Islam And Modernism

We say that

religion dictates the law of the Creator the law of the nature even which was dictated by the Creator means a family, okay? That a family means a man married to a woman, a male married to a female. So, this is the first possibility, and you can project the criticism against this possibility, which is to accept any changes that take place, the other possibility, which is to reject all the changes, I think it is impossible to reject all the changes to reject all the changes means, we will reject any technology, we will reject any advancement in health care system, we will reject so many things and this is impossible, we do not need to spend time in discussing this. Now,

the third option which is what to accept certain changes, but to suppress other changes, to say no to some other changes, what about the legal system, we need to have the legal system whereby some laws to change in order to accept those changes. And some laws or values remain as they are without any change in order to what in order to protect the human dignity. Because if you do not protect values, then you are not going to protect human dignity. If the person does not understand this reality that there are two parts of this life, life before death and life after death, life before death is a test and the real happiness the real tranquility, the real pleasure, you will get it

after life. However, in this life, you will not be living in a miserable situation, you will have an inner peace, although you might not have you might not live a very luxury life, you will have an inner peace and this inner peace. My dear brothers, sisters, colleagues, friends is very important. Why? Because so many people are looking for the enterprise they are searching for the inner peace and modernity or civilization. technology development in these things will never bring this inner peace. And the fact or the proof is the fact that in the most industrialized countries, you will find the biggest number of people committing suicide.

Islam that is a voluntary based organization and Islam as student is the student department of Islam net at Oslo University College.

Islam net has the aim to clarify misconceptions about Islam and build bridges between the religious diversity. We invite different speakers with different views on many different matters so that we can engage in the society so that we can present different views and so that those who have any questions regarding the different views can come forward and ask the questions directly to those in concern. Many times Muslims or Islam is portrayed

In a very negative way, in the media,

or by other right wing extremists,

we have the right wing extremists, such as human rights service is called. They're called in Norway who have written a long and very ugly. What can you say? A very ugly attack on this conference? What they fail to realize is that we are for dialogue, we are for debate. We want people to come and ask the questions and get the misconceptions clarified. We had our dear friend, Dr. Large Bueller sitting here today, outside demonstrating against our right to have this meeting today. Dr. Loss doula. As far as I know him, he is a fighter of freedom of speech. And he believes that everyone should have the right to express themselves. Therefore, I'm kind of shocked that he today together

with a politician from from schools party, they called in Norway are such harsh of giving such harsh criticism against this meeting, that is here for you to actually ask your questions. If you are critical to Islam, or critical critical to values in Islam. Now you have the opportunity to meet those who have authority in Islam authority in presenting Islam and ask them your questions. Why do you have these kinds of views if you disagree with them, rather than just reading about it in the media, who have taken things out of context.

So our aim is to work for a society based on respect based on where we can understand each other, rather than hating each other. And the attitude many people have shown towards this event today is pure hatred, or is promoting hatred towards Islam and Muslims. Why do people want to malign Islam? Why do they want to attack Muslims? It is big. Is it because they have different views from the rest of the non Muslim society? Is that a valid reason for portraying someone as a Nazi as some, some politician have done? Now? Of course it's not. In fact. In fact, if we go back, if you go back only one year, there was a terrorist incident here in Norway. 22nd of July, Miss behring Breivik, he

massacred he killed approximately 70 to 80 innocent human beings here in Norway, in Oslo, the same city wins today.

Why? Have you ever stopped and think for yourself? Why did this happen?

Why did he do do this? It was because of his hatred towards Islam and Muslims.

He hated Islam so much that he looked at the arbeiter party as

what's the word again, long sneaker

traders who have

have gone against the country by being kindly towards Muslims, according to him, because our by the patio was not as staunch was not a staunch enemy of Islam and Muslims. He believed that arbeid repetir have was traitors and they deserve to be executed.

What led him to have this belief? We must ask ourselves.

Why? How? How can it happen? that a person, Norwegian ethnic Norwegian man growing up here in Norway, ends up having such hatred towards Islam and Muslims, and then a willing to kill and massacre innocent human beings.

Where did this hatred come from? This hatred is a result of the way many media's portray Islam and Muslims in the West.

They go to YouTube, they find lectures of different scholars giving a lecture about something, an Islamic principle that applies in an Islamic State in a certain situation, that they find odd hair in the West.

So they take this thing out of context, misquoted and present it as the Muslim

lame speaker is like a monster is like, just like Hitler did during the Second World War, when he portrayed Jews as rats, he dehumanize them. That's the exact same thing that's happening to Islam and Muslims today. And then we ask ourselves, where did this extreme Breivik came come from?

He is the result of what the media of Norway and these so called critics of Islam, who are really islamophobes, most of them

and this extreme party, who are calling muslims for Nazis, just because they have different views about something, rather than meeting in a dialogue, rather than meeting in a debate, you present your arguments, let the other party present their arguments, and at least be fair in what you do. But no, no, no, no, they go to YouTube, find clips taken out of context, misquote him a little bit more, add a little bit more lies. And then they say, Oh, look at this monster.

That's exactly why we invite people who have different views than those who are common in the society, so that we can at least talk to each other, at least give them a chance to talk. So we can have a platform for dialogue, where we can debate.

We have organized debates, allows good days here and is a witness of it with us do that twice. And it has been a very constructive debates.

Even though people have disagreed, but this is the manner we should this agree on this agree on. This is the way we should disagree disagree with dialogue talking to each other rather than portraying the other person as an evil monster.

So this is what we do and this is why we are having this conference today.

