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The Characteristics of the Islamic civilization and its future prospects
Dr. Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri
Introduction :
Comparative studies of civilizations is a new branch of human sciences which draws concurrently on sociology, philosophy and different literary disciplines.
In this, it is similar to contrastive theology which, although known only recently to the Western school of thought, is an age-old tradition in the Arab Islamic culture, since many valuable books were written in the respect, known as the books of religions, sects and cults.
In his Muqaddima (prolegomenon), Ibn Khaldoun laid down the bases of social science which developed later to become known as sociology and the philosophy of history. Likewise, we can rehearse the 18th century performance of Ibn Khaldoun in this scientific area by laying down the basic principles of comparative studies of civilizations in its general acceptance and as a first stage before drawing up the methodology which would set the rules, specify the concepts and delineate the borderlines between this category of studies and other categories of modern human studies.
This is confirmed by the fact that the Egyptian University established in 1908, named later Fouad I University and known today as Cairo University- whose reputation is well established in the field of modern academic studies, never had such a curricula throughout its existence. Therefore the creation of the Department of Oriental Languages in Cairo University in early 40s of the twentieth century by Abdelwahab AZAM, could be considered as the first step towards identifying this academic discipline, since oriental language studies are closely bound to comparative studies of the civilizations represented by these languages, which are the tributaries of the great stream of the Islamic civilization.
Comparative study of civilizations, as a discipline of modern human sciences, is perhaps the closest and most apt for study of social, cultural and intellectual mutations of human societies, sharing close and harmonious tendencies and a disposition for human interaction at a given historical period, or over a span of time, on the premise that civilization is the quintessence of these interactions and transformations in the fields of human creativity, regardless of the nature of this creativity.
All civilizations have a point in common, which is the fact that a civilization is by definition a distinct category different from primitive communities, although these communities far outnumber civilizations(1).
Hence, the erroneous idea of the uniqueness of civilization, expounded by Arnold Toynbee, who argues that there is only one single civilization, that is the Western civilization(2). Indeed, this is a case of what can be termed as civilizational racism.
Civilization as a concept :
The definitions of the term "civilization" are numerous. They vary according to the school of thought which adopts them. However, the most comprehensive definition which expresses the general meaning of civilization is the one which views civilization as the expression of a system of beliefs, values and principles as well as the synthesis of human activities in the various fields of science, literature and art, without any distinction whatsoever, along with the ensuing trends, tendencies and tastes shaping the pattern of conduct, the lifestyle, the way of thinking and the standards to be heeded and sought.
The term civilization has evolved from an era to another. Ibn Khaldoun defined civilization as "a sophistication in luxury and the mastery of crafts used to advance it in various aspects such as cooking, clothes, decoration, architecture, and all social situations. Each of these requires skills and crafts to achieve it. They are specific and corollary one to another, but vary according to the variation of the inclinations of the soul towards the pleasures, delights and enjoyment of luxury that are determined by the decorum. Therefore, the cycle of civilization related to monarchy is necessarily intertwined with the cycle of peasantry, since peasantry and monarchy are consubstantial with one another."(3)
Ibn Khaldoun argues that civilization is the supplementary welfare added to the basics of life for any human society. It varies depending on the degree of luxury and the unlimited differences between nations, in terms of abundance and scarcity(4).
Ibn Khaldoun then provides a more elaborate definition of civilization, holding that monarchy and statehood are the ultimate expression of nationalism and that civilization is the ultimate expression of rural life. Every human entity be it peasantry, civilization, monarchy or the folk, has a limited lifetime like any of its individual constituents(5). This is what confirms the theory of the rise and fall of civilizations which Ibn Khaldoun had been the first to develop, well before European philosophers and thinkers. Only late in the twentieth century, had the British historian Arnold Toynbee expounded and reformulated this theory in a modern way to become an axiom in the field of history philosophy.
Ibn Khaldoun also describes civilization as the age of toddling in the life of statehood and society(6).
As for Ibn AL Azraq, he brings out a definition of civilization saying "civilization is the ultimate stage of the sophistication of society which leads it towards corruption and unlimited evil; he who keeps aloof from it shall be closer to virtue"(7)
In modern times, the meaning of the term civilization has evolved considerably. The American historian, Diorant, states in his large encyclopedia “The story of civilization”, translated into many languages, that civilization is a social system which allows man to increase his cultural production. Civilization is made up of four components: social resources, political systems, ethical standards and the pursuit of science and art. It (civilization) begins where anguish and uncertainty end"(8).
