Challenge of Post Modernism: The Islamic Perspective

By Salman Ahmed Shaikh

(An extract)

Introduction

Postmodernism refers to a cultural, intellectual, and artistic state lacking a clear central hierarchy or organizing principle. It embodies extreme complexity, contradiction, ambiguity and diversity. It is a reaction to modernism, but it is not a different ideology from modernism in every sense. It is critical of few ideas of modernism and it proposes emancipation from oppression manifested in culture, language, laws, customs, religion etc. Eclecticism and freedom of expression, in reaction to the rigidity and aesthetic limitations of modernism, are the hallmarks of the postmodern thought.

Deconstruction is a term which is used to denote the application of postmodern ideas of criticism, or theory, to a "text" or "artifact". A deconstruction is meant to undermine the frame of reference and assumptions that underpin the text. Postmodernism philosophy is also critical of Enlightenment universals.

Postmodernism philosophy asserts truth doesn't exist in any objective sense but is created rather than discovered.” The postmodernists have given a new secular trinity of tolerance–diversity–choice.

Post Modernism ideas appear to have been conducive to, and strongly associated with, the feminist movement, racial equality movements, gay rights movements and even the peace movement, as well as various hybrids of these in the current anti-globalization movement.

--

History does not give us a regular pattern of human struggle towards a just and fair political, social and economic setup as described by Marx. Kant also did not tell when we will be able to say that we are living in an enlightened age. These views of Marx and Kant were more relevant to Europe only. (On the other hand,) the Muslim world provided a socially, economically and politically just system to the world for at least 50 years in the rule of Caliphates. In the period after caliphates too, Muslim world provided (to the Dark ages) most things Kant asked for in an enlightened age.

However, one clear difference has to be appreciated between Muslims and Islam. Most of the laws in Christianity were mainly developed by humans themselves like St. Paul. Therefore, when thinkers of 15th century and afterwards criticized the church and the clergy, their criticism was also on religion and it was justified as the Christianity and the Clergy were the one and the same thing.

This is not the case with Islam and Muslims. Islam was not invented or created by Muhammad (P.B.U.H). It was the message of God as was Christianity with the difference that the divinity of Christianity was obscured and later modified by Christians. Islam as a message of God remained pure. However, Muslims as all other human beings have not been and are not perfect in their acts and systems. But, the acts of Muslims can not said to be representative of what Islam is as Islam was not invented by Muslims.

Therefore, a distinction is to be made between the Muslims and Islam. Muslims may or maybe acting truly on Islam and hence their actions do not determine what Islam is. When we study the ‘Pure Islam’, we will find that there is not a single thing in Islam that is irrational or unjust. In the following lines, I will just give the brief highlights of Islamic teachings which may or may not be truly present or found in Muslim world as Islam is the word of God and not how Muslims act and lead their lives.

The Building Blocks of Islamic Philosophy and Teachings which are viewed as most controversial and misunderstood dare briefly summarized hereunder:

1. Islam gives the following right to women:

a. Muslim women must educate themselves.
b. Choose an occupation and earn their livelihood
c. Own a property.
d. Choose their husbands and right to separate from their husbands.
e. Entitlement to ‘Mehr’ (wealth at the start of marriage), ‘wirasat’ (wealth at the death of husband, children or father).
f. Islam does not make it obligatory on women to earn for their family. However, they can earn for the family and yet they are not obliged to spend their earnings on the family. However, men are obliged to spend their earnings on the family and they are made responsible for earning the livelihood for their children and wives.
g. Mother must be respected three times more than the father.
h. No man is allowed to have extra-marital relationships with other women.
i. Adultery is a severe crime in Islam.

2. Islam gives following rights to non-Muslims:

a. Non-Muslims can worship at their worship places.
b. No non-Muslim can be forcibly converted to Islam.
c. Muslims believe in all Prophets sent by God including Moses and Christ.

3. Islam’s concept of Jihad

a. Holy Quran says that Jihad can only be for the sake of eliminating injustice.
b. It is not q fight against non-Muslims. It is fight against injustice.
c. It can only be undertaken as a last resort to eliminating injustice.
d. It can only be undertaken by the government and not by the community on its own.
e. In all great battles of Badr, Uhud, Ihzab etc., Muslims in the leadership of Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) fought a defensive war as the war was imposed on Muslims.
f. Jihad can not be for the expansion of the state, against innocents, against noncombatants, against the contract of peace if it has been signed and it can not be sudden and unannounced. So, suicide bombing against civilians is unislamic.

4. Islam concept of equality:

a. All men are equal. No white has superiority over a black.
b. Only Piety and Righteousness are the attributes that will distinguish us before God.
c. No rich has superiority over a poor.
d. All men should have equal chance to earn their livelihood.
e. Interest which results in concentration of wealth is prohibited.

Responding to Post Modernism: The Islamic Perspective

1. Knowledge was the main reason why Muslims fared so well in history for almost a millennium. Knowledge is the basis of progress. Greek philosophers regarded Knowledge as virtue. Similarly, the west also took lead from east with progress in knowledge. By knowledge, I mean not only the knowledge of religion and its related fields, but also the knowledge in sciences including social and technical sciences.
2. Ijtihad was an important element in Islamic world in heydays. It kept Muslims updated and pace with the world. The decline in Muslim civilization resulted from refraining from Ijtihad later on.
3. Freedom of expression is necessary in Muslim societies to pave the way of Ijtihad. In revitalizing the process of Ijtihad, not only the Muslims scholars begiven the chance to contribute, but the philosophers and experts of material sciences be given a chance to contribute in Ijtihad.
4. The institution of Family system is the basis of the social order in Muslim society. Muslims should not lose it at any cost.
5. Muslims should relate their philosophies with philosophies like Humanism, Liberalism, Democracy and show that they are in line with Islamic teachings and hence Islam is not opposed to liberty, human rights, women rights, minority rights, etc.
6. The economic teachings of Islam in a period when late capitalism is weakening can provide an alternative system to the world economy.
7. Extremism as a matter of principle be avoided and non-violence should be the strategy in domestic and international politics.
8. West has made trade blocs to unite and gain from synergy. Muslims should also need to be on one platform so that if future gives them the opportunity to give a new system, they can offer the Revitalized and Restructured Islamic thought from one platform.