But they did acknowledge that same-sex attraction occurred, often for ‘natural’ reasons (e.g. it was considered normal for men to be attracted to beardless youths, who shared feminine beauty). It is only specific actions, such as sodomy (in Arabic, Liwat)^[1], that show up on the Shariah radar as sins or punishable offenses. It is not same-sex attraction or desires that the Shariah prohibits. It is acting on them.

In the wake of the Orlando shooting, however, Islam’s disapproval of same-sex acts has come under renewed scrutiny. Some critics have argued that any disapproval of homosexuality is homophobic, and that any indulgence of homophobia lays fertile ground for violence against the LGBTQ community. Others have made more specific objections, namely that the death penalty for sodomy (Liwat) in the Shariah creates a particularly slippery slope towards violence against gays. If the Shariah prescribes death for homosexuality, they contend, then wasn’t the Orlando shooter just executing God’s will?  Isn’t that a huge problem?

The Four Imams of Aqida - Tahawi, Ashari, Maturidi & Ibn Hanbal by Sheikh Hamza Yusuf

Doubt of God is a modern concept.  The proof of the existence of God is to build the foundation of belief.

Facing the mass confusion in Muslim lands, great Muslim scholars (Tahawi, Ashari, Maturidi) emerged to formulate the creed (Aqida) to save Islam in 9^th century.

Aqida: what is the conviction about.

The balance of Aql  (Reasoning/Understanding) and Naql (Text/literalist reading). The man who combine Aql and Naql together is Iman Ghazali.  

Three levels of Faith: Iman, Islam, and Ihsan

9 Hadiths on Men-Women Interaction in Mosque

One of the current problematic issues in mosques that give access to women is the excessive sensitivity towards, and sometimes the strict banning of, ordinary interaction between men and women. Interestingly, those men and women do interact normally with other men and women in the outer community in all walks of social and professional life.

Referring back to the Sunnah, we find that such interaction between men and women in mosques did exist during the Prophet’s lifetime; it was normal interaction that involved various religious and social affairs.

True, some violations were reported in the Sunnah, but they were limited and viewed as individual cases that required no radical change in the original rulings of interaction, nor in the arrangement of rows in prayer, or even in the architectural design of the Mosque itself.

The following Hadiths are just few examples of how men and women interacted in mosque, in the presence of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), as narrated by male and female Companions. They show what we may call “normal” interaction between men and women in mosque, and they are clear enough to require no further elaboration.

Most French people think Islam is incompatible with nation's values: PM

自由與民主看起來是有條件的

Most French people believe that Islam is incompatible with the values of the country at large, the French prime minister claimed on Wednesday.

“Secularism is in our DNA,” Manuel Valls told French daily Liberation, saying that he believes in the “universal values” of France.

“The Republic [of France] was founded in opposition to the power of the Catholic church," he said. “Today, secularism is facing the rise of radical Islam, but also the place of Islam [in general] in our societies."

“I wish we were able to demonstrate that Islam, the second religion in France, is compatible with the Republic, democracy, our values and equality between men and women. A majority of our citizens doubt it," he added. 

INTERVIEW: Tariq Ramadan on political Islam's 'necessary crisis'

Sometimes seen as an Islamic scholar, a theologian or even a preacher, Tariq Ramadan is first and foremost a philosopher who intends to connect political and religious matters. Annoying for some, a pioneer for others, everyone has an opinion about him. He is the author of books such as Islam and the Arab Awakening (2011) and What is a Western/Muslim Individual Today (2015).

Tariq Ramadan talks to Middle East Eye about terrorism, political Islam and what is going on in the Middle East and in France, where he recently applied for citizenship:

MEE: Does terrorism as we know it today bring up the issue of the interpretation and reform of Islam or is it only a social matter? In other words, according to this ongoing debate between Olivier Roy and Gilles Kepel, does it mean that we are seeing the “Islamisation of radicalism” (Roy) or “is Islam becoming more radicalised”?

Tariq Ramadan: I do believe that none of them is a hundred percent right. We need to acknowledge that there is a real issue with how the Scriptures are being interpreted. Whenever I am told that terrorists are not Muslim, I systematically reply that they actually are, and they cannot be marginalised, the same way they are marginalising other Muslim people. Scriptures are quoted even though their interpretations are twisted. In the face of misinterpretation the only way out would be using another interpretation of the Scriptures.

Moreover, those young ones who want to try military jihad are facing a triple issue. First of all, they are missing the point when it comes to understanding what there is at stake from a political viewpoint. How come so many of them are going to Syria and so few to Palestine, even though, when it comes to symbolism, Palestine definitively wins.

France’s Charlie Hebdo blames ordinary Muslims for terrorism

不懂這些編輯的幽默。伊斯蘭在這些人眼中，無法與現代社會結合。

Tariq Ramadan被禁止到法國大學校園演說

The post-attack edition of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo from last year. (Yoan Valat/European Pressphoto Agency)

Charlie Hebdo is back in the headlines — this time for a headline of its own.

