Peace, Dishdash.

I don't claim to be ibn Hanbal, but I do think there is a degree of choice and exegesis expected of each Believer. I think that, however wondrous and scholarly, ancient experts of the Qur'ân are neither the end of the line nor are they perfect. I happen to see much misogyny coming from jurists, To be fair, some of them recognised and criticised, for example, certain hadîth authors for saying things about women that seem to contradict both the Prophet's life and the Qur'ân - the Father of the Kittens (Abû Hurayra), his sweet name notwithstading, is one of those authors whom classical jurists have chosen to politely note as having a bias against women.

But nonetheless, there is a need for the doors of ijtihad to be reopened, yes, and they are just cracking open. There are not nearly enough trained scholars; god willing I will be able someday to write something of merit, but we need an entire generation with a new perspective.

In the meantime, I read what limited scholarship there is available that seems to seek out the classical techniques - authors whose work is drowning in a tsunami of "instamullahs" who do not have the learning to make the endless fatawâ they do. I am inspired by scholars like Abou el Fadl, whose work on Beauty in Islam made me change my mind about many things about Islam. I also have read works by a variety of other authors, including Wadud and Barlas.

This is not to say I limit myself, but there is such a dearth of modern scholars who are not drowning inside politics and the texts.

I cannot render legal opinions, nor would I pretend to. But as Muslims, we should be open to variable interpretations - the idea of tolerance is important. (Yes, Abou el Fadl collected essays by many scholars under a title like this, but I haven't read it yet.) I am willing to listen and learn from a variety of sources, and this includes attending the local MSA Sisters' Group - where I am the only unveiled woman (though I wear a kufi or the like so as not to disrespect the community).

Sorry if this seems like a rant. It's not. It's just an attempt to express that there are more opinions than those circulated over the internet. Sometimes, when I read a "new" post here, I search for some words and find the same post on some dozen or even hundred other places. These essays are so often uncredited. When we are deluged by a hundred of these copycat essays, it is very hard to swim towards the truth. I feel drowned in the pile of demands on my behaviour, unable to disagree.

And at the bottom level, we all agree it is right to disagree in Islam. I mean, unless I claim to be the Prophet (or to be God - LOL), there is no compulsion. Sisters say it is wrong to wear the veil unless you want to - I have heard here stories of women who removed it when they realised they wore it out of family or cultural expectations, only to years later don it when they wanted to because of their love for God.

I don't mean to offend people. Maybe I came off as brusque in this thread, or elsewhere, but I get frustrated when one particular notion of what it means to be Muslim is turned into a creed that everyone must obey.

I should be free to express my dissention. We get people who aren't Muslim who say all sorts of terrible things. But sometimes I feel that a Muslim who disagrees with community opinion is unacceptable when an outsider is free to say all sorts of extremely critical things.

I'm not here to create trouble, but to talk about Islam. And there are more that one understanding of the practices of Islam, and these should be respected.

Anyway, that's all for now.