In this sense, civilization is more pregnant with meaning and significance to express the spirit which animates a given society. It is therefore more comprehensive than culture, which has more to do with essence, identity and specificity than with the appearance and the general character of human life in a social environment, as Toynbee put it : "civilization contains but can never be contained"(9).
Based on this concept, civilization starts from the interaction between various cultures, whose features and specificities are shaped by peoples of different origins and cultures. Those cultures merge together in one main stream that constitutes civilization.
Civilization has no ethnic character and cannot be associated with a given race or a given people. When it is sometimes ascribed to a given nation or geographical region, this is only for the sake of definition. Conversely, culture is the symbol of identity, the reflection of subjectivity and the expression of the specificities of a particular nation or a people.
Civilization is a crucible of various cultures with different origins and backgrounds which blended and cross-fertilized to shape the characteristics of civilization, that reflect the human spirit in its sublimity and express the general principles and values shared among them all.
Every civilization is underpinned by general principles, which stem from religious creeds or positive philosophies. No matter how numerous creeds and philosophies are, the distinctive characteristics of a civilization are determined by the most well-entrenched creeds in the hearts and minds of people and the most influential in the public life, to the extent that civilization becomes tainted and associated with them. This association is all the more sound when these underpinnings are sound in themselves, as is the case with the Islamic civilization.
The major civilizations in the history of humanity differ from one another depending on their stance on material and spiritual life. There are in fact civilizations where materialism is overwhelming, others which favor the spiritual life and finally those which strike a fair balance between the materialistic and the spiritual sides(10).
There is, in fact, a succession of civilizations, each giving way to its succeeding civilization. A state of affairs that led many a thinker to go as far as to argue that there is a resemblance or similitude among civilizations(11).
The concept of Islamic civilization :
The Islamic civilization is the outcome of the interaction between the cultures of the peoples who converted to Islam either out of faith and conviction or out of allegiance and affiliation. It is the offspring of the cross-fertilization of the cultures and civilizations that were existing in the regions brought under the umbrella of Islam during Islam’s expansion, and the product of their melting in the pot of the principles, values and ideals that came with Islam as a guidance for all the people on Earth.
The Islamic civilization is twofold. First, there is an authentic Islamic civilization or a civilization of creativity and ingenuity whose sole origin is Islam and was experienced by the world throughout Islam’s expansion. Second, a civilization generated by Muslims in empiric domains by extending and improving existing achievements which had been already accomplished by the human genius. This civilization is called the civilization of renaissance and revival(12).
According to this broad and comprehensive conception, Islamic civilization is a legacy shared among all peoples and nations that once came under its domination and participated in its construction and its flourishing. These are the peoples and nations which weft the bonds of the Islamic nation and formed its solid fabric.
The Islamic civilization is not the property of a specific race, nor it is a national civilization belonging to a specific people. It is rather a comprehensive civilization which encompasses all the races and ethnic groups that contributed to the rise, prosperity and radiance of this civilization, as well as its expansion and influence throughout the world for centuries when the Islamic civilization was in its heydays.
The characteristics of the Islamic civilization :
Like the human being, every civilization has a body and a soul. The body of a civilization is its material achievements in terms of buildings, industrial facilities, machinery and anything which reflects welfare and earthly advancement. Its soul is the set of creeds and concepts which condition the behaviors of individuals and groups, their mutual relationships and their worldview. These are the elements which constitute the characteristics of the Islamic civilization(13).
Five main characteristics do distinguish the Islamic civilization from other past and present successive human civilizations and place it at an outstanding position:
The first characteristic is the fact that it is a civilization based on Islamic faith, imbued with its values and principles. It is a monotheistic civilization based on the belief in the oneness of Allah Almighty, the Creator of men and all creatures. It is also partly a man-made civilization, built on sturdy religious background of faith. The holy, righteous religion was, indeed, a strong factor which contributed to the rise and prosperity of this civilization.
