Electronic copy available at: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1467978 Electronic copy available at: http://ssrn.

com/abstract=1467978





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Mohammad Omar Farooq



Head, Center for Islamic Finance
Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance

E-mail: farooqm59@gmail.com






Paper Presented at the
Twentieth Annual Conference of the
Association of Muslim Social Scientists
Detroit, October 25-27, 1991
Electronic copy available at: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1467978 Electronic copy available at: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1467978
ABSTRACT ABSTRACT ABSTRACT ABSTRACT
The Muslim world is facing stagnation due to a lack of balance between two opposing
forces: the force for continuity/stability and the force for change. This paper makes the
case that these forces must be in balance for healthy, Islamic progress of the Muslim
society. This paper analyzes the relevance of institutions in a broader sense to the Islamic
perspective on 'continuous change.' The paper also deals with some important aspects of
change as part of the agenda of Muslim social scientists.

I II I. INTRODUCTION . INTRODUCTION . INTRODUCTION . INTRODUCTION
The issues of change and continuity (and/or stability) are crucial for every society.
The pressures for change, on one hand, and stability or continuity, on the other, in the
contemporary Muslim world have evolved into two conflicting set of forces that have
created, and are sustaining, a general stagnation in the realm of thought and action. The
behavior of the existing institutional structure reflects a lack of harmony between these
two forces in Muslim societies. In consonance with the Islamic world-view, building a
viable, prosperous, and dynamic future for the Ummah requires a better understanding
of the behavior of institutions, particularly in the Muslim world.
In this paper I will briefly examine the nature of the conflict between the pressures
for change and continuity as they relate to behavior of "institutions." In examining so, I
will discuss (1) the relevance of the developments in modern social sciences for an Islamic
agenda, and (2) a conceptual framework based on the Qur'an that may provide some
insights for developing an agenda for Muslim social scientists.

II. FROM SOCIAL SCIENCE TO ISLAMIC SOCIAL SCIENCE II. FROM SOCIAL SCIENCE TO ISLAMIC SOCIAL SCIENCE II. FROM SOCIAL SCIENCE TO ISLAMIC SOCIAL SCIENCE II. FROM SOCIAL SCIENCE TO ISLAMIC SOCIAL SCIENCE
Several stages and aspects of the development of modern social science are of
especial relevance and importance to us.
1

a. Historical development a. Historical development a. Historical development a. Historical development
i. From Social Philosophy to Social Science: The Positive-Normative Dichotomy
First, in the endeavor of understanding "social phenomena," the "primitive confusion"
-- a confusion of the objective scientific with the moral and metaphysical -- has persisted
for centuries. That the "normative-positive" or "What is? -- What ought to be?" dichotomy
is misleading and nonsensical at best and also harmful for "social thinking" is now well
recognized. Much more than "the simple curiosity about its working," it is the "urge to
improve society" that has provided the impetus for the development of social science in
the Western tradition.
1

Normative dimension of social science is identified with "social philosophy and/or
social policy," while its positive, non-normative, or value-free "objective scientific"
dimension is identified with "social theory." From Aristotle to the period of
Enlightenment, "social policy" all along has overshadowed "social theory" and, together,
they were merged into "moral philosophy".
2
It was during the period of the
Enlightenment, "when social sciences made the decisive leap towards modern
development into full-fledged and gradually separated empirical disciplines." However,
even at this stage, "no clear (methodological) distinction between theory and policy are
observed."
3
Even though, much of the social sciences, similar to the natural sciences,

1
Gunnar Myrdal. Value in Social Theory: A Selection of Essays on Methodology, New
York: Harper & Brothers, 1958, p. 9.
2
Myrdal, p. 9; Maurice Duverger. An Introduction to the Social Sciences, New York,
Praeger, 1961, pp. 12-13.
3
Myrdal, p. 9.
2
claims to be value-free and in pursuit of understanding the "reality" as to how things are
and how they function, in reality it is not so.
Recognizing the superficial nature of the "normative-positive" dichotomy ought
not to lead us to conclude that positive analysis is either impossible or undesirable. On
the contrary, the quest to understand the reality, the so-called non-normative, dimension
of human intellectual endeavor, is essential. However, the positive dimension is not
necessarily "value-free." According to Myrdal, we all are value-loaded and value-driven in
carrying out our positive analysis within that load of values.
Secondly, the endeavor to understand the social phenomena originally had been
primarily oriented toward deductive, philosophical or historical approach. Western social
philosophy in the Middle ages gave deductive reasoning primacy over empirical
observation and experimentation.
4
Throughout the Middle Ages, Scholasticism, with its
mooring in Christian religion and morality, dominated. Scientific element in their
contemporary social research was hardly noticeable. During the period of Renaissance
and Reformation, a period that disrupted the old intellectual framework and tradition, a
concrete change in orientation became noticeable, but the "general approach remained
more philosophical than scientific."
5

