Cross-cultural Dialogue Instead of a Universalistic Monologue
A recurring call echoed in the West since September 11 was that of reform in the Muslim societies. To this end, the United States is asking them to reform their religious education. It is assumed by several scholars, journalists and politicians that fanaticism that motivated the highjackers, is rooted in religious precepts - that they teach narrow views to be imposed on the rest of humanity through violence.
This call is made without any objective analysis: it does not take into account the causes that underlie Muslim frustrations with the current situation, and is an exaggeration that considers only a fringe element of Muslim society. Despite this, it requires examining the 'why' of this reality: why the West is at odds with the non-Western, especially Islamic concepts.
Clearly, this problem arises because the West insists that its cultural norms should become universally accepted as standards. And it is this universalistic monologue that the U.S. is forcefully engaged in now, instead of relying on a cross-cultural dialogue that would aim at finding a middle ground for common human existence.
In fact, ever since the emergence of Islamic movements, the Western decision-makers and their cohorts in the Muslim societies have suspiciously viewed the advocacy of religion in the public domain as regressive, and a return to medieval way of life. Their contention is that the Western society has progressed intellectually, politically, socially and economically by pushing religion aside into private life; and therefore, other societies must follow a similar course for modernity and progress.
This secular assumption has been vigorously advanced as a strategy for modernization through the model of Westernization. Its advocates range from Leonard Binder to Samuel Huntington. Although Binder realized that Islam is central to modernization in the Middle East in his seminal work, Islamic Liberalism, but unfortunately, that marked the end of his career among modernization theorists. Conversely, Huntington advanced from advocating modernization to forecasting the doomful "Clash of Civilizations."
It must be realized that the call for reformation within Muslim societies is nothing new: For example, consider the middle nineteenth century reputed reformers Jamaluddin Afghani and Muhammad Abdu. These reformers realized that profound societal and cultural changes in the Muslim societies were needed; but they always based them within the Islamic vision - although their endeavors were frequently undercut by the ruling elite who used the facade of Western modernity to disguise their despotic intentions. Isn't it ironical that Western reformation within Muslim societies is voiced by the very powers that resist Islamic reform? And isn't it even more ironical, that the advocates of freedom and democracy in the West, in gross violation of these principles, have aligned themselves with such autocrats to achieve their specific selfish ends? There goes the truth and honesty!
A meaningful reform of Muslim societies cannot be undertaken by ignoring the Islamic foundations of Muslim cultures. Nor, can it be unwillingly forced upon the Muslim masses. Islam is ingrained in the very psyche of Muslims and any reform effort must be firmly based on it; nothing that is in conflict with this basic understanding will ever succeed - as clearly evidenced from various post-colonial experimentation in Muslim lands. Furthermore, all reform efforts must proceed through free and open debate in the public square and a consensus achieved before it could be enacted. This is also what Islam demands in all dealings from home to the state affairs.
A cultural reform has been underway since colonization of Muslim lands, and includes, in addition to the above, a long list of reformers; for example, Khairuddin al Tunusi, Abdulrahman al Kawakibi, Rashid Rida, Muhammad Iqbal, Said al-Nursi, Malik Bennabi, Ali Shariati and Ismail al Faruqi, to name a few others. Their appeal is to the values and ethos embodied in the Islamic sources in order to restore the moral autonomy of the individual, and to develop an open and egalitarian political culture.
Indeed, all major reform movements that brought about profound cultural changes have been religious. Even the modern secularist West owes it to the Religious Reformation, as reminded by Weber in his Protestant Ethic. Likewise, the Muslim East should carry out its own reformation that is rooted in its Islamic ethos.
Islam requires both individual and societal reformation. It emphasizes individual responsibility, and as a result, has encouraged various individual expressions within its very broad boundaries. It inspired individual creativity in eminent works such as that of al-Farabi, Averroes, Avicenna and Ibn Khaldun that contributed to the Western scholarship. And along with it, this individualism has historically maintained, rather celebrated - pluralism, much more than the modern West. And this pluralism, lasting until the fall of the Ottoman Empire, reached far beyond the religious and political into the social, cultural and even legal spheres. Indeed, the current totalitarian orientation is the result of decline in rational thought, and the rise of authoritarian regimes encouraged and assisted by the West.
