We know that hard-line ideology is hostile to development, modernization and renewal, but the renewal advocates represent a fraction of the “Other” that the militants reject and accuse of ignorance (jahl) or sometimes faithlessness (kufr).
Thus, one of the necessities in addressing the phenomenon of ideological extremism lies in adjusting the term “renewal” and defining it as one of the necessary means and routes to get rid of the autocratic thought, which pollutes the minds, associates every attempt at modernization and innovation and critical thinking with threatening religious values and possibly contaminating religion itself.
It is interesting that the proponents of this unilateral ideology have been rejecting for decades the product of intellectual and cultural non-Muslims in the fields of politics, law and community values, under the pretense that it is incompatible with the true Islamic religion. Then they accepted some of this product as they participated in the elections and the democratic process, which has been for many years a taboo word in the extremist vocabulary; without explaining or renouncing their prior erroneous ideological position. This in turn raises a legitimate question: What did change, religion (which is unchangeable) or worldly conditions and interests?
It is ironic that some of the ideologues of extremism and terrorism confuse the concepts of “modernization and renewal” with “modernity”. Despite the paronymy, their cultural connotation raises a great deal of confusion and is exploited by hardliners in the censure of any voices of diligence and rationalization and renewal of Islamic thought
In Arabic, tajdid (renewal) and tatwir (development) are synonymous. Tajdid comes from the verb jaddada “make new” that is to modify and update, not to create from scratch. But modernity (hadatha), as a concept is attacked by extremists with more accusations, seems to have a different significance than what is conceptually promoted in the Arabic language. The concept has mysterious dimensions from the viewpoint of the theorists of militancy and raises their concern once mentioned. They see it as the antithesis of the old tradition, but they do not provide objective evidence about their rejection of the term regardless of its nature and Western origins. Here begins the suffering with the followers of this thought, who drove everybody for decades into mazes and paths that all led to violence, destruction and bloodshed at the hands of the followers of the theorists of this deviant ideology.
The renewal of religious thought is vital and perhaps decisive in our time. It does not mean to approach the idea of modernity, not because the latter has a defect, but because the former should be utilized to deal with extremism and terrorism. Beyond the conceptual controversy, extremist movements insist on involving the concept of modernity in any discussions aimed at the renewal of religious thought and abandonment of tradition (naql) in favor of rationality (‘aql). They put “modernity” in controversy and debate as they know the concept is overloaded of doubts raised by its opponents, such as that modernity means exclusion of religion in dialogues and promoting secularization.
The problem with extremist ideology is that it rejects renewal because in essence it means pluralism, while extremism stems from an autocratic ideology that monopolizes speaking in the name of religion and alleges to possess absolute truth and refuses any other interpretations. This autocratic thought is not religious but pseudo-religious ideological thought. No one refuses to return to the origins of religion and its core values and real essence. This has been the primary engine of renewal and innovators of all time. Renewal essentially aims at purifying religion and applying the spirit of religion in accordance with reality. But the extremists utilize what suits their ideological agendas only and try to intimidate their opponents by accusing them of violating the teachings of the Almighty Creator.
Another problem lies in the conditions of renewal that differentiate it from extremist ideology. Renewal requires the study and understanding of all jurisprudence principles, original rules and analogical rules. This distinguished it from autocratic and intolerant thinking.
Despite the conceptual and terminological controversy, the renewal of Islamic thought does not mean renewing Islam because religion is unchangeable. It means that true Islam should take into account the time and place circumstances and the requirements of the Islamic peoples and their interests.
