At its basic understanding, sociology is a concept that explains how human actions and behaviors are shaped by the communities people belong to and the social relationships established in those groups. The way individuals perceive the world and the type of decisions they make depend on the rules, values, and objectives of the existing society. Very often, people accept the surrounding world as something natural and unchangeable; however, the social perspective encourages humans to look at the familiar world in a new way. The theory of sociology gives human beings a chance to leave their comfort zone by exploring social environments and learning to appreciate different perspectives local communities have about the world. For instance, Islam is often considered as “the political and ideological rival to the West” (Fuller, 2018, p. 2). Nevertheless, some people take a different approach and claim that it is problematic to oppose Islam and modernity from a sociological point of view. This paper will explain that it is difficult to contradict these two concepts because they co-exist in society with Islam contributing to the understanding of God and teaching how to achieve peaceful coexistence.
Even though Islam and modernity are described as different forms of thought and perception of the surrounding world, they ought to co-exist within the principles of contemporary civilization. As indicated by Fuller (2018), after the collapse of communism, the Middle East received the status of the most frequent opponent of Western philosophy. The most apparent differences of Islam were its secure connection to tradition and the power of the state and society (Fuller, 2018). However, nowadays, Islamic societies have to face the realities of the world and accept the dominance of modern thought. The concepts of the contemporary society include democracy, free trade, capitalism, and the power of human values (Fuller, 2018). Islamic communities could have chosen to continue opposing the approaches to modernity, but this would bring them complete oppression from society. Fuller (2018) noted that “there is no alternative world in which Islamic societies can live” unless they wish to become marginal (p. 3). Therefore, the conflict between Islam and modernity is no longer appropriate since these perceptions have to operate at the same time and satisfy the needs of the world’s population.
One of the benefits of Islamic philosophy is that it can highly contribute to the understanding of God and His teachings by the individuals living in the modern environment. It is not a secret that human culture continually evolves into the future and undergoes serious advancements. One of the effects of these developments is the appearance of more people who are atheistic or nontheistic (Hashas, 2018). Individuals stop believing in the power of God and separate themselves from the topics of morality, justice, and meaning, which, eventually, makes it harder for them to deal with the basic questions of existence and purpose. As suggested by Hashas (2018), the religion of Islam can educate millions of people all around the world and provide answers to the fundamental problems of life. While accepting the rules of modernity, Muslims are committed intellectuals who are continually engaging with their religious traditions (Hashas, 2018). For them, religion is the means of reconsidering their relationships, experiences, and roles within the community. Thus, the teachings of Islam are crucial for modernity because they educate people about the importance of God in creating their understanding of the world.
Moreover, since modern society stands for the notions of peace, justice, and democratic governance, Islam cannot be separated from the perception of the value of these concepts. Islam deepens individuals’ knowledge about the essentiality of tolerance and harmony within the soul. As indicated by Obaidullah (2015), for Muslims, fighting with an individual who disrespected their religion is essential; however, it is completed without the help of physical force. The most necessary component for the process of solving the issue between two or more people is a sense of unity (Obaidullah, 2015). Islam teaches that “the power of unity is far greater than any other military power” (Obaidullah, 2015, p. 124). An agreement can be achieved only through a complete understanding of the self, mind, and heart (Obaidullah, 2015). Once human beings attain a balance in their perceptions, they can forgive and understand why another individual behaved negatively. Hence, individuals communicate with others with good intentions only and accept that they can make the same mistakes (Obaidullah, 2015). Consequently, Islam and modernity cannot be opposed because they share the same goal, which is achieving peaceful coexistence.
To summarize, by looking at things from the sociological perspective, people receive a unique possibility to look at familiar theories from a different point of view. Sociology develops individuals’ knowledge and helps to find the desired answers to the questions of how a specific community shapes the actions and relationships of people. After taking a look at the concepts of Islam and modernity from the sociological side, it can be stated that it is problematic to oppose them. Therefore, the presented essay explained that these philosophies co-exist in the modern world with Islam helping to establish a connection with God and educating about the power of unity.
References
- Fuller, G. (2018). A sense of siege: The geopolitics of Islam and the West. Routledge.
- Hashas, M. (2018). The idea of European Islam: religion, ethics, politics and perpetual modernity. Routledge.
- Obaidullah, M. (2015). Peace building between Islam and modern world: The perspective of Said Nursi’s Risale-i-Nur with special attention to the Qur’an. Manarat International University Studies, 4(1), 119-128. Web.