Algerian Islamic scholar Saïd Djabelkhir recently got into trouble with fundamentalists within the Islamic community ..
.... when he suggested via his Circle of Lights for Free Thought organisation, that it was unhealthy for both Islam and state to be intertwined.
He bravely denounced the regressive nature of today’s Islamic scholars, particularly in regards to the interpretation of religious texts, in which they fail to 'reflect today’s needs of societies'. He singled out Saudi Arabia in particular for its role in the spread of religious radicalism, noting that the Saudis since 1979 to date, have spent more than $64 billion to propagate Islamic fundamentalism. This figure can give you an idea of the extent of the damage done to societies.
He warned that if the Muslims do not do it, then the other nations will one day force them to do it in spite of themselves. "The world is changing, and if we do not change with it, it will force us to change or worse: eliminate us."
Of course the response was pretty predictable .... numerous death threats. A hate campaign was then initiated and TV programmes vilified him in Algeria and elsewhere. Of course social media was prominent in this campaign, and a Facebook page went as far as to publish a call to murder him. With the administrator of the page providing the scholars address in the municipality of Blida, inviting people to attack him, saying: "We must deal with it today, not tomorrow."
Despite the threats, Saïd Djabelkhir did not retract his argument, and has since called for more reason in dealing with religious matters. Fat chance .... but good luck.
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| Saïd Djabelkhir ... Brave man. |
.... when he suggested via his Circle of Lights for Free Thought organisation, that it was unhealthy for both Islam and state to be intertwined.
He bravely denounced the regressive nature of today’s Islamic scholars, particularly in regards to the interpretation of religious texts, in which they fail to 'reflect today’s needs of societies'. He singled out Saudi Arabia in particular for its role in the spread of religious radicalism, noting that the Saudis since 1979 to date, have spent more than $64 billion to propagate Islamic fundamentalism. This figure can give you an idea of the extent of the damage done to societies.
He warned that if the Muslims do not do it, then the other nations will one day force them to do it in spite of themselves. "The world is changing, and if we do not change with it, it will force us to change or worse: eliminate us."
Of course the response was pretty predictable .... numerous death threats. A hate campaign was then initiated and TV programmes vilified him in Algeria and elsewhere. Of course social media was prominent in this campaign, and a Facebook page went as far as to publish a call to murder him. With the administrator of the page providing the scholars address in the municipality of Blida, inviting people to attack him, saying: "We must deal with it today, not tomorrow."
Despite the threats, Saïd Djabelkhir did not retract his argument, and has since called for more reason in dealing with religious matters. Fat chance .... but good luck.
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