Thirdly, modern social science began to take its shape in the post-Reformation era
in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries with a very important change of context:
"Christianity ceased to be its unique foundation."
6
The "Church versus Science" conflict

4
Duverger, p. 14.
5
Duverger, p. 14.
6
Duverger, p. 14.

3
resulted into a disastrous separation between the intellectual realm of the worldly and of
the divine. The Natural Law (and Right) Philosophy as the foundation of social studies
overshadowed Christianity. It is therefore crucial for Muslim social scientists to note and
understand that the development of modern social science occurred through its divorce
from the moral and philosophical root of Christianity. The Natural Law Philosophy
gained prominence, drawing its inspiration from the Newtonian Revolution in
understanding and theorizing the physical world. Consequently, a "rigorous separation"
between science and philosophy appeared
7
and a gradual shift from "what societies
ought to be" to "what they are" occurred.

ii. From The Divine Foundation to a Secular Foundation
Recognizing the existence of Social Laws -- an idea that "social phenomena have a
regular character" -- was the first step toward the emergence of an "autonomous social
science". These social laws were considered to be subject to natural laws of the
Newtonian world. Conception of social laws, similar to physical laws, provided the
contemporary intellectuals to subject social phenomena to test by experiment. However,
the eighteenth-century authors did neither clearly delimit the scope of social science nor
precisely articulated its purpose. The contributions of August Comte and Karl Marx were
pivotal in "establishing the objective and relative character of social phenomena, essential
to the constitution of sociology as a science."
8


7
Duverger, p. 15.
8
Duverger, p. 15.
4
August Comte's contribution was decisive in giving social science a positive look,
Charles Darwin's in giving it an evolutionary character, and Marx's in giving social science
its "purely objective base."
9
Indeed, it is now widely recognized among sociologists that
"Marxism was the first complete system, the first cosmogony explaining all social
phenomena. Before it they were only political syntheses: for example, Montesquieu on
political regimes, Adam Smith on economics, and so on."
10



iii. From Social Science to Social Sciences
There was only a singular "social science" in the nineteenth century. August Comte
and the French sociologists at that time, like Karl Marx, were vehemently opposed to the
idea of "social sciences." Their consensus in reaffirming the unity of social science later did
not find any following. Eventually, "Social science has splintered into more and more
specialist disciplines: ethnography, social psychology, anthropology, economics,
demography, ecology, linguistics, sociology of law, political science, etc.."
11


b. Current Trends and Dilemmas in Modern Social Sciences b. Current Trends and Dilemmas in Modern Social Sciences b. Current Trends and Dilemmas in Modern Social Sciences b. Current Trends and Dilemmas in Modern Social Sciences
There are several aspects of modern social sciences, as identified above under the
section of historical development, that are of especial importance: (a) The positive,
value-free character of social science, (b) its secular, evolutionary bias, (c) social laws as

9
Duverger, p. 18.
10
Duverger, p, 19.
11
Duverger, p. 21.

5
the foundation of the social phenomena, and (d) the splintering specialization of social
sciences.
Modern social science has developed in the peculiar backdrop of the world-view
and the intellectual tradition of the western civilization. From a panorama of ideas about
human nature and human society to ethnocentricity and secularism to nature and human
quest for supremacy, the social sciences have grown into fragmented disciplines without a
core. Contemporary social scientists readily recognize that social sciences are torn apart
due to two main problems. (1) "On the one hand are a number of very tough intellectual
challenges stemming from the complexity of the social world we are attempting to study.
(2) On the other there are our own diverse intellectual backgrounds, interests, and
behaviors."
12
They also show a clear awareness that understanding the social world or
social phenomenon poses several formidable challenges: (1) Virtually all social processes
are far more complex than we often realize. (2) Measurement problems in the social
sciences are formidable. (3) Rate of change in social phenomena is sometimes far too
rapid to be studied with present resources, and sometimes they are far too slow. (4)
There are a tremendous variety of behaviors and other phenomena we wish to explain.
(5)The reality we must deal with is often fuzzy or imprecise. And (6) There is no obvious
way to divide up the labor, either among the separate social science disciplines or within
any one of them."
13
An agenda for Muslim social scientists will be no less complex,

12
Hubert Blalock, Jr., Basic Dilemmas in the Social Sciences, Beverly Hills, California, Sage
Publications, 1984, p. 14.
13
Blalock, pp. 17-22.

