IrshadManji, an Ugandan-born Canadian author who claims she is a faithful Muslim, was in Malaysia recently to launch ‘Allah, Kebebasan dan Cinta’, the Malay translation of her book ‘Allah, Liberty and Love’.

But the Malaysian authorities banned it under Section 7(1) of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984, on grounds that it contravenes the teachings of the Quran and Hadith.

This is her second book banned here. The earlier book, ‘The Trouble with Islam’, later renamed ‘The Trouble with Islam Today’, was banned in 2009. Malaysia sees her as a threat to Islam.

The world sees Manji as a Muslim reformist, a celebrated professor from New York University – but to Jakim, the Islamic authority in Malaysia, because she is an LGBT activist, she is a deviant. Her books must therefore be banned.

She is also wickedly being blamed for trying to reform Islam when what she is doing is only to reform the understanding about the religion. And those who strive in our paths to find us (God) – we will certainly guide them to our paths: For verily God is with those who do right (Quran 29:69).

This is because Quranic teachings are grossly misinterpreted to justify terrorism, human rights abuses against women, injustices, grave worship and honour killings, just to give a few examples. Verses from the Quran are cherry-picked, taken out of context, sometimes partially and at most times given meanings wanted by those doing so.

If Islam is really a religion of peace, then where are these abuses coming from? Why then are these damaging beliefs still followed with total conviction in almost all pockets of the Muslim milieu? How can murky water come from a clear well? Who is misleading them? Why is it necessary to correct the wrongs?

Quran 13:11 – God does not change the condition of any people unless they change themselves. Unfortunately, countries with sizeable Muslim populations that give power or political clout to the clergy – see Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Sudan, Yemen and many more – are the very places where you find the most horrific abuses to the rights to dignity, honour, life, freedom, respect and justice.

These abuses are atrociously committed by Muslims against other Muslims. Mind you, these countries are also signatories to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It cannot be a coincidence, can it? Can it be Islamic teaching?

Islam cannot be blamed for evil and discriminatory practices by Muslims who blindly follow skewed interpretations of the faith. Truly God commands you to give back trust to those to whom they are due, and when you judge between people, to judge with justice… (Quran 4:58); …. And act justly. Truly, God loves those who are just (Quran 49:9); …And let not the hatred of others make you avoid justice. Be just, that is nearer to piety … (Qur’an 5:8).

Jakim’s attitude towards Manji’s books is dreadfully mystifying. If Manji and Jakim are both proponents of Islam and believe in the Quran, how is it then possible that these two believers cannot, with maturity, reconcile their diverse views?

Why can’t they both be right? I mean, even coins have two sides. The believers are nothing else than brothers (in Islam). So make reconciliation between your brothers and fear Allah, that you may receive mercy (Quran 49:10). In the event, it was Jakim that unwisely shunned engaging her.

Ijtihad – intellectual reasoning

Manji is known to be always on the lookout to engage with people for healthy intellectual discourses, even with those who oppose her faith.

That’s why in choosing to revive the traditions of intellectual reasoning, ijtihad, she prefers to talk to those in higher education institutions all over the world, not the unassuming illiterate villagers.

But on this soil, Malaysian authorities had to cancel her programmes both at the Islamic and Monash Universities and ban her books without seeing the need to justify their actions to the believers.

Contrary to the concept of taqlid – copying or obeying blindly, ijtihad is a concept promoting debates that helps reconcile faith with the teachings, disciplines, beliefs, traditions and practices of followers of the Islamic faith.

It is a science promoted in the Quran but disastrously abandoned by Muslims on the wrong advice of the clergy, who took it upon themselves to abrogate the thinking faculty of the Muslims. Did Allah mention anywhere in the Quran that the ulama needs to teach His religion or speak for Him?

In the Quran verse 3:7, Allah says, He has sent this scripture very simple, for everyone to understand and follow … no one knows the correct interpretation except Him … only those who posses intelligence will take heed. Does that mean one cannot question in order to seek truth? Furthermore, Allah proclaims, “their affairs are decided by consensus among them” (Quran 42:38).

