Dr. Essam Al-Bashir, head of the Center for Islamic Thought and Deputy Chairman of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, affirmed that the Islamic Civilization Project is distinguished by its comprehensiveness. It is a moderate project suitable for all ages, accommodating various nations, and possessing global perspectives as a civilizational project that assists the nation in advancement and progress if it adheres to all the elements of excellence in the Islamic project, making it truly a leading nation for humanity.
Dr. Al-Bashir elaborated on those features that distinguish the Islamic Civilization Project in this dialogue.
Firstly, what are the comprehensive features of the Islamic Civilization Project?
-The message of Muhammad extended in length until it encompassed all ages, expanded in breadth until it organized the perspectives of nations, and delved deep until it encompassed the affairs of both this world and the Hereafter. The message of Muhammad did not leave anything related to the well-being of this world and the Hereafter except that it indicated it or its principles; in creed and law, knowledge and action, worship and conduct, culture and ethics, truth and strength, call and state, civilization and nation, and in short: religion and worldly matters.
Islam's Universal Message: Building a Comprehensive Civilization for Honored Humanity and Wise Development
The comprehensiveness of this religion extends to the comprehensiveness of its civilizational project. Its message is general and inclusive, aiming to build an integrated civilization: a civilization of dignified humanity and sound development, a civilization that preserves religion and nurtures the world, a civilization of both the apparent and the hidden. This requires immense efforts in both theoretical conceptualization and practical application, necessitating the utilization of all means and the dedication of scientific and practical energies to stimulate ambitions and sharpen determination to achieve the objectives of urban succession.
This comprehensiveness in the Islamic project is multidimensional, encompassing concepts, tools, fields of work, and targets. It combines creedal motivation, uplifting tendencies, preserving objectives, governing values, cohesive nation, effective norms, and witnessing civilization. Moreover, it harnesses all available resources of the nation: infallible revelation (divine reference), spiritual strength, empowerment experience, civilizational models, vital geography, human competencies, and natural resources.
What are the characteristics of moderation in the Islamic Civilization Project?
-The identity of the Islamic intellectual civilizational project, which we aspire to translate into living reality, is encapsulated in a central idea: moderation. This inclusive identity defines moderation as:
Commitment to Islam as a comprehensive methodology, relevant to time, place, and people, connected to reality, explained in the language of the era, synthesizing authentic transmission and clear reason, open to exertion (ijtihad) and renewal according to the methodology of valid reasoning and evidence recognized by scholars, steadfast in principles and foundations, flexible in details and branches, conservative in objectives, progressive in means, welcoming every beneficial ancient practice, benefiting from every useful innovation, open to civilizations without assimilation, respecting specificities without isolation, seeking wisdom from any source it emerges, working to strengthen civilizational and human commonalities, rooted in origin and connected to the era.
The Essence of Islamic Civilization: Embracing Moderation as a Guiding Principle
The Islamic Civilization Project aims, through its attribute of moderation, to transition from mere "existence" of closed and self-sufficient cultural presence to the level of "presence" by actively contributing to human happiness and universe-building, ultimately achieving "civilizational witnessing" as stated in the Quran: "And thus we have made you a just community that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you." (Quran, Al-Baqarah: 143).
What are the distinguishing features of civilizational excellence in the Islamic Civilization Project?
- Our Islamic project is guided by a supreme authority that realizes the objectives of Islamic law and fosters the interests of creation. Our ultimate reference is the Quran and the authentic Sunnah, interpreted through sound understanding grounded in comprehensive knowledge and righteous intellect in light of the major objectives of Islam.
Furthermore, the Islamic Civilization Project is rooted in its origins and connected to the era. Being rooted in its origins means referring to the general authority of the timeless religion, while being connected to the era means applying religious rulings in the context of the time in which people live. It is essential for the Islamic project to handle this without alienation from the context or dissolution in its negativities.
Flexibility and interaction are also characteristics of the project, stemming from the renewal it practices in compliance with religious obligations and in response to current needs. The Islamic project continually renews itself through the mechanism of independent reasoning (ijtihad);"When it comes from its people and matches its context", guided by conscientious judgment and constructive renewal without deviation.
Our Islamic Project: A Guiding Framework for Fulfilling Divine Objectives and Safeguarding Human Welfare
Aspects of the Islamic civilizational project also include harmony in the relationship between the Quran and authority, achieved through forging alliances between the people of the Quran and its bearers, and the people of authority and its supporters, all for the benefit of the country and its inhabitants. It is emphasized that "God Almighty consolidates with authority what is not consolidated with the Qur'an", highlighting importance of guiding authority with the understanding of the people of the Quran, devoid of conflict, rivalry, bias, or antagonism, but with fairness, wisdom, and good counsel, and with positive reception, good interaction, cooperation in righteousness, and piety.
Moreover, the Islamic civilizational project is characterized by a sense of progression and phased development. It launches its plans and programs from a foundation of steadfastness in objectives and flexibility in methods. The objectives remain steadfast due to their stable sources and defined nature, while the methods are adaptable due to their connection to changing times and diverse environments. The major goals include affirming faith, respecting humanity, reinforcing forgiveness, and all that leads to their achievement must be pursued, as nothing sacred without them, rather it is necessary to go beyond to what is best and most beneficial.
Additionally, it respects and does not contradict the Sunnah in construction, growth, implementation of its programs, and achieving its interactions. Allah has made Sunnah, its causes, moral guidelines, and laws perpetual and connected to achieve objectives and realize results. He expects humans to comprehend these reasons after establishing and addressing them. This is proven by historical proof and logical argument, ensuring success in life and the hereafter through the ability to comprehend these causes, use them effectively, and deal with them well.
Everything above and other characteristics define this large civilizational project.
What is the future of the Islamic project and its challenges?
The future of the Islamic project and its ability to resume civilization and continue its path to achieve its objectives remain dependent on its renewal system and its ability to activate the characteristics of its reformist project, depending on its realism and considering the norms.
It is also an imperative for the improvement of the project's ability to change the nation's reality through tolerance, not exclusion, uniting efforts and not separating them, following and integrating them, and collecting energy and activating its goal, ensuring the project's future effectiveness and good lasting impact
Essentials for Advancement: The Project's Ability to Transform the Nation's Reality through Assimilation, Not Exclusion
Every project must grasp the foundations of intellectual methodology that revitalizes it, sets its course, provides it with strength and immunity, and addresses any confusion or setbacks that may occur. Indeed, the cornerstone and infrastructure of any project lie in the strength of its foundations and the firmness of the ground it stands on. These determine its direction, clarity of vision, and path forward.
A civilizational project must be comprehensive and suitable for its time and place, aligned with current circumstances. It should guide the nation's creed, reinforce its thinking, mobilize its individual and collective strengths, and harness its capacities for action. This is essential to propel the nation towards a constructive resurgence that restores its position as a civilizational witness among nations—ideally through advocacy and proclamation theoretically, and practically by achieving principles and truths in people's lives.
The Islamic project faces the challenge of preserving national and religious constants without stagnation, acknowledging its inherent need for change and renewal. It strives to rectify occasional errors, shortcomings, or excesses while upholding the principles of peaceful discourse and practice. It steadfastly avoids slipping into any form of violence. Continuous advocacy for truth and goodness is essential, free from arrogance or false guardianship. Above all, the aim in all of this is seeking the countenance of Allah, actively fulfilling the role of enjoining good and forbidding evil for the benefit of the country and its people, aiming for general upliftment.
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