Overcoming Tradition And Modernity

This text examines the efforts of four Muslim writers and thinkers of the 20th century - Muhammad Iqbal, Sayyid Qutb, Ali Shariati, and Mohammed Arkounto - to overcome the apparent dichotomy of tradition and modernity in fashioning a new political and cultural truth. Robert D. Lee illuminates the European-influenced work of these thinkers to demonstrate both the appeal of authenticity as a rallying cry and the difficulty of building a new politics on such an idea. Authenticity has begun to rival development as a key to understanding the political aspirations of the Islamic world. Almost everywhere modernity has laid waste to tradition, those habits and practices deemed to be timeless and true. Imperialism carried European notions of progress into Muslim-dominated parts of the globe, and subsequently Muslims themselves espoused Western practices, techniques and philosophies. Regimes calling themselves liberal, socialist, and Arab nationalist all embraced modernity as their principal objective. Most of these regimes failed to create the promised better lives their citizens desired. Moreover, ordinary Muslims felt despair as modernity ripped apart families, exposed youngsters to the materialism and hedonism of Western entertainments, heightened social expectations, and undermined religious belief. Even though tradition has proved itself incapable of staving off modernity, the promises and premises of modern development literature have been called into question. All four thinkers discussed believe such an authentic understanding can serve as the foundation for a new politics. Lee reveals, however, that each of these writers version of authenticity suffers shortcomings and falters in its efforts to move from the particularity of culture onto a grander scale of political organization appropriate for the modern world.