Smarties in Islam
By Mary W Maxwell, PhD, LLB

Today is Rosh Hashana, the “head of the year,” this year being 5775. Ah, where does the time go?
It would be nice if Jewish, Christian, and Muslim scholars would get back to the habit of collaborating now and again. At least it would beat falling prey to nonsense about how these groups of folks hate each other.
On September 25, 2014, a group of Islamic theologians wrote a reprimand to those of their faith (well, those allegedly of their faith, anyway). The points they made are so sensible that the list should be referred to not just as an “anti-ISIS” thing, but a general statement of common religious wisdom.

Here is the executive summary of their letter (as was posted by Lauren Marcoe at HuffingtonPost):

1. It is forbidden in Islam to issue fatwas without all the necessary learning requirements. …One cannot ‘cherry-pick’ Qur’anic verses for legal arguments without considering the entire Qur’an and Hadith.
2. It is forbidden in Islam to issue legal rulings about anything without mastery of the Arabic language.
3. It is forbidden in Islam to oversimplify Shari’ah matters and ignore established Islamic sciences.
4. It is permissible in Islam [for scholars] to differ on any matter, except those fundamentals of religion that all Muslims must know.

5. It is forbidden in Islam to ignore the reality of contemporary times when deriving legal rulings.
6. It is forbidden in Islam to kill the innocent.
7. It is forbidden in Islam to kill emissaries, ambassadors, and diplomats; hence it is forbidden to kill journalists and aid workers.
8. Jihad in Islam is defensive war. It is not permissible without the right cause, the right purpose and without the right rules of conduct.
9. It is forbidden in Islam to declare people non-Muslim unless he (or she) openly declares disbelief.
10. It is forbidden in Islam to harm or mistreat—in any way—Christians or any ‘People of the Scripture’.
11. It is obligatory to consider Yazidis as People of the Scripture.
12. The re-introduction of slavery is forbidden in Islam. It was abolished by universal consensus.
13. It is forbidden in Islam to force people to convert.
14. It is forbidden in Islam to deny women their rights.
15. It is forbidden in Islam to deny children their rights.
16. It is forbidden in Islam to enact legal punishments (hudud) without following the correct
procedures that ensure justice and mercy.
17. It is forbidden in Islam to torture people.
18. It is forbidden in Islam to disfigure the dead.
19. It is forbidden in Islam to attribute evil acts to God.
20. It is forbidden in Islam to destroy the graves and shrines of Prophets and companions.
21. Armed insurrection is forbidden in Islam for any reason other than clear disbelief by the ruler and not allowing people to pray.
22. It is forbidden in Islam to declare a caliphate without consensus from all Muslims.
23. Loyalty to one’s nation is permissible in Islam.
24. After the death of the Prophet, Islam does not require anyone to emigrate anywhere.

Of the above, Numbers 5, 7, 8, 16, 17, and 21 look pretty hot to me, and would make a wonderful start to inter-religious talks among the People of the Book.

Mary W Maxwell is a graduate of Adelaide Law School, which has a Center for Law and Religion.