Islam by its very essence is Revolutionary and it is this revolutionary spirit that inspired many Muslim Revolutionaries in South Africa to contribute to its liberation. Islam does not need a revolution, it may need some introspection and if nothing else Dr Hargeys latest shenanigans has caught the more conservative sectors of our established clergy a bit off guard. His assertions that our women should be elevated to more than making samoosas is chauvinistic and downright degenerative as many of our sisters are at the forefront of many social struggles and have always been active in most of the affairs of progressive mosques. What I find interesting is how we deal with this phenomenon of challenging the boundaries of our own prejudices and sectarian biases in the full glare of the mainstream media. Sensationalist that he is Dr. Hargey knows too well that his biggest ally will always be Western media who will come to his rescue as a lone liberal voice against these 7th Century archaist. Just like Salman Rushdie, Dr Hargey is not pushing the boundaries because of a sincere and fundamental desire for change and Social Justice, but more as a malicious attempt to provoke reaction so that he can be credited as the pioneer in directing an alternative that is more in tune and acceptable to his and his Eurocentric Co- academic pallets. For once I agree with the MJC position to ignore this provocation as any reaction will only serve the objectives of getting Dr. Hargey more fame and glory, and sell more Voice and Son tabloids. That there has been a shift towards extremism especially amongst our youth is a reality that we as a community will have to confront. The prevalence of sectarian intolerance and conservative prejudice against our sisters especially from Maulanas trained in our more Northern Provinces gaining and exerting more influence is probably the gap Dr. Hargey needed to assert his liberal version of Islam upon us. The blatant and open support for the Syrian rebels against the Shia Bashr Assad by many local clerics and their sudden about turn when ISIS atrocities became an embarrassment must be mentioned in this context because of the resultant tensions between Christians and Muslims. Again Dr.Hargey exploits these tensions to establish himself and his open Mosque as the breathe of fresh air modern Eurocentric Islam as opposed to the idea of an Islamic State. Having listened to Dr. Hargeys interview on Radio 786 I was left confused because here was someone who spoke a similar language to my own when it came to the Monopoly of the Organised Clergy but yet his call did not resonate with me. There appeared to be a lack of sincerity which of course none but ALLAH(SWT) can judge but it seemed to me that this establishment was more of an outright sensationalist provocation than a genuine attempt at reform. History has taught us much about the orientalist methods and how they lure us to look at ourselves as primitive and modernity as civilised. The mainstream media bombards us with Jihadist, Islamist Terrorist labelling and instill especially in our youth a sense of shame to be Muslim. Dr. Hargey reinforces these orientalist agendas by positioning himself and his establishment as the revolutionaries that will liberate modern Muslims from the self hate mentality indoctrinated into our psychic by backward clergy and prevailing perceptions. Is he qualified to take up this challenge given his track record? only time will tell. The stage is set for all Muslims irrespective of sectarian values to position ourselves in the 21st Century not as the Bogey that wants to take civilisation back to the 7th Century but as a modern community that can, will and have contributed to ensure that good moral values, based on functioning families prevails, a modern community that assimilates into the cosmopolitan cities contributing to social justice, economic welfare, equitable distribution of wealth and education through the application of the Prophetic model and adherence to the Divine laws prescribed in all the Scriptures. ( This is my response to Shafiq Mortans blog article Taj Hargey: a rebel without a pause and was written by myself Imraahn Mukaddam )
Posted on: Wed, 17 Sep 2014 21:41:23 +0000
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