Analysis and Criticism of Modernism in the Light of Islam (Part 14)

Author: Mohajer Azizi

Analysis and Criticism of Modernism in the Light of Islam (Part 14)

The establishment and history of modernism

The establishment and emergence of modernism requires depth and comprehensive research, because scholars have different theories about the time of its emergence. Below, we will first discuss the emergence of Western modernism, then Arab modernism, because Arab modernism is the offspring of Western modernism:

1. The emergence of modernism in the West

Among many scholars and researchers who have studied the history of European modernism, there is disagreement about the exact time of its emergence and who initiated it; but most of these scholars believe that the beginning of modernity/modernism took place in the 19^th century and its initiator was a person named “Baudelaire”.

However, this does not mean that modernism emerged without a background in this century, but rather it had a background, and developed gradually.

As Dr. Awaz Al-Qarni has said about the background of the emergence of this idea: “The truth is that although modernity is in its essence a rebellion against everything, even in the West itself; it cannot be considered a phenomenon outside the natural context of Western civilization; rather, it is the natural product of the same thought and civilization that had long ago severed its connection with religion – with all the deviations that religion contained. This process began specifically from the beginning of the era known as the “Renaissance” in the 15^th century AD; when European societies distanced themselves from the church and rebelled against its spiritual dominance. A dominance that had truly become a nightmare and strongly opposed every call for true knowledge and every effort to respect human reason. Since then, Western society has been freed from religious restrictions, without retaining any religious authority or criteria for itself, and from then it tried to build its culture on completely secular and customary foundations, as a result of which many schools and theories emerged in various fields of life.” [1]

Dr. Harith Fakhri also said: “In the final stage of the Middle Ages (1300-1500 AD), which is considered the precursor to the “Renaissance Age,” Europe witnessed a special and remarkable transformation in most areas of life. This period was accompanied by the beginning of the collapse of the feudal system and a huge and great transformation that occurred in the economic, industrial, commercial and political system; also, new intellectual currents emerged that helped spread and expand the idea of democracy. All these developments prepared European societies to enter a new era, namely the “Renaissance Age.” [2]

The word “Renaissance” means revival and rebirth, and this era is considered to be a period of intellectual and artistic revolution that was full of the spirit of doubt, criticism, and inquiry. Three important movements played a special role in the developments of this period:

1. The religious reform movement led by Martin Luther;

2. The humanistic tendency or “humanism”;

3. The rationalist tendency.

These changes had a special and great impact on the intellectual developments of the Renaissance era and were the main foundations from which modern European thought began; an idea that reached its peak in the following periods, namely the “Age of Enlightenment”. This era, which covers most of the 17^th and 18^th centuries, is considered a continuation and evolution of the same intellectual developments of the Renaissance era. [3]

After the Renaissance, it was in fact the gateway for Europe to exit the Middle Ages and begin a movement towards the modern world. Modernism, which truly took shape in the 19^th century, inherited the same spirit of skepticism, empiricism, and individualism of the Renaissance, but expanded it to philosophical, industrial, and social boundaries.

2. The emergence of Arab modernism

Arab modernism is derived from and is a product of Western modernism. When this idea completed its gradual development in the West, it did not take long for it to take root in the Arab world and Islamic lands, and those influenced by this idea spread this poisonous idea among the Arab and Islamic lands by designing a systematic and intelligent program.

If we want to examine the beginning of the history of Arab modernity, we must go back to the nineteenth century; the era that began with the “shock of French colonialism in Egypt.” This event was the first stage in the formation of Arab modernity. [4]

This shock and blow stimulated the thinking of some Arab and Muslim intellectuals and forced them to look for a new way to save the Islamic nation. This was what later became known as the “Islamic Awakening” or the “Arab Movement.”

For this reason, some Arab writers said: Westerners opened a new path in Arab and Islamic countries with their colonization. These colonialists did not stop at plundering; they also introduced Western civilization to the Arab lands and brought forth a new generation of Arab thinkers. These thinkers, under the influence of European culture and civilization, began to propose new ideas. [5]

When these thinkers, influenced by Western teachings, began to spread this idea, it was not accepted by Muslims and the Islamic community, because it was an atheistic and anti-religious idea, so they thought about how they could make this idea acceptable to the people and spread it in the Islamic community. After thinking and negotiating, they came to the conclusion that they had to find roots for this idea in Arab history and culture so that they could make it legitimate and enter the minds of Muslims; because there was no other method or approach that was effective, they tried to dress it in Arab clothing and make it appear more acceptable.

Many Arab thinkers and poets have played a role in spreading and promoting this idea and have written books about this idea. In the meantime, “Adonis, the Syrian poet and thinker” played a special role in spreading and theorizing this movement. He even wrote a book about this idea called “Al-Thabt al-Mutawahel”. This book became like a holy book for the Arab modernism movement due to its beautiful writing and its content about this idea. Therefore, it is said that most of the works of this movement are a reflection of his thoughts.

One of the methods they used to spread this idea (modernism) was that Adonis and his associates began to search in old texts and went to those who had anti-religious views in the past; such as Bashar ibn Bard and Abu Nowas. They had a kind of rebellion against religion, ridiculed beliefs, and called for sexual freedom on their poems. Such weak-minded and free-thinking people were also needed to support and spread this idea; because a believing Muslim would never accept this idea (modernism) and would not align with it.

The writer Suhaila Zain al-Abeddin, in an article titled “Modernity in Our Contemporary Arabic Poetry” in the 1424 AH (14/3/1402 AH) session, says: Unfortunately, the modernist movement has reached the same goal that Zionism and its protocols had aimed for, because this movement has gradually implemented the goals it was designed for in its various stages, to the point where today it has reached its peak in its current stage (Adonis liberalism). [6]

Continues…

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References:

1. Awadz Al-Qarni, Modernity in the Balance of Islam, pp. 27, 28.
2. Al-Harith Fakhri, Modernity and its Position on the Sunnah, p. 33.
3. Mansour Zaita, The Term “Modernity” in Adonis’s View, pp. 2012, 2013.
4. Harith Fakhri, Modernity and its Position on the Sunnah, p. 52.
5. The Position of Modernists on the Issue of Creed, p. 11.
6. Awadz Al-Qarni, Modernity in the Balance of Islam, p. 32.