Dr. Shear Haitham al Haddad, based in London, Dr. Haytham and her dad has been studying Islamic sciences for over 15 years, with a special interest in Islamic law and legal theory. having graduated with a BA in Islamic law. He went on to write his doctoral thesis on Islamic jurisprudence in reference to Muslim minorities and was awarded a PhD from the School of Oriental and African Studies. University of London.

Dr. l had dad has studied under the tutelage of various senior scholars, such as the late Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdullah Aziz bin Abdullah ibn buzz shell Abdullah bin Zubrin, the former Chief Judge of Riyadh and the retired head of the kingdom's higher judiciary counsel shall have the law paid shall have been Mohammed, even though they mean for a short period, as well as various other senior scholars. He has taught mineral Sabine legal text and currently teaches comparative Islamic jurisprudence. Through the text that eliminated he has studied a core group of students on a private basis and has completed even RBL is his commentary on Al Qaeda to habia

Islamic doctrine, route and more bear with Ebner costumes commentary, legal text

muda muda Hara fasudil legal theory modasa Rhoda bin Nadine with the author's commentary, legal theory alamar facut

legal philosophy as well as other texts texts, he also delivers courses on for any candidate science, Islamic legal theory and theological studies, all of which are offered through m rdfs Seville program. Dr. Al Haddad currently serves as a judge at the Islamic Sharia Council in London

acts as an advisor of various organization organizations and serves as a trustee and chairman for m RDF. Without any further ado, I will request Dr. Shay Haytham and her dad to come to the stage. And insha Allah give his lecture, Islam and modernism.

This

doesn't look nice in the Canada This one is for the audience if otherwise, well, I don't know. Are you going to put me on TV with this?

Doesn't look nice? Does it? Forget it? You don't have to use it. Really? Can you hear him? Can you hear them? I think everyone can hear me

So, can you hear me? Yeah. Anyway when my voice just speak loud Yeah. Then I will speak loudly. Then give me a word of encouragement then I will speak louder. Yeah, because it doesn't have to be careful about how I look and media. Yeah. As long as you put funny pictures of me in front of you.

Okay. Bismillah R Rahman r Rahim al hamdu Lillahi Rabbil alameen wa salatu salam ala nabina Muhammad Allah It was a big vein.

Did respect to the brothers and sisters a Solomonic Welcome to life.

Dear colleagues, Good evening.

Good evening. And I asked a lot Hello Allah, I asked mighty God to bestow His tranquility upon us all and to bestow His LACMA upon us all and to guide us to understand his religion as much as we can.

Okay, because unfortunately, media is always after me. So now I have some experience with media. The cameraman if you just to try to zoom out, please when you record Yeah, just make sure.

Okay. And yeah, this pen By the way, it doesn't have any mark, because according to media law in Britain, you are not allowed to have any any brand. Otherwise you are going to market the they will sue you for marketing for illegal marketing of certain brands.

And before you are I think you are recording my shoes, my shoes are made of clocks.

I'm not promoting clocks. But you have to be careful. I'm not responsible for any of these.

Anyway, the topic today is a very interesting topic. And I apologize because I have to speak in English because this is my language now. Okay, I can't speak English and Arabic, I don't speak Norwegian. I hope that I can learn it at one point. The topic today is a very interesting topic. And it is a very important topic for both Muslims and non Muslims. We have some non Muslims here.

The topic today is Islam and modernity or modernism.

We will understand what does this topic mean? Now once we define Islam and modernism, and I will try to approach this topic from an academic perspective from a very rational perspective. So Muslims maybe might not expect to hear so many Quranic verses, so many prophetic traditions, because I'll try to relate to from a pure rational perspective. Now, first of all, what does Islam mean? I think many people say, do you really need to define Islam? And I think we really need to define Islam because Islam, unfortunately, is misunderstood. by so many people. Even the definition of Islam is misunderstood by so many people.

The topic, as we said, is Islam and modernity, we need to define Islam, we need to define modernism, what does Islam mean? What does modernism mean in order to understand what we are talking about? And as I told you, we will be we will be speaking from a very academic perspective. Now, Islam. Why do we need to define Islam? It is a must to define Islam before we proceed, because many people misunderstood Islam misunderstood the basic concept of Islam. I'm not talking about the details of Islam, I'm talking about the concept of Islam. And especially for you young people, Muslims in particular, you need you must know how to articulate yourself. If you don't know how to articulate

yourself, you will be in a big problem. And here, we are not living in Egypt or in Pakistan or in Saudi Arabia, we are living in western liberal society, even it is not any more Christian country audit is not Christian continent, as you know, the latest census or the latest statistics, I'll try to use simple English words. So everyone will understand what I'm talking about.

It showed that Islam, the number of Muslims is dramatically increasing growing in the UK, and the number of Christian is dramatically decreasing. And even some humanist groups, they challenged these numbers and they said, in fact, if we analyze them carefully, the number of Christians is in decreasing dramatically Even it is far less than what they have announced. So in this kind of

environment, we as Muslims have to be able to articulate ourselves. What does Islam stand for how Islam can explain itself from a pure rational perspective? As I told you, you can use the methodology of Quran and Sunnah. But that methodology is a deep methodology, you need to understand the philosophy that used by Quran and Sunnah to prove the existence of God, for example, to prove the oneness of God, to prove so many things about Islam, we need to learn these things. It is a challenge for all of you. But you need to take that challenge. What does Islam mean? What does it stand for Islam simply is submission to the law of the Creator. The word Islam from Asilomar as Lama

means submitted, he submitted to the law of the Creator. What does that mean?

