Freedom of opinion and expression in Islam: Abdel Rahim Ali (11)

A debate between Dr. Ahmed al-Tayyeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Mosque, and Dr. Mohamed Othman Elkhosht, President of Cairo University, has stirred a wide controversy as the Grand Imam’s replies indicated that renewing the religious discourse in Egypt is only preserved to the Al-Azhar Institution.

The Grand Imam appeared as if he was prohibiting non-Azharite thinkers and intellectuals from practicing independent reasoning at a time the country needs every thoughtful person, and everyone who believes in the necessity of reasoning.

This debate has opened the door for a sincere and honest dialogue that seeks the best outcomes for this nation, as well as intellectual elevation, freedom of thought and human dignity.

We had indicated in the previous articles that after the migration of the Messenger from Mecca to Medina, he faced several patterns of enemies. 

The previous articles also showed that the issue of "freedom of opinion and expression" is a fixed and preserved human right that has been affirmed by the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad.

It was evident to us that this freedom was considered the right of every human being (a Muslim or a non -Muslim), as long as these opinions as long as he did not assault anyone and chose to live in peace.

The Rashidun Caliphs, the first four caliphs who led the Muslim community following the death of the prophet, were at the forefront of those who embodied their behaviors and practices, the essence of the pure Islamic thought in all fields, and it is logical that they have given the freedom of opinion and expression a lofty position.

The respect of Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq appears to the value of freedom of opinion and expression, and commitment to the Shura system, and his rejection of the methods of authoritarian rule during his first sermon after he became caliph.

“I have been made to rule over you though I am not the most worthy among you… Therefore, watch over me. When you see that I am steadfast and obey Allah and His Prophet, then obey me when you see that I turn aside from the right path do not obey me. Help me if I am in the right; set me right if I am in the wrong,” Al-Siddiq said in his sermon.

This concept of setting conditions for obedience was not known among the Arabs before it was uttered by Abu Bakr, to light the first spark of freedom in the relationship between the ruler and the citizens.

Abu Bakr was keen to expand the circle of participation in the Shura and exchange opinion between Muslims, respect and announce it to all, without preferring a certain team or group or wasting the opinion of a team in favor of another.

Abu Bakr's keenness to consult Muslims and respecting their opinion had remained even before his death, when he was keen to consult about who would succeed.

He did not specify a particular man, but he left the matter to the Muslim audience to express the opinion and choose their successor, namely Umar Bin Khattab.

Omar was keen during his ruling to consult all matters that concern all Muslims, and to seek to hear all opinions ... and submit to any opinion he sees as right, regardless of who said the opinion.

Moreover, he has a very famous saying, “A woman was right ands Umar was wrong”, as he accepted every criticism directed to him, applying what he said during his sermon when he became Caliph.

“O people, if anyone from among you finds any fault in me, he should rectify it.” A man stood up and said, “If we find any crookedness in you, we will rectify it with our swords.” Umar said, “I am thankful to Allah that he has created such a man in this nation who would rectify Umar’s crookedness with his sword.” 

Even after he got stabbed to appoint his son as the Caliph, he said that he should not command nor prohibit the Muslims from doing something, and that the people has the right to choose their ruler freely.

Omar bin Abdul Aziz assumed the succession of Muslims at a time that ruling got smeared with corruption, injustice and tyranny, so he sought to reform the conditions of the ruler and those who are being ruled. He worked hard, fixed and returned the Shura system.

But these values - freedom of opinion and expression - were subjected to relapse and diminishing with the beginning of the Umayyad era, when the caliphate turned from a political system based on the pillars of justice and Shura into a fracture system based on injustice and tyranny.

The intellectual confiscation and the priesthood appeared in Islam, and intentionally mixed with the concepts of religion with the goals of politics ... along with the prevalence of suppression and intellectual, political and sectarian oppression.

The spaces of justice and Shura decreased, the areas of thought and opinion decreased ... Schools and curricula were established to close the gates of intellectual diligence.

However, this did not prevent the emergence of scholars and thinkers who support freedom and justice, as they sought to return to the correct Islamic concepts based on the values of freedom and justice.

Some of these scholars and intellectuals were:

- Abu Al -Hassan Al -Ash'ari: In his behavior and life, he emphasized an important principle, which is a duty and the right of a person to amend his idea and refrain from an opinion if he discovers his mistake, and seeking dialogue and interaction with ideas and visions presented objectively and without prior bias.

- Al-Farabi: A renowned early Islamic philosopher and jurist. The first creditor over Islamic philosophy because he was the one who set its basis, and arranged its issues. He sought to reform the mechanism of Islamic rule through his book (The opinions of the people of the virtuous city), in which he urged the importance of freedom of opinion and belief as the only way for the renaissance of nations and the rise in philosophy to its maximum ranks.

- Ibn Sina: He is regarded as one of the most significant physicians, astronomers, philosophers, and writers of the Islamic Golden Age, and the father of early modern medicine. At his time, the Abbasids were fighting any thought that contradicts their doctrine ... and they accused philosophers of a tendency to the ideas of their "Fatimid" enemies. But he was not intimidated by this climate, studied philosophy, rejecting stalemate and "intellectual terrorism" as he was keen on the objective, rational dealing with opinions and ideas ... and worked hard to reform Islamic philosophy.

- Ibn Rushd: He studied religious and Arabic sciences and philosophy an accurate study until he was distinguished from each of the philosophers before, by combining religious and philosophical sciences. He was an Andalusian polymath and jurist who wrote about many subjects, including philosophy, theology, medicine, astronomy, physics, psychology, mathematics, Islamic jurisprudence and law, and linguistics.

- Ibn Rushd realized early that there is no hostility between philosophy and religion. But enemies of intellectual freedom conspired against him, fought him and accused him of disbelief. However, this did not stop him, and he emphasized that there is no dispute between philosophy and Sharia, because there is no dispute between religion and reason.

- Najm ad-Din al-Tufi: He was a Hanbali scholar and student of Ibn Taymiyyah who came with a strict principle that sought to eliminate the justified method in which the Salafi jurisprudence dealt with interest. 

- Ibn Khaldun: A Muslim Arab sociologist, philosopher, and historian widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest social scientists of the Middle Ages. He was able to rule by mind and logic in all the heritage that the ancestors left

The aforementioned affirms that religious tolerance is an existing saying in the Islamic heritage, and it is not a modern, uninterrupted giver as it was. In addition to that intellectual renewal is a necessity, and to keep pace with the spirit of the times from the imperatives that the Islamic heritage is interested in.