Abdolkarim Soroush - Essay Example

Abdolkarim Soroush Introduction Iran is an ancient land where great civilizations have emerged and dominated the known parts of the world. Under the Shah Raza Pahavli, Iran became a major ally of the United States. However the Shah’s rule became increasingly despotic and brutal as his secret police killed, tortured, or imprisoned thousands of prisoners. The westernization of Iran was seen as a threat by the Iranian clergy. A mass movement to oust the Shah finally culminated in the overthrow of the regime in 1978. The Islamic revolution aimed to create an Islamic society which was free from Western influences and based on the ideals of Islam. A reformist movement has emerged in Iran which seeks to adopt Western and Islamic concepts to create a tolerant and pluralistic Islamic society. Abdolkarim Soroush is a reformist scholar who has challenged the concept of the hard-line clergy in Iran that the mullahs have a divine right to govern and rule society. This paper aims to study the political philosophy, ideas and views of Abdolkarim Soroush. It aims to compare his works with that of leading Islamic revivalist or reformist scholars like Jamal al-Din al-Afghani, Muhammad Iqbal, Maulana Maududi, Sayyid Qutb, Hassan Banna, Mohmmad Abduh and Rashid Rida. Philosophy of Soroush Abdolkarim Soroush is a well known Islamic reformist scholar and intellectual who is affiliated with many prestigious institutions. He served in official positions until resigning in 1983. During the 1990s, Soroush became a vocal critic of the Iranian clergy. His monthly magazine, Kiyan was a platform for Iranian reformists to criticize the clergy. His philosophy is based on the system of Mowlana Jalaleddin Rumi who was a famous Sufi mystic and poet. Soroush makes a distinction between divine revelation and the interpretation of religious knowledge. The divine knowledge is beyond the comprehension of human knowledge as it is eternal and divine in nature. Soroush has “analyzed the actual process of revelation and the way in which the text” which Islamic scholars “endeavor to interpret, emerged and materialized” (Mobasser). Religious knowledge is dependant on the interpretations of scholars who might be sincere and authentic. Scholars are human beings who are limited and prone to mistakes in their interpretation of Islam. Only a cautious and transparent form of government can create a society which compensates for the weakness of human nature. Soroush says that the basis of such a government would be reason, freedom and democracy. These values and beliefs are interlinked with the basic sources of Islam. Soroush says that the Islamic concept of ijtihad can help to “breathe life into the past” in contrast to “repeat things in a parrot-like fashion” (Mobasser). Religious democracy Soroush is a passionate advocate of democracy which is termed as religious democracy. According to this view, the values and beliefs of religion can play an important role in creating a society inhabited by religious people. Soroush does not consider secularism to be a threat to Islam since it could be the vital link to the creation of rich and vibrant democracy. Human beings can be religious and spiritual while enjoying the benefits of a democratic and secular administration. His concept of a religious democracy involves the embrace of faith rather than the imposition of belief or punishment for disbelief. Soroush makes a distinction between religious understanding and religion. The understanding of religion changes as it is up to human beings to understand and realize it. Soroush says that “The Koran is an exceptional, different and amazing book; a civilization-founding book, which has created this great civilization” ("drsoroush.com"). Religious democracy is based on an evolving human understanding of religion which contradicts the views of the traditionalists in Iran. Soroush’s ideas about the changing interpretations of religious knowledge have been considered a threat to the hard-line traditional views of the Iranian clergy. They accuse Soroush of taking away the sacredness of religion by making it dependent on human knowledge. He believes that rationalism promotes democracy by allowing the collective intellect of society to govern society as compared with a small class of rigid clergy. Soroush also says “The gist of my message is that sorrow and fear are depicted in the most effective way in the Koran” ("drsoroush.com"). Religious intellectualism Soroush’s religious intellectualism has been involved in interpretations of Islam which are beyond the rigidity of the legalized reading of Islam. It has aimed to prove that traditional Islamic jurisprudence has failed to create an effective blueprint for solving the social and political problems of the modern age. Iranian society has been transformed with the rise of the current reformist and democratic movement. Contrary to perceptions of it being a youth based movement alienated by traditional values and economic deprivation, it is a movement which has strong religious roots. Soroush is an advocate of a society in which the state is legitimized by religion. He has vast information