THE RECONSTRUCTION OF RELIGIOUS

THOUGHT IN ISLAM

INTRODUCTION
The reconstruction is one of the very few precious Muslim works

available today for a meaningful discourse on Islam at the

international forum of learning
Allamas bracketing science with God-consciousness more

precious than mere belief in God takes empirical view of the

religion and removes the Magian overlaying from the religion
Promotion of Islams communication with its own manifestation
elsewhere

is,

perhaps,

today,

historically

speaking,

an

indispensable part of Muslims own proper understanding of the

meaning of Islam

AIM

To deliberate and understand the purpose and

need of The Reconstruction of Religious Thought
in Islam

NEED FOR RECONSTRUCTION

In fact, the exigency of the writing was due to state of despair into
which Muslims religio-philosophic tradition had fallen
Muslims in the end were, thus, left with a worn-out or practically

a dead metaphysics with a deadening effect on the modern

mind
Allama Iqbal felt that Islam was to have an opportunity to
mobilize its law, its education, its culture, and to bring them into
closer contact with its own original spirit and with the spirit of

modern times

SPANGLER'S CRITICISM ON ISLAM

Spenglers pronouncements such as these: The history of

Western knowledge is thus one of progressive emancipation from

classical thought
The symbol of the west . . . is the (mathematical) idea of function;
Not until the theory of functions was evolved could it become
possible for us to have our dynamic Western physics
Allama was completely dissatisfied with the very central thesis of
The Decline of The West that cultures, as organic structures, are
completely alien to one another

 Spenglers allegation that the culture of Islam is thoroughly

Magian in spirit and character
Spengler failed to perceive in the idea of finality of Prophet
hood closure of all doors for psychological and cultural
progress

FAILURES OF MUSLIM SCHOLASTICS

AND MYSTICS

Muslims thought process is practically stationary for the last 6

centuries
Mystics are fact denying and life avoiding

ALLAMAS REPLIES
Anti-classicism of the Muslim thinkers, which found its clearest
expression in the work of the very brilliant Ibn-Khaldun
Nor is there any reference, in The Decline of the West, to al-

Birinuis theory of functions, clearly enunciated in his Al-Qanun

al-Masudi, six hundred years before Fermat and Descartes
Allama strongly felt, that blinded Spengler to the undeniable
Muslim influences or ingredients in the development of European
culture

 Allama Iqbal did recognize the historical fact that Islam imported
some concepts and a religious experience- as reflected, for
instance, in some esoteric traditions in Muslim theology and in
certain theosophical and occultist tendencies in Sufism- from
these earlier cultures in the period of its expansion as also in later
periods especially when the conquered became conquerors
culturally

 Finality of Prophet hood is a psychological cure all personal

authority claiming a supernatural origin came to an end in the history of
man
And its cultural value at the constant appeal to reason and

experience in the Quran, and the emphasis that it lays on Nature

and history as sources of human knowledge are . . . different
aspects of the same idea of finality

PERCEPTIVE WESTERN READERS OF

THE RECONSTRUCTION
Allamas idea of the birth or awakening of inductive intellect a

middle term between Islam and modern science, even as

one is also to notice Allamas bracketing science with Godconsciousness

Sense perception and intuition as two modes of acquiring the

knowledge therefore, scientific observation of nature keeps
us in close contact with the behavior of Reality, and thus
sharpens our inner perception for a deeper vision of it

COMPARATIVE ANALYTICAL THOUGHTS

Basic purpose of Quran is to link human with universe & God
organically
Asharias Atomism vs modern Atomism
Ibn Maskawaihs biological and spiritual evolution Vs Darwinism

Iraqi on the plurality of the space orders and time orders Vs

Alexanders peculiarly difficult two-volume Space, Time and Diety
Shah Wali Ullahs Prophetic method of building up a universal
Shariah Vs Globalization

 Rumi and of his being far more true to the spirit of Islam than,
say, Ghazali.
Mutazillas reason Vs pure reason of the West
Iqbals admission - Alexanders thought is much bolder than mine

Comparison of Abdal-Krim al-Jilils Perfect man Vs Nietzsche's

Superman or ideal man of Plato and Morgenthau
Prophets psycho analysis Vs Freud's psycho analysis

MAJOR PHILOSOPHICAL PARADIGM

SHIFTS
Berkeley's despised the sense perception and declared universe
is an illusion
Rene Descartes I can think thats why I am
Baruch Spinoza I feel therefore I am 'Science is proving Spinoza
more current'' Dr. Damasio
Simone Weil I can therefore why I am

Allama Iqbal Religion is not a departmental affair; it is neither

mere thought, nor mere feeling, nor mere action; it is an
expression of the whole man

FUTURE COURSE OF ACTION

To form Spiritual democracy
Spiritual interpretation of the universe in the context of
metaphysics and Para-psychological experiences of the
revelations, apoclapcies, clear voinces, dreams (time
travels) with their life forming fruits
Spiritual emancipation of the masses in the context of egoscreative freedom for spiritual enterprise setting the political
ideals to develop culture, art, history, science, comedy,
tragedy, astronomy, all kinds of poetry, music, dance etc.

 Spiritual evolution of the society in the context of political

ideals of equality, liberty, fraternity, association,
accommodation, sacrifices, charities, eco and social well
being

CONCLUSION