Islam and Modernity

Introduction

Modernity is not simply an epoch in the history of mankind, but also a set of material and structural changes that affect people throughout the world. It has become a dominant culture today and affects all cultures. Even though modernity reflects great achievements of humanity, it does not necessarily mean it constitutes a supreme virtue that acts as a measure of validity and rightness of human affairs. Unlike Islam that is coherent and unified, modernity is a multidimensional phenomenon. Islamic modernity forms a major discussion topic in the current sociology of religion. Two groups exist that either support or oppose Islamic modernity, namely Islamic fundamentalism and Islamic modernism. Islamic modernism holds that Islam is compatible with modernity whereas Islamic fundamentalism states that the compatibility cannot exist. The ideological foundations of Islamic cultural tradition show that Islam can be compatible with modernity in some aspects.

Comparing the Islam and Modernity Point of View on Democracy

Islamic tradition holds that there exists no need for democracy while modernity advocates for democracy. In the Islamic view, the jurisprudence with guardianship safeguard the demands and interests of individuals better than they can do it by themselves, hence, there exists no need for freedom of opinion. According to Giddens (1990), pre-modern societies, similar to Islam, used religious cosmologies as models of ritual practices and beliefs in providing interpretations of nature and human life whereas modernity is future-oriented and uses factual thoughts as a model of connecting the past and the present (p.102). Modernity transforms the rule of force into the rule of law (Scott, 2005, p.24). Unlike modernity that has rights and freedoms, like the freedom of opinion, Islamic concepts hold that every individual is bound to observing the commandments and precepts of the law. Islam has to adapt their community to become similar to that of the time revelation. Davidson (2011) provides an example of three nationals who became arrested in UAE for conducting democratic revolutions.

Modernity spreads democracy that is incompatible with Islamic ideologies through the use of media. Appadurai (1996) states that media creates a society with no sense of place (p.29). According to him, mediascape cause problems because intellectuals constantly inject new meanings into democracy that become presented in different parts of the world (Appadurai, 1996, p. 37). Consequently, considering the discrepancies between the models of time of the Holy Prophet and modernity, it is the modern phenomena that are wrong. Therefore, only two options exist in Islam in the case of democracy: either adopting democracy though filling the concepts with sacred models, or eliminating it. Islam shows compatibility with freedom, an aspect of modernity, because Islamic values and principles allow for freedom of speech.

Comparing Islamic and Modernity Perceptions of Media and Clothing

Modernity views media as a tool for making the world a small village while Islam considers them to be a tool used for spreading and enhancing evil deeds. There is an opinion that modernity is a Western program that deconstructs revolutionary states. Ahlin and Carler (2011) state that through media, the Western world shows the Muslims everything that is wrong in the society (p.1). According to Giddens (1990), across time and space, modernity focuses on the development of sexual intimacy and personal relationships as a means of stabilizing social ties while Islam as well as pre-modern era focuses on the development of kinship relationships as a means of guaranteeing social ties (p.102). Appadurai (1996) seconds Giddens by stating that the primary force of modernity is deterritorialization in which media enhance sex trade (p.39). Islam views media as a tool used to spread secularization such as international dressing styles that differ significantly from Islam dressing, especially among women (Appadurai, 1996, p.33). As result, women lose their honor of cultural reproduction and adopt a new personality of sexual identity due to new fantasies of leisure in the workplace.

Modernity embraces any form of dressing where a woman put on men's clothes which Islam does not allow. According to Al-Fawzaan (2006), Islam holds that Allaah created clothing for women and men as a blessing (p.8). Hui and Alkahtib (2017) inform that Fadli and Nur became arrested in the United Arab Emirates for putting on women's clothes. Men and women do not share the same type of clothing according to the Islamic perception. However, Islam allows wearing abaya that is compatible with modernity.

Islam uses social media because Islamic values encourage learning. One can state that Islam is compatible with modernity in this aspect. However, for Islam to become compatible with media entirely, sacred principles have to be incorporated in media. Mufti (2015) states that Islamic principles govern the way Islamic society uses the social media (p.2). Islam ensures internet, magazines and blogs are used in a right way because 41 percent of people use social media incorrectly (Mufti, 2015, p.2). Therefore, Islam is compatible with modernity in terms of the use of media only if changes implemented align with the Islamic principles.

Comparing Modernity and Islam Concepts of Family and Equality

Islam focuses on the development of stable families that modernity does not guarantee. Winter (2000) states that modernity continues the expansion of freedom through redefining rights and citizenship together with all the entitlements connected to it (p.18). Such rights allow women to go to work and travel alone (Offenhauer, & Buchalter, 2005, p.9). In Giddens' (1990) opinion, such rights and entitlements focus on the development of sexual intimacy or personal relationships as a means of guaranteeing social ties (p.102). Findlow (2008) states that modernity results in segregation of families through supporting families in their desire to send their daughters to new universities abroad to study (p.344). Redfield (2005) is of the opinion that sexuality became brought about by European norms to resituate colonial tensions (p.52). Dissimilar to the Islamic concept of family, social ties become based on kinship relations and Islam ensures family equality as well as humility. According to Findlow (2008) policy that encourages segregation in universities was set up out the United Arab Emirates (p.344). According to Al-Fawzaan (2006), Islamic tradition requires that women are restricted from traveling alone without a man (p.11). It is because a man and a woman travel together, they preserve their honor and safeguard each other. Al-Fawzaan (2006) quotes that any woman who believes in Allah should not travel for two or more days without her husband (p.12). Therefore, Islam focuses on reducing immorality that modernity does not guarantee.

Comparing Islam and Modernity Concepts of Luxury Buying

According to Yahya (2014), Islam holds that quality life depends on understanding one's soul and not on owning expensive cars, clothing or palaces. Islamic perceptions hold that Muslims should make the Almighty their main concern, and not earthly things. Anwar and Saeed (2013) state that even if luxury promotion uses Islamic tool, provided they are against Islamic principles, Muslims will not go for them (p.16). “Qur'an states that all things in heaven and earth belong to Allah” (Anwar, & Saeed, 2013, p.20). Therefore, luxury sales and purchasing become governed by Islamic values. Islamic principles encourage cleanliness as well as modernity in luxury buying provided it does not encourage extravagance.

Conclusion

Islam and modernity are slightly compatible unless sacred principles become incorporated into modernity that align with Islamic principles. Modernity is future-oriented, and the past determines the present while Islam relies entirely on religious values. Modernity spreads secularization and the perceptions of the Western world. Regarding relationships, Islam focuses on social ties based on kinship relationship while modernity enhances intimacy relationships as a means of guaranteeing social ties. Modernity transforms the world from the rule of force to the rule of law where citizens have freedom of opinion. On the contrary, Islam holds that a ruler serves the interest of people better than people themselves, hence, democracy is not needed. Modernity encourages luxury buying and western clothing. It allows men and women to wear any clothes while Islam holds a belief that Allah chose men's and women's clothing for his own blessing. Islam views media as a tool that deteriorates values of a society through speeding and enhancing immoral activities such as sex trade. Also, media become used to spread democracy that Islam is against.