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Dr. Tahir M. Qazi |
Relevance of Koran in 21st Century
By Tahir M. Qazi, MD
The topic is,
“Relevance of Koran in 21st Century”. Koran is relevant
in 21st century partly because it has stood the test of
time for more than 1400 years and partly because more than a billion
Muslims on the globe are faithful to this scripture at this time.
However, the word “21st century” in the topic bears an
existential connotation that requires us to viewing this sacred
scripture through historic developments. This vantage point adds a
different dimension to the topic than simple reverence for Koran
that traditional religious mind set would like to adhere to in a
psychological sense.
Koran, like all
scriptures, satisfies so called ‘religious instinct’. There is no
doubt that religions and scriptures have been providing subliminal
meanings to existence, moral codes and an administrative framework
to societies prior to when scientific material paradigm took hold in
the world. Mankind has come to witness a new world in past 500 years
or so.
Sociopolitical
forces emanating from scientific material approach to human
existence have changed the world for ever and it is still in the
making. I believe it would be futile to discuss culmination point of
this history, if there is any. Ours is a world that has come to
envisage meaning of existence from sacred to secular. History in
this era is perpetually moving on twin-wheels of secularism.
One is “Industrial
Revolution” and the other is “French Revolution” of 1789-1799 that
brought Enlightenment. French Revolution provides ideological
foundation for secular society of the future and constantly churning
wheel of Industrial Revolution provides material means to see the
world without a religious prism. Both of these developments have
affirmed that codes of social living do not have to come from a
transcendental source. Well before these material developments,
Socrates’ discourse in “Crito” shines as triumph of rational
approach in the human conduct.
There is a
definitive relation between psychological nature of human beings and
societal needs. This relationship is real. It does not exist in an
illusionary ideal world. Most of humans are pragmatic and willing to
sacrifice ideals for realities of everyday life. For this reason
Koran has injunctions against certain shades of behavior despite the
fact it claims to have created humans in the best make as in “Sura
Teen”, for instance.
The idea of
perfect-make of human beings and yet a need for legislating morality
comes across as a paradox and makes one wonder about Koran’s grasp
of human nature. Psychologically, human beings have been operating
on the stage of history with a sense of faith, a desire to belong to
something and a desire to escape mundane realities.
It is this grain of
human nature that Koran is up against and so are other scriptures
too. Koran whether a word of God or Muhammad, whether authentic in
its present form or distorted due to primitive conditions at the
time of its collection about 1400 hundred years ago; it does provide
gratification of so called religious instinct and a sense of
belonging for some humans. The idea of promised land hereafter helps
transcend the phenomenal world.
However, it leaves
little room for morality to exit as ethics independent of
legislation. Koran is the epitome of Islamic morality. It,
therefore, presupposes the need for legislating morality. Its
logical implication is that it requires coercive force of state to
implement it. I shall come back to this theme later.
Koran lays the
foundation for laws in a society. Since it sanctifies them in a
divine context, there is hardly any possibility to abrogate certain
laws of Koran if social conditions change. Even though there is
mention of forgiveness in Koran, overall it tends to equates revenge
with crime. It is also true that it is incumbent upon the state to
administer punishments of various degrees and to help victim take
revenge if one would choose to do so.
This understanding
brings two types of problems to the fore:
First, Koran allows
for nexus of religion and state as implied in “5:45 - We ordained
therein for them: “life for life, eye for eye, nose for nose, ear
for ear, tooth for tooth, and for wounds equal for equal. But if any
one remits the retaliation by way charity, it is an act of atonement
for himself. And if any fail to judge by (the light) what Allah has
revealed, they are (no better than) wrong doers”. The last part of
this verse is particularly noteworthy because it lays the concept of
a judge. Judge is an administrative entity different from a victim.
This construct needs the might of an Islamic state for enforcement
of divine law.
Muslim scholars
hardly ever grew out of concept of theocracy. There is a prevalent
nostalgic vision among lots of Muslims for an Islamic state
regardless how rudimentary in institutional sense. Constitution of
almost every Muslim country would attest to an ideological confusion
as to the boundaries of divine and existential realm of common man.
Koran attributes sovereignty to God. In this situation, de facto
existential human rights are not regarded as inalienable but as an
extension of divine will because sovereignty belongs to God.
The question of
inalienable human rights enshrined in law has lately moved to the
center of intellectual and political discourse because some Muslim
scholars are putting enormous effort in repackaging Islamic Sharia
in terms of constitutionalism that is championed by secular
democracies. Nostalgia with history and Islamic state is a well
known issue among Muslims. Admittedly, nostalgia is not a trait
exclusive to Muslims. Some adherents of other faiths have a similar
outlook towards life and social relations.
Sociologic research
on this subject clearly point out that social relations and cultural
values are a dynamic process. They change over time. It does not
mean as if, perhaps, ideological evolution can takes place by
tempering with scriptures. Scriptures always remain the same but
their adherents move on to establish new values and new relations.
In such circumstances, scriptures practically become marginal.
