One commentor posted what amounted to a clarification on the issue of being non-Arab and being Makrooh. The commentor points a link to a blog. To be fair, the person has made a good point but I do not think that it goes far enough. I shall summerize and comment on the link. The person rightfully points out that whenever we look at or evaluate statements from another time and era we must take into account the cultural mileau in which the statement was made. We must evaluate Ibn Tayimmah’s statement based on this reasoning. Well said but this is precisely the point that most of the Salafis fail to see. On the other hand their are certain things like the fundamentals of religion which are to be taken as eternal and non-changing. Also there is a limit to the hermaneutics of any text. While one can apply the “being like non-Arab is Makrooh” statement being set in a historical and cultural context and exculpate Ibn Tayimmah, it still leave us with the even bigger problem of contemporary Saudi scholars making similar statements and a large number of Muslims believing in this statement without taking the cultural context into account. This is one of the main dangers of the “cut and paste Islam.”
The problem with many of the Salafis is that they apply only one type of hermaneutics and declare it as the only valid type of hermeneutics. In some instances people do not even call it hermaneutics and declare that what they are saying is the meaning and not an interpretation.
Very good points, and I agree with your asessment. Legitimate ijtihad these days is seen as innovation, and one static view of mostly secondary issues are viewed as sacrosanct. It is a very large problem, especially seeming that many people that buy into it are not the most educated nor adept people.
When confronted with the possibility that what they “believe” is the correct answer is not correct (or the only correct one), they usually turn to appealing to authority, classifying the person as some sub-muslim or innovator, or isolationism.
This approach conceals a very dangerous concept, that the 1400 years of scholarship related Islam to us incorrectly and it is us that must correct it. This not only lacks humilty and reaks of pride, but also would seem to go against the very ‘Manhaj’ of following the Salaf.
Comment by Hood — September 18, 2006 @ 11:15 am