[Faith-talk] How to get the correct information about Islam, part 2.

[Mostafa]

Dear all, peace be with you.

I hope you all are keeping really well.

Our friends in the west are still preparing for Christmas holidays, Mary Christmas.

Today, I am going to continue writing on the subject of how to get the correct information about Islam.

The last post was an introduction.

Today, we are going to extend our script on the subject.

But firstly, I will summarize what I have written previously.

In my recent post, I stated the following.

In order to get the correct information about Islam properly, there are three major tips we demand to appropriately implement. 

1; Checking reliability.

2; Citing authenticity.

3; Conforming adequacy.

I theoretically explained these three major tips in the previous post.

I just intended to highlight them here.

You can always review the previous post to revise them.

These three major tips are utterly applicable to implement on any equivalent situation of seeking information.

But we are focusing on seeking information about Islam in particular.

Why there are many sources of learning about Islam, and they apparently conflict with each other.

At its inception, we need to ask ourselves; What are these sources? 

  Now, we will practically implement the three major verifying measurements.

Checking reliability, Citing authenticity, and Conforming adequacy.

Checking reliability, the practical approach.

How to check the reliability of a website that writes about Islam?

What do I need to examine?

Firstly; I need to verify the reputation of that source.

Is that website sufficiently reputable?

There is a website named muslimhope.org.

It  belongs to someone called Steve.

He believes that what he  promotes about Islam is correct.

But actually, it is not more than just a fraud and a misleading source, based on prejudicial   apprehensions.

The website address is predominantly disinforming, and the content is plainly assaultive.

Thus, we could not possibly consider this website a reliable source.

    It is perfectly unreliable.

It vividly reflects the great importance of the checking reliability appendage. 

   The second factor that we demand to practically implement, is citing authenticity.

How to practically cite the authenticity of a source?

Well for instance, if someone told you, that he read in a Hadith something  okays forcing women into marriage.

Or that it teaches marrying women against their will.

You could not blindly believe in that, unless you chase after the correction  of such statement, citing its authenticity in the reliable references of Hadith.

Hadith is the authenticated sentiments which narrates the normative  practice and the tradition of the prophet salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam.

The genuine references of Hadith are known for everyone, along with their scholarly  based commentaries.

  We could not approve the misinterpretation of Hadith by someone like Steve as completely reliable and authentic.

We already have what has been recognized as authentic and sufficiently reliable.

  So why would we need for Steve?

Ultimately, conforming adequacy.

The knowledge about Islam is essentially based on how adequate the cleric is.

Someone could be fully clothed in Islamic garment, his beard comfortably reaches his collarbone, whilst he has no idea about what he advocates for.

This person could possibly be worthy of regular preaching or unremarkable religious sermonizing to the typical congregation at the Mosque, for instance.  

But, he has no recognition in the scholarship arena. 

  Primarily, someone must have spent multiple years acquiring the necessary disciplines of scholarship on Islamic jurisprudence.

I went to Azhar University, and I spent about 4 years in there, attending intensive curriculums on the principles of Islamic doctrinal tennets, as well as Arabic Philology, along with highly advanced courses on Islamic Theology branches. 
And I still could not confidently consider myself a scholar.

All my classes were in Arabic, and we used the original sources, not translations.

I am a Theologian, not a Preacher though.

I would not approve any statements about Islam declared by some individual, unless I check the reliability, cite the authenticity, and conform the adequacy of that claimer.

Disclaimer; I will not conveniently approve a statement declared about Islam, unless I critically implement the three tips as set forth above.

They have the right to proclaim, and I have to substantially assess.

Many ordinary Muslims are not sufficiently tutored in the field of Shariah.

Even if they claim to be so, they must prove to their questioners that they are eligibly certified to work for the field.

If you are looking for job, the first step taken in the process to hire you, is reviewing your Resume, and then, you are interviewed to apraise your skills, and to verify the significance of the qualification you claim you earned.

Perhaps you went to the law school, but you did not acquire a degree.

You just passed the freshman year, and then quitted.

I just meant to give a brief analogy.

Well, in my humble opinion, the scholar of religion is eminently prioritized to be double checked, because it is a great responsibility.

Well, that is what I have got for the time being.

I wish you enjoyed reading this essay, and hopefully benefited from it.

I absolutely appreciate your feedbacks on my essays, and I instantly make positive adaptations to my writing style as much as I can.

I hope I am getting improved.

Until I render another essay, stay blessedly in the meantime, and I will see you soon.

      Peace be with you.

_____