The Conceptual Framework for an Action Plan for the Islamization of Knowledge

Abstract

It is an admitted fact that the stagnation and the crisis of thought in the Islamic Ummah is one of the most important reasons for its backwardness and for the malaise of its contemporary civilization. It is also an admitted fact that a reform of the methodology of the Islamic Thought on the one hand, and Islamization of social sciences and humanities, and of knowledge on the other, are greatly needed if we wish to overcome the crisis of thought and move into the modern life.We will need this new orientation, if we want to benefit from what the humanity has achieved in terms of knowledge and the progress of civilization up till now, and to interact with it from the Islamic perspective in order to realize the Islamic goals of human life and civilization. Ever since the importance of the reform in Islamic thought was crystallized in the minds of the Muslim youth who had awareness and commitment to Islam and had knowledge of the scientific and academic achievements of the western world, and ever since these youth established The Association of Muslim Social Scientists thirteen years ago, and finally since the establishment of the International Institute of Islamic Thought five years ago, as an independent academic institution fully dedicated to function as a backbone to serve the message of Islam, the idea of reform of the Islamic thought and Islamization of knowledge and of social sciences and humanities has gained acceptance, and efforts have been made to realize that goal. It will be noticed that in view of the focus of concern and action, of course a politically motivated concern to achieve strength and power to defend and combat, concentration has been on disciplines of education and economics. In order to achieve these reforms in a realistic way and on a solid foundation, the plan to be adopted should be based on a comprehensive knowledge of Islamic methodology. It should concentrate on reformation of thought that is related to the behavioral sciences which are considered as the main base for social sciences from which other social sciences are ...