# How do we navigate between liberalism and conservatism?

**Author:** Dr. Hatem al-Haj
**Series:** Basic Lessons from Islamic Apologetics
**Published:** 2020-07-15
**YouTube:** https://youtu.be/Y2PVnBE9fis
**URL:** https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/lecture/how-do-we-navigate-between-liberalism-and-conservatism
**Topics:** Methodology (usul), Sharia

## Description
One of the concerns about apologetics is that it may cause a shift towards liberal or “left-leaning” views. Dr. Hatem Al-Haj explains the guiding parameter should be the spectrum of valid opinions within Islamic orthodoxy.

## Transcript
**[0:00]** Now the second concern here is causing a left shift in the community. Causing a left shift in the community. What do we mean by this? Left shift in the community. What do we mean by this? Naturally, if you are trying to speak to the people to your left,

**[0:20]** if you are trying to reach out to people to your left, let us say the liberal culture that we live in, that we are surrounded by, and if you are trying to reach the people to your left, will you use your right hand or left hand?

**[0:38]** Look. It is the left hand. If I'm trying to reach the people to my left here, how far can this get?

**[0:56]** So if I am trying to reach to them with the right hand, that is overreaching. Overreaching. But if I try to reach out to them with the left hand, and I'm not talking about the right and the left in the sense of the Islamic sense of the right and the left.

**[1:13]** Ahl al-yameen, ahl al-siman. No, I'm just talking about your hands. So if you are trying to reach the people to your right, you reach to them with your right hand. What does that mean?

**[1:29]** It means when we talk about Islamic orthodoxy, even the word orthodoxy when it comes to Islam is controversial whether we should use the word or not. But for simplicity, we're using those terms. When we talk about Islamic orthodoxy, is Islamic orthodoxy a point or a circle?

**[1:50]** Is it a spectrum or a point? It's a huge discussion, but it is a spectrum, not a point. It is a spectrum from our view as human beings,

**[2:07]** but from the divine perspective, it is a point. Because when it comes to disagreements between the scholars, in the sight of God, at least what I believe in,

**[2:24]** in the sight of God, if there is a disagreement, and you have two different positions, in the sight of God, one is right, one is wrong. If this is a disagreement of conflict, not a disagreement of variety,

**[2:43]** if it is a disagreement of conflict, one scholar says halal, one scholar says haram. In the sight of God, it is either halal or haram.

**[2:58]** From our perspective as human beings, both positions can belong to Islamic orthodoxy, because both positions can be supported by evidence, upheld by great mujtahids, supported by evidence,

**[3:20]** and accepted within mainstream Sunni Islam. In this case, these positions, even though they are conflicting, they will both belong to Islamic orthodoxy.

## Other Episodes in "Basic Lessons from Islamic Apologetics"
- [FAQs with Islamic Apologetics - Part 2](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/basic-lessons-from-islamic-apologetics/faqs-with-islamic-apologetics-part-2.md)
- [FAQs with Islamic Apologetics - Part 1](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/basic-lessons-from-islamic-apologetics/faqs-with-islamic-apologetics-part-1.md)
- [General Guidelines of Islamic Apologetics - Part 2](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/basic-lessons-from-islamic-apologetics/general-guidelines-of-islamic-apologetics-part-2.md)
- [General Guidelines of Islamic Apologetics - Part 1](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/basic-lessons-from-islamic-apologetics/general-guidelines-of-islamic-apologetics-part-1.md)
- [Limitations of Islamic Apologetics](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/basic-lessons-from-islamic-apologetics/limitations-of-islamic-apologetics.md)
- [Concerns and Pitfalls of Islamic Apologetics](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/basic-lessons-from-islamic-apologetics/concerns-and-pitfalls-of-islamic-apologetics.md)
- [Introduction to Islamic Apologetics](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/basic-lessons-from-islamic-apologetics/introduction-to-islamic-apologetics.md)
- [Which team of apologists will best connect with people?](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/basic-lessons-from-islamic-apologetics/which-team-of-apologists-will-best-connect-with-people.md)
- [Can you cross an ocean without getting wet?](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/basic-lessons-from-islamic-apologetics/can-you-cross-an-ocean-without-getting-wet.md)
- [Are generic answers to doubts enough?](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/basic-lessons-from-islamic-apologetics/are-generic-answers-to-doubts-enough.md)
- [Why do we call it Islamic apologetics?](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/basic-lessons-from-islamic-apologetics/why-do-we-call-it-islamic-apologetics.md)
- [What is Islamic apologetics?](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/basic-lessons-from-islamic-apologetics/what-is-islamic-apologetics.md)