There can be no doubt that Islam, in essence, is the discovery of such divine guidance as shows man the path to lasting success in the Hereafter. Scientific and industrial developments may not be directly related to the aims and objectives of Islam, but it is nevertheless an indisputable fact that they are significant offshoots of the Islamic revolution. Had the Islamic revolution never seen the light of day, scientific and industrial developments remained unrealised.
The primary purpose of a tree is to bear fruit. However, when it is fully grown, it also gives man shade. The same is the case with Islam. The primary purpose of Islam is to open the door of divine guidance for human beings to come closer to their Lord. However, Islam is a complete truth. Moreover, when such truth reveals itself, it becomes the source of all blessings for humanity—directly and indirectly- but it also gives guidance, which is of great practical utility.
The present era, which we think of as modern and advanced—the age of science and industry, freedom and equality—is a direct consequence of this aspect of the Islamic revolution, which is called a blessing in the Quran. Like most other significant historical developments, this period gradually culminated over almost a thousand years.
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Islam and secularism are fully compatible. As per the Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics, secularism is a policy of non-interference in religious matters. In a secular government, every religious community has the right to follow its own faith. This was demonstrated even by the Prophet Muhammad when he drafted the Madinah Charter, according to which different religious groups were allowed to have their own personal law.
The true meaning of secular personal law has been alluded to in the following verse of the Quran, according to which, people of other faiths could follow their own Holy Books to judge their matters:
“We have revealed the Torah, in which there is guidance and light. By it the prophets who were obedient to Us judged the Jews, and so did the rabbis and the priests, according to God’s Book which had been entrusted to their care; and to which they were witnesses.” (Quran 5:44)
“But why do they come to you for judgement when they have the Torah, which enshrines God’s own judgement?” (Quran 5:43)
The Quran and the life of the Prophet Muhammad make it clear that secularism and the teachings of Islam have the same spirit. Groups that claim otherwise are completely mistaken in promoting unIslamic ideas of religious superiority.
Source: The Seeker’s Guide
Antiquity was an age of superstition; today, we are in the age of science. Before reaching its present-day zenith, the modern, scientific age had to pass through three stages. The first was marked by the eradication of the superstitious mentality; the second stage saw the practical beginnings of scientific research; the third is the spectacular culmination of the scientific process in the second half of the twentieth century. In my book, Islam: The Creator of the Modern Age, I have examined the contribution made to the completion of the first two stages by Islam throughout its first millennium. Henri Pirenne has acknowledged this as a historical fact: “Islam changed the face of the globe. The traditional order of history was overthrown” (Henri Pirenne, History of Western Europe). The book examines the aspects of the Islamic revolution and how they were instrumental in creating the modern age.
The modern age is a completely new age. The basis of the modern age is freedom of thought. Among the many results of the modern intellectual revolution is freedom of religion. Before this, human history was characterised by religious persecution. For the first time, religious freedom, including the freedom to propagate religion, has been recognized as a legitimate human right in the modern age. Through the human rights charter of the United Nations, this has been accepted by all the world nations. This development has made it possible for the first time in history to engage in the task of conveying God’s message to people without any obstruction whatsoever.
Among the several scholarly disciplines that the modern age gave birth to was anthropology, whose subject matter is human societies. Anthropologists made objective studies and proved that belief in God and religion have been present in all societies, thus. showing that such belief is natural to human beings and an answer to a universal human quest. This finding significantly boosted the possibilities for Muslims to convey God’s message to people, for it indicated that such belief is as indispensable for human beings as food.
The findings of modern science amazingly fit into what the Quran has revealed. They were a confirmation of this prediction of the Quran:
“We shall show them Our signs in the universe and within themselves until it becomes clear that this is the Truth. Is it not enough that your Lord is the witness of all things? (41: 53)
In this way, modern science became a powerful potential academic tool in the hands of those engaged in conveying God’s message to people and sharing the message of Islam with them.
Source: Spirit of Islam September 2013
The modern age is, in every respect, a new age. If the previous age was a traditional one, the modern age is non-traditional. Islam is completely compatible with the modern age. In fact, it has a major role in ushering in the modern age. However, Muslims of the present times are not cognizant of this fact. This is why their planning, done along traditional lines, proves to be fruitless. In other words, the case of present-day Muslims is one of anachronism, that is, living in the present age while still clinging to the mindset of the previous age. Any kind of effort towards the revival of Muslims can be successful only if it affects a change in their way of thinking. It must make them emerge from the past and lead their lives in the present. It is due to the Muslims’ failure to take into account the compulsions of the age in their planning that their endeavours by and large have gone awry. Muslims need to discover the modern age as an age of opportunities. They need to bear in mind that in the present age, power and strength are determined not by fighting but through advances in science and technology. In this day and age, giving encouragement to the latter factors is the surest way to success.
Source: The Age of Peace