We believe that there is a creator for the whole universe. And this creator, the god this creator, he is, if I use the word, although it might not be an accurate term, he is the most qualified one to legislate for the creation. For example, just take it from a pure rational perspective, this machine, yeah, in order to run it properly, you have to go to the manual of the manufacturers. For example, if it is, if it is, Toshiba, you have to refer to the manual written by Toshiba. You cannot refer to the manual written by Sony.

Does that make sense or not? Why because Sony, they are not that qualified to write for it. Why because they did not manufacture it. So you have to refer to the manufacturers.

So we believe that the God Allah created us, so who is the best to legislate for us, he the Creator. So

Islam means to submit to the will of the Creator in everything. That what Islam stands for, in a very simple format. I'm just summarizing because of time. Now there is an important principle with regards to Islam another important principle with regards to Islam,

as we said that, that Islam is to submit to the will of the Creator because he is the most qualified to legislate for his creation. This creator divided live this life into two types, life before death, and the life after death into two parts sorry, life before death, and life after death. And he chose this life which is life before death to be a test.

And those who pass the test will go to Paradise after death, and those who fail the test, they will go to the fire of hell after death. Moreover, he himself in order to prove himself have said that, if you follow my guidelines, you will go to Paradise after death, but mode over you will live peacefully with tranquility in this life, you will live in a good shape in this life. And this is the logic that has been taken from one verse in the Quran, woman out of Africa in America, Tom banca and MIT the translation of this

Alhaji levada sent Adam and Eve, and he told them that I am giving you guidance, if you follow my guidance, then you will live in a good way. If you turn away, or the God said, Whoever turns away from my guidance, he will live in a miserable way. And once he will be resurrected, he will be resurrected as a blind person, and which means that he will go to the fire of hell. So this is another main concept that we need to remember once we talk about Islam, that Islam is not just focusing on this life, Islam is focusing on this life and more importantly, to the next life after death. Now, these are some challenges. And some people say that what is what is more about these

challenges, we say to everyone that by nature, human beings life to be a challenge life to live for a purpose, like to live for a noble challenge, because after some time, they will question themselves, what is the purpose of my life? What are Why am I living

on my own?

Going just to end like this, once I die, am I going to be resurrected? Will I be resurrected? What will happen to me after death? What is the whole point of my life? Why I was created? What is the purpose? Why do I become sick? Why do other people become sick? Why do we see so many catastrophes in the whole world? Why do we see all these problems? Why do we see some oppressors are getting part of enjoyment in this life, why we see oppressed people, all of these questions, if the person does not understand this reality, that there are two parts of this life, life before death and life after death, life before death is a test, and the real happiness, the real tranquility, the real pleasure,

you will get it after life. However, in this life, you will not be living in a miserable situation, you will have an inner peace, although you might not have you might not live a very luxury life, you will have an inner peace, and this inner peace, my dear brothers, sisters, colleagues, friends, is very important. Why? Because so many people are looking for the enterprise, they are searching for the inner peace and modernity, or civilization, technology development, and these things will never bring this inner peace. And the fact or the proof is the fact that in the most industrialized countries, you will find the biggest number of people committing suicide. Why is this in 2007?

Sorry, 2006 in Finland, which is one of the most civilized countries, as they say, what all facilities are there almost a free of charge, etc. At that time, maybe the Nokia which is made by Finland has 60 something market share. At that time, there was no iPhones or even Samsung is two or three or whatever. So they were enjoying all these kinds of technologies. However, in 2006, in one day to 135 people committed suicide, most of them I think, 19 they were young people, why? Why did they commit suicide, if they are enjoying their life? If they are finding all types of facilities? Why did they commit suicide, the fact is, they do not have that inner peace. So the nrps cannot be

given by technology cannot be given by so called civilization cannot be given by advancement in technology cannot even be given by good hospital, good NHS system, good

educational system, good health system? No, you have to have something else. What is that that brings inner peace, you have to submit to your Creator, you have to be linked to your Creator. And once you have that, you will have the inner peace and tranquility. And that's why despite all of these problems, many Muslims are going through in many countries, they are really poor, devastated, etc. But you will hardly see that people are committing suicide. And it is true that this phenomenon of committing suicide is started to increase in some Muslim countries. Why? Because those people are not practicing Islam, they did not understand the spirit of Islam. And here there is an important

point, though I was going to mention it later, but let me just mention it. Now. When we talk about modernity, yeah, when we talk about modernity, there was a reporter, BBC reporter, and she questioned the the civilization principle and modernity. She went I think, to Zimbabwe, and she spent one week in a hut where there is no electricity, no internet, no civilization as they say, no technology, no health care system, no social care system, and so on. And the first day one, she noticed that there is nothing no facilities whatsoever. She said to the lady that are you really happy in this situation? Are you really happy? And she started to say to her that in London, we have

electricity. What does electricity mean? You just put the light on. Everything is lighting. Oh, wow, really? We have internet What does internet mean? Imagine

To speak to a lady in the jungle. What does internet mean? internet you can communicate with the whole world. What What do you mean by the whole world we know something called America but we haven't seen America. No, just click one button, you will see America, really. So she was amazed she said, You are really lucky.

Then this reporter said, within after one week when I lived her life, and I enjoyed simplicity in life, living with nature's reflecting upon the creation. And I was a free from penalties, fines, car ticket, ticket, you know, penalties, and all of these things, and letters that are warning me against late payments, debt problems, and so on. When I became free of those things, I felt inner peace and tranquility. So she was questioning, does really advancement in technology, provide people with inner peace and tranquility? That is a big question. And that's why from a philosophy perspective, now there is a question, What does civilization mean? What does civilization mean? Is

it advancement in technology having internet the fourth or fifth or sixth agenda generation of mobile phones? Is it this? Or is it something else? And then, from a philosophy perspective, they want to the main question, what is the purpose of civilization?

