Introduction
Islam is a monotheistic religion, which was introduced by Prophet Mohammed. Muslims consider Mohammed as the last prophet of God (Allah). “Islam is a noun derived from the trilateral root s-l-m which forms a large class of words mostly relating to concepts of wholeness, safeness, and peace. In religious context, Islam means voluntary submission to God or Allah (Kamrava, 2006, pp. 15-17).
The Islamic religion is based on five pillars, which are the major concepts and mandatory acts of worship. The Islamic religion highly regards every aspect of humanity.
It seeks to instill moral values such as peace, well being, and justice to its followers. Every Muslim should uphold these values. According to the Islamic religion, all human beings are equal before God or Allah. The Islamic religion also aims at producing whole-rounded Muslims with balanced personalities. This research paper examines the relationship between Islam, modernity, and justice for women.
Islam and modernity
Modernity refers “to a set of very large and important structural and material changes affecting people throughout the world” (Hunter, 2008, pp. 89-90). Therefore, modernity is a way of life in the contemporary world. It involves embracing change and new ideas. The modern mindset encourages individuals to make choices and queries, as well as, to engage in discussions (Cooper, 2000, p. 33).
Various Muslim groups have reacted differently to the question of modernity. For instance, the Muslim modernists and fundamentalists differ in their views about modernity.
Muslim Modernists’ views on modernity
The Muslim modernists are a group of devout and knowledgeable Muslims whose mission is threefold. The modernists seek to “define Islam by bringing out fundamentals in a rational and liberal manner; to emphasize the basic ideals of Islam; and to interpret the Islamic teachings in order to bring out its dynamism” (Cooper, 2000, pp. 77-78). The major aim of the Muslim modernists is to settle the differences that exist between secular rationalism and traditional beliefs, as well as, modernity and Islamic religion.
Jamal al-Din al-Afghani has been credited to be the founder of Islamic modernism. According to al-Afghani, Muslims have a duty to apply the teachings found in the Quran to solve daily problems. Jamal al-Din al-Afghani strongly opposed the views of other Muslim scholars who were against the emergence of new ideas, which they considered a threat to the Islamic religion. Al-Afghani proposed that the Islamic religion should be vibrant and dynamic as stipulated in the Quran.
For instance, one of the verses in the Quran states, “God can only change what is in a people until they change what is in themselves” (Keddie, 2000, pp. 100-101). Al-Afghani urged his followers to integrate change with religion in order to become better Muslims and to strengthen the Islamic faith. However, al-Afghani further states that Muslims should find their own way of integrating the modern changes into the Islamic faith.
Jamal al-Afghani strongly believed that Muslims should embrace western knowledge, technology, as well as, western goods and services. However, al-Afghani cautioned Muslims to be selective in the process of embracing change from the west.
He urged Muslims to acquire only what is beneficial and will enable them to have better living standards. Al-Afghani also introduced Islamic reformation. This was a religious movement, which was comparable to the Christian reformation initiated by Martin Luther. Muhammad Abduh further spread Al-Afghani’s teachings.
Muhammad Abduh was Al-Afghani’s student and a fervent follower of Al-Afghani. Muhammad Abduh stressed the importance of studying the Quran and applying logic and rationality. According to Muhammad Abduh, Muslims have the right to differ with the Ulama (Muslim religious scholars) incase the Ulama was irrational. Abduh encouraged his fellow Muslims to make use of reason, logic, and analysis in solving problems.
Most Muslim modernists like Jamal al-Din al-Afghani, Muhammad Abdul, and Mahmud Muhammad Taha among others embraced modern western ideas and knowledge. Therefore, the Muslim modernists are not skeptical of western ideas. The Muslim modernists have embraced western ideas, which they consider beneficial to the Islamic religion and Muslim societies.
They imaginatively synthesize “Islamic and western ideas to produce a reasonable and relevant re-interpretation of Islamic thought with enlightened cosmopolitan, liberal, and realistic perspectives” (Keddie, 2000, pp. 137-138). According to the modernists, embracing modern changes not only makes individual Muslims to live better lives, but also leads to the advancement of Muslim societies.
The modernists’ views have led to the integration of modern ideas into various aspects of Muslims’ lifestyles. For instance, a number of cultural, technological, and scientific changes have been witnessed in several Muslim societies. This flexibility to modern ideas is part and parcel of Islamic legal traditions.
The Islamic law also has room for new ideas and changes. For example, in the nineteenth century there was an attempt to build a modern state in Egypt. This move eventually led to the reformulation of the Islamic law. However, the reformulation of the Islamic law did not lead to the rewriting or abandonment of the elements of the Islamic laws.