The second characteristic is its being a civilization with a human, universal dimension, and not associated with a particular geographic region, race or historical era. It rather concerns all peoples and nations and has echoes that reach different parts of the world. It is a civilization which shields all human beings and whose fruits are generously yielded at hand’s grasp for any one, indifferently. The Islamic civilization is predicated on the idea that Man has precedence over the rest of Allah’s creatures, that all human activities should lead to the happiness and welfare of Man and that any action intended to serve this goal is a God-blessed action, indeed a human action in the first place.
The third characteristic is its being a generous civilization which drew on the human civilizations and cultures experienced by the peoples of the ancient world, but contributed copiously to the advancement of science, knowledge and the values of justice, equality, beauty and virtue. Its output benefited humanity at large, regardless of race, color or even religion. Muslims and non Muslims, be they Christians, Jewish or pagans, coexisted together within the Islamic civilization.
The fourth characteristic is its being a well-balanced civilization which secures fair equilibrium between the materialistic and the spiritual sides with exemplary moderation that has always been a characteristic of Islamic thought and a distinctive feature of the Islamic civilization throughout its history. No excess, no neglect, no ill-founded extremism, no recklessness. It is a moderation built on justice and equity.
The fifth characteristic is its being a perennial civilization which will last as long as Islam, because it is based on the very principles of Islam which Allah will preserve eternally. Thus, it is a civilization with unique characteristics, a civilization that never withers away since it is not a national or a racial civilization nor does it run counter to human nature. In all cases, Islam should not be identified with Muslims, these may become weak or less influential but Islam remains firm. The Islamic civilization is therefore permanently buoyant and has self renewing cycles and unrelenting dynamics.
The five characteristics outlined hereabove draw their sustainability from the principles of the Islamic religion, since they are founded on them and are intrinsically bound up to them. They are like a precious diamond that remains unaltered whatever are the historical circumstances or the upheavals shaking Islamic societies up and down.
The Islamic civilization had once headed the march of science and knowledge during the Middle Ages which are considered in Europe as the age of darkness while they are an age of enlightenment for our civilization.
In this respect, it is worth pointing out that George Sarton, in his book : "Introduction to the History of Science”, classified scientific accomplishments throughout history into several periods, each lasting half a century, and identified with the name of a scientist at a world scale. From 750AD to 1100 AD, i.e. 350 years, all token scientists were from the Islamic world: Jaber Ibn Hayan, Al Khawarizmi, Al Razi, Al Massoudi, Abou Al Wafa, Al Bairouni and Omar Al Khayam who were all Arab, Turkish, Afghan or Persian Muslims who excelled in various domains such as Chemistry, Mathematics, Medicine, Geography, Natural Science and Astronomy. From 1100AD on, and over another 250 years, Europeans started to appear alongside Muslim scholars such as Averroes, Al Tossi and Ibn Annafis. At this juncture, and at the outset of the European renaissance, Europeans started to translate, study and develop sciences so far practiced by the Islamic world. This established historical fact was affirmed and emphasized by the Muslim scientist residing in Germany, Dr. Mohamed Mansour, who was chosen by the Cambridge University as a member of 2000 international personalities who marked human life throughout the last century(14).
Generally speaking, civilization is the yield of all efforts made by humans to improve their living conditions, regardless of whether such effort is intentional or not or whether its outcomes are material or moral(15). Therefore, the Islamic civilization is the blessed fruit of the efforts made by the Islamic Ummah throughout different ages to improve life and embetter human conditions.
Civilization being a response to human needs, the Islamic civilization has met all these needs at different eras and had been, for many decades, the uncontested leading civilization of the world. The Islamic civilization has therefore the privilege of setting up the cornerstone of modern European civilization since it had contributed through its achievements in the areas of medical science, pharmacy, chemistry, mathematics and physics, to the acceleration of the advent of the renaissance and the ensuing revival of different sciences which continued, since then, to develop and yield.
The present status of the Islamic civilization :
The present status of the Islamic civilization does not live up to the position befitting the Islamic Ummah. However, this shall not be a reason to view the Islamic civilization as being in the process of collapse. Otherwise, we would be falling into hasty, unfair and inaccurate judgement.
There are many evidence and proofs testifying that the theory of the collapse or the decadence of the Islamic civilization as a result of the inability of the Islamic Ummah to assume its role consisting in enriching modern human civilization is totally untenable.
