'Make economic development a priority'

Ijtihad is need of the hour without it Muslims cannot advance in modern world, as socio-economic injustice breeds hatred and extremist ideals in society owing to different interpretation of Islamic injunctions by Muslim world. This was the gist of the papers presented on the second day of International Conference on "Islam and State: Practice and Perceptions in Pakistan and the Contemporary Muslim World", here on Wednesday.
Dr Khaliq Ahmad bin Mohammad from Malasyia called on the Muslim countries throughout the world to make economic development a priority, as in the modern world power does not flow from the barrel of the gun, but through foreign exchange reserves and bank accounts.
He urged Muslims not to remain immersed in debate, but to move on seeking guidance from the Shariah, adding that the Western capitalist model of economy was deficient as circles around wealth at the cost of human well being. Malaysian economic system was aimed at socio-economic development, which looks towards the east, as its long-term goal was to make Malaysians a developed nation in the world by 2020.
Dr Gokhan Bacik, from Turky shed light on the introduction of the religious factor in the national politics on the military intervention in 1997, which made its level best to stem the Islamic movement from a country with more than 90 percent Muslim population. He was of the view that political Islam was a distortion, as in Turkey, the stress was on cultural aspect of religion, ignoring the economic aspect which vital for development in the modern world.
Both religious and formal education not only help in bringing socio-political transformation, but also developing the personalities for understanding economic and spiritual issues in the simplest possible way, he maintained. He went on saying that it was the Muslim bourgeoisie that was leading the change in Turkey. On the other hand the Turkish people tended to understand Islam more in a global perspective rather than nationalist way.
Ms Mustaghfirah Rahaya, a scholarly lady from the largest Muslim country Indonesia while speaking on gender issues in the country comprising over 3,000 islands said that only 14% Muslims favoured the idea of implementing Sharia law in the country. She said that political life was governed by the ideal of Panjshila, their local system of governance.
In the second session Bangladeshi scholar Sajjad-ul-Hoque spoke about Islamic education in Bangladesh, which is exclusively delivered by Madrassas, which are not financed by the government in anyway. The formal education system does not recognise the Madressah graduates, he added.
Dr Mazia S. Motabagami, a scholar from shedding light on Islam and Law in Saudi Arabia remarked that the intellectual bodies were heard in advanced societies of the world, but not in Muslim countries. He described the establishment of Saudi dynasty rule under the teaching of the Wahabi school of thought. However, the Saudi society is undergoing change through the influence of Western education, but this transformation would take a long time with the will of the people.
Ashraf M Salik, Egyptian journalist while explaining assimilation of Jews in the Egyptian society made it clear that they feel well treated as a minority, adding that even after creation of Israel, which has politicised the Jewish diaspora, yet the Egyptian Jews consider themselves as Egyptian national and are not willing to migrate to Israel.
While shedding light on the importance of Ijtihad in the modern day, Chief Justice (Retd) Sheikh Riaz Ahmad said that economic injustice leads to extremism and without Ijtihad Muslims cannot advance in the modern world, therefore it is need of the hour that we will have to open our minds to change.
Martin Axman of HSF called the conference a success as it enabled scholars to exchange views on very important issues being faced by Pakistan. Dr Mumtaz Ahmed, President IIUI, in his remarks said that Islam has not given any detailed blueprint for running the business of the state. It has only given guiding principles, which all governments can incorporate in their system.
Dr Rukhsana Qambar of the Quaid-i-Azam University explained the events leading to the Jasmine revolution in Tunis. Answering a question by Dr Maqsudul Hasan Nuri she explained the civil society was ready for change there though it came rather suddenly. Dr Nuri, Acting President IPRI in his concluding remakes thanked the scholars and audience for making the conference a success. The papers read at the conference will be published in a book shape as well.