6
though currently the extent of awareness among those who identify themselves as
"Muslim social scientists" does not seem to be at a similar level.

c. From Social Science to Islamic Social Science c. From Social Science to Islamic Social Science c. From Social Science to Islamic Social Science c. From Social Science to Islamic Social Science
Given the peculiar backdrop of Western civilization against which the modern
social science, with its positivist, secular, evolutionary, splintering bias has evolved, even
to contemplate about a direct and smooth bridge from social science to Islamic social
science is sheer naivete at best. Indeed, there may not be such a bridge at all, which
might be a fundamental weakness of the so-called paradigm of "Islamization of
knowledge." Islamic social science, if there is any yet, must resolve many critical
philosophical as well as methodological issues, of which the above-mentioned ones are
only a small part. Even identifying the contour of such philosophical and methodological
issues is beyond the limited scope of this paper. Our focus is limited to develop an
understanding about the interdependence of the process and phenomena of "change"
and "continuity" which is at the heart of social science.

III. TOWARD UNDERSTANDING CHANGE AND CONTINUITY III. TOWARD UNDERSTANDING CHANGE AND CONTINUITY III. TOWARD UNDERSTANDING CHANGE AND CONTINUITY III. TOWARD UNDERSTANDING CHANGE AND CONTINUITY
The history of societies and civilizations cannot be understood without an
understanding of the process of change and continuity. Not to have continuity is to
become extinct or to change so much so that there is something altogether new and
different. This may be more applicable to animal species excepting human species.
However, even in human history, there have been societies, nations, and civilizations, of
which we have only ruins, memories, and records. Not to have change is to become
7
stagnant or fossilized and then gradually become alienated from the active arena of
human history. There are many primitive societies, nations, and tribes in existence that
have become focus of anthropological and archaeological interest. The Qur'an vividly
refers to those cases of virtual destruction of many societies: some of them refused to
change and others failed to.
If there is a lack of balance or harmony between the forces of change and of
continuity in human society, often we observe that societies stagnate or become a victim
of perpetual conflict between these two processes. Change and continuity are not two
substitute forces, processes, or phenomenon. Therefore, not only both are needed, but
also they are an undeniable reality as a part of our existence. It is the balance in their
interaction in our lives that significantly determines the course of history of a society in
particular or the human civilization in general. If the world of ideas-knowledge and the
world of reality are taken as two complementary, mutually-reinforcing, constantly-
interacting entities that shape the course of, and give different mold to, history, then it
becomes easier to realize that "change" and "continuity" are two processes about which
we need so badly to develop our understanding.
How the social phenomena have evolved from the beginning of mankind? How
does "social phenomena" change? How "change" and "continuity" are related? Can one be
embraced without the other? Why certain social entities show greater tendency to
change, while others show greater inclination to constancy and stability? All these are
pertinent question that we have to face whether we are to develop an agenda for Islamic
Social Science or for a comprehensive and total transformation of the Ummah according
to the world-view of Islam.
8