The Egyptian thinker, Fouad Mohamed Chebel, who translated Arnold Toynbee’s “Summary of a Study of History” was among the first to realize the profound significance of the concept of the collapse of civilizations. In this respect, he says: "collapse does not mean exactly the end of growth. In history, there is no indication as to what are the limits of life expectancy of a society. The end of growth is a normal event in the life of a human being, but it is not normal in the history of a society. Toynbee used the term collapse to render this meaning precise. It will appear that when the term is used in this sense, a series of famous and illuminating achievements in the history of civilizations occurred in the aftermath of the collapse or as an upshot of it"(16).
This profound and insightful conception of the nature of successive human civilizations will guide us in our analysis of the present status of the Islamic civilization with all its effects, consequences and developments.
A thorough examination of the reality of the Islamic world skipping over temporary events and variables, but digging far beneath the surface, would lead to a conclusion which may appear at odds with the external aspect of things and the rationale governing the on-going events. However, if we agree that the destiny of civilizations does not depend on the historical facts of a limited period of history and is not determined by the consequences of the crises befalling societies, we would reach the conviction that the Islamic civilization is, at this historic juncture, in a state of civilizational brace up to take off a new civilizational cycle at the outset of the third millennium. This is confirmed by the premises noted at many levels and the profound interaction within the Islamic Ummah which will necessarily result in positive initiatives that would be crucial in determining the future of the Islamic world. We can even go as far as to reckon that they will be crucial for the future of the whole world.
The state of generalized weakness witnessed by the Islamic world in many domains, compounded with the low growth rates marking the economic and social life of most Islamic societies, are only a casual weakness, a temporary situation which will be followed by other stages. This is part of the laws of the universe and the nature of civilizations. The roots of the Islamic civilizations are still sound and viable. It is incumbent upon Muslims today to resuscitate and revive them by infusing a new blood into the vessels of the Islamic civilization so as to permit it to resume its normal course, keep on yielding its fruits and fulfil its role in salvaging Western civilization which is suffering from dire crises. The only way for these crises to be settled and their catastrophic consequences be averted is to inoculate to Western civilization the principles of Islamic civilization which are deeply spiritual, human and visionary.
Major contemporary civilizations :
Researchers in the field of civilization studies agree on the definition of the major contemporary and ancient civilizations. However, they often disagree on their number.
If we consider the basic cultural elements which determine a civilization, six major contemporary civilizations can be identified: the Islamic civilization, Western civilization, Indian civilization, Japanese civilization and Latin-American civilization. Each of these civilizations has its distinctive features and specificities that differentiate it from other civilizations in many respects. Civilizations may share certain aspects and traits, which are part of the human nature that is prone to behave according to the sound disposition bequeathed by Allah Almighty.
Having discussed hereinabove the Islamic civilization and its characteristics, I will elaborate succinctly and concisely on the other five contemporary civilizations.
1-Western civilization :
Contemporary Western civilization is based on deep-rooted intellectual foundations that date back as far as ancient Greek and Roman cultures.
Five characteristics of Western thought were brilliantly outlined by Dr. Yussuf Al Qaradawi as follows:
1- The flawed knowledge of the divinity : Western perception underlying Western civilization does not have a neat, clear-cut vision of God living up to His true dimensions. It is rather a hazy and blurred vision.
2- The materialistic propensity which believes in the primacy of matter as a basis for understanding the universe, knowledge and behaviors, denying at the same time the metaphysical and spiritual dimension.
3- The secular tendency, which is the upshot and the corollary of the two preceding characteristics. It is a tendency which separates religion from social life.
4- Conflict: It is a civilization pervaded by conflict, a civilization which does not believe in peace, quietude or love. It is marked by conflict between man and himself, between man and his fellows and finally between man and his Creator.
5- Feeling of superiority: It is a drive which is deeply ingrained in the mind of all Westerners. They consider themselves to be superior to others and believe that Western civilization is synonymous to Human Civilization. They recognize no other civilization(17).
These are the salient features of Western civilization both in ancient and modern times.
The positive aspects of Western civilization :
To be fair in our analysis, we should admit that Western civilization has positive aspects benefitting humanity. It offers a lot of advantages and, above all, shares many positive sides with the Islamic civilization.