Fundamentalists’ views on modernity
Fundamentalism dates back to the early years of 1920’s. “It was first used in the United States of America following the battles of leading evangelical Protestants against liberal and progressive spirits of the age” (Husain, 2009, pp. 10-11). Fundamentalism currently exists in all religions.
Fundamentalism can hinder one from having a full understanding of a given religion because fundamentalists are rigid in the interpretation of religious texts. As a result, people may not get the deeper spiritual aspect of a religion. Therefore, due to the rapid change in the modern world, fundamentalist thinking may be rendered irrelevant. “The diverse nature and complexity of human problems require that religious texts to be interpreted by putting at the forefront the goal of the religion” (Hunter, 2008, pp. 65-66).
Fundamentalism has a number of characteristics. First, fundamentalists are opposed to marginalization of the Islamic religion. Second, the fundamentalists believe that the world is characterized by two aspects namely, the light and the darkness. Third, the fundamentalists are selective and absolutist.
Fundamentalists are also opposed to modernity since they consider it a threat to religion. However, failure to embrace modernity is likely to result into political crumble of any modern state. Fundamentalist thinking also tend to foster dictatorship and corruption in any given modern state.
In most Muslim countries, there have been unbalanced rate of modernization, which has hampered the process of development. Despite the rapid changes that have been experienced technologically, politically, socially and economically, many Muslim countries have not embraced the changes.
Modernity has more often been linked to westernization and secularization, which makes it unhealthy. “The unhappy predicament of nation building, modernizing and secularizing the Muslim world has given rise to a number of crises, afflicting the fragile nation states of developing world” (Cooper, 2000, p. 58). Therefore, the fundamentalist thinking to some extent have hindered the integration of change and new ideas into the Muslim societies.
Islam and Justice for Women
Over the past three decades, a rapid growth in the Islamic faith has been witnessed. For example, a number of Islamic institutions such as Islamic banking, Islamic schools, and insurance companies have been established. Therefore, the Islamic religion is becoming more vibrant and active in Muslim societies and communities.
This progress in the Islamic religion has had great impact on women. Despite the several changes that have been experienced in Islam, the Islamic legal system that handles issues affecting Muslim women have remained unchanged over the years (Hunter, 2008, p. 77). The legal system that has remained static since its formulation centuries ago continues to be used in matters pertaining to divorce, inheritance, and leadership roles. To a large extent, the Islamic legal system tends to favor men over women.
Islamic fundamentalism has further led to subjugation and control of Muslim women. According to the fundamentalists, women are supposed to perform primary roles such as housekeeping. They also prohibit social mixing of the different genders. In countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran and other Middle East countries, a lot of restrictions are put on women. For instance, it is a requirement for every woman to put on veils. Women are also not allowed to leave their houses without a guard or to occupy public offices (Hunter, 2008, p. 81).
The challenges facing Muslim women have led to the emergence of Islamic feminism. However, scholars have differing opinions concerning the term Islamic feminism because of the nature of Muslim societies that emphasize patriarchy.
The Muslim feminists continue to practice Islamic teaching while promoting democratic moral values of Islam. Muslim feminists use verses from the Quran to fight for their rights. In Indonesia, the Muslim feminist movement is based on values and tradition. They aim at promoting justice for women as advocated by the Islamic faith.
Conclusion
From the above discussion, the Islamic religion continues to progress and to spread in different parts of the world. The Islamic religion also continues to influence almost every aspect of Muslims’ lifestyles. However, some of its adherents have not adopted the new ideas and tremendous social changes that have been witnessed globally.
Most Muslims, especially, in Islamic states are still holding on to traditional religious beliefs that deny women of their rights. For instance, in countries like Afghanistan a woman is still treated as a weaker and an inferior being. As a result, most women in these countries have remained under the dominance of their husbands. Such practices in the Islamic faith violate women’s rights and deny them justice.
However, there are Muslims who appreciate the new developments that have been witnessed globally. These groups of Muslims, who are also known as the modernists, have integrated the new ideas of the west into their societies by interpreting the Muslim law in accordance to societal needs and aspirations. Therefore, it is through this kind of flexibility that solutions to the problems that affect humanity today can be dealt with effectively.
References
Cooper, J. (2000). Islam and Modernity: Muslim Intellectuals Resond. New York: I.B. Tauris.
Hunter, S. (2008). Reformist Voices of Islam: Mediating Islam and Modernity. New York: M.E. Sharpe.
Husain, E. (2009). The Islamist: Why I Became an Islamic Fundamentalist. Chicago: Penguin Group.
Kamrava, M. (2006). The New Voices of Islam: Reforming Politics and Modernity. New York: I.B.Tauris.
Keddie, N. (2000). A Political Biography. Carlifornia: Univrsity of Carlifornia Press.