IV. IV. IV. IV. INSTITUTIONS AND SOCIAL DYNAMISM INSTITUTIONS AND SOCIAL DYNAMISM INSTITUTIONS AND SOCIAL DYNAMISM INSTITUTIONS AND SOCIAL DYNAMISM
The nature and consequences of these twin forces are crystallized in "institutions."
This is an area that is often ignored in understanding and analyzing the contemporary
issues and problems that societies in general and Muslim Ummah in particular face. Since
institutions are at the core of the interacting process of change and continuity, better
understanding of the behavior of various institutions that inhibit or enhance healthy
social dynamism is crucial. What is observed quite frequently in the Muslim world is the
existence of institutional structures that inhibit any healthy social dynamism, which is a
clear indication of stagnation. However, a narrow view of "institutions" is often even
more inhibiting. Institutions are not merely social and organizational structures. Yet,
social change is often equated with building or adding new institutions replacing the old
ones.
Building technology-related institutions in various Muslim countries is a good
example. As the need for technology transfer as well as for technology generation and
adaptation are increasingly recognized, Muslim countries are establishing new ministries,
new committees, new institutes, and new laboratories. However, not a single Muslim
country has been able to come close even to the newly industrialized countries such as
South Korea and Taiwan, or even to India.
None of the Muslim countries have succeeded yet to develop an "indigenous
technological capability" comparable to any of these countries. Our answer so far has
been only an effort to copy others' institutional structure. During the last two decades,
awareness about "appropriate technology," "intermediate technology," "technology
9
transfer" or "indigenous technological capability" has dramatically increased, particularly
through various international development organizations such as the United Nations.
The effects of such heightened awareness so far have been limited to including some
strong statements in "development objectives" contained in national planning documents
of various countries. Beyond that, new ministries, or equivalent high level agencies or
institutions, to address technological aspects have been established in virtually every
Muslim country. Technology-related research institutions have propped up mostly under
the auspices of the government in almost all countries. They have not made any
significant impact yet on our societies. Are they expected to make an appreciable impact
in near future? Probably not. In distant future? No one can offer a definitive answer. Are
they adequate for the purpose of solving our problems, attaining our development
objective, and meeting our aspiration for a "viable, prosperous, and dynamic future" of
the Ummah? The answer is obvious - No. Building technology-related institutional and
organizational structure would not solve the problems of the Muslim countries.
Let us take another example, the case of dysfunctional political system in Muslim
countries. Parallel to a large number of Muslim countries that have authoritarian,
dictatorial form of government - be it military rule, monarchy, or one party rule, there
are also other countries that show a tendency toward democracy. These Muslim
countries, such as Bangladesh, Malaysia, Pakistan, have basically all the components of
western democratic structure. They have an electoral process, parliament or senate,
political parties, etc. But they behave neither according to the standard of western
democracy nor to the standard of Islam. The viability of the political systems in these
countries continues to remain vulnerable where a serious collapse is not impossible.
10
A human skeleton by itself is not a human being. The institutional structures
prevalent in the Muslim world are more comparable to skeletons. Within these structures
Muslim societies are constantly struggling either as an agent for change or for continuity.
They continue to struggle and survive because both the forces for change and for
continuity are powerful. Furthermore, the advocates of changes in the Muslim world
often prescribe a total break with the past, while the defenders of continuity/stability
would not tolerate even the least deviation from the same. Thus, we are still unable to
resolve the conflict between the pressures for change and pressures for
continuity/stability. We fail to realize that no society can ignore the need for continuity
altogether. Similarly, change is the essence of dynamism, and hence cannot be ignored
either.
How do we then begin to understand the interactive process of change and
continuity as reflected in the patterns of behavior of "institutions" in the Muslim world?
"Institutions" and "institutionalization" need to be understood in a much broader context.
Institutions can be considered as the embodiments of "ceremonial" and "instrumental"
characteristics of a society and reflections of existing "attitudinal-cum-behavioral patterns"
based on people's beliefs, folk-views, ideas, philosophy, values, traditions etc. Without
affecting these patterns, social change would not be either meaningful or successful.
Ceremonial patterns of behavior manifest in status and power relationship and
reflect ideas or views that lead to dogmatism. Such dogmatism produces rituals,
ceremonies, and relationships that are considered sacred and independent from their
ability to be relevant or to solve the problems these societies encounter. Any society that
has considerable inertia based on ceremonial characteristics show deep (and often,
11
irrational, impractical) traditionalism and remarkable resistance to change. Such groups,
communities, societies, countries, continue to exist generations after generations virtually
untouched by the ongoing changes around them.
"Instrumental" characteristics reveal through a much more flexible attitude toward
change based on "problem-solving" as well as "goal-seeking" approach, where "warranted
knowledge" is applied to the "problem-solving processes of the community." Problems of
human life must be solved - whatever works is then accepted and the people make
appropriate adjustment. However, if instrumentality in a society is divorced from a set of
values, principles, or ideas that have constancy, then that society would be vulnerable to
serious consequences in the long run. In Western societies "change," instead of
"continuity," is the dominant force, while "continuity" in the form of unwarranted
traditionalism dominates the force of change in the Muslim societies. However, there is
hardly any society that reflects either only change or only continuity. Most often, as the
conflict between these two processes and forces become long-lasting and they run into a
stalemate, each builds a safe enclave consistent with its own agenda, ability, and
aspirations. That exactly is the case with the Muslim world.
We have a vast proportion of the society where life stands still in seventeenth,
eighteenth, or nineteenth century. These are the majority of people living in rural areas
who outnumber all others in the society, but unable to move forward even when they
want to. Then there is a small enclave that represents the minority in our societies, but
they are powerful and dominant over others, holding the key to power, resources, and
infrastructure and subject themselves to the processes of change as the wind blows from
outside. Even they hardly show any originality in being a force for change. Both of these
12
sides are in a stalemate and have comfortably co-existed in their respective enclave. The
change is the dominant mode in the urban areas of most of these societies. Furthermore,
whenever the forces for continuity and stability do have to submit to the forces for
change, they continue to resist or show indifference to change at every step. As a result
our societies show the sharply contrasting "dualism."
My choice of technological development as an illustration of our stagnant society
is not an arbitrary one. Materially speaking, nothing accounts more for the changes in the
human history than technology. Technology is the process related to, and result of,
applied knowledge about nature and the world around us. There were many
fundamental technological changes that have truly and remarkably changed the pace and
course of history. Technological change continues to function as an "autonomous" force
in human society. It is autonomous in the sense that human history has often taken
particular route due to specific technological change that was not planned or predictable.
More importantly, a deliberate or inadvertent failure of the Ummah to take the lead in
this process would not stall it; others have got the taste of it and they are using to the
best of their ability not only to enhance their own cause, but also to dominate others,
particularly the Muslim Ummah. Furthermore, we cannot immune ourselves from the
far-reaching effects of such technological change. This does not mean that western
technological development has been an unmixed blessing, however.
Compared to technology as an autonomous force, affecting and being affected by
change, institutions altogether are a non-autonomous force. Technological progress - its
nature, direction, and magnitude - is less controllable. That is not true in the same way
13
for institutions. Both institutional structure and its underlying foundation can be altered.
Understanding institutions in a broader sense is crucial for this purpose.
Whatever way one explains, it is a simple, undeniable fact that the Muslim
Ummah stands helpless and in disarray before the dazzling, effective, and ever-changing
technological prowess of the West. Whatever the West achieved is due to a specific mix
of the interactive processes of change and continuity, which is not necessarily going to be
beneficial for them or for the mankind in the long run. However, I also strongly believe
that the situation of the Muslim world has reached this level due to a specific mix of
those two processes and it is possible to alter this mix with an appropriately alternative
mix, which must not only be effective in solving our problems and meeting our visions,
but also be in consonance with the Qur'anic world-view. Indeed, Islam and solution to
our problems are inseparable. Islam and the Qur'an have come to guide us in the full
spectrum of our life. Not to utilize them is to do gross injustice to Islam and the Qur'an,
but most importantly to ourselves. Viewing from another vantage point, if we believe
that Islam cannot solve our problems then it becomes merely a "religion," a set of
"dogma." Why should we then believe in Islam? How can we expect others to believe in
and adhere to Islam? Even worse is the fact that in such case we have to seek solutions
from others or other sources, as we have done and are continuing to do so.

