Irshad Manji, Reinventing Islam with Ijtihad
Here’s an exciting, world-changing idea. I offer it pro-bono to President George W. Bush. It’s by far his best shot at a Nobel Peace Prize. (No, I’m not kidding.)
The idea: a massive program to invest billions of dollars to influence the hundreds of millions of Muslim youth who have not yet been brain washed into believing in jihadist doctrine?
Don’t fight them when they place improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Instead, be action oriented and pre-emptive. Work to convince these smart young people they can have a better life as a peaceful Muslim, in the early tradition of Islam.
This is not about pop culture vs. the Quran. Instead, it is a return to early Islamic values, before they were twisted by madmen such as Ben Laden.
In the west we are very focused on the danger posed by radical Muslim jihadists, and appropriately so. Whether effective or not, we are spending billions of dollars in a war on terror. Our main focus (right or wrong) is Osama Ben Laden’s al Quada organization. That’s a reasonable thing to do, although apparently we’re having very limited success.
There are now between one and two BILLION Muslims worldwide today. Islam is the second largest religion (after Christianity), and is growing ver twice as fast. Today, approximately 25 percent of the world’s population is Muslim. This is not something we can ignore while we sip wine and enjoy gourmet cheese.
The United States can not make enough smart bombs, Humvees, machine guns or ammunition to attack two billion people, should they all turn against Western values.
I don’t claim they will, but enough have accepted the radically anti-western values espoused by Ben laden and Co. that we should be VERY worried.
There’s another way. Why not launch a massive, Marshall Plan scale effort to influence young Muslims?
Consider what Irshad Manji is doing. Manji has launched Project Ijtihad to work with young Muslims interested in reform.
Ijtihad (pronounced “ij-tee-had”) is Islam’s lost tradition of independent thinking. In the early centuries of Islam, thanks to the spirit of ijtihad, 135 schools of thought thrived. Inspired by ijtihad, Muslims gave the world inventions from the astrolabe to the university. So much of we consider “western” pop culture came from Muslims: the guitar, mocha coffee, even the ultra-Spanish expression “Ole!” (which has its root in the Arabic word for God, “Allah”).
President Bush, replacing your Communications Director may be a good idea. But leading America forward by embracing the vast majority of peaceful Muslims is a Great Idea.
I’m serious, sir. You have three more years. Go for the gold.
The Nobel Peace Prize is within your grasp. Talk about leaving a legacy!
[via Audeamus]