regarding the compatibility of religion in modern society and politics. Soroush says “In our society, modernity is everywhere, but theyre still preaching patience, fate and destiny in the most traditional way from our pulpits” ("drsoroush.com"). The Iranian reformist movement has created a new wave of religious intellectualism which has questioned and challenged the foundations of religious hardliners. Soroush has created a pluralistic interpretation of religion which is tolerant and open to Western ideas. It has also not advocated the overthrow of faith to achieve political freedom. According to him, a democrat can emerge out of a religious motivation and conviction. There can be a religious obligation to spread democracy as a system of government. Concept of secularism Soroush has explained the concept of secularism as being geared towards the earthly and natural world. It does not concern itself with life after death or supernatural. He explains that Islam has the concept of ‘dahr’ which means the age or the times. It describes the supernatural world as being beyond time and space. Another concept is the discussion of religious issues which can be understood using reason or narrative approaches. Another approach is to use reason to understand the subject. According to Soroush, this reasoning is very near to the concept of secular reason. Secularism is thus seen as a reaction against the asceticism, monasticism and religion. Political secularism refers to the separation of church and state. It aims to govern the earthly world without any concern for religion. Secularism grew in the West because of the conflict between science and religion. "Soroush maintains that a government in a religious society may claim legitimacy either on the basis of an interpretation of Islam or through representation of the popular will” (Noorani). The scientific discoveries and growth in natural sciences came to conflict with the contents of Christian scripture. As the conflict escalated, some scientists were persecuted and imprisoned. This movement eventually weakened the grip of religion over politics in the West. Another event which caused the divorce of church from the state was the reformation by Martin Luther. He rejected the clergy as being corrupt and called for the interpretation of the Bible by every common person. The initial secularism which was born in the West was tolerant of other religions. It was only concerned with creating a set of rules which would allow every religion to flourish without state patronage. Muhammad Iqbal Muhammad Iqbal was an Islamic reformer and poet who was born at the time of European colonialism over Muslim lands. The reformist Islamic movement at that time wanted to revive the Islamic civilization, establish an Islamic social order and organize an Islamic economic system. Iqbal called for a vision of Islam which would be liberated from Persian influences. He called for participation of Muslims in history by reintegrating the forces of Islam. He criticized Sufism for allowing Muslims to retreat to a passive state of renouncing worldly pleasures, spiritual slavery and ignorance. He said that the Islamic concept of finality of Prophet Hood was a powerful tool which prevented the claim of any supernatural origin. He said that the Quran emphasizes on reason and experience which remains as the only source of knowledge now available. He was an advocate of creating new knowledge to create a natural and social order which would allow for the survival of Muslims (Jalal, 52). Iqbal said that a scientist who observes the forces of nature is in deep contact with God which helps to sharpen his perception of a deeper vision. Iqbal found Islam to be a powerful tool for giving the human being a heart. Iqbal respected and honored science and technological progress. Iqbal advocated that the Quran teaches human beings to change the world. This is a great revolutionary and progressive principle according to Iqbal. According to Iqbal, fanaticism and antagonism towards the West was counterproductive. Like Muhammad Iqbal, Soroush is also an Islamic revivalist and reformer. Both are passionate advocates of reason and revival of Islam. Both have called for the revival of Islam by using a rational and reason based interpretation of the scriptures. Soroush and Iqbal share a common love and affection for philosophy. They also are not hostile towards the West and are willing to accept the aspects of the West which are in harmony with Islam.   