YOU'VE HEARD the terms "radicalized Muslims" and "fundamentalist Muslims." We use those terms to make sure everyone knows we're not talking about "normal" or "moderate" Muslims. There is a good reason to try to make this distinction.The main reason is because if you say "Muslim," you might mean all Muslims, and clearly all Muslims are not behaving the same.
The only piece of information missing from most peoples' understanding is that the "radicalized" Muslims are not really radical. They are orthodox. They are simply doing what it says in their scriptures they are supposed to do. They're not "hijacking" their religion or misinterpreting it. Most non-Muslims are unaware of this.
The first definition for "orthodox" in Answers.com is: Adhering to the accepted or traditional and established faith, especially in religion. That's perfect. And it is easily understood by most Westerners. It's a term we're already familiar with.
And in Answers.com, heterodox means: Not in agreement with accepted beliefs, especially in church doctrine or dogma. You can delete the word "church" and that's a great definition for what has been termed "moderate" Muslims. It's accurate and makes the distinction very clear.
So I'll be using the term "orthodox" to describe someone who strictly follows the teachings in the Quran and the Hadith, and who tries — as a good Muslim is supposed to do according to the doctrines — to follow Mohammad's example.
To learn more about some of these basic teachings and what kind of example Mohammad set, refer to the article, What Makes Islam So Successful?
Congratulations on using the correct term "orthodox" to describe those Muslims who follow the actual demands of Allah and Mohammad. The radicals are those like Irshad Manji, who are trying to modernize a barbaric ideology. I wish there were more Muslim "radicals".
ReplyDeleteExactly, Kingsley.
ReplyDeleteAll praise be to Allah, I am so thankful that someone had sense enough to properly define what we are as Muslims, and what our true mission is. My the blessings of Allah fall fresh on you!
ReplyDeleteisn't it a bit 'christian wannabe' that we use words such as orthodox and heterodox?are ortodox mslims sunni or shia?
ReplyDeleteNo, these are not exclusively Christian terms. It is common to refer to "orthodox Jews" also, and the term could apply to any religion.
ReplyDeleteOrthodox Muslims can be either Shia or Sunni.
Just catching up thanks for posting this information for those of us who want to protect freedom, and sanity.
ReplyDeletethank you for defining orthodoxy so clearly now i an answer to all who considers me an orthodox just because i dress according to islamic norms in hindu university.
ReplyDeleteAllahu akbar. May 12, 2012..... before year's ending, a new phrasing will be on everyone's tongue. the Reform Orthodox Islam. Wahhabism isn't correct orthodoxy. Correct interpretation, of Qu'ran, has beeen ongoing,in these N.E. united states of shaytaan. 2012
ReplyDeleteAbdullah, will the intolerance against non-Muslims be removed from the Koran in this reformed Islam?
ReplyDeleteHeterodox - I haven't heard that terms before. Good term.
ReplyDeleteAlso I like the term orthodox Muslim versus the commonly used radical or fundamentalist. The latter sound somehow like a fringe element - but orthodox, very clear and understandable term that does not define someone as outside what is accepted in a religion.
Elsa, terminology matters a lot. And we've spent some considerable time trying to name the legitimate and important difference between two kinds of Muslims, but we wanted a word that did not carry a value judgment but was also accurate. We once had an online discussion where our readers helped us work out the terminology and when a woman suggested "orthodox," we knew that was it.
ReplyDeleteHere's more on terminology:
“Radical” is a Misleading Term
Are All Fundamentalists Dangerous?
Heres some more terminology :
ReplyDelete"Islam in its entirety, with its evils and injustices, hatred of non muslims,paedophillia, murdering and stink, should be completely irradicated from our shores".... Alahu Akbar, upya jumpa. fk u too