In search of a sceptical Muslim in a changing world

Who, then, is a sceptical Muslim? The term could refer to a person born a Muslim but attracted to secularism both in the private and public realm. It could refer to individuals who subscribe to the syncretic tradition in Islam enabling them to combine the desi with the divine. It could refer to someone who seeks to govern private lives and public policies on the basis of scriptural or Quranic sources, but who seeks to build bridges between the concerns of Western liberalism, such as human rights, and Islamic values.

The different variants of a sceptical Muslim are united in their respect for diversity and their rejection of selective Quranic literalism. They are acutely aware of the dangers posed by their doctrinaire co-religionists -- whether they are "born again" evangelicals or global jihadists. They appreciate that notions of divinity and the quest for knowledge always entail some degree of ambiguity. They see scepticism and doubt as prerequisites for critical and intellectual inquiry. They are attracted to the principle of inclusion and reconciliation rather then the politics of exclusion and extremism. They are the natural interlocutors of inter-faith harmony. At the same time, all of them would treat with suspicion any attempt to pin the label of "moderate" Muslim on because of its impaired legitimacy. This does not necessarily make them anti-American or anti-Western, but they are keen to ensure that they can fully and freely exercise the right to arrive at independent ethical judgements on contemporary global affairs.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

Some influential non-Muslim scholars have failed to appreciate the notion of a sceptical Muslim. Bernard Lewis, for example, in his treatise The Crisis of Islam has displayed a tendency to portray Muslims as theocratic creatures trapped in the ruins of their history. To him, the rage and resentment against the West in Muslim societies stem from their inability to come to terms with the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the dissolution of the Caliphate as a unifying cultural, moral, and political force. He also suggests that Quranic literalism is the central tenet of mainstream Muslims. Some Muslim commentators, such as Canada's Irshad Manji, have unfortunately subscribed to this highly contentious view. This is evident in her polemical book The Trouble with Islam.

The notion of Muslims as obedient servants of scriptural sources is at odds with scholarship that treats such communities as members of a "lived religion." The best way to observe Islam, according to this view, is to study how ordinary individuals practice their faith in the particular circumstances of their daily lives. They are often the silent majority effortlessly combining public secularism with private piety. They are the natural constituency of the sceptical Muslim and act as a bulwark against extremism.

The multiple categories of a sceptical Muslim can be illustrated by focusing on some iconic examples. There is the case of Tariq Ali. An Oxford educated left-wing scholar and civic activist, he is happy to be identified as a "cultural" Muslim without being a believer. He is an avid student of Islamic history, politics, and philosophy. He is strongly critical of US foreign policy and regards it as imperial in both design and intent. On the other hand, Muqtader Khan, a US-based academic, represents an interesting contrast. He is a self-proclaimed pro-American scholar who is nevertheless highly critical of the Bush administration. He rejects the notion that secularism is the inevitable legacy of modernity. He argues that the primary role of the Muslim diaspora in the US is to act as the moral conscience of the nation by acting as model citizens guided by Islamic values and virtues.

London-based Ziauddin Sardar is a prolific scholar and highly regarded public intellectual who also argues that Islamic values can offer a credible ethical alternative to a world dominated by Western secularism. Like Ali, but unlike Khan, Sardar is highly critical of US foreign policy in general. He is, after all, the co-author of a popular book on "Why do people hate America?"

Sceptical scholars of the Muslim siaspora in the West have their intellectual compatriots in the Muslim heartland. A much-acclaimed anthology, prepared by Charles Kurzman, showcases the work of more than 30 Muslim thinkers ranging from Indonesia to Iran.

Their concerns, Kurzman argues, show a remarkable parallel with the concerns of Western liberals, but they are inspired and motivated by Islamic scriptural sources rather than traditional Western scholarship. Like their counterparts in the Muslim diaspora, they reject Quranic literalism and advocate the need for change within Muslim societies through peaceful and democratic means.

In a post 9/11 world, sceptical Muslims face a major dilemma. Islamophobes in the West could seek to co-opt them. This in turn could undermine the important role sceptical Muslims play as the intellectual and moral gatekeepers of their community. At the same time, because of their activism and independence, sceptical Muslims could attract suspicion from the US and its "coalition of the willing" that they are not worthy enough to be "moderate" Muslims. The agenda of inter-faith harmony depends crucially on the ability of sceptical Muslims to find the space and opportunity to play their role in a changing world.

Iyanatul Islam is Professor, Department of International Business and Asian Studies, Griffith University, Australia and one of the founding editors of the Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy.