Main Challenges of the Islamic Civilization

Introduction

The main characteristic of the contemporary history of the Islamic civilization is full-fledge confrontation and conflict between the Islamic culture and the Western culture. 1

However, regrettably, in the field of research the confrontation between the two great civilizations " Islamic and Western " is totally different. On the one hand, due to the longstanding dictatorial governments, keeping the masses away from the religious culture and confining the religious thought to the individual rites and rituals, a static, disappointing atmosphere, devoid of any innovation, permeates the Islamic World.

On the other hand, due to the renaissance and experiencing life in the ambiance of modernism, an atmosphere of creativity, modernization, social activities, and inclination towards discovery and domination of the unknown realms (sciences, territories, cultures and civilizations of other nations) permeate the Western world.

Hence, cultural interaction and exchange, which is possible only within the framework of a bilateral dialogue, has given its way to a unilateral monologue, that is, the all-out arrival of Western concepts and terms in the Islamic countries. This challenge is the main reason for the emergence of social-religious reformist movements of the Muslim intellectuals in the contemporary Islamic societies.

Having felt the threat of metamorphosis and destruction of cultural identity and originality of the Islamic societies, Muslim social reformers founded the movement for the revival of Islamic thought. The movement aimed to revise the religious teachings and expurgate them from superstitions and intellectual residues and ultimately reinterpret the religious teachings according to the requirements of time and space in order to lay the foundations of cultural activities in the Muslim societies to spread and consolidate fundamentals of Islamic culture among the masses. 2

"The rise of the European civilization and its domination of the Eastern territories, paralleled with the deterioration and decline of Islamic civilization in the nineteenth century, caused various reactions by the Muslim scholars. These reactions, stemming from national, religious emotions and human needs, compelled the scholars and believers to endeavor for finding a solution to restore their identity and reconstruct their civilization. Therefore the nuclei of reformist movements were formed one after another in the Islamic world… These movements can be designated as the Islamic Renaissance or Islamic Revivalism." 3

Main Challenges of the Islamic Civilization

The most fundamental questions and challenges of the Muslim thinkers in the contemporary world are as follows:

1- The Threat of Alienation of the Society from Islamic-Indigenous Identity

The arrival of the concepts and terms of the alien culture in the Islamic societies and their acceptance by the scholars, who were disappointed at the dictatorial rulers - who had distanced themselves from the religious-indigenous culture " was spreading so quickly and irrationally that the danger of the destruction of cultural identity became quite palpable.

On the other hand the approach of the Western culture to such human values as freedom, justice, citizenship rights and the definitions of these concepts was basically different from that of the Eastern Muslim man. Therefore the masses in the Muslim societies were alien to these concepts, which were interpreted through a Western outlook.

In every society, the scholars are the representatives and delineators of the course of movement of the society towards the future and they are the ones who intellectually feed the society. Therefore if they distance themselves from the society, a gap will appear between them and the masses. If this happens, the cultural foundations of the society will be weakened and such a culture will lose its power of progress and fruition and therefore cannot meet the needs of the society.

Under the circumstances, the identity and originality of the society are gradually eroded and a society without an identity cannot take any action to reform its body. The Muslim scholars had realized that without a scientific study of the basic concepts and principles of their own Islamic culture, and without revival and theoretical elaboration of such concepts as Islamic brotherhood, Islamic ummah, freedom and justice in Islamic viewpoint, etc.

vis-à-vis the alien concepts and terms of the Western culture, Muslims will not find their answers within their own indigenous culture and the end result will be stagnation of growth, dynamism and development of Islamic thought. Inevitably such a man will resort to the alien culture and ultimately as a result of conflict between indigenous cultural attractions and those of the alien culture, his mentality will be more and more split.

2- Expansion of the Sphere of Power of Dictatorial

Governments in Islamic Societies

The ruling system as well as the theoreticians of the ruling powers in the Islamic countries had well realized that the alien concepts did not enjoy an historical and cultural background in the Islamic countries. As a result they lacked any theoretical backing and firmness of interpretation. Therefore in a crafty measure they changed their nature and through combination of these concepts with their own legitimizing issues transformed them into new instruments for the legitimization of their own authoritarian rules.

They expanded the sphere of their dictatorship and hid their violent face under the veneer of deceiving masks. Such concepts as progressive dictatorial rule, guided democracy, superior civilization and such strategies as extremist nationalism (chauvinism) pan Arabism, pan Iranism, etc. are among the most prevailing ones during this stage of political history of the Islamic world.

