A Reminder of Old Truths
Haleh Anvari, On the Road
The Qur’an is a reminder of old truths already known to us all: for humans to live together successfully society must practice compassion, justice and equity. This insight lies at the root of political Islam.
Instead of the preeminence of the market, to which other social and community objectives are subordinated, the making of a society based on compassion, justice and equity becomes the overriding objective – to which other objectives, including markets, are subordinated.
It is revolutionary in another aspect: Instead of the individual being the organizational principle around which politics, economics and society are shaped, this Western paradigm is inverted. It is the collective welfare of the community in terms of such principles – rather than the individual – that becomes the litmus of political achievement.
Islamists are reopening an old debate – one at the root of both Western and Islamic philosophy. Posed by Plato, that debate questions the purpose of politics. Some Westerners are troubled that after 200 years of settled opinion, the Western paradigm is being questioned anew. One American conservative commented to me recently that with Descartes, the West had discovered “objective truth” through science and technology. It had made “us” rich and powerful and Muslims could not bear that. They knew that ultimately they would be forced to acquiesce to Western “truth.”
But the Islamist revolution is more than politics. It is an attempt to shape a new consciousness – to escape from the most far-reaching presuppositions of our time. It draws on the intellectual tradition of Islam to offer a radically different understanding of the human being, and to escape from the hegemony and rigidity of the Cartesian mindset.
The Islamist revolution is a voyage of discovery to a new “Self” that is far from complete. It has many shortcomings, but its intellectual insights offer Muslims (and Westerners) the potential to step beyond the shortcomings of Western materialism. This is what excites and energizes.
48 comments on the article “A Reminder of Old Truths”
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Anonymous
This article implies that the Muslim world is better than the Western world because it has more emphasis on community rather than the individual. I too believe that a community based culture is better than a individual based culture. What I don't understand is how the Muslim world is unique in this aspect. Most of the world is community based, look at China, Japan, much of Africa and tons of other places. These areas are not predominately Arab and yet they still value their neighbors and communities. How does this article point out the uniqueness of the Islam over other ways of life?
Anonymous
This article implies that the Muslim world is better than the Western world because it has more emphasis on community rather than the individual. I too believe that a community based culture is better than a individual based culture. What I don't understand is how the Muslim world is unique in this aspect. Most of the world is community based, look at China, Japan, much of Africa and tons of other places. These areas are not predominately Arab and yet they still value their neighbors and communities. How does this article point out the uniqueness of the Islam over other ways of life?
Anonymous
After reading book "The Geography of Thought - How Asians and Westerners Think Differently and Why by Richard E. Nisbett" I'd too began to think that it is not nameable difference in region or religion that matters but kind of dominant thought patterns (presumably of "Western" and "Eastern" culture). Both can be generalized in a way and have their distinctive advantages and disadvantages. But they are pretty much incompatible with each other.
o their dread Islam is popular in undeveloped countries that has much of recourses that needed by a more powerful states so one can easily see why they are easily oppressed. It's not that Islam is unique but it undeniably has the same cultural value as other religions. But most people tend to go for media provocations and began to believe that it is somehow inferior to western religion/culture...
Anonymous
After reading book "The Geography of Thought - How Asians and Westerners Think Differently and Why by Richard E. Nisbett" I'd too began to think that it is not nameable difference in region or religion that matters but kind of dominant thought patterns (presumably of "Western" and "Eastern" culture). Both can be generalized in a way and have their distinctive advantages and disadvantages. But they are pretty much incompatible with each other.
o their dread Islam is popular in undeveloped countries that has much of recourses that needed by a more powerful states so one can easily see why they are easily oppressed. It's not that Islam is unique but it undeniably has the same cultural value as other religions. But most people tend to go for media provocations and began to believe that it is somehow inferior to western religion/culture...
Anonymous
From my understanding, Islamists are Muslim extremists. Although there may be some positive ideologies, I find it hard to accept an article praising a violent, misogynist extremist group. Am I missing something? Most Muslims are not extremists, and Islamists do not represent what Islam truly teaches. Surely there are better examples of community based societies than this.
Anonymous
From my understanding, Islamists are Muslim extremists. Although there may be some positive ideologies, I find it hard to accept an article praising a violent, misogynist extremist group. Am I missing something? Most Muslims are not extremists, and Islamists do not represent what Islam truly teaches. Surely there are better examples of community based societies than this.
Anonymous
You really are missing a whole lot... you sound like you have no Islamic backgroud other then what they make of it on the news.
Anonymous
You really are missing a whole lot... you sound like you have no Islamic backgroud other then what they make of it on the news.
Anonymous
fair enough. I dont have any Islamic background at all. My opinions are not formed so much from news as from textbooks and college courses. Looks like I need to hit the books to get a better picture. Without a bit of condescension I ask, what am i missing? What am I wrong about?
Anonymous
fair enough. I dont have any Islamic background at all. My opinions are not formed so much from news as from textbooks and college courses. Looks like I need to hit the books to get a better picture. Without a bit of condescension I ask, what am i missing? What am I wrong about?
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