Tariq Ramadan: New Geography

Mati Bomah

11/25/2012

Reaction Paper 1: Chapter 5 and Chapter 6

Tariq Ramadan: Radical Reform

In his books, Tariq Ramadan, who is a Muslim who dedicates his work to the study and reinterpretation of Islamic texts. Radical Reform is a trumpet call for a new approach to the development of Islamic law. This reform is achieved by a firm understanding of the spiritual and ethic dimensions of the Islamic faith as well as an iron grasp on the environment in which the law is to be implemented. According to Ramadan, his trumpet call is based upon his interpretation of the history and genesis of the Islamic body of law (fiqh). By studying each of the major Muslim scholars (and their respective schools) Ramadan proposes that a fine model for reformed jurisprudence has already been established within the Islamic faith.

In chapters 5 and 6 Ramadan emphasizes these points by taking the reader through a very tedious and dense history of the Islamic schools of law, and the leaders (who these schools are based on) methodologies . In doing this Ramadan is really trying to lead contemporary Muslims to rethink their own methodologies for the interpretation and implementations of Islamic law. By relying upon the historical accounts of scholars from the past he is able to show that their thinking was appropriate in their time and is also applicable today. The goal of all of Ramadan's references in theses chapter is to show that throughout the history of the legal schools and scholars, relevant law was focused on text, context and human reason. All of this was used while also taking into account the intentions of God and the benefit of humanity.

There are three significant things that caught my attention from chapter 6 concerning the interpretation and implementation of the legal rulings. They were, firstly a notable feature of Abu Hanifah's approach wherein he "constantly [took] into account the environment, human realities, an customary practices..." (pg. 78). Secondly, the trust and confidence that the scholars closer to the Prophet and his Companions had, they "...trusted their ability to understand the meaning of texts and the modalities of their implementation in their environment" (pg. 79). Lastly Ramadan's thesis question was of great significance at the end of the chapter. He asks "whether scholars have gone far enough in integrating the context into the elaboration of law and jurisprudence." (pg. 80). These points were significant because of the attention that they draw to the prudence of the historical way that the scholars handled law and context.

There were also 3 significant points in chapter 5. They were, the considerable attention that was paid to the divine lawgiver's intent, the recognition of human intellectual ability in reforming and implementing the law, and the reaffirmation that within this "radical reform" there is no intention to change 'ibadat' (worship) or to reject the main sources of Islamic truth i.e. the Quran and Hadith. By the mention of the 'divine lawgiver's intent', what is meant is precisely what was God's purpose behind the issuing of the specific law. Why was the law given according to the divine lawgivers intentions. This is an important aspect to focus on because the lawgivers intent is a factor to be understood and should relate to the human intent in implementing the law. The implementation of the said law must be done in a manner consistent with the reasoning behind the existence of the law. This factor alone is significant and important because apart from it many inconsistent, divisive, and destructive methodologies may creep into [organized society] fiqh, Islamic jurisprudence.

Concerning the second significant thing that Ramadan highlights, it goes hand in hand with the first. According to Ramadan it is essential that human intellectual ability in reforming and implementing the law is recognized. Without the human intellectual ability to understand the law, it is possible and logical that the divine law giver would not have given a mandate to human beings who could not cognitively obey and apply them. Likewise, human intellectual ability must determine the divine law-givers intent in order to put to use the ability that has been given to them specifically for that very purpose; namely the administration of that law. This is a very important point that Ramadan makes in order to address the issue of accountability on mans part to uphold and establish the Islamic law rightly and faithfully. Concerning this issue Ramadan says, "The divine Lawgiver's silence is a mercy...it is also a positive and trustful recognition of [the] human [beings] intellectual ability to devise their own ways of being faithful to the message through time and the variety of places"

Finally, on the point that Ramadan made concerning worship. He states that within the reform there is no intention to change 'ibadat' nor is there any motivation to despise and renounce the main sources of truth in Islam. Ramadan knows that the Quran and the Hadith are central to the Islamic faith and to abrogate them