The universalistic monologue of the U.S. is predicated on its strategic and hegemonistic designs and is coercive in its nature whereby its proponents feel justified dictating to others their particulate dictums based on these considerations. In order that a meaningful dialogue could take place, it requires instead a change in understanding and attitude - from one that relies on power and self-righteousness to one that depends on rational interaction, and respects the autonomy of various cultural communities. Only thus through an open and free dialogue could universally shared standards be objectively established.
Therefore, in a world distinguished by its cultural pluralism, the emphasis must shift from an inter-subjectively derived universal norm of a certain cultural community (the West, in the current situation), to cross-cultural inter-subjectivity, wherein communities with their different normative references must freely acknowledge a universal norm. While explicit agreement of people within a similar cultural set-up is essential, it is all the more so, for a cross-cultural dialogue that aims at peace and justice for the world.
Siraj I. Mufti, Ph.D. retired as a research professor from the University of Arizona and a chaplain from the U.S. Department of Justice. He currently writes as a free-lancer.
Related Suggestions
There's in your article two presumptions detrimental to islam and the Muslims:
1. that there was indeed a highjack
2. that that highjack was by Muslims
No one, not even the victim, has come up with proof of this. It is therefore preposterous for a Muslim to assume the truth of the allegation, for that is what it is.
The Korean civilian arliner was shot down in the 80's by Russian when, as confirmed by Reagan, it deliberately flew over Russian territory in order to activate their defence systems. Us Aurforce was around receiving intelligence information and they sacrificed the civilians, including, I think, a congressman who was on board. The end, they say, justifies the means.
If the end this time around is to deal-- in their thought-- a death blow to the Muslims, would it be hard for America to bomb itself for a pretext to pounce on the Muslims?
Noriega was captured by USA without much bloodshed. Could they have done it with the Taliban leaders without such deliberate genocide?
Allah is the greatest. He will help His religion even if the infidels dislike it!
Jazakallah bihayr! Allah SWT has warned us through the Prophet SAW when He said: "Verily they were about to tempt you away from that which We have revealed unto you,to fabricate something other than it against Us, and then they would certainly have taken you a friend! And had We not made you stand firm, you would nearly have inclined to them a little. In that case, We would have made you taste a double portion (of purnishment) in this life and a double portion (of purnishment) after death. And then you would have found none to help you against Us" - Q 17:73-75
May Allah help us.
announcement in all over India should be made for jehad, it is not
only kashmir now who are fighting for their cause but the muslims
who have been grated rudeely in Gujarat, India must go for jehad.
what has happened to them is not an attack on GUjarat only but for
the whole muslim community. kashmir........everyday on an average
12 people are killed but no reports, i will type in detail after i get
reply from you
thanks
It may sound harsh but this is what is required--Get rid of all the peripherals including Hadis, the Sahi, Motaber, Maroof etc etc and the Lagoo and start again with the Quran, which is more than enough if only we could have a universal interpretation from a central body of Muslims (not the kings and Muftys please).
Do we have the will and the courage to bell the Cat??
But ever since 1948 with the collusion of UN the European and US Zionists have forced their way into Arab Lands, quoting their Holy Books that read "Jews are coming the Jews are coming" after 2000 plus years they are entitled according to their own interpretation of their own hand written books, and all of Europe, US and the rest of the world go along with this attrocity.
And the local Arabs who are actively defending their homeland are labeled terrorist by the terrorizing zionists.
Who is trying to force their religous beliefs by force on others? the answer is quite clear, the zionists.
No Justice, No Peace. was good in 1776 and it is good today,
Khuda Hafiz
I have heard and read many arguments similar to yours. Many in "the West" find the cultural and economic imperialism of the USA an almost constant irratant, and many, though not enough are aware of the problem of a lack of representative government in many Middle East countries. So the problem, has been I think, well stated. I ask you now, in concrete terms, What Is The SOLUTION?
I hope that I have not given offence, and that you will read this in the spirit in which it is intended.
It says all that can be in the heart of a sincere, educated and unbiosed Muslim.
I would pray to GOD and Request Mr. Siraj Mufti to use his writing skill more on the subject of Muslims getting together which he referred as pluralism for that's where lies Muslim's respect , diginity and only then West will talk to them on equal terms else they will be kicked around and humiliated as is being done now, right or wrong.