V. CONTINUOUS CHANGE: A QUR'ANIC CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK V. CONTINUOUS CHANGE: A QUR'ANIC CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK V. CONTINUOUS CHANGE: A QUR'ANIC CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK V. CONTINUOUS CHANGE: A QUR'ANIC CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
The Qur'an presents a panoramic, but summary view of human history in terms of
both the process of change and continuity. For both of these processes, the Qur'an
identifies institutions and institutionalization as two interrelated phenomena, the first
14
being the outcome and the other being the process. On one side, we encounter in the
pages of the Qur'an different Qaums having different preoccupations or problems.
Although the root problem may be common to all of the societies, it manifests in
different ways. From the other side, we encounter different Rasools (divinely appointed
Messengers) who came with different Shariah and/or Kitab. All of them reflect certain
change. The process of revelation as well as the chain of succeeding Shariahs culminated
in the final revelation of the Qur'an and the Risalat and Shariah of Muhammad (p). Both
in the Qur'an and the preceding Books and Shariahs, there were some core message and
ideas that clearly show the process of continuity at work. The changing aspects reflect the
Qur'anic attestation to fact that human society does and must go through certain change.
Since human history would be always parallel to the process of "continuous change,"
Islam and the Qur'an do leave the room for and emphatically recognize the positive role
of Ijtihad.
The Qur'an calls for Iqama of Deen. The term that may best convey the imports of
this term is "institutionalization." When the Qur'an talks about Iqama of Salat, it does not
talk about merely establishing a routine and arrangement for worship. It actually calls for
"institutionalization" of Salat, that is, taking Salat and establishing it as a consciousness-
building and behavior shaping activity. In absence of that, our ritualistic Ibadah becomes
divorced from our practical life. In the same way, when Qur'an talks about Iqama of
Deen, it does not merely draw attention to establishing a legal framework and system, it
rather calls for institutionalization of the way of life, where organizational structures and
social relationships become carriers or manifestations of the living reality of Islam. What
the Qur'an offers is a set of core ideas, values, beliefs that should serve as our anchor or
15
compass in our life. However, the core doesn't cause us to get frozen in the frame of
history. With every society we move and change, but with a sense of purpose and
direction that is unique to Islam.
With this balance of mix between the interactive forces of change and continuity
in mind, I now turn to the discussion about a Qur'anic framework that may provide us
with some relevant insight. Muslims everywhere are looking forward to a positive
change in their society. To have such change that is meaningful and consistent with the
Islamic world-view we need to focus on, among other things, two specific aspects -
Technology and Institutions. Such change must also provide appropriate level of stability
and continuity in our society based on the core values and ideas contained in the Qur'an.
Instead of concentrating our efforts to build institutions in a narrow sense, which is
simply scratching the surface, we need to alter the very foundation of these institutions.
To understand the underlying foundation that enhances or inhibits technological
progress, we need to pay attention to the following things.

