Islam In The Third Millennium

Islam, after many centuries, in the world’s most open, intellectually developed, and creative civilization has lost its way for a long time. Muslims are now engaged in sectarian rivalries and mutually destructive activities, simultaneously developing a narrow view of the broader world—failing to make much progress for a long time and acting aimlessly they seem to be a misfit with other people. Along with the usual ideas of reformation of Islam, this book incorporates many lateral and radical thoughts. These may inspire Muslims to regain vitality, make progress, and live in harmony with other people for a peaceful world.

The chapters are presented in pairs which offer Middle Eastern (and in one case South Asian) points of view which are matched by Southeast Asian perspectives on each of the six topics. While the media is quick to report on the more violent expressions of Islam, including terrorism, the vigorous debates, which now characterize the intellectual discourse in Muslim communities, are rarely if ever reported. This book not only describes and analyses those debates but also reflects the views of many Muslims across the world, emphasizing the connections and contrasts between the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

As the world becomes increasingly globalised Islam faces some important choices. Does it seek to "modernise" in line with the cultures in which it is practised, or does it retain its traditions even if they are at odds with the surrounding society? This book utilizes a critical rationalist viewpoint to illuminate many of the hotly contended issues in modern Islam, and to offer a fresh analysis. A variety of issues within Islam are discussed in this book including, Muslims and modernity; Islam, Christianity and Judaism; approaches to the understanding of the Quran; Muslim identity and civil society; doctrinal certainty and violent radicalism. In each case, the author makes use of Karl Popper’s theory of critical rationalism to uncover new aspects of these issues and to challenge post-modern, relativist, literalist and justificationist readings of Islam. This is a unique perspective on contemporary Islam and as such will be of significant interest to scholars of Religious Studies, Islamic Studies and the Philosophy of Religion.

Collected in entirety for the very first time, this study reflects more than 25 years of close contact with the Sufi Masters of Central Anatolia, with much of that time spent in the presence of the peerless Sufi teacher Mr. Ahmet Kayhan. Out of the author's association with this personality has emerged this in-depth look at the famous and mysterious Oral Tradition of Sufism. Topics covered include the concepts of compassion and mercy, universality, ethics, faith, charity, destiny, death and the afterlife, and more. Combining the rigor of anthropology with the devotion of a disciple, this book faithfully lays bare the comprehensive teachings of the man who may be the Sufi Saint of the Age.