"Self-centeredness of authoritarian rulers in the world of Islam stems from this fact. For instance, self-centeredness in development justifies the political order through referring to economic disorderliness; nationalist self-centeredness on its part justifies relies on the role of the leader by referring to the need to resist foreign factors and military self-centeredness which previously used to rely on the justification of conquest, now emphasizes on the necessity of preservation of order through resort to the force." 4

Imam Khomeini states: "In our time, the words and logics have been misplaced, open political atmosphere is in fact the very suppression and all-out censors. The "great civilization" is in fact savageries worse than that of the medieval ages. The reconciliation government kills the people with tanks, cannons and machineguns. Independence is military, economic and cultural dependence." 5

Solutions

Under the critical circumstances, Muslim scholars have laid the foundation of a reformist movement based on the indigenous-religious elements of their society, which is designated as the movement for the revival of religious thought.

The outstanding solutions forwarded by the Muslim intellectuals in our contemporary world may be classified as follows:

1- Return to Indigenous-Religious Culture

Commenting on the issue, Nouruallah Qeisary states: "The ideas of Seyed Jamal uddin Assadabadi, attention to religious thoughts, purification of Islam from superstitions, emphasis on the unity of Muslims in the light of the Islamic decrees and principles, and encouragement of the Muslim ulema to take political stances became a headway for an inclination which entered Islam into the realm of politics and finally the leadership of the political religious activities of the Muslims since 1960s by Imam Khomeini and his book, Wilayat Faqih, a new theory of Islamic government,

turned the political Islamic tendency into the dominant tendency, uniting all the Muslim fighters under a single banner to lead the historical developments until the collapse of the Pahlavi regime and establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran." 6

2- Struggle Against Longstanding Dictatorial Rules in Islamic Societies

The dictatorial systems had become one of the main obsessions of the Muslims thinkers. They considered the ruling dictatorial systems as one of the greatest problems of the Eastern societies. However the reason for the establishment of dictatorial rules in their opinion was not confined to the authoritarian tendencies of the rulers.

They maintained that submission to dictatorship, as a component of the Eastern culture, had prepared the grounds for the continuation of authoritarianism and dictatorship in these territories. Therefore, the Muslim thinkers maintained that in order to eliminate dictatorship, and prevent new dictatorial rules, the spirit of submission to dictatorship should be eliminated. In a message to the world Muslims, Imam Khomeini writes: "O, Muslims of the world, since you have been inflicted with gradual demise under the domination of rulers, you should overcome the fear of death and rely on the zealous, martyrdom-seeking youth who are ready to defeat the frontlines of infidelity and inequity.

Do not think of preserving the status quo, rather think of getting rid of captivity and redemption from slavery, for honor and dignity are achieved in the light of struggle and the first step of struggle is determination." 7

3- Consolidation the Cultural Elements of Society with Theoretical Backing

Many Muslim thinkers have tried to expand and develop the theoretical foundations of religious beliefs through revision, analysis, and purification of people’s religious beliefs in order to increase the intellectual, convictional capabilities of the Islamic society. In fact, in order to transform the metamorphosed indigenous-religious culture of the Muslims, they tried to give a human-centered definition of this culture based on the clear source of revelation.

This culture enjoys richer theoretical and rational foundations compared to the materialistic Western thought, particularly with regard to sociopolitical thoughts of Islam and its ideas about man’s dignity, individual rights, and his social status.

Islam is compatible with man’s primordial nature and its principles aim to preserve his honor and dignity. Man’s status in Islamic thought is so sublime that he is considered the "representative of God" on earth.

It should be borne in mind that a calculated, diabolic plot is being hatched by the arrogant camp, targeting the entire Islamic world. The main objective of this plot is to project the Islamic culture and civilization as an ineffective body and incapable of responding to man’s contemporary needs.

It also tries to make the Muslims believe that the main reason for the backwardness of the Islamic world is Islamic culture and thought. The arrogant camp did not confine its activities to this objective, rather through poisonous propaganda it tried to make the Muslims believe that the only solution for the salvation of the Islamic societies from backwardness and achievement of progress and social-material welfare was bidding farewell with the Islamic thought and turning back to indigenous-religious culture and in turn acceptance of the Western culture.

