Al-Faruqi's Reformist Vision in the Field of Thought and Education

Abstract

DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/12-13-05

Publication date:July 31st 2022

Abstract

Reform is the opposite of corruption, which indicates its honor and importance in human life; God, the Blessed and Exalted, commanded it in his dear book in many verses, including the Almighty’s saying: “And let there be [arising] from you a nation inviting to [all that is] good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, and those will be the successful”[1], and His saying: “You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allāh. If only the People of the Scripture had believed, it would have been better for them. Among them are believers, but most of them are defiantly disobedient”[2], and the Noble Qur’an indicated that the reformer will be in salvation and security if punishment and fear befall the corrupters. He Almighty said: “So why were there not among the generations before you those of enduring discrimination forbidding corruption on earth - except a few of those We saved from among them? But those who wronged pursued what luxury they were given therein, and they were criminals, and your Lord would not have destroyed the cities unjustly while their people were reformers”.[3] He also praised righteousness and reformers in many verses; Because the virtue of their presence is complete and the change leads to the straightening of the situation.

The Messengers of God Almighty, may blessings and peace be upon them, are at the forefront of reformers, for God Almighty has made them imams in prayer and reform. That is why we find Him, the Highest, praising them on many sites in which he mentions some of them as “of the righteous.”

The mission of the messengers and prophets to inform, warn, and establish an argument against the people does not go beyond the task of reforming and changing what has befallen individuals and nations of corruption in perception and belief, and deviation in behavior, and in bad conditions, God Almighty said on the tongue of Shuaib, in the course of performing the duty of advising to remind his people: “He said, "O my people, have you considered: if I am upon clear evidence from my Lord and He has provided me with a good provision from Him...? And I do not intend to differ from you in that which I have forbidden you; I only intend reform as much as I am able. And my success is not but through Allāh. Upon Him I have relied, and to Him I return”.[4] And he, peace be upon him, emphasized the need for a Muslim to reform by saying: “By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, you will enjoin good and forbid evil, or God will soon send a punishment from Him upon you, then you will call upon Him and He will not respond to you.”[5]

It is inferred from the sum of the verses and the noble Prophetic hadiths that the reform process is a legitimate necessity, and that it is the responsibility of all, it is a legitimate necessity to preserve religion, self, honor, mind and money, and a human need because human life is not compatible with corruption.

Since the scholars are the heirs of the prophets, they are the first people to assume the task of reform. Therefore, none of the Islamic eras was without these reformed scholars. Since the fields of reform are numerous and different in different areas of life, there are many visions and methods of reform. There are those who turn to political reform on the grounds that the political authority is the one who has the will to bring about change in the desired direction. There are those who turn to economic reform on the grounds that it is the most common in societies and the greatest danger to people’s lives, and there are those who turn to educational reform on the grounds that a person is either a corrupter, as God Almighty said through the angels on the authority of Adam - peace be upon him: “And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels, "Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority. “They said, "Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we exalt You with praise and declare Your perfection? “He [Allāh] said, "Indeed, I know that which you do not know." [6]

The one who studies the biography of our Messenger Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, finds that he took great care in raising his companions. He, peace and blessings be upon him, remained thirteen years in Mecca calling them to unite God Almighty, and educating them by purifying their belief from polytheism, modifying their behavior, and ordering them to be patient and enduring harm, to prepare them to carry out the mission of carrying the call and conveying it to the worlds. Hence, it can be said that educational reform is the basis for the well-being of societies.

Al-Faruqi - may God have mercy on him - was one of those who approached this approach and saw that reforming the thought is the way to advance this nation, so he turned to reforming the thought and reforming the educational system. In this paper, God willing, the features of this thought will be explained.

[1] Surah Al Imran, Verse 104

[2] Surah Al Imran, Verse 110

[3] Surah Hud, verses (116 - 117)

[4] Surah Hud, Verse 88

[5] Sunan al-Tirmidhi: The Book of Fitnah, Chapter on Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil

[6] Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 30