Description - Rights, Religion and Reform by Chandra Muzaffar
This book discusses issues concerning human rights and religion. It attempts to develop human rights thinking beyond its liberal democratic roots through reflections on the concept of the human being embodied in religious philosophy. By linking rights, as conventionally understood, to responsibilities, roles & relationships, as articulated in religious thought, the author constructs a holistic vision of human dignity. It is a vision that is critical of mainstream religion's obsession with form rather than substance. The importance of garnering the essence of faith for social transformation is a theme that is emphasised over and over again through a series of essays on Islam as it impacts upon state, politics and social change. A genuine commitment to social justice and human dignity rather than a blind adherence to rituals and symbols is the distinguishing characteristic of Islam. It is with this argument that the author makes a passionate plea for Islamic reform. He argues that only if there is reform will it be possible to persuade Muslims of the significance of inter-religious dialogue. The author does not, however, confine his call for reform to religion.
Politics, civil society and the economy, in Malaysia in particular, and in other societies in general, are also in need of reform. Ethnic relations could be improved by harnessing shared values embodied in the different religious traditions. The novel and often challenging ideas on human rights and human dignity and the strong advocacy of religious reform establish the relevance of the work to a world where both human rights and religion occupy centre stage. For human rights intellectuals and religious thinkers, for young activists and established opinion makers, this book will be of immeasurable value.
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