Without any doubt the inroad of Western concepts and terms as well as the presence of their agents in various social levels of the Islamic societies as well as application of colonial, exploitative thought, based on Western utilitarianism, underline the sensitivity of the prevailing situation and the crucial responsibility the Muslim thinkers shoulder in confronting the crises and directing the society towards acceptance, establishment and continuation of Islamic cultural values.

Realizing the existing problem, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Imam Khomeini, called on the Muslim ummah to come out of the cocoon of isolation vis-à-vis the cultural invasion of the aliens, and encouraged them to dynamically revive the religious culture, for he maintained that the religious cultural values are the most effective weapons of the Muslims in this campaign:

"Islam is the religion of movement. The holy Quran is movement. Movement from nature to the unseen, from materialism to spiritualism, movement in the way of justice, and movement in the way of the establishment of justice; unfortunately, those who wanted to plunder the East and captivated the Muslim nations, made such a propaganda that even the Easterners themselves,

those who were ignorant of Islam and monotheistic books, believed them. The monotheistic schools were all schools of movement, but they propagated to the contrary and claimed that religion is the opium of the masses, that is, religion has come to destroy the people… This is exactly contrary to the fact." 8

4- Uniting Various Islamic Social Strata (Islamic Ummah)

The redefinition of the concept of Islamic ummah and attempts to reinterpret it in accordance with the prevailing conditions and requirements of today’s Islamic society will provide the Islamic ummah with a suitable strategy to confront the intellectual and identity crises the Muslims face and will also help them systematize and define the fundamentals of the religious thought.

The incessant struggles and endeavors of the Muslims and Muslim thinkers in contemporary era to revive the sublime Islamic thought among the Muslims has to a great extent prevented the spread, invasion or progress of Western materialistic thought in the Islamic societies, preparing the grounds for the spread of self-confidence among the Muslims and their confidence on the unlimited capabilities of the Islamic culture.

The Muslim thinkers had to offer an alternative intellectual-cultural model. Particularly in the realm of sociopolitical thought they had to offer a government model compatible with the religious-indigenous cultural conditions of the Islamic society. However, the contemporary Muslim thinkers enjoyed an advantage compared to other social thinkers of the non-Muslim Third World countries, that is, the experience of the Islamic civilization in the formation of religious government in the early years of the advent of Islam by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Through most perfect and humane laws, the Prophet (PBUH) could prepare the grounds for the glory and grandeur of the Muslims and spread of the divine religion of Islam across the world in the shortest possible time.

Therefore, Muslim thinkers enjoyed all necessary instruments for the presentation of a suitable government model, based on the Islamic principles and even had the experience of the establishment of the most perfect model of religious government in their store. What materialized in the form of the greatest and most principled popular movement of the history in the late twentieth century and astonished the entire world was the emergence and continuation of the religious revolution of the Iranian people whose final victory led to the establishment of a religious government in Iran.

By relying on the sublime religious values on one hand, and using the disappointing atmosphere prevailing in Iran " which stemmed from the intermittent failures of the internationalist movements such as nationalism, Marxism, liberalism, reformism, etc. " on the other, the father of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini, chanted the slogan of struggle against the tyrannical, dependent regime and succeeded to depict a clear picture of the holy Prophet (PBUH) of Islam, the infallible Imams and the society founded by the Prophet (PBUH)

[Jamiat un Nabi] for the Iranian nation in order to encourage them to rise against all manifestations of oppression, inequity and dependency." 9

Chapter 1 : Islamic Culture-World of Islam

Unlimited Capabilities

Establishment of Religious Government, Demonstration of the Capabilities of World of Islam One of the main characteristics of Islam, which also constitutes its main body, is being a social religion. The social principles of Islam are so comprehensive that their scopes go beyond mere recommendations on the nature of people’s relations with each other. In fact in order to implement these principles, the existence of a system with executive power is indispensable. The decrees on Imamate, following (obedience) consultation, commandment of good and prohibition of evil, and holy war, which are called governmental decrees, belong to this category.

Islam is the most perfect divine religion and the holy Quran is the only divine book that has not been falsified. Moreover the Islamic laws, legislated by the divine lawgiver, are based on man’s primordial nature and project Islam as the most human-oriented culture. Therefore, Islamic political thought which stems from the sublime Islamic culture,

prepares the grounds for the establishment of the most sublime and perfect structure of a religious government - a government based on divine laws headed by the most merited and qualified member of the Islamic ummah. Such government offers a path for material and spiritual felicity and perfection of man through revival and spread of sublime Islamic values in the society.

