Muslim Ethics: Emerging Vistas - review continued (Chapter 3)

Muslim Ethics Emerging Vistas

Author: Amyn B. Sajoo

Published by: I. B. Tauris Publisher’s London: New York in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies

In third chapter “Humanist Ethos”, Amyn Sajoo talks about how terrible and sad event of 9/11, which was an act of some irrational militants was taken as a religious obligation of Islam. How Islamic term “Jihad” was manipulated and Quran Ayats related to jihad were quoted out of context to explain the causes of 9/11. Huntington’s “Clash of Civilization” which claims underlying problem of west is not Islamic fundamentalism but Islam itself which is a different civilization and is in clash with western civilization. Huntington undermines all rational, scientific and ethical contributions of Muslim and limits Islam to a traditional religion which is lacking modernity’s vital attachment and civic rationality, thus becoming a focus of all western media. The religion of 1/5 of world’s population (Muslims), is seen as harboring terrorists. Irony of the matter is where liberalism sees Islam as lacking rationality, whereas opposite is true for the majority of Muslims all over the world. First revelation of Quran talks about this matter in detail which was quoted and explained by Amyn Sajoo which condemns all the claims that Islam lacks rationality and believes in rigid and stagnant law. A quote from the book is worth referring here:
“The opening word of the Quranic revelation dating to the year 610 CE, enjoins the prophet – and by extension all who encounter the text – to “Read” in the name of a God “who teaches humanity by the pen ---- the which it knew not” (96:1-5). Thereafter, the text repeatedly exhorts the reader with phrases like “what! Would you not reason out?” or “They might perchance reflect!” or “perhaps you may exert your mind!” Argument abounds in the verses or ayat as they are called. And the term “ayat” also means “sign”, a double meaning that is no accident. For act of reading the Quran was to be an exercise in discerning the sign of the Divine, unraveling the truth in the ayat. The invitation to “Read” then, was emphatically not the kind of exercise to be pursued without the fullest acuity or proper engagement of human intellect.”
The author then gives the detailed analysis of Muslim societies or Umma who flourished for centuries with the values of integrity, generosity, solidarity and forbearance in both areas of religious and civic arenas, with the underpinning foundation of human reason. This benefited the society in many scientific inventions and discoveries like paper making, Arabic numerals drawing on Indian innovation, and earliest system of commercial credit. There are always people in all civilizations which go against rationality, but relating them to any religion especially the one (Islam) whose historical records prove free thinking, rational reasoning and intellectual contribution to the human society, is the work of unsophisticated commentators like Lewis or Huntington (author of “Clash of Civilization”) and their like minded people who lack the clear understanding of Islam and who want to be “politically correct” rather than “ethically correct.”
It is better to see “Islam and the West” instead of “Islam versus West”. We need to remember that when we are talking about Islam then we are actually talking about Muslims who are individuals and communities and not objective figures. These individuals have their own identities which are as pluralist as the world itself. This notion of understanding may not please the clash-of-civilization warriors or those who persist in clinging to fixed images of the others. But it would be “ethically” as opposed to “politically” correct.