Sunni Islam has an incredible intellectual tradition. Within in Islam, there are many types of consensus. And there are many debates between the scholars as to which consensus are binding and which ones are not.
I know about the intellectual tradition. But I think you are supporting my point if you say “there are many debates between the scholars as to which consensus are binding…”
Within, traditional Sunni Islam (Orthodox Islam), there are scholars that represent, each established school of thought (madhab). And have done so for hundreds of years. Literally over a 1,000 years. There are 4 madhabs of Fiqh (Islamic Law). Each madhab have an unbroken chain of transmission (of religious teachings in particular Islamic Law) back to Muhammad (their Prophet). There are 2 (some say 3) madhabs of Aqida (belief). This is within Sunni Islam.
The scholars determine who is a scholar. So if someone claims that so and so is a scholars, I would ask, who did he or she study with and is such and such a person reliable scholar.
Within Traditional Sunni Islam (Orthodox), a four year degree or a PHD doesn’t make you an Islamic scholar. You could be considered a student of religious learning (Talibul Ilm) with a four degree or a PHD, not necessarily a scholar. There was a someone who received a four degree in Islamic Law from the University of Medinah. And he decided he wanted to study Islam traditionally in Syria, with the Shafi scholars there. And started with book 1 when he sat in front of those scholars.
The problem with University education is it is based on the western methods of teaching. And as one scholar I studied with when discussing this very topic with him, told me, the problem with University educated, so-called Shaykhs, is they haven’t completed one book of fiqh, from cover to cover.
Having spent time with both, both types of Shaykhs. The one who studied at the University, lacked depth, in terms of understanding the religion. And this is with every subject of the religion…
Yes, I know that. But you are making a good point: To me it’s like playing a football game, and each side (traditional 'ulama vs. Western scholarship) has completely different rules, and even a completely different definition of “winning.” So each side says the other side is cheating, they talk past each other, and they can’t even agree on the score!
There are multiple reasons.
I agree.
al Baghdadi is not a scholar. And I don’t know any Islamic scholar who considers him such. Even within Protestant Islam (Wahabism, Salafism), I am unaware of anyone that consider him a scholar.
ISIS seems to base its legitimacy on its conquests. I assume their thinking is that God wouldn’t have allowed them to succeed unless he supported them. But since al-Baghdadi does publicize his PhD from the Islamic U. of Baghdad (now called Iraqi University), he seems to claim the title of 'ulama, at least in some sense. For supporters, see below.
Here is a letter written to al Baghdadi, which was signed by various Islamic scholars, from both traditional Sunni Islam and Protestant Islam, which pretty much saying in the beginning that he is not qualified to issue legal rulings (ie he is not an Islamic scholar.)
lettertobaghdadi.com/14/english-v14.pdf
I’ve asked his supporters on other forums, if they could name a recognized scholar that support him, and they was unable to provide a single name.
I had not heard of this letter, but I read the whole thing, which is quite long. It is really excellent, and if the “real” Muslims had any sense they would publish it in the NY Times and everywhere they could. They make excellent points, and I particularly liked the appendix at the end where gave gave a tradition from 'Ali about the “black banners,” which they equated with ISIS, and then gave a phrase by phrase breakdown of the tradition, showing ISIS was predicted in the tradition, and that 'Ali had warned against them.
However, there does seem to be at least some support for al-Baghdadi among 'ulama.
mepc.org/journal/middle-east-policy-archives/protecting-jihad
This is an article called “Protecting Jihad: The Sharia Council of the Minbar al-Tawhid wa-l-Jihad.” The Council was founded by Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi. The article was published in summer 2011, so too early for ISIS, but it lists 12 scholars ('ulama) on p. 4 who are on the Council. Apparently Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi, the founder, thought he needed to bring some intellectual rigor to various Jihadi groups, so he formed this group. It seems to support some Jihadi practices and criticize others. On another site, Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi is quoted as saying that he considers ISIS to be a “deviant organization,” but there is no source for the quotation.
Abu Hummam Bakr b. ‘Abd al-‘Aziz al-Athari was also a member of this Council, and apparently he supports al-Baghdadi.
“Al-Qaida Advises the Arab Spring: The Case for al-Baghdadi”
jihadica.com/al-qaida-advises-the-arab-spring-the-case-for-al-baghdadi/
[
jihadica.com is a web site run by various Western scholars that collects information about the Jihadis. I should warn people that my virus protector blocked a virus when I opened that site–so make sure you’re protected.]
So I think we basically agree.
