A critical study of discourses on Islam and natural law : in terms of interpreting revelation

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Other Title
  • イスラームと自然法に関する諸言説の批判的検討 : 啓示解釈の観点から
  • イスラーム ト シゼン ホウ ニカンスル ショゲンセツ ノ ヒハンテキ ケントウ : ケイジ カイシャク ノ カンテン カラ

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In recent years there is an increasing number of Muslim scholars and Western researchers who discuss harmony between Shari'a and natural law in order to claim that Islam is a defender of human rights or to provide a foundation for coexistence of Islam and other faiths. There are also writers who regard rational thinking of some Muslim theologians and jurists as that of naturalists. Although all these discourses are true in some respects, to what extent is it helpful in explaining Islam to resort to the idea of natural law, which was developed in the West? The phrase of harmony between revelation and reason, for example, is used in two opposite meanings: interpreting revelation rationally, on one hand, and making reason follow revelation, on the other hand. This article addresses questions on Islam and natural law in terms of interpreting revelation, classifying various theories of Islamic natural law into three types: first, a revelation-based one in Sayyid Qutb's writings; second, a reason-based one attributed to Muhammad `Abduh and Rashīd Ridā; and third, a reason-based one advocated by Abdulaziz Sachedina. This article also points out inconsistencies in these discourses. The most important inconsistency is to associate the thought of the Mu`tazilite School with that of modern reformists. This School is well-known for highly appreciating the role of reason. It should be noted, however, that medieval reason was different from modern reason - as far as legal issues are concerned, medieval reason accepted the authority of revelation. This inconsistency suggests what a profound impact Western modernity had on Islam.

Journal

  • 一神教世界

    一神教世界 3 1-13, 2012-03-31

    Doshisha University, Center for Interdisciplinary Study of Monotheistic Religions (CISMOR)

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