Western civilization was able, thanks to the progress of mathematics, natural science and their technological applications, to provide man with unprecedented and undreamt of capabilities and opportunities. It offered means, tools and apparatuses that were never available before, and reduced distances, bringing remote locations closer while saving time, thanks to modern means of transportation which are permanently improved, to the extent that the world has become a planetary village.
The first industrial era spared man the physical effort, thanks to the introduction of machines. In the second industrial era, the computer which carries out tremendously complex operations spared man the mental effort. Computer technology has been introduced into the Islamic scientific life, especially in the disciplines related to the study of the Quran, the Prophetic Tradition, linguistics, literature and many other disciplines(18).
Among the most important features of Western civilization is the fact that it is a constantly evolving civilization, going from one stage to another. Besides, it provides man with incentives to create and produce. It provides him with the psychological and rational atmosphere that facilitates his self accomplishment, and secures for him sound administration and good governance helping fulfil work efficiently through the mechanism of reward and punishment. Western civilization has ensured a society where individual freedom and basic rights are respected. Under these conditions, man enjoys his dignity and feels liberated from fear and humiliation becoming thereby productive and useful for his fellows(19).
These are the positive aspects of Western civilization, all of them have to do with the means, tools and machines used by man. They are in fact double-edged tools which can be used either for good or evil. Even the expression "the planetary village" which was initially coined to render the reduction of distances is not a pure blessing, it may well generate a great deal of evil. Western civilization is in fact a civilization of means and capabilities not a civilization pursuing sublime objectives and finalities. The negative aspects of Western civilization are those which are at odds with religion, virtue and the human principles based on these religious tenets and ethics. They compromise human civilization and lead to crises, conflicts and wars among states. They also spur the drives of evil, jeopardize the advance of science, knowledge, arts and literature. They even undermine the very foundations of civilization.
II- Indian civilization :
The Indian civilization did not begin initially on the banks of northern Indian rivers. It grew up from the remnants of the Sumerian civilization brought to northern India to blossom in an Indian environment and give birth to one of the major historical civilizations. The Indian civilization was basically established on an Indian cult of legendary divinities heralding ethical principles similar to those of Buddhism. It flourished approximately between 1375 and 475 AD.
The Indian civilization was destroyed by the Hun tribes who invaded India, Central Asia and part of Europe. This means that the Indian civilization was based on ancient civilizations, one succeeding to the other as is the case with all major civilizations.
All these successive Indian civilizations shared the same bases seemingly commanded by the vastness of the Indian Peninsula and the geographic and natural diversity. They were more civilizations of meditation and contemplation(20) than civilizations of hard work and labor. In all cases, Hinduism had always been a fundamental constituent of the culture of the Indian Peninsula from 1500 BC to 400 AD.
Ancient Indian civilization was inclined towards asceticism and austerity in life. Al bairouni had already pointed out this fact and scathingly criticized it in his book on India "Detailing India’s plausible and unacceptable ideas"(21)
Nowadays, India’s modern civilization represents a fast-growing world power which seeks to participate effectively in world politics and influence its course.
III- Chinese civilization :
The chinese civilization is about two thousand years old. As it is the case with the Indian civilization, the moral and material civilizational bases on which the Chinese civilization was founded, matured during the period extending from 1786 to 1223 BC. The Chinese were viewing themselves -despite their various origins- as the only people on Earth who deserved respect and consideration to the exclusion of all other peoples who were seen as barbarous people unworthy of respect.
The chinese civilization differs from other civilizations by the fact that it is purely Chinese and was hardly influenced from abroad, since China fell only twice under foreign domination. The first time was at the hands of the Mongols and the second time was the most recent European intervention. The Mongol conquest had deep effects on the civilizational structure of China, but those effects wore away as time passed. The Western conquest, for its part, was so brutal and influential that it shook the traditional foundations of the Chinese social fabric(22). Confucianism remains a fundamental constituent of the Chinese civilization, however.
The posture of nowadays China as the biggest country in terms of population and growth predisposes it to occupy a privileged position on the international arena and to compete with great powers in the making of international politics.
