[Jalieteplalry]

Personally in many ways I would consider myself to be a 'modern' Muslim and I am quite fond of several Sunni scholars (such as Fethullah Gulen, Ali Unal, Abdullah bin Bayyah, Yusuf Qaradawi, Hamza Yusuf, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty etc) who may sometimes be accused of accommodating themselves too much with the modern world.

So I was quite interested to see a website called newageislam.com that claims to be about the future of Islam etc and I read a few articles on there....

and observed how it is full of contempt for the Ulema - full of articles written by self appointed experts who accuse the Ulema of being ignoramuses on Islam when that is what they themselves are, articles declaring the hijab un-Islamic and all sorts of other satanic ranting in the name of 'modernity'.

some things struck me about this website...

1. it is apparently very well funded (I wonder is it another Quilliam Foundation or Sufi Muslim Council payed for by those hostile to Islam)

2. it is clearly engaged in a war against the real understanding of Islam and promoting a 'new version' of Islam based upon whatever fits in with the fashions, whims and fancies of the modern non-Muslim society.

Now as we know, only Allah can see into the hearts of these people but for me that website is like an awful echo of the mosque mentioned in Surah Tawbah when Allah says...

As for those who have set up a mosque, causing harm and out of disbelief, to create division between the believers, and in readiness for those who previously made war on Allah and His Messenger, they will swear, "We only desired the best." But Allah bears witness that they are truly liars. Do not ever stand in it. A mosque founded on fear of Allah from the first day has a greater right for you to stand in it. In it there are men who love to purify themselves. Allah loves those who purify themselves. Who is better: someone who founds his building on fear of Allah and His good pleasure, or someone who founds his building on the brink of a crumbling precipice so that it collapses with him into the Fire of Hell? Allah does not love wrongdoers. The buildings they have built will not cease to be a bone of contention in their hearts, until their hearts are cut to shreds. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. (Surat at-Tawba, 107-110)

Not everyone who smells fishy is a fish, and I am not accusing anyone of anything, only Allah knows people's hearts and intentions, but really that website gives me the 'heebie jeebies', especially when I think about how many people it may potentially lead off the straight path and into misguidance.