Heretic summary

To believe in Islam is to believe in the Qur’an, which contains the revelations of the Angel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad, and the Hadith, which details Muhammad’s life and words.

All Muslims share these core beliefs. But, obviously, not every Muslim has the exact same beliefs. One major source of their differences comes from the Prophet Muhammad’s changing behavior over time.

While there have been calls for change and a Muslim reformation in the past, these attempts have rarely said what precisely needs to be changed.

So, to be a bit more specific, here are five central tenets of the Islamic faith that need to be changed or abandoned.

Making a Muslim reformation happen is easier said than done. As we’ve seen, many Islamic countries reward criticism of Islam with severe punishment or even death – that’s obviously a major reason why many attempts at reform have stalled.

Part of the reason criticism is considered blasphemous is the belief that the Qur’an is unquestionably timeless and perfect. Therefore, the idea of reform simply doesn’t exist in Islamic doctrine, unless it means returning to Muhammad’s first principles.

Unlike Christianity or Judaism, Islam is unique in the way it views both its sacred Prophet and Scriptures.

For Christians, Jesus is a divine being – but they understand that the Bible was written by men. And while Jews believe in the sanctity of the Torah, they attribute the writings to Moses, who is seen as an imperfect human prophet.

You may have heard the word sharia on TV or read about it in newspapers – it’s quite a controversial subject these days.

In previous blinks, we’ve seen that sharia is another name for Islamic law, that it was derived from the Qur’an and how it organizes all public and private life. This sharia is still enforced today, despite the fact that it permits outdated and cruel forms of punishment.

Jihad is another term that’s heard often these days. You might think that Islamic terrorists and jihadist groups misuse Islamic scriptures to justify their violence.

However, these scriptures actually don’t need to be changed in any way to support violence and terrorism in the name of Islam. After all, jihad is deeply ingrained as a religious obligation of Islam.

Despite all the obstructions, there is already a growing number of people in favor of a Muslim reformation. After all, Muslims are just like everyone else: they want the best life possible for themselves and their children. Radical fundamentalism has little to offer in that regard.

Three factors are coming together to make this the perfect time for real reform.