Islamic Perspective of Researching using Western Theories and Ideologies 

By, Md Maruf Hasan

Imagine you got trapped in some distorted thoughts that are against the Islamic Worldview, and you cannot get rid of them easily. How do you reconcile these thoughts with your Islamic worldview? Or how do you save yourself from deviation and remain being Islamic? You are not alone, fortunately or unfortunately. Most students are busy learning different theories during their undergraduate level, and they are still struggling on conducting research while doing their master’s but as you do your PhD programme and gradually become an expert in your own field, you are expected to produce some intellectual works to defend the Islamic worldview against all secular ideologies, you might be in the state of dilemma that perhaps they are right and you are wrong. It is normal to experience this mental state since there are complex, intellectual thoughts that are leading in western literature over centuries. 

At this stage, the best strategy for Muslim students and academics is to face this state, experience it and go through it. Sometimes you may go through extreme frustration, but if you look at the nature of the storm, it slows down and stabilizes at one point. Similarly, you may have a negative outlook at first sight, but as you keep doing research, there must come a time, when you will gradually learn to adapt and normalize your mental state. It is kind of a writer’s block when we start writing our PhD thesis, and no ideas seem to flow, but as you keep on reading, there are so many new ideas floating around your brain and as time passes you come up with the best conclusion which ultimately solves the problem that Muslim societies are facing in contemporary time. 

Now, I will talk about texts and their interpretations. If you read post-modern books, you can see how academics do not depend on only one interpretation, rather, they go for various interpretations. The trend has entered in Muslim discourse, and this is why we witness feminists’ interpretations of Islamic literature and other types of interpretations of Islamic literature. It is about human rights and equality. We have witnessed the rise of individualism after scientific enlightenment in Europe. Muslims are also influenced by ideologies in Western literature, which they use to upgrade themselves. There are some advantages and disadvantages of contextualizing these theories within Muslim discourse. 

The advantage is that if Muslim societies misuse some of the commandments in favor of a particular group, these theories can detect and lead to sincerity. For example, in a patriarchal society, women are suppressed using wrongful religious interpretations in almost every religion but when using Western religious feminist thoughts, they identify errors which are relevant to some extent. 

However, there are disadvantages of using these theories. For example, in Islam, men and women are complementary to each other and Islam treats women with honour and respect. For most great scholars that the Islamic civilization has produced, their parents were role models for these scholars. Feminist groups are end up using religion exclusively to entertain their interests instead of emphasizing the core teaching of Islam, this ultimately builds a new Islamic civilization.

How are these different theories in the Western world? Most of these theories were invented when they realize that Christianity is at present not based on a revealed source rather it has become a man-made religion. In other words, Western intellectuals develop their theories on the basis of a Godless world. Imagine you are a Western feminist, and you come to realize that the Christian God is false God, then you start asking making the statement like Dostoevsky; if God is dead, all are permissible. That means the moral framework based on organized religion no longer exists, then as a Western feminist supporter, your thoughts would automatically lead to get you on the right path. Previously you were silent because you thought the Cristian God has commanded so, that is why we need to accept the societal narratives, but now it is no longer necessary. Hence, the ideological foundation for all Western knowledge is based on Godlessness. When Muslims are applying these Western theories in their societies, they are ultimately doing a disenchantment of Islam in their daily lives. This is the dangerous part of the modern interpretation of Islamic literature. 

Why was Islam revealed at the first place? If we look at the very first revelation that was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), it was mentioned, “[He] taught man what he did not know” (Al Quran, 96:5). 

In the Western thought, the very existence of God is skeptical, but the Quranic Worldview is a completely polarized worldview from secular worldview. It is no doubt that contextualization is important for the Muslim community based on the Islamization of knowledge, but we must be careful about the Maqasid (objectives) of Islam. The protection of Din must be the very first priority for every single Muslim based on the Maqasid (objectives) of Shariah principles. 