Last week, the satirical publication — whose offices were attacked by two jihadist gunmen in January 2015 — published an editorial, in English and in French, titled “How Did We End Up Here?”

In the aftermath of more attacks in Paris in November and in Brussels on March 22, the editorial continues the magazine’s provocative criticism of Islam as an affront to the vaunted French ideal of secularism.

“For a week now, experts of all kinds have been trying to understand the reasons for the attacks in Brussels,” the piece begins. “An incompetent police force?

Unbridled multiculturalism? Youth unemployment? Uninhibited Islamism?” For the piece’s principal author — the cartoonist Laurent Sourisseau, known as “Riss” — all of these commonly cited reasons are entirely beside the point. “The first task of the guilty,” he writes later on, “is to blame the innocent.”

For Riss, the problem is fundamentally individual; there is hardly anything structural about it. To that end, his piece focuses on four specific individuals — one real Muslim and three imagined ones.

The first Muslims in England

有趣的歷史。16世紀摩洛哥派遣使節到英國，請求女王聯合對抗西班牙…。

Sixteenth-century Elizabethan England has always had a special place in the nation's understanding of itself. But few realise that it was also the first time that Muslims began openly living, working and practising their faith in England, writes Jerry Brotton.

From as far away as North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia, Muslims from various walks of life found themselves in London in the 16th Century working as diplomats, merchants, translators, musicians, servants and even prostitutes.

The reason for the Muslim presence in England stemmed from Queen Elizabeth's isolation from Catholic Europe. Her official excommunication by Pope Pius V in 1570 allowed her to act outside the papal edicts forbidding Christian trade with Muslims and create commercial and political alliances with various Islamic states, including the Moroccan Sa'adian dynasty, the Ottoman Empire and the Shi'a Persian Empire.

How the Qur'an Was Revealed and Compiled

1) The Root Meaning of "Qur'an"
2) Civilization's Foundational Books
3) The Recital: An Oral Book
4) Prophet Muhammad's (P) Early Life 
5) The Revelation Experience
6) Conveying the Message
7) Monotheism
8) The Hereafter
9) The Qur'an: A Non-Linear Book
10) The End of Time
11) Memorization
12) The Madinan Period
13) Collection and Compilation
14) Standardizing the Text
15) The Authenticity of the Qur'an (Koran)
16) Q&A: The Royal "We"? / Q&A: Stolen Manuscripts?
17) Q&A: Are Heaven's Descriptions Literal?
18) Q&A: Mistakes in the Torah?
19) Q&A: How Many People Have Memorized the Qur'an?
20) Q&A: Seven Variants?

Foundations of Islam (5 Lectures) - Hamza Yusuf

Description of the content

One of the most popular and effective series for teaching the basics about Islam. Given at the annual Dar al Islam Teachers' Institute in New Mexico, these lectures are meant to provide a comprehensive overview of the religion and world of Islam for non-Muslims. The classroom style presentation covers five main areas: the Holy Qur'an, basic practices, core beliefs, spirituality and the end of time. The program is based on the well-known hadith (prophetic saying) of Angel Gabriel that teaches Islam, iman (faith) and ihsan (spirituality). Hamza Yusuf, a European-American convert fluent in Arabic and gifted with a vast knowledge of Islam, presents the material in a style that is unique to most of his other lectures since he is speaking to non-Muslim academics. Although he focuses on the basic teachings, his deeper exploration of the subject results in a series which any non-Muslim, new Muslim or life-long Muslim can appreciate and benefit from. These lectures are essential for any person or organization seeking to educate others about the true teachings of Islam. Some of the topics discussed: Islam as the teaching of previous prophets, rationalizing God's rulings, the problem of evil, God's imminence, capital punishment, suicide, losing the spirit of the Law, Dajjal (anti-Christ), and secularization in the Muslim world. (Duration: 8 hours, 55 min)

Five topics:
How the Qur'an Was Revealed and Compiled
Pillars of Practice
Articles of Faith
The Concept of Ihsan
Signs of the Last Day

How the Qur'an Was Revealed and Compiled
1) The Root Meaning of "Qur'an"
2) Civilization's Foundational Books
3) The Recital: An Oral Book
4) Prophet Muhammad's (P) Early Life
5) The Revelation Experience
6) Conveying the Message
7) Monotheism
8) The Hereafter
9) The Qur'an: A Non-Linear Book
10) The End of Time
11) Memorization
12) The Madinan Period
13) Collection and Compilation
14) Standardizing the Text
15) The Authenticity of the Qur'an (Koran)
16) Q&A: The Royal "We"? / Q&A: Stolen Manuscripts?
17) Q&A: Are Heaven's Descriptions Literal?
18) Q&A: Mistakes in the Torah?
19) Q&A: How Many People Have Memorized the Qur'an?
20) Q&A: Seven Variants?

