Q:
1. Are so called "liberal/progressive Muslims" part of our ummah? They are people who want to reform Islam by giving permission to women to do azaan or to lead the prayer. Furthermore they consider hijab during prayer to be an act by choice and they pray beside the other gender, etc.
2. Is anyone who accepts this reform model part of the Islamic ummah? Accepting it by for example taking part in it.
A: These people are either jaahils or non-Muslims. They don't have Islam with them. So neither can they be followed nor can they be quoted. This is a total new religion that has got no truck with Islam. Like there are the qaadiyanis. Though they claim to be Muslims, but unanimously the ulama have declared that they are out of Islam.
When they claim that they came to reform Islam then that is an allegation aganst the Quraan, Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and all the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu anhum).
For the Quraan says that the deen is complete. So when it is complete and they are saying that they came to reform, then this means that Islam is deficient. Hence, this is an allegation against Allah Ta`ala.
Or it is an allegation against Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), that Allah Ta`ala had made the deen perfect, but Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) did not convey it perfectly. Whereas on the occasion of the Hajjatul Widaa, in the presence of 124000 sahaabah (radhiyallau anhum) there was a declaration and confession. Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) queried from the sahaabah (radhiyallahu anhum), "Did I convey the message of Islam?" And the sahaabah (radhiyallahu anhum) all answered saying, "You have conveyed the message of Islam and fulfilled your responsibility."
Or it is an allegation on the part of the sahaabah (radhiyallahu anhum) that Allah Ta`ala had completed the deen and Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) delivered the message, but the sahaabah (radhiyallahu anhum) had failed to illustrate and show it to the ummah.
Whereas, all of this is incorrect. Hence, this denomination is totally out and should not be calling themselves Muslims.
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
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