Comparison and contrast the positions of modernist and fundamentalist

Introduction

            Modernist and Fundamentalist thinkers are said to have evolved when the West took over leadership in the political and intellectual sector.  Muslim scholars found it imperative to adjust their cultural and religious norms. Modernists such as Wajdi, Mutahhari sought to harmonize religion with the development in science. Though both modernist and fundamentalist sought to retain Quran tenets, fundamentalists such as Shariati and Maududi strictly wanted to institutionalize Islam and never adulterate it with any Western ideology.  The subsequent paragraphs are comparison and contrast between modernist and fundamentalist opinion on Islam and marriage, as well as Islam and the West.

Islam and Women (Khan vs. Mutahhari)

            The position of the female figure in the Islam society has been a matter of concern for most feminist commentators.  It is presumed that the status of women in Islam communities is substandard with respect to dignity and privileges.  .The modernists and fundamentalists had a contrasting view on the rights of women.

            Murtaza Mutahhari, a modernist, asserts that the Quran outlines and explains ideals governing the three primary basis of life that is, the universe, man as well as the society. The manner in which the Islam safeguards the rights of women should be viewed based on position in that particular age as well as how other religion viewed women.  He notes that the Buddhism, Judaism and Christianity had a mediocre view on women. For instance, Buddhism believed that man could achieve the final ambition of human life that is, Nirvana in the presence of a woman. In Judaism women were also demeaned as they perceived to have introduced to the human.  Mutahhari notes Quran provided a different view on women at the time other religions were grading omen lowly. It held both man and woman (Adam and Eve) responsible for the first sin.   He also points that women have equal spiritual capability as men by giving example of women who attained spiritual prominence for instance the mother of Isa and Musa.

            Mutahhari notes that both men and women hold similar rights with respect to the ability to administer property or business.  On the issue of women’s social liberty and consent in marriage, Mutahhari, contrary to most modern jurist was the opinion that women should seek consent from their father when getting married.

            Sayyid Ahamad Khan was also modernist and an Islam reformist who had a similar stand as Mutahhari promoting the recognition of women rights as granted by God.  He however  also supported the notion of supported the notion of prioritizing the education of men before women in that a father had the option to first educate his sons it before educating the daughter. It is important to note also that fundamentalists like Maududi promoted segregation of women arguing that the role of the woman to handle household chores.

            Both Khan and Mutahhari were contemporary scholars of the Islam religion striving to reform some of practices that were archaic.  Whilst Mutahhari addressed myriad issues on women rights, Khan only focused more on women’s education.

Islam and the West: Wajdi v Shariati and Maududi

            Both Ali Shariati and Sayyid Abul A’la Maududi were fundamentalist who believed in Islamism that is institutionalization of Islam.  They encouraged the establishment of an Islam state in their respective state.  Shariati and Mawdudi were also against capitalism that was being promoted by western world.  They disregarded western civilization with Mawdudi arguing that:

             “Western science and culture [is] based neither on rationalism nor on naturalism.   On [the] contrary, its entire structure stands on feelings, lust and 

            urges. The Western renaissance [is] nothing but revolt against reason and 

            nature . . . [It] regarded everything baseless that cannot be measured and 

            weighed, condemned everything as negligible and worthless that did not 

            produce any perceptible material gain.”

            They disregarded Western politics arguing that they based on worldly principles, yet man should derive authority from God. In their opinion, after having observed all religions they concluded that Islam was the safest religion under which to govern a country.  As fundamentalist scholars, they sought to free Islam from any Western practices and that could only be achieved by following the teachings of Quran and Sunnah.

             Modernists like Wajdi believed that some Islam practices were rigid, limited freedom and thus prevent progress. To catch up with the Western world, the modernists believed that there was need to adjust some of the diffident tenets. This meant that Muslims could adopt some of the civilization that conformed to the religion. For instance, Wajdi did not find it wrong if the Muslim received the Western education.

Nonetheless, both modernist and fundamentalist had received the western education and thus were familiar with the western civilization.

Conclusion

            Despite some of their ideological differences, both Fundamentalist and Modernist were thinkers who were committed to defend the Islam religion. It is only that one faction was radical whilst the other was sympathetic that is, Fundamentalist and Modernist respectively.