Is it to provide people with peace and tranquility and happiness in this life? Or what? Because if all of these technology and facilities are unable to provide us with this kind of inner peace and happiness, then it means that civilization failed to achieve its purpose. In another word, civilization is not really a civilization. This has to be

has to be explained once we talk about Islam and modernity, by the way,

is my language clear?

for everyone? Yeah. Am I speaking quickly? Yeah, fine. Okay, please let me know. Yeah, let me know if there is a problem. Because as they say, You are my customers, I have to serve my customers. And make sure once you have the evaluation sheet, yeah, give me 10 out of 10. Yeah, don't say 121212 here. Okay. So the point is, once we talk about Islam, we need to understand that definition of Islam, what does it mean, and what it entails, that this life is divided between two parts, life before death, and life after death, life after death is more important than life before death. And this is a very important fact, life after death is more important than life before death and the

life before death, as we said is just a test and a law that creator is testing us and we will enjoy a life when we feel that we are challenged by this test. Let me repeat that, the summary of what I have said is we are enjoying life or we will enjoy life when we feel that we are challenged by this test. And we are living for a purpose, what is that purpose to worship God in order to be admitted to a ternal happiness which is paradise as simple as this, okay. Now,

this is Islam. Now, what is modernity? What do we mean by modernity or modernism, there are many definitions of modernity and modernism,

you can say that the definition of modernity and modernism is

the sort that changes that people experience a due to advancement in technology,

the changes that people human beings experience due to what advancement in technology and other related issues. So, these, this is modernity, that is pawns to the changes in technology, this response, according to many definitions is modernity, is it clear? So, for example, before it takes

ages to travel for a distance of 100 kilometers. Now, you can travel 100 kilometer in just half an hour or one hour, it depends on the speed limit in Norway. Yeah. So, this is a change

before it is impossible to communicate with someone who lives just kilometers away from you, unless you go and visit him physically now, you can just pick up the phone and just call him or her directly within a few seconds. In fact, you can see him and have a life dialogue with him or with her in a few seconds before we do not have medic, medication and the treatments for so many health problems now, because of advancement in technology, we have these things now, they claim that they have reached Mars Yeah, before it was even not to be imagined to be able to reach Mars.

Now they have something called cloning you know cloning, yeah. And the stem cells experiments cloning is to take part of the human cell and to what as they say to create another body from that cell cloning.

Yeah, okay, before that is impossible to happen. And when you read about modernity and how people think of the future and what may happen in the future, you will see some crazy things, you will see some crazy things. For example, someone told me that there are researchers research now and some studies about whether the whether you will be able to save to

save your memory, yeah, in your mind, in a memory stick or on a DVD

drive via or on a DVD or a CD. So, for example, all what is in your in your head, you can put certain equipment there and press the button all what you have in your mind have been saved on your flash memory or maybe on a CD

who knows maybe they can achieve this. So, these advancements in technology

entails entail or lead to changes in the way we conduct ourselves in maybe a better academic language, those changes in technology lead to a changes into our social life

led to some changes in our ethical ethics or ethical system into a changes in our values. So, now, this modernity and the response to these advancements, and the changes that took place, yeah.

What is the relationship between those changes and ethics and the law?

Is the question clear, because those changes

have impact on the social life that we are living on the ethical system that we are living by, and the legal system that we are living by now, should we change the ethical system, our values to fit into those changes in technology or to fit into modernity?

Yeah, I hope that the question is clear. For example, for example, is it ethical and acceptable to, as they say, to copy by cloning a human being and to produce from him and other human beings similar to him? Is this ethical, or is not ethical? This is a question. Yeah. Do we need to change the legal system because of those changes that we are living by? Now? This question apart from Islam has to be addressed as follows. First of all, is the question clear.

Sisters is the question clear? Brothers. Yeah, we have a change

Yeah, in our life,

changes in technology, advancement in technology, and so on those changes lead to some changes in the way we conduct ourselves, the changes in the ethical system, a changes in the legal system, and so on.

Before certain act were prohibited. Now, those acts that used to be prohibited, I'm not talking about from an Islamic perspective, I'm just talking about an any legal theory and any legal system, those exchange those that used to be prohibited actions, now, we should look at them as permissible practices.

Before for example,

in the beginning, take a simple example, usually, which is ariba. entrust, yeah, was prohibited in all religions, on all illegal religions, Judaism, Christianity, and of course, Islam.

But now, the people of modernity, they say, because we have to have

a banking system, then we should change this prohibition. And we should allow people to deal with Riba or to deal with interest and to deal with usually,

is it clear before long time ago dealing an interest was unethical.

And now, because of banking system, and because of the, the complication of the economical system, the financial system, the monetary system, and so on, we should look at interest in a different way we should accept it, we should in fact promoted? Is it clear? Yeah, this is a typical example. I don't want to touch the sensitive example. Regarding homosexuality, long time ago, it was a sin, and it was prohibited by all religions. In fact, by all systems, not even religions, just 50 years ago or so. And now, because of changes, let us redefine the family structure. And instead of having mom and dad, we can have dad and dad, or we can have mom and mom.

