Should there be renewal in Islam?

Dear Brother / Sister,

Should there be renewal in Islam?

- Some people say that there should be a renewal in religion. They say a reform was made in Christianity and Protestantism emerged from it. Will it be the same in Islam?

- Something that gets old is renewed; is it not right?

- Has Islam become old too? How will it be renewed if it is to be renewed? Who will renew it?

- Will a new book be sent? Or, will a prophet be sent?

…

No, a new prophet will not be sent. After the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), that door was sealed forever.

No, a new book will not be sent, either. After the Quran was revealed, the channel of divine revelation was closed; it will never to be opened again.

Yes, there will be a renewal. However, this renewal will not be in the form of “reform”. Reform means reformatting. Islam does not need it at all.

The renewal in Islam is like the renewal in a tree. This year’s flowers, leaves and fruits go; new flowers, leaves and fruits come in the new year in a tree. However, the tree is the same tree, with its roots, trunk and branches.

However, reform takes over the roots, trunk and main branches; it restructures them in its own way.

They call the renewal in the religion of Islam “tajdid”. The person to do it is called a “mujaddid”; that is, renewer.

How do we know it? Our Prophet (pbuh) informed us about it. There is a clear hadith in a reliable source called Abu Dawud.

 ”A mujaddid will come at the beginning of every century.” (see Abu Dawud, Malahim 1, h. No: 4291)

In the hadith above, there is an implicit command addressing the scholars who, as the verse puts it, “can investigate properly”, that is, know how to deduce decrees from verses of the Quran and hadiths.

- How will this renewal take place?

At the beginning of each century, a scholar will interpret, explain and expound the Quran again, taking the needs of the time into account.

The Quran is a pre-eternal sermon addressing all times and people. Each century has its own peculiarities. As time progresses, the states of societies change too. New problems arise. Doubts and delusions cover all places.

Mujaddids emerge under those circumstances. They spread the realities of belief with new styles and methods that are suitable for the time, lead a life in accordance with the sunnah, and set an example for believers with high ethics, taqwa and righteous deeds.

Mujaddids are the spiritual heirs of our Prophet (pbuh). They accept the book as their guide and the sunnah as their way. They love their Lord and make others love Him. They explain the traps of Satan and warn believers.

As a matter of fact, that is exactly what happened. Important figures such as Ghazali, Mawlana, Rabbani, and Badiuzzaman Said Nursi performed this task duly., They enlightened the souls and brightened belief with the light they received from the divine book. May Allah be pleased with them!

The Quran, which is a treasury of meanings, has layers of meaning other than its explicit meaning, such as reference, sign, implication, and symbol. Mujaddids find these meanings, extract them and show them to people.

In that case, it is absurd, ridiculous and improper to think as follows: “The Quran was revealed fourteen centuries ago. Now we are in another era. It cannot meet our needs.”

- Is Islam getting old?

No never! What gets old is interpretations. Interpretations are from the Quran, but they are not the Quran. The decrees of the verses and the sound hadiths that interpret and apply them will remain until the Day of Judgment.

By the way, since the issue is related to updating, I have a recommendation for you. As the hadith puts it, belief wears out like clothes, and it is always necessary to renew it. Therefore, stop confusing your mind with theoretical discussions; refresh your belief and update yourself!

Questions on Islam