a. Attitude toward change: That change is the essence of dynamism for any society, and
as such, for Muslims as well is a view not well-appreciated by the Muslim mass. The
traditional religious establishment that shapes and dominates the views at the grass-root
level often shows reactionary response toward the ongoing changes around them.
Having a positive attitude toward change does not in any way imply that you go along
with the wind and particular the wind that blows from the West in our time. Having a
positive attitude toward change means leading ourselves in improving our life in every
possible way on a continuous basis. In the age of automobile and aircraft, Muslims
16
cannot be effective using ox-cart and camels. Muslims lose confidence in themselves
when their own homes are lighted by electricity invented by the West, their lives are
safer using vaccines invented by the West, their clothes are made by factories designed
according to the West, their development plans are drawn up according to the Western
models, or when their educational institutions merely serve as the conduit of Western
ideas. From material dimension to social life, everywhere we see gradually we are being
deeply touched by the ongoing changes around us, but we do not want to take the
initiative based on and guided by the Qur'anic dynamism in our lives.
Allah has put in place certain laws guiding the social processes (Sunnatullah) that,
according to the Qur'an, does not change
14
- they provide the continuity and stability to
our continuity. We do not have a proper and adequate understanding of such "ways of
Allah" (Sunnatullah) to develop policies and programs relevant for our lives. Much less,
of course, is our ability to offer an alternative explanation of the development of human
society as to how it has developed in an autonomous way. Muslims summarily agree that
the history of human society is the history of Islam and its struggle with its opposing
forces in every society. That amounts to a belief, not an explanation.
The Qur'an also clearly delineates the responsibility of the Muslims that they must
(meaning, a religious duty) strive to "change" their conditions whenever there is a
genuine need and scope for such change.
15
In this context, if change is taken in the sense
of improvement, then there would never be a time or situation where there would not

14
"This was Our way with the Messengers We sent before you: you will find no
change in Our ways." [Quran 17/al-Isra'/77]
15
"Verily never will Allah change the condition of a people until they change it
themselves (with their own souls)." [Quran 13/al-Raa'd/11]
17
be a need or room for improvement. This is precisely the reason change is not merely a
process to be adopted only when we want to make a transition from a bad situation to
good situation, it also means from a good situation to a better situation. Our attitude to
change should not be merely in response to the changes we see around us. We should be
taking the lead in bringing positive, healthy, and meaningful improvement in the world -
beginning, of course, with ourselves.

b. Attitude toward Inquisitiveness and Understanding: Change or improvement cannot
be possible without a positive attitude toward inquisitiveness and understanding. The
attachment and adherence of the Muslim mass with Islam is without adequate
understanding. Often it is a hereditary identity that we carry over generations. We ask
those who are exposed to the changing world around us not to ask "too many
questions," not to be inquisitive, not to ask why or how. We ask them to be faithful
believers. We do not want them to develop the reasoning power as an integral part of
the Muslim personality and intellect. The obvious result is alienation. Islam does
discourage those meaningless inquisitiveness that are characteristic of those who are
deliberately trying to avoid the truth and responsibility. Such was the case of the Bani
Israil when they kept inquiring about the specifics of the cow they were commanded to
sacrifice.
Inquisitiveness is the gateway to understanding. Question is the only way to seek
answer. Satisfying our mind, intellect, and reasoning power is not only not discouraged
by Islam, it is presented as a precious process exemplified in the case of Ibrahim (a), when
18
he asked Allah to show him how would He bring the dead back to life.
16
Ibrahim's (a)
inquiry was not driven by disbelief or skepticism, but he wanted to see a demonstration,
an evidence, a proof. Allah did not reproach him for wanting so, nor did He deny him
from what his sincere, inquisitive mind wanted to know. Even the Prophet Muhammad
(p) said that we have more claim in such inquisitiveness than Ibrahim (a).
17

We shun our children's questions. Teachers in schools in most Muslim countries
discourage their students' inquisitiveness. Most of the religious scholars characterize such
inquisitiveness among the youth as sinful. Muslim society cannot change or improve its
conditions without asking questions, without being inquisitive, without satisfying our
understanding. It cannot even catch up with others in science, much less can it excel,
because the society simply is inclined to learn about contributions of others. Muslim
society in general does not want to understand, does not want to assimilate that
understanding in its stock of knowledge, and it does not want to push the frontier of
knowledge further. The society simply wants to ride on others' quest for knowledge and
understanding.


16
"Behold! Ibrahim said: 'My Rabb! Show me how You give life to the dead.' He
said: 'Do you not then believe?' He said: 'Yes, but to satisfy my understanding.' He said:
'Take four birds; tame them to turn to you; put a portion of them on every hill, and call
to them: They will come to you (flying) with speed. Then know that Allah is Exalted in
Power, Wise." [Quran 2/al-Baqara/260]
17
Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "We have more right to be in doubt
than Ibrahim when he said, 'My Lord! Show me how You give life to the dead.' He said,
'Do you not believe?' He said, 'Yes (I believe) but to be stronger in Faith.' "(2.260) [Sahih
al-Bukhari, Volume 6, #61]
19
c. Attitude toward Success and Result: So many times a day, a Muslim gives or hears the
call toward success (Falah).
18
Indeed, the Qur'an is constantly calling the people to orient
ourselves to success and result.
19
"Success in Aakhirah" is the motivating force for a
Muslim. Yet how little Muslims are success- and result-oriented in this life, as if these two
are contradictory. Muslims want to be successful in the life hereafter, but not in this
world. Of course, "success" for Muslims in this life does not mean earning fame, or
wealth, or recognition, or status. "Success" in this world means in the entire spectrum of
life doing things efficiently and whatever people need to do, excelling others in doing so.
Muslims cannot be permanently in the category of "users" of technology, students of
science and technology, adapters of modern tools and machinery, or followers of the
West in their education and institutions. "Hasanah" of the life hereafter is not a substitute
of the "Hasanah" in this world.
20
They are interdependent. Living this life fully and
pursuing our share of this world is also an important Qur'anic precept.
21
This is important
because the Qur'anic mission for mankind cannot be fulfilled without Muslims becoming
result-oriented in this life as well. Their success in the life hereafter would not be possible