IV- Japanese civilization :
Many researchers in the field of history of civilizations consider that both Chinese and Japanese cultures are part of the same civilization of the Far-East. Some researchers, however, consider Japan as a separate civilization with its proper characteristics, even if its remote origins can be traced back to the Chinese civilization. Nowadays, Japan is a civilized and advanced society which has preserved its language and its identity, able to compete with the West in frontier scientific and industrial domains.
V- Latin-American civilization :
Contemporary Latin-American civilization is a mixture of interactions between the ancient civilizations of the Incas, the Mayas and the Aztecs and the influence of European civilizations, which pervaded Latin-American communities and permeated them with Catholicism. This interaction is clearly apparent in arts, literature, music, social customs and architecture. Many researchers consider Latin-America as a distinct branch of Western civilization although different, in many respects, from the pure Western fashion represented by North America and Western Europe.
Hence, we see that civilizations are in fact layers superposed one on another. Every major or small civilization dissimulates underneath a preceding civilization, and so on and so forth up to the very beginning of civilization.
This is the phenomenon of the rise and fall of civilizations, which Ibn Khaldoun had been the first to mention in his Muqaddima.
Western civilization versus other civilizations :
Western thinkers often indulge in the fallacy of describing Western civilization as the Human civilization, and limiting the use of the term civilization exclusively to Western civilization. This is the feeling of superiority that characterizes Western civilization in general.
The truth, however, is that Western civilization is part of the human civilizations existing in this world. These civilizations cannot be ignored or overlooked only to pander to the feelings of superiority and hegemony of the ruling classes and intellectual elite of the West. There are in fact many civilizations around the world, in Asia, Africa, and Latin-America. The Islamic civilization being part of these human civilizations has self standing fundamentals and outstanding characteristics which distinguish it from other civilizations.
The resolution of the General Assembly of the United Nations proclaiming the year 2001 a Year of Dialogue Among Civilizations takes the wind out of the sails of the advocates of the centrality of Western civilization and refutes their racist claims.
Therefore, to advocate the centrality of Western civilization and its exclusive leadership of the world would stand in opposition to international law and common sense, and contradict historical and geographic facts.
The call for dialogue among contemporary civilizations is a lucid, logical and sound human behavior which favors a high level of interaction in international relations.
The Islamic civilization is the most deserving to fulfil the mission of dialogue, given its underlying faith and its universal dimensions that are hardly present in other civilizations.
The Islamic civilization and Dialogue among Civilizations :
The specifics of the Islamic civilization do not isolate it from other human civilizations. They are rather elements of force which incite for dialogue and push for coexistence. This gives Islamic civilization a center of gravity and a force of attraction which orient it towards an interaction with civilizations conducive to cross-fertilization that results in what may be called civilizational renovation.
It is my belief that Islamic civilization has in general a mission and a responsibility in the civilizational renovation at a human scale. This civilization is the sole civilization which possesses the vital elements required by this enterprise of renovation of existing human civilizations, because it is the civilization of the Islamic Ummah marked out by the seal of Islam, the last and perennial message of Allah Almighty to the entire humanity at any time and anywhere up until the Judgement Day.
The aim of all civilizational efforts is to promote the condition of man himself, for ignorance, barbarism and errance lead to utter decadence. What would then be the significance of material progress(23) ? Western civilization has so far been unable to achieve this human progress in full consonance with the faith in the might of Allah, the Creator of the universe, a faith liable to secure quietude, contentment and feeling of rational and emotional security. The Islamic civilization, by contrast, was and is still founded on this vital element of faith. It is indeed a civilization of faith, intrinsically and heartily, humane and merciful.
As a matter of fact, the Islamic civilization is the civilization which adds the religious dimension to the idea of progress. Progress is not sought for the sake of progress. The finality of progress is the human progress which caters for the good instincts of man and his aspirations to live in peace and harmony with other creatures and to cooperate with his fellows with a view to achieving beauty, virtue and general well-being.
Further still, Islamic civilization is not an ideal, a doctrine, a deserted project or an unworkable idea. It is a living reality experienced by the Islamic community, a reality brought to being by Muslim and non Muslim people living within the Islamic community and making part and parcel thereof. Muslims being the ones who make the Islamic civilization, who draw up its future, preserve it and determine its destiny.