Throughout the history of the Islamic civilization " since the advent of Islam till date " Muslim thinkers, through proper understanding of the unlimited capabilities of Islam for the formation of an Islamic government and its role in guiding human beings, particularly the Muslims, as well as the restoration of the grandeur of the world of Islam have always been preoccupied with the establishment of a religious government.

"The concept of perfect man in the Islamic civilization and its materialization in the person of Prophet Muhammad (PBHU) (in the Sunni jurisprudence) and in the person of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the infallible Imams (PBHT) (in the Shii jurisprudence) " "Ye have indeed in the Apostle of God a beautiful pattern (of conduct) for any of whose hope is in God and the Final Day ..." 10

"and the social characteristics of Islam as well as its diverse principles and decrees about the method of formation and establishment of a religious government all in all are considered as valuable cultural-religious data for the Muslim thinkers in their endeavor for social reforms. Hence, in their endeavor to offer an alternative government model, Muslim thinkers enjoyed all the required means on the basis of human-based, sublime divine teachings; and even had the most perfect model of divine government is at their disposal." 11

In fact the prevailing issues and problems of every society takes new shapes depending on the conditions of time and space and hence require befitting reply. The concept of individual inference or individual reasoning (ijtihad) in Islamic jurisprudence provides the qualified, pious Muslim jurisprudents to offer suitable answers to these questions on the basis of unambiguous principles of this discipline " the Book, the sunnah, consensus, and reason. This is one of the secrets of the durability of Islam in the course of time. In this regard Imam Khomeini states:

"I do not think that there is any method better than that of the previous ulema for a thorough study of Islamic sciences. The millennium-old history of research and investigation of the veracious ulema of Islam bears testimony to our claim regarding the fruition of the sacred sapling of Islam." 12

Without any doubt the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Imam Khomeini, was the most distinguished disciple of the rich Islamic culture, had the highest command of the Islamic teachings and was the greatest social reformer in the world of Islam. Relying on his deep knowledge and proper social insight, he could realize the challenges of the Islamic society and founded the popular, Islamic struggles through revival of religious thought and their spread among the Islamic ummah by relying on the power of the Muslim masses.

Finally through his insightful leadership of the struggles, he founded the first religious government in the contemporary world " a world that has distanced itself from spiritual values.

In sum, the establishment of the divine religion in the Arabian peninsula, the legislation of the most human-based social decrees which are based on human primordial nature, the experience of the establishment of religious government, spread of Islam across the universe, the splendor and glory of Muslims in the light of this government, the definition of new sublime concepts as a model for the religious leaders of the Islamic society (perfect man) and finally the creation of the discipline of individual inference by reliance on genuine Islamic sources, all underline the unlimited capability of Islam in establishing the most complete form of government (Islamic government).

Such a government sprouts from the clear spring of revelation and its leadership is vested with the most righteous person who has the highest command of religious teachings. One can claim that it is only under such a government and the leadership of such an Imam that human societies can move towards felicity and material and spiritual perfection and will find the way of redemption and salvation in this world and in the hereafter.

________________________ 1 It should be borne in mind that it became possible due to the rapid growth of communication technology after the Industrial Revolution and their increasing ability to have access to remote areas. 2 Saebi, Mohammad Javad, Fundamentals of Revival of Religious Thought (Qom: Seminary Propagation Office Publishers, 2001), p. 12. 3 Ibid. 4 Naqibzadeh, Ahmad, "Possibility of a Universal Political Sociology," Islamic Government (Quarterly), Vol. 3, No. 3, Autumn 1998. 5 Sahifeh-e Nour, Vol. 2, P. 266. 6 Qeisry, Nourullah, "Intellectual Current and Intellectuals in Iran," (Mo’aseseh Andisheh va Farhand Dini, 2000), P. 44. 7 Sahifeh-e Nour, Vol. 20, P. 232. 8 Ibid., Vol. 8, P. 291. 9 Haj Aqajani, Mohammad Javad, Imam’s Governmental Approach to Violence and Terrorism (not published), P. 58. 10 (The Holy Quran, 33: 21). 11 Haj Aqajani, Op. Cit. P. 66. 12 Sahifeh-e Nour, Vol. 21, P. 88.