Gamal El-Banna Discusses Freedom of Thought and Expression in Islam at the BA
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Alexandria—
The BA Dialogue Forum hosted Gamal El-Banna, the Islamic Thinker, on Saturday, 26 May 2007, in a seminar entitled "Freedom and Islam", chaired by Gaber Asfour, Secretary General, Supreme Council for Culture and Dr. Kadry Hefny.
Gamal El-Banna started his speech by explaining the origin of Islam, and how it flourished in a free environment, free from all cultural impacts, and how the Qur'an stresses on the freedom of thought and expression.
Gamal El-Banna addressed several issues quoting several Qur'anic verses, including the necessity of differentiating between the Qur'an and rulings of Fuqahaa (Muslim Jurists). Fuqahaa present their own perception of Islam in certain circumstances. They express their own wills within the political system governing them. He added that Fuqahaa views might differ from the Qur'an, and might reach a level of contradiction with Qur'anic verses. He said that the Prophet (peace be upon Him) stressed on freedom in all his acts and dealings, whereas we find Fuqahaa close the doors of freedom and decide death penalty for a murtad (a traitor who deviated from Islam). He added that the Prophet did not punish or fight any murtad throughout his life. Thus, people need to think first about what Fuqahaa say. El-Banna thinks that Belief and Kufr are personal issues and can not be enforced on someone. He criticized fanatical ideas and feelings that prevail nowadays between Muslims and Christians, and said that religions are some deeply entrenched values that should not be affected by the deviation of its believer. He added that Qur'an mentioned religious plurality, while the Egyptian constitution does not admit Baha'i religion.
He moved to the freedom of expression, as an effectuation of the freedom of thought. He thinks that freedom of expression created constitutions and revived the authority of law, and he referred to the freedom of press as sacred, and should be liberated from any authority.
Dr. Kadry Hefny commented on the speech of Gamal El-Bana, supporting what Dr. Gaber Asfour has previously said that Gamal El-Banna belongs to Ahl El-'Aql (intellectuals). Dr. Kadry said that Gamal El-Banna had always compared between Ahl El-'Aql and Ahl El-Naql (those who depend on texts). Dr. Kadry raised a question about who of the two groups respect religion more? Finally, he decided that both of them respect their religion and preserve it. He concluded that Ahl El-Naql try to avoid disintegration among people, so they impose so many rules and penalties, while Ahl El-'Aql believe that preserving religion comes through opening the door for Ijtihad (independent interpretation of the legal sources, the Qur'an and the Sunnah).
At the end of the lecture, Gamal El-Bana answered several questions raised by the attendants on his ideas and views on issues related to Islamic regulations.