Now let us discuss on how to get rid of intellectual frustration that may come during your research for Islamization. Again, I have mentioned already that you need to keep on doing literature reviews from both sides of knowledge. It might take a long time to overcome this frustration. I will give you an easy example; our university Rector is Professor Emeritus Datuk Dr. Osman Bakar. This person exists in nature as a text or a sign (you can imagine). Now what about the interpretations of this text or sign about this person, Prof. Osman Bakar? When his children meet with him, they call him, “Bapa (Father)”. When we students meet him, we call him Prof. Maybe some others call him, “Datuk” in other contexts. Malaysian Prime Minister, Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, called the Rector once by his name as Osman in an ISTAC conference once, as I recall. The contextualization still makes sense so far about this person. The interpretations seem quite relevant based on our experiences. 

But now imagine some random Western scholars from other parts of the world came to visit IIUM for a few days and start to call him at an international conference, “Bapa (Father),” you can easily detect something is not right contextually and the interpretation is fishy and ambiguous. They are supposed to call him by “Professor” or by his name at most. Only his children can call him, “Bapa,” but not the scholars while in academic discussion at a conference room. 

As you are doing literature reviews on Islam and Western theories, you can only realize these flaws or defects if you are really patient and keep on investigating for long periods. Unless you are satisfied with the Islamic worldview, you must keep on reading, and it is expected that there must come some point during your research that you will realize, Islam is profoundly right to save the whole of humanity from misguidance or deviation. Western theories and ideologies are embedded with (I call it) emotional intelligence, and they sometimes fail to detect their errors as philosophical naturalism does while investigating nature based on methodological naturalism. This can cause serious frustration at some point and lead to pessimism among academics and students. 

Those who have read the Quran in translation, you know that the Quranic verses are mainly two types: 1. Muhkamat (Clearly explained verse or Ayah) 2. Mutashabihat (Ambiguous Ayah). Allah also mentions those who want conflict in society, they go into looking for ambiguous verses whereas only Allah knows the hidden message for those verses. Allah mentions,

“He is the One Who has revealed to you ˹O Prophet˺ the Book, of which some verses are precise—they are the foundation of the Book—while others are elusive. Those with deviant hearts follow the elusive verses seeking ‘to spread’ doubt through people’s ‘false’ interpretations, whose true meanings are not grasped except for Allah. As for those well-grounded in knowledge, they say, “We believe in this ‘Quran’ — it is all from our Lord. But none will be mindful ‘of this’ except people of reason” (Al- Quran, 3:7).

Now when it is the natural world, it is also signs of Allah SWT. The Quran is the book of signs. What do you think if the Quran is based on these two conditions, what about the natural world? 

Allah mentions in the Quran:

“Surely in ‘the creation of’ the heavens and the earth are signs for the believers” (Al-Quran, 45:3).

“We will show them Our signs in the universe and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that this ‘Quran’ is the truth. Is it not enough that your Lord is a Witness over all things?” (Al-Quran,41:53).

Do you not think there may be ambiguous signs also in the natural world which only Allah knows best? You can do scientific inquiry on natural world and Islam encourages it for sure, as we learn from the Quran, but it is still possible to be misled or misguided as in the case of the Quran. Let’s look at those ayah( Verses) from the Glorious Quran:

Surely Allah does not shy away from using the parable of a mosquito or what is even smaller. As for the believers, they know that it is the truth from their Lord. And as for the disbelievers, they argue, “What does Allah mean by such a parable?” Through this ‘test’ He leaves many to stray, and guides many. And He leaves none to stray except the rebellious—those who violate Allah’s covenant after it has been affirmed, break whatever ‘ties’ Allah has ordered to be maintained and spread corruption in the land. It is they who are the ‘true’ losers (Al Quran, 2: 26-27).

In Western theories and ideologies, you will exactly find these trends as you start doing in-depth research as Muslim academics and students. Hence, it is suggested when you are doing Islamization, Integration, contextualization, relevantization , and many others, you must prioritize the very first Objectives of Shariah which is the protection of Din. Otherwise, you are too busy or arrogant to justify your stance based on their theories and ideologies, you may lose track as you keep on walking in this academic world. With the sincere intention to serve Islam, you need to develop your perseverance to strive for Allah till your very last breath. That’s the best struggle for Allah SWT.***