This is the responsibility of the Islamic Ummah in the present and the future, and this is the mission of the Islamic civilization.
Prospective vision of dialogue among civilizations :
The call for dialogue among civilization emerged first and foremost from the Islamic world. During his term as Chairman of the OIC, Mr. Mohamed Khatami, the Iranian President, was in fact behind the proposal to the United Nations to adopt the idea and declare an international year for Dialogue among civilizations. Based on this proposal, the General Assembly of the United Nations issued a resolution proclaiming the year 2001 the United Nations Year for Dialogue among Civilizations. The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization -ISESCO- played an important role in the implementation of many activities related to Dialogue Among Civilization, in its capacity as the representative of the Islamic world according to the resolution issued by the Islamic Conference of Foreign Affairs Ministers(24).
The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization -ISESCO- took no delay to show its interest in the issues of dialogue among civilizations. It played an outstanding role, given its mandate and mission, in formulating a new, integrated, well-balanced and coherent conception of dialogue at its three levels:
- Dialogue among civilizations
- Dialogue among cultures
- Dialogue among religions
The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization initiated a scientific approach to the concept of dialogue, based on a historical, inductive methodology which lead to the conclusion that the concept of dialogue was a brand new notion in the field of modern political and cultural thought. Dialogue was not a term of international law and did not figure in United Nations Charter, nor the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Convention on Economic and Social Rights, and far less the Declaration of the Principles of International Cultural Cooperation.
Based on this fact, dialogue is a civilizational, political, ideological and cultural concept and not a legal one.
Dialogue has a deep significance in our cultural and civilizational heritage which refers to principles and values that are an essential part of the Islamic civilization and culture. Dialogue is among the values of the Islamic civilization. It is an intellectual attitude and an emotional disposition. It is an expression of the most salient feature of the genuine Islamic personality.
Fom ISESCO’s perspective, dialogue is based on three clear and well established principles which are:
- Mutual respect
- Justice and equity
- Rejection of bigotry and hatred
Keeping in line with ISESCO’s approach to dialogue in its civilizational acceptance promoted by the Organization, the dialogue that is liable to achieve the general human objectives and thereby deserves the interest of the Islamic world, must be oriented to serve the following aims:
First: gearing dialogue to serving the supreme interests of the Islamic Ummah, so that there would be no conflict between the objectives drawn up for any dialogue among civilizations and cultures to which the Islamic world is part and the major issues of consensus among the Islamic Ummah and which are reflected in the resolutions of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, whether at the Summit level or at the Ministerial level.
Second: focussing dialogue on the human aspect, to avoid being hurt with the religious and intellectual issues, which are of no benefit to any party. It should be oriented, for instance, towards determining a clear faith-based attitude towards human rights, the fight against all forms of injustice, exclusion, suppression and corruption, the purpose being to issue joint declarations after each dialogue session highlighting the stance on the violation and abuse taking place in the world and the corruption and evil prevailing worldwide. The stance should reflect the shared point of view of religions, and reflect justice and equity, and not only the point of view of politics, positive law and those who hold power and influence on earth.
Third: securing coordination among all Islamic parties with respect to all matters pertaining to dialogue among civilizations and cultures. The official or the civil body in charge of dialogue at this level should inform all parties, or at least the main actors having a large presence on the arena of Islamic cultural, intellectual and scientific action, of all subjects of dialogue, its date and venue, its objectives and the organizing party so that they could join and participate therein.
If the concerned parties in the Islamic world, in charge of dialogue among civilizations, would manage to control its advancement according to this scheme, it would be possible to obtain positive results likely to serve the supreme interests and causes of the Islamic Ummah in the first place, and reinforce the efforts deployed at many levels to defend these interests and promote these causes in order to consolidate and enrich international relations, to contribute to the fostering of peace, security and stability in the world and to valorize the values of faith and belief in Allah Almighty as well as in the principles of coexistence among all human beings(25).
