The Confusing Book of Charles Kurzman

Hi there.

Salam'alaikum.

Recently i have read a book titled Islam Liberal-Sejarah,Konsepsi,Penyimpangan,dan Jawapannya written by Adian Hussaini,an Indonesian writer.A critical thinker,Adian dwells on the issues of "Liberal Islam",an ideology that claims to uphold modern thinking in Islam.

It is common to this type of thinkers,that they read the book of Charles Kurzman,Liberal Islam as a reference.The term "Liberal Islam",according to Kurzman,is a contradiction in term.As the word Islam means submission to Allah,and subjection to the path of the Prophet Muhammad(peace be upon him).In this case,according to Kurzman,Islam does not encourage free and positive thinking and does not recognize the usage of mind to its maximum potential,in other words does not allow critical thinking.

Islam,actually allows and even encourages critical thinking.Besides submitting to Allah as The Only God,Islam actually exempts its followers from worshiping idols,and other kinds of paganism and polytheism.In according to that,there are various chapters in the Quran that state the importance of knowledge.The first five verses that revealed to Prophet Muhammad is also about the importance of knowledge,and its need to be parallel to the word of God.

ٱقۡرَأۡ بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ

"Read: In the name of thy Lord Who createth"96:1

Kurzman also gave a false example of a liberal minded muslim figure.He included Yusuf Qaradhawi,a prominent Muslim scholar as also having the idea of liberal Islam.Yusuf Qaradhawi is not a liberal Muslim.

Liberal Islam boasts the inclusive-pluralist theory,which to them all religions are equal.This means that,it does not matter how do you worship God,as long as you are worshipping God,not creature,then you are considered 'a believer',and you are not alien to the religion of Islam.This is totally opposed to what Qaradhawi has said.Qaradhawi,in his book How Islam Views The Christians and The Jews,explains that the infidelity of Christians and Jews,as something that is very much obvious."It(the infidelity of Christians and Jews) is an issue well known to all Muslim individual that possesses the knowledge of Islam,even as big as the size of an atom.This is something that has been unified by all sectors of Muslim,all sets of thinking,all the time;whether it is from the Ahlussunnah Wal Jama'ah,The Shi'ites,The Mu'tazilahs,and also The Khawarijs."

Kurzman has been wrong in his book.Help yourself,fellow Muslims.Do not be wrong in your head.The Quran and Hadith are the only source of the Islamic knowledge.With that,we'll never be astray,insyaAllah.