PLURALITY OF ISLAMIC DISCOURSE

IN MUSLIM WORLD

SHARIFAH NURULHUDA BT S AB LATIF

(G0822850)

TRADITIONALIST AND MODERNIST DISCOURSE

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TRADITIONALIST DISCOURSE

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EXPLORE…

Who is the traditionalist Muslim?

Scholar from traditional religious educational institutions

Are religiously disapprove of West without any examination

What is the traditionalist discourse’s framework?

Prefer to conserve and preserve Islamic beliefs, customs and tradition practiced in the early period after Prophet Muhammad

Maintaining old tradition than responding to the challenges of modern times.

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EXPLORE…Why they reject the modernity in Muslim world?

Argue that scientific, technical and technological knowledge weaken the Muslim community and faith.

What is the goal of Traditionalist Muslim? To preserve orthodox norms and values and

conservative behaviour to the fullest extent possible.What types of changes they refuse to change?

Not concerned with modernity; created fundamental changes in behaviour and belief.

Ignore the main issues of development and modernization

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IDENTIFY… Preserve Islamic belief, customs, and tradition

practiced. Not ready to appreciate the need of changes ( intellectual level, education, and human right )

intellectual: - prevent the use of reasoning and subjective opinion (رأي)- Practiced ‘taqlid’- Blind following and imitation and ended intellectual activity and

creativity Education:

- Traditional Islamic system prepared the students deal with personal affairs, and some educational needs (Islamic law).

- System remains private affairs has limited access to public funds. Human right:

- Argue that no concept of human right in syariah law- Human right were developed in West.- Strongly rejected modernity; would ran against syariah law and

destroy the religion of Islam

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IDENTIFY… Islamic theory have little relevance to modern life.

Confined Quran and Sunnah to limited framework prescribed by earlier generation of scholar.

Confined syariah law to family law, law regarding marriage, divorce and inheritance.

rejected the main issue of development and modernization. Resistance for change Sense of insecurity which changes implies. There are contemporary social, technical, and applied science that

control the organization and functioning of all aspects of modern life.

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MODERNIST OR

LIBERALISTDISCOURSE

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EXPLORE… what is modernist discourse?

Total adoption of modern Western philosophical thought, theories, model and structures without any critical assessment in the light of Islamic worldview.

How Muslims influence from Western thought? Modifying and modernizing Islam in the face of

onslaught of the West and its ideologies.What the concept they use to bring changes in

society? Use the concept of borrowing and adoption. For example: the separation of religion and politics.

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EXPLORE… What is the mission of modernist’s school of

thought? to instill the spirit of modernity into the Muslim societies.

What the impact of influences from the Western ideas on modernist Muslim? rejecting Islamic values, tradition and institutions. Implementation of Western educational model. E.g: coeducation, free mixing of sexes and abolition of

Muslim dress code. Is ijtihad become mainly theoretical and ideological in

modern society? Advocate ijtihad without following Islamic framework term ijtihad is used rather loosely.

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IDENTIFY… Total adoption of modern Western philosophical

thought, theories, model and structures without any critical assessment in the light of Islamic worldview.

Acceptance of Western ideas and ideals had been characteristics of many ‘secular’ Muslim intellectual.

Become politically and economically dependent on West Totally acceptance the product’s of West in term of food, education, and

technology.

Use the concept of borrowing and adoption. Need Western model to build development Imported or borrowed Europe or Western teachers and set up new

institution with fully adoption Western education system.

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IDENTIFY… the mission: to instill the spirit of modernity into the Muslim

societies.(politic, education and social) Effort were directed at catching up with at the West The change has come about partly through the spread of Western ideas,

and the acceptance by Muslims of the products of Western technology. ( western form of transport, western food, entertainment, dress.) Muslim had response total impact of West political factors. Developed in many Islamic countries a complete system of Western

education from primary school to universities. The acceptance of such things quantities disrupts the social structure. In some cases, people feel they are ceasing to be Muslim and are

becoming Westerners.

Advocate ijtihad without following Islamic framework.

They argued every Muslim has the right and duty to seek to understand Quran and Sunnah.

Emphasis on ijtihad, led modernist to stress the rational aspect of religion: the role of reason, free thinking and individual will.

In this context ijtihad becomes mainly a theoretical and ideological exercise without any legal force.