Okay, these are the changes. So we need to change the family structure, because of the changes that we see in the society. Now, this is the really question, how do we deal with these things? We have just from a rational perspective, a three different ways in dealing with ethics and values and modernity, modernity, look at modernity, as we said, it changes in the life that we are living in advancement in technology, etc. Do we change the value system

in order to fit into these changes? This is the first possibility. Yeah. Are you following this? Or

do we suppress any changes in our life? For example, we reject any technology. We reject any advancement. In

medicine, we reject any advancement in communication. We get so many advancement, as

the group of people in America you know about the Amish in America, they don't use electricity, they don't use any kind of technology. They just reject everything. Yeah. So this is the second possibility. The third possibility is do we accept part of those changes? Yeah. And we reject some of them.

Which leads to another question which parts we accept which parts we reject? And when we look at the legal theory or the ethical system, we accept some changes in the ethical system or in the legal system, maybe not the ethical system in the law. And we leave other parts of the law intact without any change. So these are the city rational possibilities.

Am I clear?

Is this clear? Yeah, again, let me repeat it. Now, as I said, there are changes that is happening in the world, the due to chronology due to inventions due to research and studies in science and so on. So those changes lead to changes in our life.

Okay, that, for example, now we can travel, I will give you an example.

An example from our life as Muslims, we cannot travel from one country to another country in ours,

we have a certain law to govern how we pray, once we are traveling.

Yes. So, now, these are changes that we are not there, at the time of the Prophet salallahu alaihe salam

led to some changes in the way we live. Do we change Islam in order to fit into those changes or not? This is an example from Islam. Yes, for younger brothers.

Okay, so this is the first possibility. The second possibility is to say, we will reject any change.

Any advancement in technology, we rejected any science research we rejected, we reject any kind of change. Yeah, in order to keep the legal system, the ethical system as it is, without touching it.

As I said, those who live the I think they are called the Amish in America, they don't use cards, they don't use mobile phones, they don't use electricity, they don't use anything, they have their own village and they are still using horses and they are still living in a very basic way of life. So, this is another possibility. Now, the question is,

the third possibility is we accept certain changes from here and certain changes or from here in order to fit between both and this will lead to another question, how much it changes we live and how much it changes we accept. Okay. So, these are the three main possibilities, I hope that it is clear, is it clear clear now, for everyone. Now,

the non divine system, the non divine system, they go for the UN option which is not listed, which is we accept all the changes. And we don't mind in redefining our values, our ethical system, our legal system, let us go for any modernity, it changes, let us accept it without questioning it. And what's wrong with that? Yeah, and we need to change our legal system ethical system values in order to accept those changes. Is it clear this is the non divine system, for example,

Reba, Reba enter the system was prohibited, but now because of the complicated the complexity of the finance system, we need to exchange the prohibition of interest dealing with interest and we need to accept it.

Okay, is it clear, so, we don't need to look at it as a prohibited

activity, we need to accept it.

For example, before the family structure is a male and a female with the children, now there are certain advancement in the world. So let us say change the family structure, whereby a family does not necessarily mean a male and a female. Family means any two people love each other. They can live with each other.

A man with a man or

a woman with a woman, why do we need to stick to the previous family structure?

Okay, let us accept any change. This is the liberal thinking. So there is no value system. Although they disagree with this, they say no, there are values and we stick by our values but we can

challenge this yeah now, but they say the underlying principle is let us accept any change

later sector accept any change. For example, just recently, two days ago, one MP who was criticized heavily in London, he called for abortion for any disabled fetus, a child. He said, even if the child wants to be

you know, there is a limit for

for abortion in the UK, I think it 24 weeks now, you know, abortion, yeah. And below 24 weeks, you are allowed to have abortion above 24 weeks

there is there is a need for a process, even if the fetus is deformed or have some problems. This MP he said any disabled person is a burden on the NHS system NHS system is not the national health system. So, it is a burden on the budget on our finance. So, let us get read of any fetus any child before being born. If we know before birth, if we know that this child is going to be disabled, he called for this. Yeah. And someone can say why do Yeah, it does make sense? Why do we need to spend that much money to treat a disabled person? Are you following this? Yeah, why do we need to spend 1000s of pounds millions of pounds in some cases to treat a disabled person let us get rid of him or

her and let us give this money for maybe advancement in in technology for other people who are in need of it. And also before maybe four years ago, there was a discussion in the UK and I think in Europe about euthanasia you know euthanasia,

euthanasia, euthanasia, if an ill person have permanent illness, he is living on equipment, he can consent for removing the equipment to die. Yeah. Now, they want to promote this unit euthanasia and there was a discussion about it. Now, some people in fact, many people said Yes, why not? Why not? Let this person die peacefully.

And so, these are just some examples of the changes and accepting those changes. Now, this option, which is to accept any change, to accept any change this option, I believe, yeah, as you will see, that it is the worst option that any person can imagine of. And you might feel that this is funny to say that this is the worst option, which is to accept any change in the society. Yeah, it doesn't make sense. For example, let us go to the example of marriage, let us change marriage structures or family structure, sorry. Okay, someone can say, as it has been said, In some countries, I think in India and somewhere in in China, that our family does not mean to human beings. Our family means two

beings living together.

What does that mean?

Yes to so two beings living together that include

a female and a male. Yeah, that includes two males. That includes two females as well. Yeah. That include

two dogs.

is a family that includes

a human being and the dog.

Yeah. So maybe at one point, I can say my wife, and I refer to or our wife says my husband, and the wife refers to her husband as what? The dog? Yeah.

Who knows? And some people say Come on, this is ridiculous. We say long.

time ago, when they were discussing

the change of the family structure, no one would imagine that we will reach to a point where we will have and instead of mom and dad, we will have a dad and dad. No one would imagine that among a family means a man getting married to a man 50 years ago, if someone were to project this, they would say, Come on, this is madness. This is not acceptable. As we now talk about this family, this new family structure is a man married to a dog, or a female, married to maybe a pig, or so on. Yeah, maybe this will happen, or later on our family means.

