Arab West Report Egyptian press summaries and media research for dialogue

What the religious media presents to people is a crime against society and corruption of everything in it, Tantawī writes. It is not a genuine attempt to enlighten people to a religion that links people to their God and helps them to be better people that he opposes, but those provisions and dictums that stem from a sectarian closed-mindedness that tells people 'this is what is correct and anything else is wrong.'

 

Such preachers have managed to bestow a sanctity and inviolability on their interpretation of religious texts that equals the sanctity and inviolability of the texts themselves, according to Tantawī. They also exclude even the possibility of review or discussion of their views.

 

He cites as an example verse 106 from the Qur’ān's Sūrah al-Nahl on the permissibility of behaving or speaking in a non-believer's manner for those who have been compelled to do so. Tantawī points out how varying the views of theologians regarding interpretation of such a situation have been. Yet each sect provides its own interpretation and insists that any divergence from it is a sin or apostasy.

 

They seek to convince the naïve masses who lack a sound religious culture that their views represent the true religion, and that non-compliance with what they say represents a departure from this true religion.

 

Tantawī concludes by saying that he is not claiming that it is not possible to reach a definite understanding of a religious text and its purpose, but that to do so requires the observance of a scientific methodology in research and study of the matter, in which all currents should participate.