Life and Teachings of the Prophet Muhammad
8. The Concept of Ijtihaad in Islam
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guidance. This has resulted in great and irreparable losses. For
instance, in modern times science has come to receive great
importance. But Muslims have continued to keep away from it
holding it to be something unIslamic. Similarly the political
principle of democracy has been introduced to the world, but
Muslims fail to understand its utility.
In a similar way, secularism is a popular political philosophy in
modern times. But Muslim scholars fail to understand its practical
utility and that is why they have come to regard it as unlawful.
On the issue of nationalism too, religious scholars have failed
to adopt a correct stand. That is why Muslims are still confused
about it. Nationhood in modern times is based on the homeland.
That is to say, those who share a common land will have the same
nationhood, whatever their religion and culture might be. Today
this concept has been accepted all over the world. But Muslims are
not yet ready to accept it wholeheartedly.
The reason for this is that, traditionally, Muslims have
cherished the concept of pan-Islamism for several centuries. They
believe that Muslims living all over the world are one nation. That
is to say, the Muslims’ traditional bent of mind caused them to
regard the basis of nationhood as religion rather than homeland.
This concept runs counter to the modern concept of the state,
although Muslims in every country enter in their passports their
nationality as being that of their country of residence.