18
Haiyyah alal Falah (Come toward success and prosperity), a part of Azan and
Iqamah.
19
Say: "Not equal are things that are bad and things that are good, even though
the abundance of the bad may dazzle you; so be conscious of Allah, O you that
understand, that you may prosper and succeed" [Quran 5/al-Maida/103]

20
And ordain for us that which is good in this life and in the hereafter: for we
have turned to you. He said: "With My punishment I visit whom I will; but My mercy
extends to all things. That (mercy) I shall ordain for those who do right, and practice
regular charity, and those who believe in Our signs." [Quran 7/al-A'raf/156]
21
"But seek, with the (wealth) which God has bestowed on you, the Home of the
Hereafter, nor forget your portion in this world; but do good as God has been good to
you, and seek not mischief in the land; for God loves not those who do mischief."
[Quran 28/al-Qasas/77]
20
by submitting to the man-made miseries, humiliation, suffering, and oppression in this
world.

d. Attitude toward Problem and Solution: The worst part of "ceremonial" approach to
life is that people turn their actions and worship into rituals and their ideas, beliefs, or
views into dogmas. On one hand, they, as a society, have any and every problem and
they would like to have these solved. On the other hand, they believe the Qur'an is a
Guide (Huda) and Healing (Shifa'), but are unable to use the Qur'anic guidance to solve
their problems. Indeed, people often resign when they encounter a problem and do not
view it as a duty and obligation to face these problems with confidence, determination,
and creativity. The problems of the Ummah are getting bigger and more complex as time
passes, but the people are simply at a loss regarding confronting these problems. How
widespread is poverty, how poverty leads to many other problems in societies, how
illiteracy creates misery for people, how much and why deprivation exists in our
societies, why does the society have high infant mortality, how difficult is the life of rural
women in Muslim societies, why their industrial setups are so inefficient and
comparatively less productive are all genuine questions to be raised about the problems
that exist in Muslim societies. Westerners who make Muslims a case of study seem to
know and understand the problems of Muslims better and more than Muslims do.
instead of developing an appreciation about the nature and extent of problems, Muslims
only concentrate on "dogmatic" views.


21
Why Riba is prohibited in Islam, a non-Muslim can legitimately ask. Muslims'
answer is basically a few well-known views about the negative consequences of interest.
We have very little empirical evidence to offer. Since Riba is Haram, it must have terrible
effects. Why don't Muslims try to study these in the context of their societies as well as
other societies? Who should be taking the lead in such probes? Of course, it should be by
the people are called Ulama. If they are incapable, they are inadequate Ulama. At least,
they need to encourage others to probe into these pressing issues.
Another example is related to the issue of private property. For some people
private property is sacrosanct according to Islam. Whatever they do, they must do
without touching the basic idea of private property. Others believe that society's interest
has a prerogative over private interest and government should be playing a central role
in reconciling these concerns. What is lost in the debate is the actual problem, and the
approach becomes purely dogmatic. The advocates of absolute right of private
ownership would bring out the Qur'anic verses and Hadith in their favor, while the
opponents do the same too. But a "problem-solving" or "goal-seeking" approach would
be that they take a look at what are the primary goals an Islamic society wants to
achieve. Whatever position is taken vis-a-vis the ownership and sectoral structure, based
on such position, Muslims should be able to solve their problems as well as meet their
goals. Their belief and commitment to Islam should be motivating as well as enabling the
society to deal with its problems creatively and effectively. Muslims need to become
more sensitive to Islam as a means to solve their problems, thus they need to embrace
Islam as a guiding and "problem-solving" mean at every step of their lives. They also need
22
to be concerned about the goals of an Islamic society, thus they need to be "goal-seeking"
rather than being dogmatic.
Now few more specific observations about technological progress and institutional
change in Muslim societies. To make the process of technological change endogenous to
Muslim Ummah, Muslims need to develop a keen interest in understanding and
appreciating "nature" - the world of creations of which we are a part. Muslims are ready
to reject any evolutionary theory, but they do not have an adequately developed and
articulated alternative explanation. Study closely the following verse: "Say: 'Travel
through the earth and see how Allah did originate creation; so will Allah produce a later
creation; for Allah has power over all things'."
22

