tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13734046.post112123023405921285..comments2023-11-02T06:55:33.598-07:00Comments on Kassim Ahmad: Kassim Ahmadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059909735396467315noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13734046.post-18220462792231988572008-06-03T14:01:00.000-07:002008-06-03T14:01:00.000-07:00Dear Honourable readers, Many thanks for your ap...Dear Honourable readers,<BR/><BR/> Many thanks for your appreciative comments. Muslims must regain their role in the world, that of being "the Middle Community". They cannot achieve this if they continue to be slaves to an illegal priesthoood who forbids them from thinking for themselves. They must remember God's order to them "to command good and forbid evil" Only in this way can they regain their God-given freedom and be masters of their own fate.<BR/> Regards.<BR/> Kassim AhmadKassim Ahmadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08059909735396467315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13734046.post-1122392704806329942005-07-26T08:45:00.000-07:002005-07-26T08:45:00.000-07:00Being a 40 something Muslim, I had been exposed to...Being a 40 something Muslim, I had been exposed to the ideologies of 'Fundamental Islam' namely the ideas of Sayd Qutb, Maududi, Hasan Al-Banna, and was interested with what happens to Iran after the revolution. In 1979, I had just finished secondary school. I was caught in the fervour and had until 1987 been interested in these ideas and what happened to Iran's theocracy. But I have parents who were the questioning types, so my brothers and I never took seriously all this jihad business.<BR/>Why do people still want to follow the idea of creating an Islamic state where we can see that Iran had failed to do so. (I have seen documentaries in the UK, recently, about what happened in Iran and the demonstrations by students and some of them were allegedly killed by the security forces.) <BR/>A majority of Muslims do not want to think for themselves. I am now very interested in the concept of ijtihad and as a woman, I am particular interested with the ideas of Irshad Manji and other Muslims based in the West who have done their homework and gave rational thoughts to the issue of Islam today. And now Mr Kassim Ahmad, you have touched upon 'ijtihad' and this is what I want to know more in the Malaysian context. When and how will the Muslim majority in Malaysia realise that the real reformation is to do with opening the gates of ijtihad? I have waited for so long for Muslims in Malaysia to start this process of self-criticism and introspection. Mr Kassim Ahmad, thanks for starting it.<BR/>[Sorry I have to remain anonymous for the time being, as I am a government servant.]Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com