Author Reza Aslan addreses views on Bin Laden, Islamic reformation

Reza Aslan, an expert on Islam and the Middle East and author of the book "No god but God," addressed the issue of Islamic reformation in a speech entitled "Welcome to the Islamic Reformation: The Religion, Politics, and Future of Islam," Wednesday evening in the Whittenberger Auditorium of the Indiana Memorial Union. In his speech, which was sponsored by Union Board, he addressed the religion of Islam today, as well as how Muslims perceive Osama Bin Laden and his radical idea of Islam.\nAslan explained how the term "Islamic reformation" has both a positive and negative connotation in the Muslim world. He said some Muslims say the term implies there is a flaw in Islam that needs to be fixed or reformed, while other Muslims see it in a positive light.\nAslan compared the Islamic reformation to the Christianity reformation in the 1600s, during the Thirty Years War between Protestants and Catholics. He compared these two because they both concentrate on the same argument about faith.\n"The argument asks, 'Who has the authority to define faith? The Institution, or the individual?'" he said. "This is precisely the same argument that is now taking place in Islam."\nAslan said that Muslims do not need clerics or mosques in order to celebrate their faith.\n"Muslims no longer need to go to a mosque to hear the word of God," he said. "They can experience the Qur'an by themselves, in their own homes."\nAslan explained how Islam has changed to suit Muslims' individual needs. He said there are progressive and innovated ideas, as well as cults and garage mosques where Muslims believe in "radical, but yet misinformed" ideas on Islam. These radical ideas can include beliefs such as Osama bin Laden's.\nAslan mentioned bin Laden as a Jihadist who has a militaristic \nand non-institutionalized idea on Islam. Aslan said bin Laden's views must be understood as extreme.\nAslan compared bin Laden to the 16th century protestant Martin Luther in a sense that they were both purists. Bin Laden is concerned with the purity of the Islamic faith, he said.\nAslan said radical Muslims do not see the West as enemies. Instead, he said, these radicals see the West as the "far enemy," but they see modern Muslims as the "close enemy." He said the 9/11 attacks were to encourage \nMuslims to Jihadism.\n"The attacks during 9/11, by bin Laden's own admission, were specifically designed to go to the United States, in an exaggerated retaliation against the Islamic world, to galvanize other Muslims to the Jihadic cause," he said.\nAlthough there are many radical Muslims, Aslan said there is hope for Islam. He said many Muslims are against terrorism and bin Laden, and he said the issue will be resolved.\n"Bin Laden is only one voice." he said.