The Relationship between Islam and Modernity from the Perspective of Dr. Abdolmajid Sharafi, Critisism and Review

Today, the compatibility or incompatibility of Religion and Modernity is one of the biggest intellectual concerns of religious thinkers, especially Muslims. In the Islamic world, especially among Sunnis (Ahlesunnati&jamaah), this debate has been shaped by religious thought and under the influence of the Christian West since the age of rationalism (the eighteenth century) and has continued to this day.

The most important key question is, in the face of Islamic civilization and Western civilization, what are the ways to prevent the degeneration of Islamic societies in the face of Western monopoly and aggressive culture? How can Islamic civilization flourish again? Also, how can the material and spiritual progress and excellence of Muslims be achieved while expanding the constructive interaction of Muslims with other nations?

Examining and study the relationship between Islam and modernity and ways to use the components of modernity, especially the rationality of critical self-establishment and secularism in Islamic teachings, is one of the attempts to answer these questions, mainly after Seyyed Jamal al-Din Asadabadi.

Some Sunni thinkers believe that Islam, which is the last heavenly religion and rightly claims to be effective in managing the material and spiritual life of human beings, cannot be limited to the early version of Islam in order to save human beings in different historical circumstances; The temporal requirements and attention to reason and religious experience and the effects of modernity in the Islamic intellectual current have a fundamental and infrastructural focus. On the other hand, some consider the original Islam to be the same as the Islam of the age of the Holy Prophet of Islam (PBUH) and his companions, and refer to Islam as the main duty of Muslims. Each of these perspectives has produced many bitter and sweet results throughout history, so it is important today to pay close attention to the dimensions of this important issue in maintaining and effectively defending pure Islam of Muhammed (PBUH).

Abdolmajid Sharafi is a Tunisian thinker, a rationalist, quasi-Mu’tazilite and anti-Salafi thinker who, while re-reading the history of Islamic thought, tries to explain the relationship between religion and modernity within the framework of rationalist-centered thinking of Muslim man. He sees no contrast between modernity (this newly created human cultural model) and the truth of Islam, and seeks to provide a critical, analytical, interpretive, and futuristic of religion while reviewing the written legacy so that Muslims can maintain their Muslim identity, as having a modern and global life.

From the viewpoint of Sharafi, paying attention to the values ​​arising from democracy, is one of the most important principles that Muslims should pay attention to it today, and they, like the followers of other religions and without any doubt have rights such as freedom of thought and choice.

Regarding the need to take advantage of the positive consequences of modernity, despite Dr. Abdolmajid Sharafi viewpoints, it should be said that if epistemological pluralism is the most important feature of this age, we should also defend our religious epistemological foundation correctly and keep away from epistemological extremism and consequently not be lack of self-esteem and weak in action.