Author: Mohajer Azizi
Analysis and Criticism of Modernism in the Light of Islam (Part 20)
Introduction
In the previous section, we examined and analyzed the fundamental issues of modernism; issues such as the characteristics and goals of this movement, its intellectual orientations, and the statements and views of scholars and thinkers about modernism. There, we tried to clarify the main lines and goals of this thought and to express its various and diverse dimensions concisely.
However, in this section, our main focus is on one of the most important axes of criticism of modernism, which is the issue of denying the authority of the Quran and weakening its position in the intellectual system of modernisms. In this article, we will first explain the reasons for modernisms in rejecting or downplaying the Quran, then, the true position of the Quran as the first and highest source of Islamic law will be explained and proven relying on verses, hadiths, statements of scholars, and rational and miraculous arguments.
Thoughts and beliefs of modernism
Every school of thought and philosophy has its own specific beliefs and views on which the foundation of its ideas is formed. Modernism, as a school of thought and philosophy, also has its own beliefs and views, which we will examine and analyze below.
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Denial of the authenticity of the Quran
Modernisms and extremist followers of the modernist movement do not accept the Quran and divine revelation as a binding source of religion and deny its effectiveness. They believe that religious thought should be reconstructed based on intellect, experience, and modern culture; but some modernisms, especially the modernisms of Arab and Islamic countries, accept the Quran, but they say that the Quran should be reread and its historical and social meanings should be understood separately from its eternal meanings. Therefore, they consider many fixed rulings such as (limits, jihad, the role of family and women, hijab, etc.) to be related to the era of revelation and do not consider them binding in the present era.
A: Modernism’s reasons for denying the Quran and weakening it
The followers of the modernist movement cite several rational reasons for denying the authenticity and main source of the Quran, because all modernist ideas rely on intellect and empirical sciences, therefore they also cite intellect and their absurd rational reasons for denying the authenticity of the Quran:
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The historical nature of the Quran: They say that the Quran is not specific to all peoples, but was revealed only for the Arabs of that time (the beginning of Islam), and its rulings are specific to the beginning of Islam, and are not effective for other times.
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Another reason for modernism’s denial of the Quran is that they introduce the Quran as a literary text or religious poetry and do not consider it a book of law and Sharia. In their view, the Quran was revealed solely to arouse moral and spiritual feelings.
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They say: Today, amazing changes have occurred for the era and time, and human intellect has advanced a lot, and humanity has achieved various and excellent technologies; therefore, the Quran cannot answer all these new and advanced issues, and any ruling that is incompatible with modern intellect or culture, such as: the rulings of limits, jihad, inheritance, and hijab, must be rejected or interpreted.
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Another important reason that modernism argues and denies the Quran and its effectiveness is the different interpretations of the Quranic verses by the interpreters. They say: Since the interpreters have understood the Quran with different interpretations, then there is no definitive and binding understanding. Therefore, every individual or society can have their own interpretation.
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The criterion for understanding the Quran should be modern philosophy, sociology, and psychology. If the Quran is incompatible with these sciences, it should either be re-read or discarded.
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The followers of this movement raise the suspicion about the Sharia and the Quran that the Quran denies human individual freedoms; therefore, they say: In order to harmonize with modern freedom and human rights, the laws of the Quran (such as limits, retribution, division of inheritance, and women’s laws) should be discarded.
B: Proving the authenticity of the Quran and refuting their rational arguments
The Holy Quran is the first and foremost source and fundamental source of Islamic law. Allah Almighty has sent the Quran as a saving and guiding law and code for humans, so that humans can live a healthy life in harmony with nature by acting and relying on it; As Imam Shatebi (may Allah bless him) said: “The Book (the Quran) has been definitively proven to be the basis and entirety of the Sharia, the pillar of religion, the source of wisdom, the sign of the Messenger ship, and the light of the eyes and insight. There is no way to reach Allah except through it, and salvation is not possible except through it, and clinging to anything that contradicts it is not permissible. All these matters do not require proof or argument, because they are among the certainties of the religion of this nation.” [1]
In the following, we will prove the authority of the Quran and the provenance of its legislative source from verses, hadiths, the consensus of scholars, and rational and miraculous evidence.
Continues…
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References:
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Al-Muwafeqat, Vol. 4, p. 144.
