Relation between Liberalism and Islam - Part 1

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Introduction

The word liberalism refers to the state of being liberal. It means it is a philosophy that asks for individual freedom and also associated with political parties and religious tolerance where much support is available from the government in establishing welfare of the state or country. Liberalism considers human to be cooperative and interdependent as much as possible and desirable from each other. Such interdependence is helpful for enhancing regional cooperation and paving the way for global governance. Liberalism always focuses on the core values and tries to nurture them for a better world; these values are justice, liberty, order, tolerance etc.

Relation between Liberalism and Islam

It is really important for both Muslims and non-Muslims to believe that Islam and liberalism are fundamentally compatible. A genuinely Islamic yet liberal view of country or world is possible. People can be liberal and they seem to be tolerant about the “Freedom to sin” because of not that they are condoning the sins but they are putting the judgments to the almighty Allah. Liberalism means political and economical system that generally limits the power of the state and individuals and other prevailing voluntary associations get full freedom to shape their destinies. Throughout the history, liberty is always valuable but the philosophy of liberalism is the new full-fledged ideology in this modern age. In today’s world, liberalism is the best medium of life to live Islam.

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Islam certainly has a great sense of community that requires strong base for the civil society and empowerment of individuals and their protection from various threats that come from modern states. Al-Quran emphasize strongly on an individual person’s faith and deeds and present more individualistic view to the world. There is no doubt, that liberalism has become one of the dominant philosophies of today’s world and simultaneously the greatest challenge for the Muslims. For that reasons, it is really important to understand the basis of this ideology and how it might contradict or agree with Islam

The origin of liberalism is found in the works of classical liberalists like Adam Smith, John Locke etc. They generally focused on the newly generated ideas for correcting the existing excesses of monarchy and religion. They emphasized on constitutionalism, separation of controlling powers, free market economics, reduced power of government. There are some principles that are similar with the teachings of Islam. Like Islam ensures and guarantee the freedom of religion and there is also opposition of forced conversions. Allah said in Surah Baqarah 2:256 that “There is no compulsion in religion. The truth is clear from error”.

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Similarly, In Islam, there is always a check and balancing system upon the ruling authority to ensure that the ruler himself is not the law rather he is the subordinate only to the constitution which is created based on the Islamic principles and beliefs. In the same Surah, Al Baqarah 2:251, Allah said that “Were it not for Allah to check some people by means of others, the earth would have been corrupted but Allah is full of bounty to the worlds”. This verse reflects the necessity of check and balancing system to ensure welfare of the society.

In Islam it is the responsibility of both the ruler and the people to help each other in operating the system rightfully. There is a hadith mentionable in this context that Al Hasan reported: A man came to Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and said “Fear Allah, O leader of the believers! By Allah, the matter is not as you said!” After this, people rushed to the person and told him not to criticize the leader of the believers. But then Umar saw them and said to the crowding that “Leave him alone. There is no goodness in him if he does not say it to us and there is no goodness in us if we do not listen to him”. So, it can be said that Islam is compatible with many principles of liberalism. If democracy is mentioned from the Islamic view point then an explanation is required. If people mean that a democratic approach to government is required that would override the laws mentioned in Islam that means to permit what Allah has forbidden in Islam and also prohibiting what is lawful in Islam. If they think that doing such developments is actually improving upon Islam, then they have fallen in misbelief. And these sorts of developments are not permitted in Islam. But if a democratic approach is used as a system for governance in order to employ it within Islamic context, only to the matters that are open to human decision making, interpretation. Then it is permissible and there would be no wrong within it.

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There may remain differences among the details of philosopher’s ideas about liberalism and there is similarity between Islam and the classical liberals’ belief in God and the objective morality. The philosophers of classical liberalism do not believe in absolute liberalism rather it is substitute to the belief of natural law. Though, the ideology of liberal democracy is also dependent on the acceptance of a shared ethical view. The American Founding fathers like; George Washington, John Adams, realized this real fact when they are initiating the project of ambitious democracy. It advocates that if the citizens of a democratic country do not follow common moral vision, then they will elect such a corrupt person who is willing to fulfill his own desires rather than the public welfare. Separation of church and state is done only to prohibit forced conversions not for removing religious values from the then government. The classical liberals realized this fact very well and they always tried to aware the people from abandoning the traditional belief.

However the modern liberalism has emerged with a very different philosophy than that of the philosophy hold by classical liberals. It is actually not possible to generalize the comment on all liberals but the development is based upon moral relativism which is dangerous. They developed the philosophy based on the belief that there is no such absolute and universal morality existent in the world. Foe sure, Islam rejects such interpretation of liberal democracy. Same idea is expressed by the current President of USA in his revisionist reflection on the founding of America “It is not just absolute power that the founders sought to prevent. Implicit in its structure, in the very idea of ordered liberty, was a rejection of absolute truth, the infallibility of any idea or ideology or theology…”

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Barak Obama is considered to be the prominent standard bearer of liberalism and he rejects this concept of objective morality. The role of government is not to ensure and safeguard the morality of public rather to facilitate the desires of all the people of the country. The political system that’s why focuses on tolerance, non-discrimination, diversity rather than the traditional values. Though these terms have positive connotations but application of those concepts leads to numerous dangerous policies like pornography, prostitution, drug business, abortion, adultery etc.

The American court deregulated abortion on the ground that “At the heart of liberty is the right to define one’s own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe and of the mystery of human life”. It was ruling despite abortion necessarily denies life, liberty of the fetus in its mother’s womb. Same reasoning is used for the marriage of homosexuals that it is the right of a person whom to love, marry. But there should be consideration of morality like by this sort of marriages, children and society are benefitted or not? It’s a major consideration because such limitless liberty and perceived equality causes harm to society and humanity. Satan said “I will mislead them and will arouse in them sinful desires, and I will command them to slit the ears of cattle, and I will command to change the creation of Allah” Sura An-Nisa 4:119.

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The modern liberalism is popular among the intellectuals and the elite groups who are desired to fulfill their demand and not willing for self-sacrifice and try to reject the virtues of traditional religion. If people are not moral then it is similar to the new idol worship replaced by the unrestricted freedom.

Allah said in Surah Al-Jathiyah 45:23 that “Have you seen who has taken his own desire as his God, and Allah has sent him astray with knowledge and has set a seal upon his hearing and his heart has put a veil over his vision? So, who will guide him after Allah? Will you not be reminded?

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In our society, people may justify his desires and rationalize their demand but this will certainly lead to destruction of the humanity. So, Allah warns the humanity about following of the evil desires that are not permitted in Islam. And Allah commanded to follow the ordained way that is called shariah full of life-giving stream of values and morals derives from the Holy Quran and the Sunnah. Based on this shariah, people need to suppress the desires that are contradictory. Allah said in Surah Al-Jathiyah 45:18 “ Thus, I have placed an ordained way concerning the matter, so follow it and do not follow the desires of those who do not know”.

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