GOING FORWARD
WITH QURAN AND SUNNAH

Dr Jameel   

We are living in times where the Muslim world is in an abyss of decline in every walk of life, be it mundane (intellectually, socially, economically and politically) or eternal (firm belief and pious and good deeds). This contrasts starkly with the so-called progressive “First world”, which sets the direction for the progress of civilization throughout the world.

Indeed, the Muslim countries have become dependent on the West for guidance in all areas of life, often looking Westward instead of believing Islam as the source for dealing with the problems and issues of life in the ‘modern world’ as well. Rather, many in the Muslim world have come to ill-perception that Islam was suitable only for the age in which it was revealed, and now is outdated, and unable to keep pace with the changing times. This is a fallacy, borne out of a decline in the understanding of Islam.

It is true, that the world is in a constant state of change. This change has many dimensions. For example, technology progresses – new materials, machinery, tools, and theories arise constantly. Also, from a socio-political perspective things change; systems of government — feudalism to capitalism for example; systems of economy — command economy to free market and the establishment of the banking system; the development of the nation state and international organizations, such as the UN, NATO, IMF, ASEAN, SAARC, etc. These are just a few examples of how things differ radically from the days of the early Islamic period some 1400 years ago. And no doubt, things will continue to change.

Much of the change in the latter ages has been taking place in the Western world. Thus, it sets the pace for the rest of the world, and the Muslim world, since the decline of the Muslim State, has been no exception. Accordingly, Muslim countries have adopted many of these differing systems and strategies, regardless of the fact that many of them explicitly contradict the true Islamic guidance. Examples include: Riba (usury) based banking systems, membership of United Nations, where the Kuffaar (disbelievers), or people of other faiths, or of no particular faith, direct the foreign policy of Muslim countries, and even create situations where Muslims fight each other.

In reality, of course, one of the miracles of Islam is that it is applicable for all times and places, and provides sufficient guidance in all areas of life. However, if there is only a limited body of Islamic source texts, i.e. the Quraan and Hadeeth of the Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam), and what is associated to them by way of Ijmaa as-Sahaabah (consensus of the Companions of Prophet SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam), and Qiyaas, one may ask, how is this possible?

“A detailed explanation of everything and a guide and a mercy.” (Surah Yousuf:111)

“He who does any act which is not in agreement with our matter (Deen) will have it rejected.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

The first point of note is that Islam is a Deen, a way of life which acknowledges that the basic nature of human beings is unchanging. All humans, regardless of their generation are driven by instincts and organic needs, which cause them to eat, sleep, feed themselves, marry and have offspring, trade, and interact with others etc. These functions proceed as time progresses, but what changes is the materialistic context in which they occur; i.e. fighting takes place, but now spears and swords have been replaced by tanks and bombs; communication still occurs, but word of mouth is replaced by the internet and mobile phones, etc. By addressing the principles of human conduct, Islam is neutral in relation to the material progress, and is still able to organize the actions that people carry out. Thus, the guidance of Islam in relation to prohibition of burying offspring alive, which was a practice in the Makkah in the days of Jaahiliyyah (ignorance), applies to all forms of abortion and infanticide; referring to unjust killing applies regardless of the implements used; riba (usury) is prohibited, whether carried out hand-to-hand, or by national and international banking institutions. In this way, all innovations that occur in society are addressed by the Islamic Shari’ah, because Islam looks primarily to the principles of conduct, i.e. the rule is governed according to what is used, and the way in which things are used, and not just the thing itself. Secondly, the structure of the Islamic guidance not only gives rules for specific matters, but also lays down general principles, which encompass all affairs of life. These principles may be explicit, or implicit, in which case need to be extracted by Fuqahaa (experts of Islamic Jurisprudence) and Mujtahideen (Scholars of high level). This aspect endows to Islam the capacity to expand and encompass new situations; i.e. the general principles may be applied to multiple realities. Thus for example, the prohibition of ‘Khamr’ (intoxicants) and gambling:” O ye who believe! wine and gambling and stone altars and divining arrows are only an abomination, a handiwork of Satan, shun it wherefore, that haply ye may fare well. ” (Surah al Maaidah:90) 

The verse is a prohibition not just of alcohol, but of all intoxicants, including cannabis, cocaine, or any ‘designer drug’, that is developed or discovered in the future; and all forms of gambling, whether racing, lottery, etc. The prohibition of ‘Gharar’ (doubt or uncertainty in trading commodities) is a prohibition of all speculative transactions, whether future markets, derivatives or such like, which abound today.

Likewise, the permission to travel, “Say: Travel in the land ...” (Surah al An’aam:11) is a general permission to travel by any means and to any destination, within the bounds of the Shari’ah. Islam has principles addressing all aspects of life, without exception In this way Islam provides legislation for all types of action that are conceivable for human beings — those which contradict the Islamic principles of human interaction are rejected, and those which Islam approves are accepted.

No doubt, the body of Islamic source texts becomes unlimited expansive in relation to the guidance that can be extracted from them. When the text is not explicit in relation to a particular ruling, the process of Ijtihaad (exertion) may extract a rule for it, which is the act undertaken by the Mujtahid (scholar). This is the process of deep study of the reality of a new situation, which is referred to the Islamic texts from where the appropriate principles of Islamic ruling may be extracted by the scholars who are not only very learned but pious and practicing Sunnah also in there individual and collective lives. It is by this mechanism that all new matters may be weighed and judged upon by the Islamic Shari’ah. Ijtihaad, in contrary to the fashion of today’s, can not overrule the Islamic principle already set and laid down by the earlier scholars, just to make Haraam (forbidden) as Halaal (allowed).

Sadly, to talk about initiating Ijtihad in cases that are decided and not needed to work upon, is being taken up by the people who posses only superficial knowledge of Islam (even they do not the basic of Arabic language and their source of Islamic information is merely few English books written by the authors of same caliber, Muslims or Non-Muslims) and at the same time they have no respect for the Sunnah of Prophet (SallAllaho alaihe wa sallam) in their lives. The gates of Ijtihad is open as always but the right to make Ijtihad is restricted to those having “Rusookh fil ‘Ilm” (in-depth knowledge of Islam) and practicing Quraan and Sunnah in their personal and collective lives.

With the above discussion, we can understand how Islam not only accommodates progress without compromising its principles, it also forms the motivation and direction for progress.

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