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FRAMEWORK FOR ANALYSIS

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ANALYZE…1) Integrated change traditionalist:

theologian who does not use rational proof / reason at all as sources of religion knowledge is not effective.

practiced taqlid and opposed ijtihad Quran and Sunnah order man to adhere to their teaching

but not to follow them blindly. modernization:

Modernist Muslim act based on the human reason and human understanding

Everything in this world is subject to change Integration between revelation and reason may create

balance in order to transform traditions and modernity of Muslim into rational, balanced an moderate attitude at intellectual level and human needs.

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ANALYZE…2) State of KnowledgeThere are two types of knowledge: The knowledge that Muslim describe as shar’i (relating to Islamic law

or bases of Islam). There are contemporary social, technical and applied science that

control the organization and functioning of all aspects of modern life. Western thought found, many negative feature and problems with

science today because of limitation of the sources of knowledge. The Muslims need to strengthen Islamic education in the country. many of them are seeking direction in the moral and spiritual

development of their personality which through education We need to create and produce a comprehensive view of the Islamic

methodology and practical conception that will enable the Islamization of the behavioral sciences

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ANALYZE…3) Leadership role Traditionalist Muslim associated with the idea that

western modernity generates secularization ( anti-religious and anti-Islamic )

Modernist Muslim contact with Western and acceptance the product of Western technology led to many changes in Islamic society.

Syariah law takes into consideration the social, ethical an legal aspect of its system

Not only involves human duties and obligation of God but involves also the right of man.

Syariah law had the flexibility in the past and today by incorporating the new forms and factors due to the new condition without losing its identity

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CRITICISM AND

SUGGESTION

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CRITICIZE…1) There is no explanation on history of beginning traditionalist’s and

modernist’s discourse

Start discussing both Islamic discourse with highlighted their framework, without giving more information on the historical background of thought.

2) Lack of explanation in comparing between traditionalist and modernist discourse.

There are many general main ideas without explaining and elaborating more on it.

In traditionalist discourse’s point, focus more on traditionalist discourse’s framework, but less attention on the factor of resistance to change, to what extent this discourse was accepted by traditionalist Muslim. If this discourse was accepted is there are any problem arising, and how they solve it without the use of reason and only based on revelation.

In term of modernity view, discussed more on the framework of modernity, and less emphasis on the effects of the adoption ideas from the West. To what extent Muslims influences by Western ideas? Is modernity relevant in modern society?

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CRITICIZE…3) Lack of using examples in explaining the ideas may be difficult

to understand.

There is no examples was included in explaining the tradition's and modernist’s discourses.

4) The use of Arabic term without explains its meaning

The word ‘ijtihad’. May make it difficult for the reader, for example, to the west, to

understand the Arabic term or concept, and if they were not in the field of Islamic studies

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SUGGEST…1) Give general information or explanation on history of

beginning traditionalist’s and modernist’s discourse in Muslim world.

explain some background of these Islamic discourse. For example: in the late nineteenth century, Mohammad Abdu and Rashid

Rida undertook to defend and modernize Islam to match Western institutions and social processes.

This project sought to superimpose the world of the nineteenth century on the extensive body of Islamic knowledge that had accumulated in a different context

2) Adding explanations on traditions' and modernist’s view , for example, in term of effect of borrowing adoption Western’s idea and how far its influences Muslim societies.

author can give the more explanations about the conflict between traditionalist’s and modernist’s thought and the effects of adoption their ideas and systems for example, in term of education and intellectual changes.

Developed in many Islamic countries by early 20th century, Western education system from primary school to universities.

As a result , there have two educational system functioning was create two different classes of intellectual: old –fashioned religious intellectual and new Western-educated intellectual.

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SUGGEST…3) Give more example in order to understand easily about both of

Islamic discourses.. Early 19th centuries, Muhammad Ali in Egypt (Muslim rulers) realized

their military inferiority to the Europeans Decided that it was necessary to have an army on the European

model, and for this their officers must have some education of European type.

Also realized because of attitude of religious scholars, they could not achieve this within existing educational institutions

Imported European teachers and set up new institution Implement Western educational system

4) Give the meaning or explanation about the use of Arabic term or concept

The meaning of ‘ijtihad’.

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THANK YOU

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