Tanver Ashraf, 1924
Gene Robinson has been sworn in as the first openly gay Bishop in the English (Anglican) church, in a ceremony held in the American state of New Hampshire. The service went ahead despite objections by many in the Christian church against the appointment of a homosexual priest.
This appointment comes at a time when the Christian church has suffered numerous changes to its role, structure and values. Once homosexuality was openly abhorred in the church, just as it was in most of western society. However, the western world is driven by ‘freedom’ and ‘secularism’, and not a belief in Christianity. This resulted in a movement to change the public thoughts and views upon homosexuality. Today, the majority of people still find homosexuality repulsive, however, they will not speak out against it openly. The public opinion will instead defend the right of individuals to be gay and engage in relationships as they please.
This secular change to society’s thoughts has had a profound impact on the churches attitude towards gay and lesbian people. Not being able to fight an intellectual or conceptual battle against the public opinion, many Christian leaders conceded the individuals right to have a relation with someone of the same gender. Having done so, perversely, the church found a growing homosexual Christian movement within itself. This has led to the events of today, where the church has seen the inauguration of the first gay Bishop.
This is the effect that the secular Capitalist system has had upon Christianity. It has moulded and changed the Christian thoughts to agree with the Capitalist thoughts, which are shaped by the personal freedoms, and not religious texts.
Those who are inspired by Capitalism, wish to alter Islam to fit with it in the same way. Many in the West have called for a ‘reformation’ in Islam, in the same way that the Christian church accepted the secular dogma, during the advent of Capitalism in Europe. They want Muslims to discard and alter everything in Islam that contradicts with the western thoughts and values. Examples of this are the attitudes towards women, where they wish to remove the burkha, and instead parade Muslim women naked in beauty contests. Also, they wish to remove the entire concept of Jihad from the minds of Muslims, so that Muslims put up no resistance to their continued aggression and occupation – whether recently as in Iraq, or historically such as in Palestine. And they want Muslims to identify themselves primarily on a nationalist basis, such as Pakistani or British, instead of identifying with the global Islamic Ummah.
Today there are calls for restrictions to be put on Islamic groups, charities, political parties and even calls to outlaw Islamic books. There have been moves to muzzle the Imams of the masajid. In Egypt, the western-backed regime of Mubarak has decided to write the Friday khutba, which will be read out in every masjid! Even in Britain, there are calls for Imams to be closely watched and deported if they step out of line.
The secular West and the Christian churches have made their minds the source of legislation. What they feel and think today, shaped by their ever-changing liberal values, determine what is acceptable and what is not. Hence it is possible for them to abhor a thing at one time, only to promote it in another time. There is no fixed basis to determining what is right and what is wrong. This is the problem when human beings decide upon such matters. Who is to say that one day such people will not condone child abuse and the like? All it requires is to become prevalent, and popular, and the growing numbers of registered paedophiles indicates that society is heading that way.
Islam can never be changed, no matter how much pressure is exerted by the secular West. This is because Islam is a belief that has its legislation firmly grounded in the rational conviction that Allah (SWT) created the human being, and He (SWT) is the only one who can legislate for man, without partner. The Quran is a precise revelation from Allah (SWT), and is preserved letter for letter to this day. It cannot be added to, or altered by anyone. It contains rules and regulations for humans to follow. It contains concepts that shape peoples feelings and tastes about many human realities, such as the abhorrence of homosexuality. It defines the right and wrong, which is unchanging throughout the ages. It provides the human being, not only a complete set of rules on how to live life, but strong intellectual and conceptual arguments about the purpose of life. It also answers the inevitable question of the hereafter and accountability before the Creator.
As such, Islam will never follow the path to secular reform that befell Christianity. But individual Muslims may be led astray by secular thoughts. However, with contemplation and discussion, many of these Muslims will naturally revert to the Islamic teachings and practices.
“They (the disbelievers, the Jews and the Christians) want to extinguish Allah's Light with their mouths, but Allah will not allow except that His Light should be perfected even though the Kafirun (disbelievers) hate (it)” [At-Taubah: 9:32]
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