It means maybe like it happened, it happened I read about it, man, he was married to his a snake. And he wanted the snake to inherit his wealth. And because he said if I die, the snake, no one will look after the snake. And in order for someone to look after the snake, I have to register my snake as the legal heir, the legal heir means the legal inheritance, the one who will inherit me. So in order for the snake, my snake to inherit me, I have to register him or her as my wife, and then if I die, the the assets will go to him or her. Maybe Maybe this can happen.

And any criticism, again, it's this is the criticism we use as Muslims against those who changes to family structures. And that's why we Muslims do not accept those changes in family structure that the family structure can be changed to be a man married to a man or a woman married to a woman, we say that religion dictates the law of the Creator, the law of nature, even which was dictated by the Creator means a family, okay? That family means a man married to a woman, a male married to a female. So, this is the first possibility. And you can project the criticism against this possibility, which is to accept any changes that take place. The other possibility, which is to

reject all the changes, I think it is impossible to reject all changes, to reject all changes means we will reject any technology, we will reject any advancement in health care system, we will reject so many things. And this is impossible, we do not need to spend time in discussing this. Now, the third option, which is what to accept certain changes, but to suppress other changes, to say no to some other changes. What about the legal system, we need to have the legal system whereby some lows to change in order to accept those changes. And some lows or values remain as they are without any change in order to work in order to protect the human dignity. Because if you do not protect values,

then you are not going to protect human dignity. I hope that is clear. So the last option, which is what? to suppress certain changes, to stop them, yeah, to reject them and to accept some other changes. And on the other side, the legal system, you need to leave some of it intact without any changes, and some of it that can accept a changes. Okay, this is the third option. Now Islam goes for the third option.

Those two changes that we see in modernity, Islam accepted most of them.

Those changes that go against the Islamic principles. Islam said, we need to reject them. Whatever you do, we will reject them, we will never accept them. What does that mean? It means that Islam wants to

preserve the family or preserve the human dignity and the value system. Not only this, not only this, but Islam has certain principles that are flexible.

Simple enough to deal with those changes that we see in our modern life. For example, I'll give you just a simple example. Because of time I need to stop. For example, you will know that we pray five times a day in different times. Yeah.

So but

the harasser memory pressure spread throughout the day. However, because of technology, we can travel from one country to another country within hours. And that leads to some difficulties. Instagram said, there are exceptional rules, whereby you can combine between lower on data, and on the other side, Mahadev and Asia. So those two changes Islam already accommodate for them. Yeah, this is just an example. Another example is

Islam came in Makkah.

Islam came in Makkah, and their Arab culture has a certain culture, they wear certain clothes, they eat certain food, etc. Now, when Islam spread, and now Islam is in Norway, yeah. Or people are not eating what people are eating in, in Mecca. Yeah, people are not addressing what they are or what they used to dress and maca. So, when she changes we can accept which changes we can reject. Islam gave an outline for the dress code for the food and Islam said certain foods are acceptable irrespective of the place irrespective of less space. So, and certain foods are prohibited whether you are or not way or in Makkah. Similarly, dress code, we are not asking people to be strict in a

certain dress code, but there are guidelines, what about hijab for women? Yeah, because of modernity, let us change a job, you can change a job provided that it follows what a certain guidelines or a certain set of guidelines and certain rules. Now, no, let us take off a job because of modernity, this is not allowed. This is an example of a changes that we will never allow. Okay, whether we are living in Saudi Arabia, and the 21st century, 29th century, whether we are living in Norway, whether we are living in Alaska, wherever we are hijaab is one of the important Islamic practices that cannot be removed, it can change, it can have different styles, as far as it fits

into a certain criteria, that will be acceptable. I gave those simple examples to show to you how Islam can fit into a modern society accept certain changes. It has the flexibility and the power to accommodate many changes, on some changes, Islam reject them clearly. And Islam says we do not need to accept those changes, those changes have been done by human beings, and human beings have control over them. So people are those who are promoting a change in family structure to have a man married to a man. Islam says this is rejected. And because you promote this, you should promote the opposite, whereby you leave the family structure as it is, this is the Islamic approach to accept

some, yeah, to accommodate most of them because of the nature of Islam and to reject others. This is the summary of this

important topic, Islam and modernism, this complicated topic as some people might see it.

I hope that I have summarized it. Yeah. In how many minutes? Maybe

15? No, I think is done and the people are tired. They are looking for time for questions and answers. I hope that I have covered it. Okay, in a comprehensive way, in a logical way, in a rational way. In a simple way. I don't know how much I could not convey to you. I hope that I have conveyed all what I wanted to say to all of you. I apologize if I have offended

I apologize if I have offended anyone. I apologize if I have said something that was not a clear and I hope that Allah Allah Allah gives us the wisdom to understand Islam.

And to practice Islam and to be in touch with the guidance of Allah, Allah, Allah sallallahu, wasallam, obala, Candela, Vienna, Mohammed Ali or Saavedra.

Some people maybe say that the values that we are that humans have also changed. I feel that the question was if modality changes, then should we change our values? But some people may say that our values also change in time. So that also that's what to say that question, if I, if you know what I mean.

Some people say we need to change our values, because of modernity. Yeah, there are things that are changing in our life, we need to change our values. What do you say about this? I answered, I gave an answer for this. And I said, from a rational perspective, that doesn't work. Because

the first point is, first of all, is the question clear?

Brothers, is the question clear? Yeah.

