Rafael Khakimov
Administration of President of the Republic of Tatarstan, Kazan Institute of Federalism, Kazan, Tatarstan
Modernism in Islam: history and present
The processes of modernisation in Islam today can be defined by the term “Euro-Islam”, which should be comprehended as modern form of jadidism. Euro-Islam reflects to a great extent the cultural aspects of Islam and less its ritualistic parts, leaving the latter to the discretion of the believer himself.
The key thesis of Euro-Islam emphasizes the role of the ijtihad – the method of critical analysis – as a necessary condition of modern Koran interpretation.
Islam was sent to earth in order to deter people from ignorance and set them on the path of fairness. Taklid preserves thinking, and mazhabs preserve social relations as they were in the Middle Ages, and only ijtihad opens the way to progress.
The main ideological principles that express the meaning and content of Euro-Islam are the following:
1. Islam is a culture that unites the religious and secular. A sense of virtuousness today is in people that become civilized, cultured and educated. The prophet Mohammed said: “Everything has its own way. Knowledge opens the way to paradise”. Acquiring knowledge is the main duty of a Muslim. This is an explicit imperative. A true Muslim is an educated person that respects and comprehends sciences.
2. Islam is the religion of a free human. A Muslim cannot be slave to Allah because he had the freedom of choice and follows Muslim commandments consciously. Religion is a private affair. Religion beyond church activity and social phenomena is a more intimate, spiritual and personal experience. People do not like outside interference in their lives and prefer free inner choice.
3. Islam proclaims justice, but it is impossible without the equality of men and women. So far as the rights of women are improved and their dignity is high, society is more powerful.
4. Islam is tolerant. The prophet Mohammed continued the monotheistic tradition and promoted respect of the followers of other religions. There is no claim in Islam that divine goods are available only for its followers. They are sent to all people and nations without exclusion because Allah is merciful and gracious.
It is a delusion to take non-Muslims as enemies and believe this pleases the Lord. Indeed, this benefits extremists who do not comprehend the deep meaning of the Koran’s verses. God will accept every human who does good. But if he believes as well, then he is more pleasing to Allah.
In addition to common globalisation, Islamic globalisation is taking place across the world and gradually expands not only in the East, but also in the West. After September 11th, Islamophobia has spread throughout the world, but terrorism has no religious nature. The world has split into Christians, Judaists and Muslims, and this gap could become a gulf. Only new values can unite the world. They can be neither exclusively liberal, nor solely traditional Islamic.
Ijtihad brings East and West closer; it is the beginning of the new liberal thinking. When a free person is inclined to education, science and social progress, he is accepted by both Western and Islamic culture.
Islam was delivered to the world as progress that delivered humanity from slavery. Islam is justice, freedom of spirit and aspiration to knowledge. Islam calls for tolerance and condemns violence. Islam is flexible enough to answer the challenges of our day.
