For Consideration of the Muslim Elite for World Peace A Proposal

Institutionalisation of Epistemological, Social, Ethical, Economic and Political Guidance Available in the Qur‘an

Abstract

This article aims at sharing guidelines, based on the holy Qura’n, for the importance of institutionalization as there is no other option. The chief cause of decline of Muslim societies has been ignoring of the transformation of the teachings of Qura’n into functioning epistemological, social, economic, political, intellectual, educational and cultural institutions as they were implemented by the Messenger Hazrat Muhammed (peace be upon him) in the societies of Makkah and Madinah. Quoting what Jamaluddin Afghani has seen the beginning of the inevitable process of intellectual and political modernization already starting under the western colonial powers, and suggested that i) the ulema should be trained in modern sciences; ii) state must be based on Law not on monarchy or dictatorship; iii) for the purpose of legislation all rational instruments (including ijtihad) and for any problem sources of legal injunctions available in all schools of fiqh should be used; and iv) Ulama are those who not only have knowledge but are also capable of changing peoples’ minds with that knowledge.