A summary of the concepts held by the Ahl al-Sunnah.
The West and the freedom of thought and expression.
True freedom of thought and expression.
Is found within the authentic methodology of Islam.
Evidence for this can be found in the fact that.
The Qur'an encourages contemplation and reflection.
In more than one of its verses.
And the fact that Tafsir based on transmitted reports (al-ma'thur).
Meaning, that which is based on the Sunnah and the statements of the Companions.
Is limited and specific in scope.
Which opens the door.
For ijtihad (independent legal reasoning) in Tafsir.
In accordance with the established principles of this discipline.
And the conditions required of an exegete who is a mujtahid.
As for the freedom of thought.
Claimed by liberals.
And the West in general.
They conflate within it.
The freedom of thought with the freedom of disbelief.
And they demand the freedom to slander.
In the name of freedom of the press.
Yet, if that freedom.
Contradicts their own agendas.
It is then prohibited and fought against.
For freedom, in their view.
Is the freedom to say.
What we want you to say.
For when Roger Garaudy criticized.
The exaggeration of the Jews.
Regarding the number of those killed in the Holocaust.
The Holocaust.
They prosecuted him and sentenced him to prison.
On charges of anti-Semitism.
And the West did not accept.
The leaking by the owner of the WikiLeaks site.
Of secret documents.
They pursued him for seven years.
While he was a refugee in the Ecuadorian embassy.
In London.
Until they finally arrested him.
Under the pretext of other charges.
Related to harassment or an old rape case.
So if the West says.
We have freedom of thought.
Within the limits of the law.
We say to them.
We have freedom of thought.
A summary of the concepts held by the Ahl al-Sunnah.