Pillars of Practice
1) Normative vs. Descriptive
2) The Meaning of "Deen"
3) The Meaning of "Islam"
4) Islam is Not a New Religion
5) Shahadah (Declaration of Faith)
6) Free Will
7) Salah (Prayer)
8) Wudu (Cleansing)
9) Why Many Muslims Don't Reflect
10) Rationalizing God's Rulings
11) Why Pig is Prohibited
12) Zakah (Poor-due)
13) Syam (Fasting)
14) Hajj (Pilgrimage)

Articles of Faith
1) Religion: The Concept of Binding Together
2) Iman: To Make Oneself Secure
3) Belief in God
4) Negation/Affirmation
5) Revelation
6) Messengers
7) God's Immanence
8) Nafs (The Self)
9) The Angels
10) The Difference Between Prophets and Messengers
11) Qadr (The Divine Decree)
12) The Problem of Evil
13) Capital Punishment, Fatwahs and Salmon Rushdie
14) Islamic Law Preserves Five Things
15) Inheritance
16) Good and Evil
17) Homosexuality
18) The Day of Judgment
19) Stages of the Dunya (Material World)
20) Death
21) The Grave and Resurrection
22) The Reckoning
23) The Bridge of Siraat
24) Q&A: The Mercy and Wrath of God
25) Q&A: Suicide? / Q&A: Do Children Go Straight to Heaven? / Q&A: Did Prophet Muhammad (P) Absolve Sins?
26) Q&A: Shariah, Blasphemy and Punishment?
The Concept of Ihsan
1) Secularization in the Muslim World
2) The Failure of Political Islam
3) Losing the Spirit of the Law
4) What is Ihsan?
5) How Do We Achieve Ihsan?... Repentance
6) Guarding the Heart
7) Avoid Backbiting
8) Eating Halaal / Ascertaining the Hukm (Judgment) / Showing Off
9) Envy
10) Vanity
11) Arrogance
12) The Root of All Misdeeds
13) The Cure For All Misdeeds

Signs of the Last Day
1) The Qur'an Is Not a History Book
2) The Concept of Time
3) Don't Be Fatalistic
4) Disruption of the Social Order
5) Some Signs That Have Already Occurred
6) Some Signs That Continue to Intensify
7) The Dajjal (Anti-Christ)
8) Destitute Herdsmen Constructing Tall Buildings
9) The Imminence of the End of Time
10) Q&A: Determining the Prayer Times
11) Q&A: Prejudice, Stereotyping and Misuse of Terms
12) Q&A: Reconciling Hope With the End of Time

http://store.islamondemand.com/foundations-of-islam-5-lectures-hamza-yusuf/

Ash’ari – What’s in a name?

介紹Ash’ari

One of the terms that are thrown around by some Muslims that like to label other Muslims is “Ash’ari”. Whenever I hear this term, or any term for that matter, being used to label any Muslim, my first reaction is revulsion, followed by the question: what do you mean by “Ash’ari”? I ask this question not to necessarily get an answer from the person. Rather, I’m looking to turn their attention to their manifested ignorance of the term they’re using. Before you form an idea that I’m siding with anyone, I ask the same question when someone uses the terms “Wahhabi”, “Salafi”, “Sufi”, or any other term for that matter. It’s typically a sign that an individual doesn’t know what a term means when they liberally use it to label many of their fellow Muslims, which is sadly just part of the calamity of this age; manifest ignorance and Googlism to the highest degree.

For those who are interested, I’ll take a few lines to display why when I ask the question “what do you mean by Ash’ari?”, I’m doing it to expose this person’s ignorance to himself.

In brief, Imam Abu Al Hasan Al Ash’ari was a great scholar born in the year 260 AH in Basra, Iraq, during a time of great scholarship and erudition. During his time the Mu’tazilite group of scholars was the most elite and powerful. In fact, they got to such power at one point that the Muslim ruler at the time having adopted their school of thought began to persecute any scholar that rejected their school. For those who are not versed in this part of Muslim theological history, the Mu’tazilites was a group of scholars who put the intellect (Al Aql) as a judge over the transmission (An Naql). For example, if they read a verse or came across a transmitted narration from the Prophet peace be upon him, and it contradicted their intellectual understanding and logical processes, they would reject the verse or narration from the Prophet peace be upon him. On the surface their methodology and reasons for rejection of many things seemed completely logical to many of their followers. However, for reasons I won’t go into here, the Sunni scholars were able to logically refute their fallacious claims. For a great example refutation read Al Hai’da (الحيدة) by Imam Abdulaziz Al Kinani, who debated the most feared Mu’tazilite theologian of his time, Bishr Al Mareesi, and refuted him to a point that was laughable (l actually did laugh quite a bit when I read it!).