Taliban and Islam

From: Clark,

Dear Barry

With your knowledge of Afghanistan maybe you can explain something. If the Taliban are Sunni Moslem why are they so much more radical than most Sunnis. They are often called Moslem fundamentalists in a pejorative sense. Can you explain what makes them different.

Thanks,
Clark

Hello,

Islamic apologetics is certainly not my forte but let me try to explain.

From a scholarly view point Sunni Islam is perhaps the most Orthodox form of Islam. They believe That there is one God and his name is Allah and that Mohamed is his Prophet. They draw legal authority from the Koran, the Hadith, Ijma (the consensus of the community), and qiyas (legal analogy). The Order is important. All orthodox Moslems must first look to the Koran for authority, and then to the the Hadith which is a record of the spoken word of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). Only after those two sources are exhausted can we turn to Ijma and finally to qiyas. Sunni, Shia, Wahabbi, and others take legal authority in this manner.

Taliban Sunni does not accept this order of precedence. They are heretics who blaspheme the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). How can I make such a serious charge? In 1998 Taliban sent two official representatives to the Department of State in Washington DC. During the interview these men said that, "Not all things come from Allah, some things come from the people of the villages". This in context took Ijma and placed it equal to and in some cases superceding the Koran and almost always superceding the Hadiths. This revision must be branded heresy and therefore be anathema to every thinking Moslem.

I realize that this is a controversial stand to take in regards to drug dealing international terrorists so if anyone takes exception to my rendering of Islam and Islamic law please let me know. I will give you every chance to show me the error of my ways. I firmly believe that the vast majority of Moslems are descent God fearing people who should not be confused with the heretical gangsters.

Best wishes,

Barry

N.B. Reading this today after the fall of Taliban this letter is not a big deal. Still I wrote this in early 1999 and it was a risk at the time.

For Further Reading:

Guide to Rugs & Books

La Miniature En Orient

Southwest Asia Time Line

Thanks and best wishes,

J. Barry O'Connell Jr.

Index to my Rug Notes

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