Maulana Maududi Maulana Maududi was a famous Islamic theologist and political philosopher who wrote many books in Pakistan. Many of his works have been translated into a variety of languages. Maududi is considered to be the intellectual guide for modern Islamic fundamentalist organizations. He believed that Muslims are not merely followers of Islam, but everything is Muslim because it submits to God. He said that Islamic sharia is the prerequisite for the creation of a Muslim society. Soroush on the other hand believes that Islamic jurisprudence is simply the interpretation of divine knowledge by human scholars who are finite and fallible. According to Soroush, Islamic jurisprudence is inflexible and rigid to solve the problems of the modern world. Maududi however believed that any Muslim society which does not have the sharia implemented cannot be called Islamic. Maududi advocated the establishment of an Islamic state which would be based on the monotheism, prophet hood and caliphate (Zebiri, 36). Man is the representative of God on earth by which he must exercise authority within the limits prescribed by God. Maududi termed democracy as being incompatible with the basic belief of Islam as it prescribed sovereignty of man while Islam only accepts sovereignty of God. Soroush on the other hand distinguishes between divine knowledge and religious interpretations. He advocates democracy, pluralism, freedom and rationalism as the basis of modern society. Maudoodi called for the use of jihad or holy war to spread the Islamic ideology and program throughout the world (Zebiri, 36). He also said that Non Muslims would remain confined within the Islamic society governed by their own laws. Soroush however calls for pluralism and tolerance of religious minorities inside an Islamic state. Sayyid Qutb Sayyid Qutb was one of the most influential Islamic reformers and writers of the twentieth century. His writings have been thought to inspire many Islamic fundamentalist and radical groups. Qutb believed that Islam was a complete way of life which must be established as the primary responsibility of Muslims. He was a harsh critic of Western culture and non Islamic ideologies (Shepard, 98). He said that Arab nationalism was a form of ignorance which must be uprooted from Muslim society. He was dedicated to the total change in the political systems with a revolutionary force seizing power. This force would transform Arab society into a true Islamic society by purging all foreign and alien concepts like Arab nationalism. A major difference between Sayyid Qutb and Soroush is that the latter is willing to accept Western concepts like democracy and secularism. Soroush also calls for Islamic revivalism within a system without calling for revolt or rebellion against the current rulers. According to Soroush, the methods and tools available for governing society have nothing to do with religion. Government and administration is a matter which must be based on rationalism and reason. Sayyid Qutb in contrast called for the revolt of Muslims against illegitimate rulers. He called for a complete Islamization of society (Shepard, 98). Qutb said that Islamic jurisprudence or sharia must be implemented as law inside Islamic society because it was divine legislation. Qutb was hostile to the concepts of pluralism, democracy and freedom as being alien concepts which have been imposed by the West (Shepard, 98). Hassan al-Banna The Muslim Brotherhood is the largest and oldest Islamic political organization in the world. It was founded by Hassan al-Banna who believed that the decay of Islamic societies is because of the adoption of Western ideologies. He advocated a return to Islam as a solution to the backwardness and stagnation of Islamic society. Banna was concerned about the drift of the young generation from Islam. He believed that Islam was under siege by the West. Like Rashid Rida, he believed that only by returning to the original, pure and pristine form of Islam could Muslims succeed in overcoming their primitive condition. Unlike Soroush, he believed that Western secularism was a threat to the Islamic way of life. He rejected all Western concepts unlike Soroush who accepts the viability of democracy, pluralism and equality. Hassan Banna believed that Islamic principles are based on scientific principles. He was against the labeling of any Muslim as an unbeliever if he confessed the declarations of faith and performed the obligatory duties of Islam (Lia, 49). Hassan Banna had a direct influence on the Muslim Brotherhood which began to flourish despite attempts to stifle it. Even after his assassination, the Muslim Brotherhood proliferated with branches in every Islamic country of the world. Banna was a fundamentalist who sought the revival of Islam on the basis of its pure and original form (Lia, 49). He rejected any Western notions which threatened the survival of the Islamic state. Soroush on the other hand is an Islamic reformist and intellectual that tries to interpret Islam without deviation from its foundation and by integrating aspects of Western ideology that can be compatible with it. Rashid Rida, Jamal al-Din al-Afghani and Muhammad Abduh Muhammad Rashid Rida was a famous Islamic revivalist during the nineteenth century. He rejected the practices of Sufism as being un-Islamic. Rashid Rida believed in the simplicity of religion and condemned the ritualistic excesses of the aristocracy and peasants (Fuller, 19). Like Soroush, he advocated the use of reason to interpret the Quran. He called for the revitalization of Islam according to the model of the pious predecessors. He said that Islamic laws must be revived which required an adequate knowledge of Islam. Every Muslim must know the reasons for why certain things have been described as unlawful. Another similarity with Soroush is the importance of ijtihad which