Sunday, March 16, 2008

MODERN CHALLENGES

MODERN CHALLENGES


Contents
The Challenges Nowadays

Steps to Re-Inventing Islamic civilization

Steps in the Creation of an Authentic Islamic Science
Challenges Nowadays


Obstacles or challenges which prevent Muslims in developing the Islamic Civilization and some aspects that prevent westerners adopting Islam :

1. Globalization
2. Western arrogance / attitude
3. The spirit of the crusades
4. Negative Image of Islam / fear of Islam
5. Muslim weakness
6. Attitude of Muslims toward other civilizations
7. Interference in Islamic Teachings
8. Western media


1. Globalization

It is not the one that encourages unity of all civilizations by the name of friendship, love and mutual trust.

Instead, it contains decisions that have been made by the western people without containing a single Islamic element (value) and being brought up for Muslims to follow

MORAL AND CULTURAL

The amount of information, news, values, manners, and worldview of the western countries which are characterized by materialism, secularism etc. flow into Muslim society without any permission through the internet, TV station, news broadcasting, travel etc.


This will create a religious, moral, and cultural monopoly, where non-western nations will share the same worldview, lifestyle, and culture with the west.

Its result is Westernization of Muslim life, brainwash of Muslims generation


POLITICAL AND MILITARY

Globalization is seemed to have become an instrument of political superiority and military domination and colonization.

Any country and society that close the door before globalization (western interest) will be forced to open the doors especially that the world now is unipolar and monopolized by the superpower.


There is many bad implication of globalization:

- Increase the domination and monopoly of the rich
- Create disunity and discrimination.
- Destroying local industry ,
- Internationalized crime of all kinds, etc


2. Western Arrogance / attitude
Looking to themselves with superiority and to others with disgust because the westerners inherited Roman civilization which divided them into 2 groups :
1st masters (western)
2nd barbers and slaves (immigrant, etc)


Racial discrimination according to colour, race etc - it was dispensable factor in building at western civilization.

The white race was superior one which deserved sovereignty and domination over others.


3. The Spirit of Crusades

Christian consider fighting with Muslim is crusades.
Crusade I : 1099 – Muslim lost Jerusalem
Crusade II : 1187 – Salahuddin al-Ayyubi recaptured Jerusalem
Crusade III : 1291 – fought with King Richard the Lion Heart
Crusade IV : 2001 – Bush declared war on “Islamic terrorist”

Christian always find the way to destroy and emasculate muslims in every aspect of life (colonization, missionary, orientalisation)


4. Negative Image of Islam / fear of Islam
Misconception about war in Islam – colonization / terrorism.

Muslim fight only for the sake of Allah / syahid

That’s why Christian fear with Islam because Islam fight just for one path – jihad.

Islam as a threat to western – because of the comprehensiveness and tawhidic (rabbani) religion.

Labeled Islam / Muslim as a “ Terrorist”


5. Muslim weakness
Muslims are not unite among them / conflicts.

So, Christian take this advantage to put down Islam in the world.

The West have been able to control the world through application of latest technology and modern science.

Conquest Islamic countries (British, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutchman, etc. )


6. Attitude of Muslims toward other civilizations

The Islamic civilization is labeled as having most bloody borders and most likely to lose in any confrontations with other civilizations.

Muslim often do not accept the challenges seriously and lack od preparation.

Many civilizations have no problem with Islam but the force from the west change that situation.


7. Interference in Islamic Teachings.

Westerners force Islam (Muslim) to follow their rules / values according to Secularism and logical positivistic.

Attack Islam for its attitude toward women ( - : woman liberation)

Interfere in Human Rights & freedom, all aspects including religious life.


8. Western Media


Condemn Islam and muslims.

Bias reporting.

Based on Secularism in broadcasting


Steps to Re-Inventing Islamic civilization


1. Unity (Tawhid)

(a) Removal of dualism in educational system.

Separates between religious studies and modern sciences (based on secularism)

The system that produces either religious scholars (with no science) or scientists ( with no religious knowledge)

This system should be replaced by adopting fard ayn and fard kifayah approach towards knowledge.

(b) Removal of dualism in the approach of life

There are people who reject the world affairs and concentrate only in Hereafter.

While others – otherwise (emphasized on worldly life only)
Should be balance

(c) Removal of internal conflicts

One of the main reasons for our downfall is the division among the Muslims.

They were not united – because of religious sects and belief such as mazhabs, political or economic ideologies, parties, etc .

They need to re-unite to become stronger.

2. Rationalism

(a) Muslim must be willing to reject old practices, ideas and opinions which do not have sound and solid arguments.

Blind imitations (taqlid) should be checked and stopped if necessary – khurafat , etc.

(b) Muslims must be willing to explore new ideas, approaches within the framework of shariah and should not be rigid.

3. Reawakening the spirit to improve oneself

Allah will not change the ummah / the state unless every individual exert his effort to improve himself.

Regain the glorious civilization that they used to achieve.

Strengthen the Ummah physically and spiritually..



Steps in the Creations of an Authentic Islamic Science

1. Stop the worship like attitude towards modern science and technology which is prevalent today in much of the Islamic world.

Long rejected (scientism) by many of physicists and philosophers of science in the west itself.

Should base on independent Islamic world view whose roots are sunk in Allah revelation.

Only by basing oneself on the authentic Islamic perspective can the inferiority complex so widespread among the Muslim intelligentsia today be overcome and the ground readied for creative scientific activity related to the Islamic world view

2. Must in-depth study the traditional Islamic sources, philosophy, theology, cosmology and the like to formulate the Islamic World view.

This necessary task must be carried out within the frame work of the Islamic intellectual tradition itself.

Only the revival of the traditional Islamic world view can provide on authentic alternative to the current western world view which itself is now undergoing profound transformations.

Islamic science must be seen and studied from the Islamic point of view.

There must be a proper Islamic philosophy of science.

with its own methodologies, definitions and purpose while integrating all non-Muslim scholarship on this subject.

3. A larger member of Muslim students should allowed to study on the highest level the modern sciences especially the basic sciences (pure science).

Must confront any other school or mod of thought which lays claim to the knowledge of reality.

Muslims who are scientists but not functioning at the boundary of their science, they can at least point out the theoretical limitations of their science, the danger of scientism, the divorce of modern science from ethics and necessity for Muslims to emphasize the significance of ethics as much as possible.

Islamic thinkers, must help open up a place in the current Islamic mental space for the study of other possibilities of studying nature.

To revive the traditional Islamic Sciences whenever and wherever possible.
Especially in such field as medicine, pharmacology, agriculture etc.

Such an act would not only give greater confident to Muslims in their own culture, but also have immense social and economic consequences.

5. To re-wed science and ethics.
Not through the person of scientists, but through the very theoretical structures and philosophical foundations of science.

What is needed is a knowledge of the cosmos which is congruous and shares the same universe of meaning with ethical norms, which are drawn in all civilizations from the religions which have founded them

End
Wassalam

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