Five essential areas which should be taken into account while drawing any meaning comparisons and possibilities of dialogue between the West and Islam; ontology, epistemology, concept of man, Concept of self, and concept of universe. West had an overwhelmingly materialist perspective regarding the nature of life and universe. The west is almost oblivious to an ulterior and superior hand involved in the creation of the universe. The modern western epistemological tradition, beginning mainly from René Descartes, believes in rationalist paradigm. It considers man to be the center of universe and human reason to be the sole source of knowledge, emancipation and even salvation. It is equally true that there has been potent criticism on the limitation of human reason, namely, Immanuel Kant’s “critique of Pure Reason”; we can know phenomena but not noumena. The concept of man plays a pivotal role in outlining the salient features of a society. Unfortunately due to a rugged materialist tradition, the west has not gone beyond a bio-chemical conception of man. Man has only a material existence devoid of any sanctity and “deep” spirituality. The modern western psychology had a very limited notion of self; it confines self into something that has only a bleak and ugly side. The materialist concept of universe espoused by notable western thinkers like Darwin, Marx and Stephan Hawking has only a one-dimensional perspective; there is nothing beyond this immediate universe. Unlike the West, the supreme source of knowledge in Islam was revelation. Human reason does have its significant place in Islamic epistemology but the supreme verdict is always based on revelation. Moreover Islam has a profoundly spiritual perspective on the meaning of human life that essentially negates the notions of greedy materialism and consumerism. Man in Islamic tradition has the responsibility to discover the true reality that can make him successful here and in the hereafter. Islam rejects the materialist notion of universe and man; it in no way means rejection of modern scientific technological developments. It is truly a monotheistic religion that fills all avenues of human life with concept of oneness of God.Islam gives a larger than life picture to humanity which can be the best possible satisfaction of real human aspirations. --Samuel Phillips Huntington (clash of civilization)
Posted on: Sat, 07 Sep 2013 17:21:03 +0000
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