Essay Sample on Modernizing Islamic Tradition: Cultural Transformation and Ideological Reinvention

Introduction

The Islamic tradition is formed by religious law referred to as redundantly sharia law or Islamic law (Esposito et al., 2003). Modernization in Islamic refers to the process of cultural transgressive, which is associated with high social potential as well as ideological reinvention. Critique on modernization is that the concept is widely understood in the western tradition academic; it is highly centred to its inability debate to convince cultural and social change in different traditions of Muslim societies. Under this assignment, the impact on how modernization has affected Islamic legal traditions will be much considered. Modernization imitators have been much castigated by the majority of Muslim more so from the trained traditional scholars (Esposito et al., 2003). Modernization has brought in positive aspects to Islam.

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Modernization

Majority of the Muslim reformists believes in modernization as it helps them to get an answer towards the ways of returning to civilization and Islamic belief for them to formulate renaissance among themselves (Esposito et al., 2003). Many of those who were included in the modern Islamic discourse targeted at opening creative thinking door regarding Islamic cultural values and religion and modern western worldview. West universalism and presumed centrality were rejected. The reformists who had an understanding of the western philosophy of computer skills acquisition applied different management theories and opened western modernization as they were aware of the benefits of it as it is anti-humanist implications (Esposito et al., 2003). Therefore I believe it is much possible to balance the competing interests between the pressure posed in by modernization and Islamic legal traditions. The main reason for this is because it explains the Islam fundamentals with such emphasis on social justice, Islamic brotherhood, and tolerance ideas. It aims to achieve dynamic Islam character in the intellectual context as well as scientific progress in the modern world.

Besides the Muslim reformers like Muhammad Iqbal and Jamal al-Din believes in modernization as they admired the role of science and reason as Western dominance and progress sources even though they questioned the epistemological and ontological underpinning of technology and science (Esposito et al., 2003). Iqbal showed that space, God and time, which are Islamic conceptions, are compatible with modern conceptions. Thus, as a result, I believe in the balance of the competing interests between the Islamic traditions and the pressures posed by the modernization in Islam as it promotes the Islamic belief progress.

Also, at Islamic institution levels, there is the evident belief in modernization pressures on Islamic legal traditions. For instance, Islamic university presents its vision as Islamic revealed integrating values and knowledge in all educational activities and academic disciplines (Esposito et al., 2003). Basing on modernization, it aims at producing quality intellectuals, scholars and professionals by integrating quality of good character, faith and knowledge to serve as comprehensive agents and progress balanced in the Muslim world. Due to this Islamic belief, I believe in the balance of competing interest between Islamic legal tradition and the pressures posed by modernization as many of the Islamic universities are highly promoting the approaching knowledge idea to the Islamic perspectives.

Society Level

At the society level, Islam believes in modernization as they made attempts to tackle modernism phenomenon as well as its effects (Esposito et al., 2003). Muslims adopted a process of filtering, reconstruction and sifting as against rejection of wholesale of modernization as well as its institutional manifestations. Modernization has brought in renewal Islamic spirit increase visibility. For example, in Malaysia, leaders of the successive government have been engrossed in creatively and actively attempting to ensure that modernization fit within the Islamic framework (Esposito et al., 2003). Due to such, I, therefore, believe in the competing interests of modernization pressures on Islamic legal traditions as Muslims seeks to follow economic success under modernization in the societal levels.

Additionally, Muslims in different government countries believes in modernization. This is because of implementations of many programs and policies by governments in Muslim countries that considered Shariah-compliant as well as modern (Esposito et al., 2003). Such most visible symbol of integration is expressed in the finance and banking world in the Islamic countries. Most of the financial institutions operate according to the modern system of Islamic, thus indicating how the Islamic legal tradition supports modernization competition interests. Hence I believe this modernization pressures on competing interests in Islamic as it transforms the Islamic ways of financing and banking.

Still, with modernizations, Muslims believes and supports for competing interests posed in by modernity compared to Islamic legal traditions. Traditionally, Muslims had unfair treatment to women compared to men (Esposito et al., 2003). Men were much considered as the head of the family; hence women facing a respect challenge in the family. Women still had no powers over the possession of properties. As modernization evolves in the Muslim world, different legal norms have been manipulated to consider both men and women as equals. Modernization has led to the imposing of sharia law, which was formulated to the Muslim community affairs (Esposito et al., 2003). Due to this, I will believe in the modernization pressures on Islamic legal tradition as it brings in protections, legal equalities and freedoms in the Muslim community.

Conclusion

The evolving of modernization in Islamic countries has a positive impact on the Muslim world. That is it has resulted to great change as it has resulted to retuning of civilization and Islamic belief, the role of science and reasons, integration of values, and formulation of legal equalities in the Muslim community. Thus much believe in the modernization pressures towards the competing interests on traditional Islamic legal.

Reference

Esposito, J. L., & Burgat, F. (Eds.). (2003). Modernizing Islam: religion in the public sphere in the Middle East and Europe. Rutgers University Press. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=8hjNFnAoLqkC&oi=fnd&pg=PR8&dq=Do+you+believe+it+is+possible+to+balance+the+sometimes+competing+interests+between+the+Islamic+legal+traditions+with+the+pressures+posed+by+modernization%3F&ots=gg2PBgxMpS&sig=jgqpM0X_n5bBn6c6NJefxdUkfrA