Are American and European muslims more liberal?

[Khairan]

My next response is connected to the first. I agree with Muslimah that the principles of the texts (Quran) are understood for the event from which they were revealed. Most who argue (not efficiently I should add) that the Quran can have new contexts and new meanings for different times lack the vigorous training and sedulous understanding of textual dynamics. The Quran was written in classical Arabic (without the vowel dots), not modern Arabic. Therefore, to understand what Quran says and what the Quran “really means” one would need to master Arabic, classical Arabic (I would also say Aramaic) and Hadith scientific investigation to truly be able to put forth a “reinterpretation”. Much of what is written on liberal sites and in liberal books fall short of understanding philological and etymological examination for textual investigation.  The above doesn’t argue that the Quran is static. Far from it. I insist that liberal responses are less than compelling when put to the test.

You are right in that many Muslims think they are being "liberal" and "progressive" when if fact they are just apologists who are trying to reconcile their Western sensibilities with Islam.However, you are greatly mistaken if you think that Islam by its very nature denies contextualism. I will give the example of the Shias (and explain myself a little for the benefit of non-Muslim readers).

Unlike the Sunnis, who base their understanding of Islam almost solely on the Qur'an and the oral traditions (and the legal precedents offered by the various schools of law), Shias believe in Living Law. They believe that the Imam, who is descended from the line of the Prophet, has the same ability to understand God's Law as the Prophet himself did, and what's more that he has a working relationship with God such that he can guide his community through changing times in a way that is still concordant with Islam. Among some of the groups of Shia who await the return of the Imam, there is also the belief that when the Imam comes back he will institute a New Order that will abrogate the law laid down by the Qur'an and the traditions. A manifestation of this can already be seen in the controversial Aga Khani sect, who do not have the same belief in and approach to the sacraments of religion that other Muslims (or even other Shias) do.