Mark Durie traces the historical points along which Islam has developed. He makes the point that Islam gradually shrank in geographical and political power over hundreds of years. Islam was built on a theology of success, but the loss of power of the Ottoman Empire implied that the "Christian West"
was gaining in strength. This caused a profound challenge to the supposition that Islam would conquer the world.
Fatwas began to appear in an attempt to control the rising power of Christians and Jews, bringing about five different forms of radical Islam. They are revivalist movements aimed at restoring the superiority of Islam, he says. The Iranian Revolution and the success in Afghanistan of throwing out the Russian occupiers provided a temporary sense of exhilaration, but western superiority in technology and science, and the crumbling of social, economic and political systems is deeply worrying to Muslim theologians and philosophers.
The lack of success of the "revivalist" dream of Islam reasserting itself is bringing about a deep challenge, Mark Durie believes. There will be new attempts to recast Islam in a modern, more humble form, less triumphalist and more geared to the needs of humble citizens. This, he says, is what is behind the intellectual movement in Egypt under the military, under General Sisi. Many people see him not only as the savior of Egypt, but also a "savior" of Islam.
Read more
No comments:
Post a Comment