Critical-Progressive Muslims: On Islamic hermeneutics, Gender and Interreligious Dialogue

  Breaking the Chains: Abu Zayd and the Crisis of Islamic Thought Adis Duderija When Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd was declared an apostate by Egyptian courts in 1995 and forced into exile, he became a living embodiment of the intellectual crisis he spent his career analyzing. The Egyptian scholar's seminal work, Critique of Religious Reason , remains urgently relevant today as a diagnosis of how religious discourse has calcified Muslim intellectual life. Abu Zayd identified five interconnected mechanisms through which contemporary Islamic thought constrains critical inquiry. Understanding these mechanisms is essential for anyone concerned with the Muslim world's capacity to address twenty-first-century challenges. Abu Zayd's first insight concerns what he calls the erasure of "cognitive distance" between text and interpreter. Contemporary traditionalist cum  fundamentalist   religious discourse systematically conflates human interpretation with divine revelation, prese...

  The High-Definition Silence: One Path Network  Leadership's Silence on Islamist Extremism and Radicalism  in (Australian) Islam Adis Duderija In the landscape of modern Australian discourse, few digital entities command as much cultural real estate as the OnePath Network (OPN). With a professional studio in Sydney, over 1,500 produced videos, and a staggering 600 million views across its platforms, OPN has successfully positioned itself as the premier "values-based" guide for the nation’s Muslim youth. Its aesthetic is indistinguishable from high-end mainstream media—sharp editing, cinematic lighting, and a polished, relatable tone. Yet, beneath this high-definition veneer lies a persistent and troubling silence. Despite its massive reach, the leadership behind OnePath continues to fail in the most critical duty of any contemporary religious authority: the honest acknowledgment and active dismantling of Islamist radicalism and extremism. This failure is not merely a log...

When “Qur’an and Sunna” Become Slogans: Why Recognising Islam’s Plural Interpretive Traditions Is Our First Defense Against Islamist Extremism By Adis Duderija When it comes to understanding   Islam, there is a truth that some people don’t want to hear, namely the idea that although from the very beginning of Islam, Muslims have appealed to the Qur’an and Sunna for guidance in matters of belief, ethics, law, and politics yet these same sources, across centuries and continents,   have been used—often in good faith, sometimes in bad—to justify profoundly different theologies and value systems, from mystical universalism to strict legal formalism, from quietist piety to revolutionary activism. That historical fact is not necessarily a deficiency of the tradition ( “Islam” is after all an idea constructed by human minds like any other religion) ; it is a reality of interpretation. Acknowledging this reality   is the first, necessary step to avoiding the ideological traps...

  We need to Stop Pretending Religion Is Either Everything or Nothing in Violent Radicalisation   Adis Duderija For two decades, policymakers and pundits have swung between two extremes when explaining violent radicalization: either religion explains everything—a sweeping “war of ideas” narrative—or religion explains nothing, reducing faith talk to camouflage for grievances or group dynamics. A recently published volume, Rethinking Religion and Radicalization , edited by Michele Grossman and H. A. Hellyer, dismantles both positions. Its message is clear: if we want realistic analysis and effective policy, we must take religious motivations seriously without making them exclusive causes. The editors’ introduction sets the tone. Grossman and Hellyer urge readers to see religion not only as content—beliefs, rituals, identities—but also as social practice, affect, and political mobilisation. They frame religion as a system that seeks to “connect with the transcendent … an...

   The Nine Keys to a Flourishing Mind: Why Intellectual Virtues Matter Now More Than Ever This essay is based on the insights from the following work : Baehr, Jason, ed. 2016a. Intellectual Virtues and Education: Essays in Applied Virtue. Epistemology (New York: Routledge). In an age defined by dizzying technological change, relentless information overload, and often bitterly divided discourse, how we think is just as important as what we know. The cultivation of certain intellectual virtues is no longer an abstract academic exercise; it is a vital necessity. These virtues are practical tools for navigating the complexities of modern life, forming the foundation of a truly flourishing mind. They empower us to think critically, engage empathetically, and act responsibly in a world that often seems chaotic. Based on insights from intellectual virtue theory, this post explores the nine essential virtues that can unlock your intellectual potential, enhance your pe...

  On Authority and Interpretation in Contemporary Islamic Thought Adis Duderija In the landscape of contemporary Islamic thought, the concept of authority and its interpretation occupies a pivotal role in shaping both scholarly discourse and theological practice. The dynamic interplay between tradition and modernity presents significant challenges and opportunities for the understanding of authority. In this essay, I aim to provide a normative and analytical account of interpretive authority that transcends two reductive moves prevalent in both traditional and modernist discourses. The challenge is to construct an understanding of authority that is both rooted in the rich epistemological heritage of Islam and responsive to contemporary social realities as synthesised in progressive Islam/Muslim thought. Reevaluating Authority: A Critique of Traditionalism and Modernism Traditionalists often locate authority within fixed institutional frameworks or specific schools of thought ...