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OPINION

Does Islam stifle progress?

MOHAMMAD MOZAHIDUR RAHAMAN
ALARMINGLY, there are two diverging views emanating from the contemporary order both at the local and at the global stage. At one extreme are the so called rational thinkers who believe that Islamic fundamentalism is the root of all problems and backwardness in the Muslim world and it is democratic secularism that has the cure for all the traumas.
On the other extreme, there are the so-called Islamic fundamentalists who think that the root of all problems in the Muslim world is the lack of Islam itself and it is an Islamic state that is the panacea for all the troubles.
In essence, the centrepiece of the divergence of the worldviews is Islam and Progress. Both views converge on one single point, that is we need progress in the Muslim
world. But how to deliver that progress: Is it an Islamic state or is it democratic secularism that is the vital ingredient.
I do not intend to argue who is right and who is wrong. Rather, I believe that a deconstruction of the core of this divergent view is necessary to foster a constructive debate towards a better understanding.
Progress, to the rational thinkers, has two dimensions, i.e. (i) material or economic prosperity, and (ii) human liberty. When God becomes the source of all power, the democratic institution, based on human freedom, simply cannot thrive. And the market mechanism, by construction, needs freedom of enterprise to deliver the maximum benefit to society. And hence, the choice of becoming an extremist and the choice of becoming a free entrepreneur are in stark contrast with each other.
Most importantly, the new millen-nium has dawned on the triumph of human freedom and globalization, using market economy as a vehicle, is connecting the world through global value chains. At the same time, the rise of extremism, a dead enemy of free enterprise, is a looming threat waiting to be materialized. Rational thinkers believe that unless we disentangle the political economy behind the choice of extremist and design appropriate policy mechanism to increase the economic opportunity cost of the greed as well as the need of the extremist, the local as well as the global architecture will eventually be shattered.
Progress, to the so-called Islamic fundamentalist, is uni-dimensional and it is the success in the life after death and the world is a mere harvesting ground for the believers. Democracy based on absolute human freedom undermines the supremacy of God and secularism, which essentially implies "here and
now," is an impediment to their version of progress. They perceive themselves and their faith as a victim of the force of democratic secularism and take on their shoulder the sole responsibility of emancipating the society from the grasp of current establishment by creating havoc on it.
Between the two extreme worldviews, common people in Bangladesh and around the world are being sandwiched and a very misunderstood notion of Islam has emerged. Some of today's young generation Muslims do not identify themselves as just Muslims, rather they call themselves progressive Muslims to disassociate themselves from the extreme elements of Islam. The biggest sacrifice of the war between the fundamentalists and the rationalists is Islam itself. And both are equally blamed for the torment on this age old but modern system of faith. Perhaps, a great deal of harm has been done to Islam by the ignorant mullahs than the fame-seeking rationalists who take every chance to take a jab at Islam without much of an understanding of this faith.
Islam, as a system of faith, defines every aspect of human life i.e. economic, social, and political, and the governing principles of Islamic Shari'ah emanate from the Islamic worldview. The fundamental difference between Islamic system and the conventional one lies in the sources of guidelines. In the conventional system, application of reason provides the basis of rules and regulations, whereas in Islamic system divine sources of laws (Quran and Sunnah) along with the application of reason (Ijtihad) provide the basis for rules and regulations and of course, the former gets the priority over the latter due to human limitation of knowledge and pure reason.
Moreover, Muslims need no proof for accepting divine guidance. No human mind can fathom a divine order; therefore it is a matter of faith (Iman).
Islam, by its very nature of being all-encompassing, is also political. Islam without politics is an empty shell without much of its essence. In fact, historically Islam flourished the most under the banner of an Islamic State in Madina during the time of the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh). Human being, according to Islam, is the representative of God on earth, His vice-regent; that is to say, by virtue of the powers delegated to him by God, and within the limits prescribed, he is required to exercise divine authority.
Every individual in an Islamic society enjoys the rights and powers of the caliphate of God and in this respect all individuals are equal. Noone may deprive anyone else of his rights and powers. The agency for running the affairs of the state will be formed by agreement with these individuals, and the authority of the state will only be an extension of the powers of the individuals delegated to it. Their opinion will be decisive in the formation of the government, which will be run with their advice and in accordance with their wishes.
Hence, Islam and democratic secularism seem to be a logical impossibility. However, Islam and democracy under the banner that God is the source of all power goes hand in hand perfectly. Neither the mullahs nor the rational thinkers should take on their shoulder the burden to emancipate the society but it is the individuals who decide through a democratic process what kind of government, legal system and society they want.
In Islam, the shape of the society emerges from the choices people make at the very individual level. If
we want to recognize ourselves as a Moderate Muslim country then who are those mullahs to impose their version of society on us. If people give the mandate to a political party with the worldview of an Islamic State then who are those rational thinkers to tell them that they are wrong.
Progress is the power to identify ourselves with the choices we make and being recognized by others that our views and choices are being treated with respect and dignity. In that sense, progress is not a new invention to the world. It is at the very heart of Islam and it is for us to discover it and make it happen.
Mohammad Mozahidur Rahaman is a PhD Candidate in Financial Economics at the University of Toronto and Selwyn Scholar, recognized by Selwyn College, Cambridge.