Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Dedication
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Part I Background and Pracedent
- 1 Religious Diversity and Multiculturalism: Theoretical Issues
- 2 Without Political Prerogative: Muslims as Minorities in Fiqh
- Part II Present and Current Situations
- Part III A Case Study and Conclusions
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Glossary
- Index
2 - Without Political Prerogative: Muslims as Minorities in Fiqh
from Part I - Background and Pracedent
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 August 2013
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Dedication
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Part I Background and Pracedent
- 1 Religious Diversity and Multiculturalism: Theoretical Issues
- 2 Without Political Prerogative: Muslims as Minorities in Fiqh
- Part II Present and Current Situations
- Part III A Case Study and Conclusions
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Glossary
- Index
Summary
The Sheikh and Imam ibn Salah (Allah have mercy on him) said: ‘Being a Muslim is outwardly established by one's saying the two Testifications of Faith
[Shahadatayn]’.AS MARECHAL NOTES, Muslims are defined as Muslims in their sacred law by saying the shahādah; as such, it is a religious community delineated, theoretically and practically, according to a notion of jurisprudence. Marechal characterises this in the following way: without this law, the Muslim's commitment and ability to practise Islam is incomplete and unbalanced. Tat the Muslim may not practise every principle laid down by that law does not negate his being Muslim, as far as Muslim scholars are concerned: ‘Te position of Muslim orthodoxy is that no Muslim becomes a non-Muslim through sin.’ Although, clearly, the most important test is whether or not a person actually considers Islam his or her religion.
Te comprehensive nature of this law has led many to doubt the ability of Muslims to integrate into non-Muslim societies. As far back as 1689, John Locke wrote:
It is ridiculous for any person to profess himself to be a Mahometan only in his religion, but in everything else a faithful subject to a Christian magistrate, while at the same time he acknowledges himself bound to yield blind obedience to the Mufti of Constantinople, who himself is entirely obedient to the Ottoman Emperor and frames the feigned oracles of that religion according to his pleasure.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Muslims of EuropeThe 'Other' Europeans, pp. 59 - 76Publisher: Edinburgh University PressPrint publication year: 2009