This development is only possible through freedom of scholarly research, the acceptance of different expressions and views, and the active appreciation and conciliation of diverse views of the learned, scholars and thinkers. Then, should Islamic authorities outrightly reject the different interpretations from people within the same faith?

Only with constant and continuous ijtihad can any Muslim stay firmly committed to the teachings of Islam. The Quran, chapter 17, verse 36 says: Do not accept anything that you yourself cannot ascertain. You are given hearing, the eyes and the intelligence (mind), in order to examine and verify. Failure to verify and follow blindly, will lead them to hell (Quran14:21), and those who listen to all the views and follow the best are the ones guided by God, these are the ones that possess intelligence (Quran 39:18). Are these Quranic verses foreign to Jakim?

Hence, why did Jakim so arrogantly think it better for the Home Ministry to ban Irshad Manji’s books and cancel all her local engagements instead of sensibly inviting her for a dialogue that would have allowed her to present her point of view and engage in healthy discussion, as directed by the Quran?

Are our jaguh kampung intellectuals not ‘man’ enough and do they not have the stomach to face her? Or were they simply cowed with fear that their lack of intellectual capacity would be exposed?

Acting out of insecurity?

Jakim insists that her book contains elements that will confuse and deviate Muslims from their faith and that her writings insult Islam. Fair. How can these claims be proved? Or are they above God’s laws that it isn’t obligatory for them to justify their actions?

Did they at least read her book before judging her? When the announcement of the ban was first made in the mainstream newspapers, it was also reported that a copy of the book was sent to Jakim to study – meaning Jakim opted for the ban simply because of complaints from certain quarters, even before exploring the book.

Simply out of insecurity, our religious champions just automatically went into a defensive overdrive mode?

Why do we Muslims feel so insecure? Is our Islamic faith so fragile that it cannot stand scientific and intellectual analysis and examination? That would be a shame. Let’s say freedom of speech and expression is not divine and that it comes with responsibilities.

Let’s also say, Jakim is right in finding that Manji’s book is indeed damaging to the Islamic faith. Then shouldn’t Jakim first come up with the quotations or passages from the book that it deems to be offensive and misleading and would deviate Muslims in this country; shouldn’t Jakim put these passages forward to the people to judge for themselves?

In the spirit of Quran 17:36, the people have to decide for themselves. The people would want to hear Jakim’s side of the story and its arguments. But before anything is proven, why must our authorities jump the gun and ban Manji’s book? Regimes that thought they could genuinely control people’s minds, thought and expression anywhere around the world failed miserably!

Anyone who does not agree with Manji’s opinion has a choice not to read her book or throw it away the moment they find the book is deviating from the teachings of the Quran. But when and to whom did Allah ever grant the right to decide what is true about Islam and which is the only opinion that we must statutorily believe and follow?

Is Islam really about policing morality? Banning on the basis that one particular teaching is deviating from one’s own belief is playing God.

There are so many books of other faiths available on the bookshelves and on the Internet – do we then ban them all, fearing they might fall into the hands of Muslims? Manji’s book can still be downloaded free from her website. Surely inquisitive Malaysians with a God-given thinking faculty and a mind of their own will still get to read her opinion. This is a free world. Why should one think and decide for others?

There are thousands of different Islamic sects around the world, all claiming support from oral traditions that overrule the written laws of the Quran.

Malaysia officially follows only one. How do we make sure we are definitely on the right track? And that such representation actually receives God’s sanction. Blind followers should be reminded … the devil on judgment day will say, “Don’t blame me, God gave you the truth, I just invited you, who asked you to follow me?” (Quran 14:20).

SARAJUN HODA ABDUL HASSAN is a committee member of Aliran Kesedaran Negara (Aliran or National Consciousness Movement). Established in 1977, Aliran is Malaysia’s first multi-ethnic reform movement dedicated to justice, freedom and solidarity.

Tomorrow: Enlightenment: Accepting differences