Why don't we change our values, because of the changes of modernity?

The first point or the first question again is this question is, where do we stop?

Yeah, where do we stop?

Is it clear?

Yes, no?

Where do we stop?

brothers sisters, is it clear? Why do we stop?

As I told you, I gave you the example if we need to change the family value, the basic definition of a family, this is a value an important value that we have values that govern the family system.

Yeah. So, let us change the very basic definition of our family. And instead of having

a husband and the wife, yeah, and instead of having a male married to a female, let us have a male married to a male or a female married to a female.

Why? Why do we need to be restricted by this? We can have any being any being

married to another being. So as we gave the example, okay, a man married to his snake. Why not? A woman is married to her dog. Why not? Yeah. So where do we stop? Someone might say

killing, killing

is not acceptable by all people. This is a value to respect their sanctity

of human life, the sanctity of human life, you know the sanctity of human life?

The what's the word and in sanctity of human life

respects the life yeah, just the life by itself. Yeah, it is kind of something holy, we cannot just violate the life easily we cannot kill just easily life is respected life is of a high value, this is a value.

Yeah. Someone said why do we go for this? Why do we keep it as this MP just two days ago, three days ago, he said if the fetus you know fetus, yeah, fetus is going to be disabled. Let us get rid of him irrespective of his age. Now, this the fetus is a living being he has a life. Yeah, he has a life. So no more sanctity no more respect to the life. So let us kill him. Of course he doesn't call it killing or even if he says yes, it is killing, but it is what a merciful killing like the issue with euthanasia. So, what do we accept this or not?

If we accept this, then we will go to the level to kill any disabled person. Because what the disabled person is a burden on the health system. Can you see this? Then later on, we will say we will kill any blind person because the blind person is a burden.

Then after some time, we will kill any person

Who is not achieving? And we need to keep only intelligent people, because intelligent people are what? useful for humanity? Yeah. And people who have less intelligence, and they are.

They don't have any profession. They just take consume without outcome. So let us kill them.

Can you see this? So where do we stop?

This is the biggest question. liberalism is failing to address and failing to answer. Now, some people say no, this is common sense. We should not allow this. You should not allow it as an individual, but other individuals are from the same school of thought accepted. In Canada, maybe 15 years ago, there was a group promoting pedophilia. You know, pedophilia. Yeah. So they were promoting it. And they were saying, Come on. If the adult is happy to have sex with the child and the child, he is happy to do this.

Yes. What's wrong with that?

Why do the parents of that child have to dictate their views on their child? So to say to him, that sex while you are a child is not allowed is bad is Why? Because, for example, fizzy drinks. Yeah, children like fizzy drinks. And the parents cannot stop their children from fizzy drinks from drinking fizzy drinks. Are you following this? Yeah. So the child has the ability to decide for himself or for herself. No need to be to interfere. Or no need for adults to interfere? So let us have an adult? Yeah. Who is

20 or whatever? having sexual relationship with maybe a boy of five years, six years, seven years, the boy is happy, and the adult is happy.

What's wrong with that?

So where do we stop? This is a critical question.

Physically. So why do we need to change the values?

This is the first point where do we stop? Maybe some other points will come in Sharla.

For the answer, Chef, do we have any brothers who have any questions?

one in the back?

Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah Alhamdulillah salsa masala

just I have question one

it is a person we have a situation one a person who got

a Muslim name and this person maybe have a position in society

and then he takes the the power to say that look at me. I'm a Muslim and

I'm really changed ideally, I don't need to follow the old he say we don't have to speak for other Muslims. We don't need to fill out the rules of Islam Look, I can handshake a woman I can even give a hug. I don't have to fast everyday Ramadan prayer I I go home, I can pray afterward I go home. So how is it to react? Or how to how can we explain to this person or for the other no Muslims who are from before are not fathered to Islam. So it's kind of dilemma. how can how can we react to this? Yeah. The question is, those Muslims who may be called themselves as liberal Muslims, and they want anything to change in Islam. Why do we need to pray five times a day? Why do we need to pray in a

certain time? Yeah. Why do we need to fast the month of Ramadan? Why do we need to do other things? Yeah, I can hug women who are not Muslim not surely not Muslim or not married to me. Yeah. And so on. So let us have just liberal Islam. First of all, we say that Islam is Islam it is there is nothing called liberal nothing called orthodox but these are terminologies that we use in order to explain certain things. Islam is Islam.

We say to this person, if you believe in Islam, you need to believe in what Allah has revealed.

You need to submit to the will of God. So we need to go back to the basic definition of Islam. You need to submit to the will of God, what is the will of God? And if he says, well, the will of God, no one can dictate it. We say yes, no one can dictate the will of God.

But do you agree that God can dictate what he wants? And what he does? He does not he want? Do you agree that God can speak for himself or not? So if God told us this is what he want, we cannot say to him, No, this is not what you want. We tell you what you want.

Is it clear? You cannot tell God, what he should do?

What he should like, what he should imply. God tells us, yeah, so if you believe in God, then you need to listen to him. You need to listen to his word. So what is his word you need to check? And then even to non Muslims to Christians who believe in God,

we need to tell them that what is the word of God? What are the instructions of God?

Is Bible that instructions or the Word of God?

If that is true, then why Bible has so many contradictions, and there is no one Bible? There are more than 1000 Bibles. So which one is the word of God?