Conclusion :
Throughout its history and successive cycles, the Islamic civilization has proven to be, a self regenerating civilization able to cope with variables, adapt to developments and open up to all human civilizations. Indeed, Muslims who built up the Islamic civilization were fully aware of the idea of development which is synonymous to permanent and constant renovation. They even contributed to laying the theoretical bases thereof and to concretizing it in their daily life. When the Islamic world entered the cycle of regression, and Muslims fell short of materializing the idea of development, which lies at the heart of Islamic principles, the Islamic civilization suffered form the repercussions of this situation and lost its influence and leverage, but it preserved nevertheless its elements and specificities untouched. The Islamic civilization mirrors the situation of Muslims in the world, as they are the ones who build and protect civilization. The more the Muslim Ummah regresses or weakens the more its civilization falls down.
This is an everlasting rule, because it is part of Allah’s design in the universe.
As the Islamic world longs today for resuming its role of enriching the human civilization and resolutely seeks to make up for the delay in different areas, the Islamic civilization has started to revive. The harbingers of this revival are apparent even amidst this dark fog enshrouding the whole world which is about to blur the clear view of the successive events that are untiringly rippling the world.
The Islamic civilization is the civilization of the future. This is a certainty that we take for granted given our firm belief in the power, the might and supremacy of Allah over humans and the universe, and also given the promise of Allah to the Believers. The Islamic civilization will certainly refuse to yield to its wounds and the present situation will not last for long. The persistence of regression is in contradiction with the nature of things and the rules governing human life. Muslims should show a firm and strong solidarity among them and unify their efforts to incept a new Islamic civilization which would be a resort for humanity at large seeking refuge in its tolerant values and holy tenets.
Indeed, there is a pressing human need, a binding religious duty, and an outright responsibility for the Islamic Ummah to make every effort to have the Islamic civilization recover its historic role in enriching contemporary human civilization.
(1) Arnold Toynbee, Summary of a study of History, v. 1, p. 21, translated by Fouad Mohamed Chebel, revised by Mohamed Chafiq Gherbal, Culture Directorate, League of Arab States, Cairo, 1966.
(2) Ibid.
(3) Abderrahman Ibn Khaldoun, Al-Muqaddima, p. 548, annotated by Dr. Ali Abdulwahed Wafi, Dar Nahdah Misr, Cairo.
(4) Ibid.
(5) Ibid.
(6) Op. cit., p. 893.
(7) Ibn Al-Azraq, Patterns of behaviour and forms of governance [Badaea Suluk Fi Tabaia al-Mulk], v. 1, p. 73, authenticated by Dr. Mohamed Ibn Abdulkarim, Dar Arabia Lil Kitab, Libya-Tunisia, 1976.
(8) Diorant, the Story of Civilization, v.1, p. 3.
(9) Toynbee, Study of History, p. 455.
(10) Youssef Al-Qaradawi, Islam, the Civilization of the Future, p. 15, Wahba Library, Cairo, 1995.
(11) Dr. Abdurrahman Khalifa and Dr. Fadlullah Mohamed Ismael, Ideology, Civilization and Globalization, p. 274, Boustan Al-Maarifa Library, Egypt, 2001.
(12) Dr. Ahmed Shalabi, Encyclopaedia of Islamic Civilization, v. 1, p. 50, Annahda Al-Misriya, Cairo, 1987.
(13) Dr. Yussuf al-Qaradawi, Ibid.
(14) Dr. Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri, Preface to “The Founders of Scientific Thought in the Islamic Civilization, Publications of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Rabat, 2002.
(15) Dr. Hussain Moueness, Civilization, Study of its origins and developments, p. 15, Issue 1 (Repeated in Issue 237) of the Series World of Knowledge (Alam Al-Maarifa); Kuwait, 1998.
(16) Fouad Mohamed Chebel, op. cit., pp. 457-458.
(17) Dr. Yussuf Al-Qaradawi, op. cit., pp. 13-23
(18) Dr. Yussuf al-Qaradawi, op. cit., p. 30.
(19) Ibid.
(20) Dr. Hussain Moueness, op. cit., pp. 225-226.
(21) Op. cit., p. 227.
(22) Dr. Hussain Moueness, op. cit., p. 232.
(23) Dr. Hussain Moueness, op., cit., p. 348.
(24) 27th Session, Bamako, Mali, June 2000.
(25) Dr. Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri, “ISESCO’ perception of Dialogue among Civilizations” in the “White book on Dialogue among Civilizations”, pp. 97-99, Publications of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the Organization of the Islamic Conference, Rabat, 2002.
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