While Allah is inviting us to the challenge to study, understand, and appreciate
how "Allah did originate creation," what have Muslims to offer on the part of the
Ummah from the study during last fourteen centuries as an adequately detailed and
developed account for the process of originating creation? One reason that partly, but
importantly, accounts for this failure is that the people we call scholars or Ulama over
time have completely alienated themselves from nature. Nature is not merely to be
contemplated upon, but to be experienced - to be touched, felt, smelt, and observed.
Consider the following verses of Sura al-Mulk [3-4]: "He who created the seven heavens
one above another: No want of proportion will you see in the creation of the Most
Gracious. So turn your vision again: Do you see any flaw? Again turn your vision a
second time: (your) vision will come back to you dull and discomfited in a state of worn
out."
23
The purpose of these verses is not that people would have such a believing mind
and attitude that they would not even bother to look for what Allah is referring to.
These verses are invitation as well as challenge to humanity to study, understand, and
appreciate the creation of Allah. However, the impact of these verses on our mind has
been quite the opposite. Since we believe in Allah and Allah's creation is flawless, why do
we need to turn our vision toward his creation? The sad lesson is that, regardless of the
reason, whoever develops a keen attachment to nature - studies, explores, probes into -
has a different appreciation than those who simply believe in. Furthermore, our belief in
the flawlessness of Allah's creation does not take us even one step to put nature to our
use, as others are already doing. Technological progress and understanding of nature are
inseparable. Muslims cannot ignore the fact that those who have overwhelming
technological superiority over us, they also dominate our lives in every possible way,
often negatively. Technology as an autonomous force of change would continue to
shape and reshape the world around us, unless we are in the driving seat of history.
The preceding discussion about a set of attitudes, views, or philosophy about
change, inquisitiveness, success, solution, and nature are among some of the important
building blocks of the foundation underlying our institutions. They are applicable to
technology-related institutional structure as well as to all other institutions in general.
Institutions are not autonomous in the sense that they are mere reflection of what we
are, what we believe in and act upon, what we accept or reject, and what we value or
neglect. Without making significant changes in these, the stagnation of our thought and
action cannot be overcome. By changing ourselves and our attitudes, views, and values

22
Quran 29/al-Ankaboot/20.
24
with a firm and deep root in the Qur'an and Islam, we can create a new dynamism in
our life with a balance between change and continuity. Our pursuit will be continuous
improvement (change).
By making the process of seeking improvement endogenous to the society
Muslims will be able to keep up with the world around them. By having the root in the
Qur'an and Islam, they will be able to maintain continuity, and a sense of purpose and
direction. Muslims need to seek a fresh approach to their past, present, and future with
the Qur'anic vision. Creation of mankind, as distinct from the Angels, was based on
human's freedom to choose. Our vision of a society must set a high value on this. If
Muslims pray because their parents, grandparents, friends, and neighbors pray, then that
would not have a significant bearing on their lives. However, when they voluntarily
decide to pray, it has a different implication. Similarly, the institutional structure that is
imposed from within or outside cannot show a level dynamism comparable to that of
the one based on voluntary consent, consultation, and participation (Shura) of the
people. The diversity that exists within the Muslim world as well as in the world in
general can be an enriching factor enhancing dynamism or inhibiting it, based on
whether people understand and appreciate this diversity as part of divine scheme. If
everyone's thought, preference, want, style, and ability were identical then there cannot
be any change or dynamism in the society. Diversity and pluralism also require broadness
of mind and tolerance, two important characteristics of Muslim personality.

VI. CONCLUSION VI. CONCLUSION VI. CONCLUSION VI. CONCLUSION
25
Based on the above analysis, one can identify several aspects that should be a part
of an agenda for Muslim social scientists in particular and Muslim Ummah in general.
Muslims have a broad agreement that they would like to see a fundamental change in
their conditions. However, what kind of change they want should be guided by Islam
and by the problems that they encounter. Adherence to Islam, when it amounts to
traditionalism or just continuing the way they are, would not enable them either to
achieve what they want to be or to fulfill the Islamic mission -- their stagnation and
subservience to the contemporary centers of global power will continue unabated.
Seeking change, without accepting Islam and the Qur'an as the core that provides stability
and continuity, would create greater rift in our dualistic society and the stalemate
between the forces advocating or opposing secular changes would also perpetuate.
Firstly, understanding the current views, beliefs, dogmas, philosophy that serve as
the foundation of the existing institutions is a broad task for the Muslim social scientists.
We do not have adequate understanding of what the Muslim people at the grass root
think.
Secondly, education through various media - educational institutions, Islamic
organizations, and institutions, private or public - has to be planned to create at
atmosphere for dynamism.
Thirdly, to pursue any Islamic agenda objectively, Muslims need to maintain a
clear distance from those forums, institutions, organizations, channels, national and
international, that are instruments of forces seeking the preservation of status quo, while
build and strengthen institutions that facilitate the process of "continuous change" as
articulated here.
26



27
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