is individual reasoning according to Islamic jurisprudence. Both Soroush and Rida stress that reason is the real basis of Islam. Rida believed that the Quran gives broad outlines for humanity with a few restrictions. The entire field of human affairs can be interpreted according to mutual consultation. Rashid Rida believed that Muslims were backward because they had neglected the true principles of Islam. Jamal al-Din al-Afghani was a famous Islamic revivalist who advocated the compatibility of Islam with science. He believed that science and technology were the only method by which Muslims could defeat their economic and military backwardness (Fuller, 19). While Soroush argues about the importance of science and technology, he differs from Afghani by insisting that knowledge of social sciences and philosophy is vital for the progress of Islamic society. Afghani believed that Islam is a scientific religion which provides the source of human welfare. It creates a firm foundation and sound base for happiness and tranquility. Sheikh Mohammad Abduh was an Islamic revivalist and reformer who said that traditional Islam faced a serious challenge from modern science. Like Soroush, he did not believe that there is a contradiction between Islam and science. He believed that Islam consisted of certain beliefs which provide answers to questions about the mysteries of human life (Fuller, 19). He pointed the necessity of reason and revelation like Soroush does. Both Soroush and Abduh advocate the interpretation of Islamic law which is free from traditional interpretations. They also aim to prove the compatibility of Islam and Western civilization. Islam is a religion of reason which is logical and rational according to Soroush and Abduh. Sheikh Mohammad Abduh interpreted the Quran and Sunnah using innovation and rationality. He broke out from the rigidities of traditional scholarship by promoting the concepts of equality, welfare and common sense (Fuller, 19). Like Soroush he made a distinction between divine knowledge and religious knowledge. Both argue that the distinction is vital for the progress of human society. Religious knowledge and understanding can change with the passage of time. Religious knowledge is based on reason since the doors of revelation have been closed. Abduh directed his rationalism against the traditional thinking and blind following of juristic interpretations. Like Soroush, he had a disdain for fiqh and wanted to reconcile Islam with science. However one difference between Abduh and Soroush is that the former only advocated the development of science and technology as the method to overcome stagnation and backwardness. Soroush however calls for development of social sciences, philosophy and other fields in order to progress. Conclusion Iran’s Islamic revolution was the first attempt by Muslims to overthrow a secular and westernized order and replace it with an Islamic way of life. While more than twenty years after the revolution, the country has not created the Islamic utopia which it desired, but the rise of the reformist Islamic intellectual movement has created new opportunities for the creation of an Islam which is pluralistic and tolerant towards minorities. Abdolkarim Soroush is a passionate advocate of the Islamic resurgence according to reason and rationalism. He has preached the idea of religious democracy as being the best hope for responding to the challenges of the modern world. Soroush in many ways is different from Islamic reformists like Maududi, Qutb and Banna who advocated the creation of a society which was free from Western influence. His views also differ with their concepts of an Islamic state. Soroush is more close to Afghani, Iqbal and Abduh who advocated the compatibility of Islam and science. Like these Islamic intellectuals, Soroush believes that the Quran and Sunnah can be interpreted using reason and rationalism. Soroush is against the Iranian hard-line clergy who have transformed Iran into a centre of repression, reaction and corruption. He has advocated the creation of an open and tolerant society with Islam as the foundation of the state. Soroush believes that Islamic jurisprudence ignores the ethical and spiritual values of Islam by focusing only on the rituals of Islam. He says that Islamic jurisprudence is incapable of solving the modern challenges of society.   Works Cited: Abdolkarim Soroush, Reason, Freedom, and Democracy in Islam, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001) Mobasser, Nilou . "Islam, Revelation and Prophethood." drsoroush.com. Feb 2008. drsoroush.com. 7 May 2008 . "The Right to Criticize Rulers must be Recognized." drsoroush.com. October 2006. drsoroush.com. 7 May 2008 . "Some of our religious intellectuals are still afraid of ." drsoroush.com. October 2006. drsoroush.com. 7 May 2008 . Noorani, A.G. . "Ferment in Muslim Thinking ." drsoroush.com. 2003. drsoroush.com. 7 May 2008 . Ayesha Jalal (1994). The Sole Spokesman: Jinnah, the Muslim League and the Demand for Pakistan. Cambridge University Press Zebiri, Kate. Review of Maududi and the making of Islamic fundamentalism. 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