The Qur'anic Worldview: A Springboard for Cultural Reform

Description

THE International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) has great pleasure in presenting Dr. AbdulHamid AbuSulayman’s study, The Qur’anic Worldview: A Springboard for Cultural Reform which forms the English translation of the author’s Arabic original, al-Ru’yah al-Kawniyyah al- Hadariyyah. This is a carefully reasoned, reflective work, the chief aim of which is to explore the reasons for the deteriorating state of the Muslim world and to address one of the central questions facing Muslims today – how to reverse the decline into which they have fallen and recover the brilliance of Islam’s once great civilization. Looking back at the various stages of Islamic historical development, the author puts forward a solution that focuses on the recovery of what is termed, the Qur’anic worldview. It was the strict internalization of this perspective and close adherence to the principles of the Qur’an which, he contends, played a key factor in galvanizing the early fledgling Muslim community to achieve the successes that they once did, the profound impact of which is felt to this day. The rebirth of Islamic identity through this Qur’anic worldview, insists the author, is the key requirement of our times and a prerequisite for any future healthy and viable development of the Ummah. Where dates are cited according to the Islamic calendar (hijrah) they are labelled . Otherwise they follow the Gregorian calendar and labelled  where necessary. Arabic words are italicized except for those which have entered common usage. Diacritical marks have been added only to those Arabic names not considered modern. The IIIT, established in 1981, has served as a major center to facilitate sincere and serious scholarly efforts based on Islamic vision, values and principles. Its programs of research, seminars and conferences during the last thirty years have resulted in the publication of more than four hundred titles in English and Arabic, many of which have been translated into several other languages. We would like to express our thanks to Thomas Goldberg for the quality of his editorial work as well as the editorial and production team at the IIIT London Office and all those who were directly or indirectly involved in the completion of this work. IIIT London Office June 2011 Chapter i The Qur’anic Worldview and Human Culture: 1 The Qur’anic Worldview as the Foundation for Reform 1 How Did the Islamic Worldview Become Distorted? 4 The Conflict Between Revelation and Reason: Reality or Illusion? 15 The Islamic Worldview Between the Prophet’s Companions and the Desert Arabs 22 What is the Qur’anic Worldview? 30 Self and Other in the Qur’anic Worldview 40 The Qur’anic Worldview is One of World Peace 55 Constants and Variables in the Dimensions of Time and Place 63 A Realistic Idealism 66 Chapter ii The Principles Embodied in the Qur’anic Worldview 73 Monotheism 73 Divinely-given Stewardship 76 Justice and Moderation 78 Freedom 80 Responsibility 84 Purposefulness 85 Morality 87 Mutual Consultation 89 Freedom and Consultation as Necessary Conditions for the Survival of Human Civilization 92 Law-governed Scientific Comprehensiveness 97 Globalism 103 Peace 108 Reform and Construction 109 Beauty: Reality or Illusion? 111 Chapter iii The Qur’anic Worldview: The Foundation, Starting Point, and Inspiration for Reform and Construction 117 Chapter iv The Islamic Worldview and Humanitarian Ethical Concepts 122 Beyond Vision: Lest We Sow the Sea 124 How Do We Develop Islamic Social Sciences and Live Out the Islamic Vision? 130 Chapter v The International Institute of Islamic Thought’s Plan for the Development of University Curricula 137 A Flexible Program 141 Educational Curricula and Programs 141 A Final Word 143 Appendix 1: Equations for Reform 145 Appendix ii: Faith: A Matter of Reason, or the Miraculous? 149 Introduction 149 Rational Proof as the Best Foundation for the Authoritative Claims of Revelation 150 Notes 165