American and European experience tells us that marginalization of
scriptures is tied to social, political and economic developments
that completely transforms collective cultural outlook. In a society
where rights are enshrined and justice is woven in the fabric of
society people progressively distance themselves from scriptures. I
suspect that Koran will come to face a similar destiny in 21st
century but I anticipate that the road is going to be long and
tedious.
Movement of history
has brought us to the age of emancipation in 21st century
where there is only one plausible outcome of structure of society.
It is egalitarianism. This takes us to the second type of problem
with Koran. Koran falls short on egalitarianism that is the
cornerstone of slowly ripening democratic culture in the world.
“17:21 Sura Bani-Israel
- See how
We have bestowed more on some than on others; but surely the
Hereafter is more in rank and gradation and more in excellence.”
Koranic vision in
the verse quoted above does not close the gap for social inequality.
In this age, there is a universal consensus that no distinction or
discrimination will be made on the basis of gender, race or social
status. It is worth noting here that the UN Universal Declaration of
Human Rights is a lot more egalitarian manifesto than any scripture
in history of mankind so far.
Koranic laws of
inheritance bespeak gender inequality that does not have any place
in 21st century. It appears that Koran asserts rights for
males whereas it appeals to good angels in males in their dealings
with females. There is not much in Koran to ensure rights of females
as assertively as it does for males. Verse 4:34 in Koran consents to
wife-beating. This verse has been interpreted in countless ways to
make it mellow. Regardless what, I am wondering if there is any
verse in Koran that grants similar rights to women if there are
issues with their husbands?
Koran does not
abolish slavery. It is still on the book. Appeal to common decency
is not sufficient legal protection to slaves if we go by the book.
Koranic injunctions about slave men and women are almost as
primitive as the Code of Hammurabi, the Babylonian King who ruled
Mesopotamia more than 3000 years ago.
Polygamy is
admissible in Islam but not polyandry. Some of the faithful try to
justify this asymmetry on statistical grounds because there are
generally more females in a society than males. Hence, polygamy is a
natural way to live. It is true, however, that polygamy is tied to
just treatment.
Consider a new piece
of factual data published in Policy Review 2004: Globally, gender
ratio between boys and girls has always been stable in demographic
surveys. But new patterns are emerging from
China
and other parts of the world that suggest strong preponderance in
favor of males. In view of this new demographic evidence and in such
circumstance, one wonders, an eternal book like Koran, does it allow
for polyandry? It should, if it is to be relevant in 21st
century but I have not come across any verse in Koran that would
sanction such a proposition.
There are
suggestions that Koran did foretell scientific discoveries of recent
past. This is an interesting suggestion. Mostly, people stretch the
meanings of Koranic words to custom-fit them to new discoveries.
There is no evidence of any scientific discovery made by religious
scholars. There is no need for Koran, God or any supernatural
hypothesis for making scientific discoveries and no discovery is
final in scientific domain. This is an attitude and an approach to
life that does not sit well with divine pedestal that Koran enjoys.
On the other hand, Koran has been barely subjected to conceptual and
textual analyses using hermeneutic principles. Such endeavors may
have a potential for changing attitudes towards Koran in 21st
century.
If history is any
guide to the future, I would venture to say that the age of
scriptures is over. If there is any scripture for our age, it is the
UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. If there is to be a new
prophet for our age, may be it is the “Internet” that brings forth
the collective knowledge of mankind and serves to emancipate and
empower those who seek help. Internet is a powerful tool at the
disposal of humanity in this age. Internet is dynamic, humble and
forgiving. It does not make pompous statements and arrogant
injunctions that is the hallmark of religious scriptures.
But let’s set it
aside for now and cast a brief look at ideology in the structure of
Islam. Koran upholds a hierarchical vision for mankind. God is the
supreme source of knowledge. Knowledge is revealed to mankind
through the prophet. Submission to the prophet and obedience of
those who are made rulers is a sacred duty of commoners.
This is a vision for
a perfect ruler in an ideal state. Common human beings are actors
obeying God’s will herein. Inherently, they are in constant need for
divine guidance and authoritarian direction from a perfect teacher
who is a perfect ruler as well. It is the Caliph, the head of an
Islamic state. Utopia of hierarchical perfection has never been
materialized in history. Nonetheless, it creates a nostalgia form
which collective Muslim psyche has never been able to escape.
The challenge that
21st century poses for Muslims is to come to a mindset
that blends social dynamics with political and material realities.
Any operative vision that has a hierarchical conception of human
relations is always willing to sacrifice dynamism for stability. It
is stringent and stagnant. It does not allow for imperfections.
However, it is human imperfections that collectively make an organic
union in the form of a society that is living, breathing and
constantly changing. Scriptures that fulfilled social needs in
antiquity may not have great relevance in 21st century
discourse because collective human experience, however imperfect,
offers a more rational vision for mankind in 21st Century
than nostalgia and romanticism proffered by scriptural myths.
Feedback, comment or
questions: qazimd@gmail.com
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