Yeah, and we say, and the brother who read the ayat, yeah, and sort of a backer of the verses from the Quran. In those verses, they are very powerful verses. God who spoke those ayah Allah who spoke those if he challenged everyone, he said, we're in quantum theory, the man is zelner Allah Idina to be surety, Missy de Lucia de la in quantum project in a very powerful a challenge. No one in the world, writes a book. And he says, Look at my book, if you can duplicate it. Yeah, you are right. But even sorry, he said, Look at my book, you will never be able to duplicate it. You will never be able to bring one verse like it. Not only you, but gather everyone, you know, in order to write one

verse like this book, no human being can do this a challenge can give this a challenge. These are powerful, yet. Yeah. And that's why

you know, you should have them. This brother who was a priest in America, the younger brother, the young American priests, you can go to YouTube and search. He said that he accepted Islam, after reading the few verses of Surah Al Baqarah. Alif Lam Meem Valley Kalki tabula rasa fi houden

Alif Lam Meem This is the book

there is no doubt in it.

There is no doubt in it, who said Who is that arrogant author? Who can say this is the book, there is no doubt in it. No one can do that. No one. No one who wrote this must be someone else is not a human being because no human being have reached to that level of overconfidence to say that this is a book in which there is no doubt.

So he said this verse, it changed my views towards the Quran and I started to study it. And I came to a conclusion that it is the book that has been revealed by Allah.

Okay, so if that is the situation, we should say to the person, okay, go read the Koran. And they check, which is the word of God, the Bible, or the Quran?

Yeah, don't say that many people. The other day I had a discussion with one lady from EDL English Defence League, you have here what Norway Defense League.

So she said, Oh, I disagree with this, like the doctor. She said, I disagree with your views. Your views are very provocative. And I said to her, I appreciate that you have a discussion. Then when we talk I said to her, by the way, at the end of the discussion, have you read the Quran? She said no. Then she said

No, no, no, I read it. I read it. I said, Okay, fine. Have you really read it? Yeah. Okay. Many people say this. And in reality, they did not read the Quran. And as one non Muslim said to me before, he used to attend my lectures, for whatever reason, he was a retired counselor. And I said to him, after two, three lectures, have you read the Quran? He said,

not really. But I have two copies. I said, even if you have 1000 copy at all, it doesn't mean that you have read it or you know about it. They said, Well, I said, seriously, why don't you read it? And he said, I believe that Quran is so powerful. If I read it, I have to submit to it.

So that's why I don't want to read it.

Okay, and you know, this guy, the oldest Western person who accepted Islam, I interviewed him a few years ago, if you Google it,

he was 85. When he accepted Islam, he was at 430.

He accepted Islam because of what

just because of reading Quran, and he said it check the Quran. If you just reflect through it and read with an open heart, he quickly even without contemplation, you will realize that this book is not written or produced by human beings, you will realize that someone else has written this book.

Who is that? It is Allah?

Okay.

Is there any other questions? Yes,

ma'am. First of all, a very well, warm welcome to the show, and has I believe,

was lead to materialism or modernism in the world, especially in the Western world, because the religions the belief, they do not offer a solution to the life problems to that, because there's just a belief, not an imperfect system of life, and has Islam isn't a perfect system of life, how Islam can fill this gap, which is created by these all things how Islam can fill this gap takes us. Okay, a good question, a good point, in fact,

why

people in Europe

are running out or away from religion. Yeah. And I wrote about it by coincidence, I wrote about it recently, as a result of the decrease of the number of Christians in the UK.

It was 75. And it decreased to 59. And as I told you, that humanists, and atheists, they say that even it is not 59, we don't want to believe it is far less than this. And they have a point.

I mentioned that, if the religion if the religion is not a correct religion does not meet your spiritual needs, as well as your

individual needs, as well as their societal needs, as well as all needs, it will not make sense.

So when they see, for example,

that in Christianity, the definition of God is not clear.

The definition of God is not clear.

In Christianity,

because we have God, we have the sun and we have the spirit.

There is no clear distinction between them. Yes, and whom do we worship? Now this will make people hate the principle of God. What is this? We don't know who God is. This is an example. The other example is God never told us how to worship Him. And the nature of human beings. They need to worship. They need to worship something they don't see. Power. Yeah, power that they don't see. They need to worship it. That's why atheists in a way they worship nature, because they believe that nature has this superpower. Yeah, or at least some of them. So if that is a need for human beings, now they need Christianity or Judaism to fill, fill that need filled

that gap. So if they see that it doesn't fill this gap, it doesn't fill that need

then

really we hate it. We don't want it. We don't want it we reject it. Moreover, if they see that the clergy you know, the clergy, the clergy, religious people. Yeah, yeah. The religious people are

no no no the clergy in the Christian system

clerks, clergy system clerks, yeah. Okay, they have power to interpret the text as they want. Yeah. And normal people cannot approach the text, then they will say that, oh, they are human beings, why they have power over us. So they will hate religion. And this is one of the main reasons why people in Europe started to hate religion, because of the abuse that took place in the, in the in the 16th, and the 16th century, 17th century by the clergy or the clerks or the religious people. So they started to hate religion, if they see that religion is a set of very strict guidelines that do not promote science, do not promote inventions do not promote kind of freedom, they will hate the system

that is giving them these kind of restrictions. Because of this, they lifted and many non Muslims By the way, they think Islam is the thing. And that's why for some non Muslims, we have to understand their viewpoint for some non Muslims. We need to understand them and to be what you call to sympathize you know, sympathize,

sympathize with them, because their background is different from our background. They hate religion because of what they have seen by that what they have seen as an abuse by the clergy or the religious people. So when we try to tell them that Islam is not like this Islam is not that restricted Islam will not imprison your mind. Islam is a rational religion. Islam does make sense and we need to articulate this, then they will start to appreciate it step by step. I hope that the point is clear.