It may not happen during the life of the present Muslim generation, BUT whenever it happens, we will be part of that or atleast God knows we have used our skills to that direction and we can expect reward for that.
Regards.
Tanvir Ahmed
no one tolerate a wrong doing,thinking,action,
one should obey islamic ethics,
moral,displine,etc,
will you please send the detail about - MOHAMED IQBAL- I AM INTERESTED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HIM,
ASSALAM ALAIKUM
Dear brothers in islam it is very anfourtunate
to lern that you are talking of reforms in islam.
pleas the way islam was left by the prophet{s.a.w}
is the same way that it should be followed by every belliver.regardles of nationality. thus
1 FASTING
2 PRAYING
3 JIHAD
3 ZAKAT
4 SADKA ETC
WITHOUT FEARING THE DEVILS BEING LED BY bush,w
and his bro louis farakhan
FEAR ALLAH ALONE
is this allah sended us for spread islam and his dawaat to other kafirs.see allah said one more thing that is every impotant that is some kafir is try to destroy allahs house or some thing that concern to allahs stuff like quran
no fighting until they do serious damage
thanks
khuda hafiz
l hope u understand my letter
misuderstanding of Islam. Islam does not
need reformartion rather the world needs to
understand Islam from an biased point of
view. Islam is a perfect religion hence the
defense for it assumes that it is lacking.
People who need to understand Islam should
do the proper homework. Just like I cannot
teach my child calculus before he/she has
advanced from algebra and basic
computational skills.
WE MUSLIM SHOULD LIVE IN THIS WORLD AS MUHAMMAD(PEACE BE UPON HIM) HAS SHOWN US PATH WITHOUT LESENING TO THE ATHOR THAN ONLY WE WILL PASS IN OUR EXAMINATION OF THAT WORLD AND VICTORY HERE IN THIS WORLD
INDIAN,MALASIAN,CHINESEMUSLIM ETC ARE NOT FRIENDS
AMONGST THEMSELVES THOUGH RECITING THE SAME BOOK
(NOT FOLLOWING)AND HAVE CHRONIC ETHNIC /LANGUAGE/REGIONAL DIFFERENCES !THEN WHAT TO TALK ABOUT AMERICANS/MUSLIM RELATION SHIP?
ACT LIKE UNIVERSAL BROTHERS FIRST IN YOUR HOME,HOMELAND,WITH YOUR PEOPLE NEIGHBOURS,ETC THEN TALK ABOUT OTHER RELATIONSHIPS.
When did you last see a man going to a DIY store alone to make his selection for that long awaited home project. Who pushes the baby buggy these days and carries the shopping bags at the same time. Are our women going to give up this role reversal and once again become the carer and sustainer of the family unit as has been the case since God created man? I don't think so.
All kinds of reasons are put forward to shun Islam - that women are repressed, that Muslims are fanatics....you've heard them all. Generally all this stuff is beleived by the public because people are ignorant of Islam, and ignorance creates fear.
More such srticles will go towards projecting the correct attitude of Islam.
When you take only half of the whole truth and wield it as a club, it cannot do half the damage.
When you practice a form of spirituality which is compromised, and use it as a cloak to keep you warm and comfortable, it will fail you when cold winds blow.
What have your prophets stated about end times? Can you some how stop the events with words of indignation?
If your spirituality was as right or true as you seem to think it is, then what is happening in the world should not be of any concern; end times or not, such should be your peace with your maker.
What I didn't understand was why it took this tragic event to happen until now. See the way I see it is this. A lot of countries look at the USA as a child looks at its mother, for help. And sometimes the mothers that we are given in life doesn't always have our best interest. She has so many children, she can only do the best she can with what she has to work with. And when that one child(s) sees that they can't get their needs met as quickly as they want, then issues arise. I am not saying that this is the case, but what I saw and what I heard was an awakening.
Awake and see that life has much to offer, but greed always has its hands out.
It was horrible to see the images on both sides, innocence being destroy because of what. It was sad to see that but the awakening allowed, objections, voices and life to take a good look because just like that it all can be taken away.
In conclusion, at what stage in life is enough and if the whole world dies what have you contribute to your cause other than death. Why do we live in a world that would choose death rather than life? Why do we assume that choice?