This paper briefly describes the Post Modernism philosophy, introduces the work of its key proponents, provides a critical appraisal of Post Modernism thought and finally it compares the Post Modernism philosophy with philosophical heritage of Islamic faith and civilization and recommends ways to cope up with the challenge of post modernism.Post Modernism, Sociology, Philosophy, History, Islamic Civilization, Modernism, Enlightenment, Globalization

Shaikh, Salman Ahmed

English

Research Papers in Economics

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w w w w w w . . i is s l l a a m mi i c c e e c c o o n no o m mi i c c s s . . v v i i v v i i t ti i . . c co o m m           
 
Introduction 
 
Postmodernism refers to a cultural, intellectual, and artistic state lacking a clear central 
hierarchy  or  organizing  principle.  It  embodies  extreme  complexity,  contradiction, 
ambiguity and diversity. It is a reaction to modernism, but it is not a different ideology 
from modernism in every sense. It is critical of few ideas of modernism and it proposes 
emancipation from oppression manifested in culture, language, laws, customs, religion 
etc.  Eclecticism  and  freedom  of  expression,  in  reaction  to  the  rigidity  and  aesthetic 
limitations of modernism, are the hallmarks of the postmodern thought. 
 
Deconstruction is a term which is used to denote the application of postmodern ideas of 
criticism, or theory, to a "text" or "artifact". A deconstruction is meant to undermine the 
frame of reference and assumptions that underpin the text. Postmodernism philosophy is 
also critical of Enlightenment universals. Postmodernism philosophy asserts truth doesn’t 
exist in any objective sense but is created rather than discovered.” The postmodernists 
have given a new secular trinity of tolerance–diversity–choice.  
 
Postmodernism supports a "a new kind of superficiality" or "depthlessness", in which 
models which once explained people and things in terms of an "inside" and an "outside" 
(such as hermeneutics, the dialectic, Freudian repression, etc have been rejected. Post Modernism ideas appear to have been conducive to, and strongly associated with, 
the feminist movement, racial equality movements, gay rights movements and even the 
peace movement, as well as various hybrids of these in the current anti-globalization 
movement. 
 
The infrastructure that supported Post modernism includes the ubiquity of mass media 
and mass production, the unification into national economies of all aspects of production, 
the  rise  of  global  economic  arrangements,  and  shift  from  manufacturing  to  service 
economies. By literary critic Fredric Jameson and the geographer David Harvey it was 
described  as  consumerism  or,  in  a  Marxian  framework  as  late  capitalism:  namely  a 
context where manufacturing, distribution and dissemination have become exceptionally 
inexpensive, but social connection and community have become more expensive. Other 
thinkers assert that post modernity is the natural reaction to mass broadcasting and a 
society conditioned to mass production and mass politics. Artifacts of post modernity 
include  the  dominance  of  television  and  popular  culture,  the  wide  accessibility  of 
information and mass telecommunications. 
 
Closely  related  with  Post  Modernism,  the  consumerism  philosophy  asserts  that  in 
consumer  culture,  a  consumer  should  constantly  focus  on  ‘‘trivial’’,  ‘‘ephemeral’’, 
‘‘superficial’’  and  ‘‘essentially  worthless’’  activities  and  goals,  instead  of  significant, 
everlasting  and invaluable divine ends. This explains why hedonism and  gratification 
become important in modern consumerism. 
   
Thinkers of Post Modernism Philosophy 
 
Michel  Foucault  asserts  that  "Language  is  oppression".  He  says  that  language  was 
developed to allow only those who spoke the language not to be oppressed. All other 
people that don't speak the language would then be oppressed. He is also critical of all 
types of systems and institutions including the institution of family. He is in favor of 
sexual freedom and permitting homosexuality and Incest.   
 Jean-François Lyotard opposed universality and generality. Francis Fukuyama argues in 
his book "The End of History" that we have achieved a divide and independence from 
past and history. Tofler thinks of Post Modernism as a ‘Future Shock’. Fraam argues 
against  consumerism  and  late  capitalism  in  “The  sane  Society”.  Marcuse  in  “One 
Dimensional Man” is very pessimistic about the future of the secular society after it has 
even though achieved remarkable milestones in science. 
  
Criticism on Post Modernism 
Criticisms of the Post Modernism can broadly be classified into following categories:  
1.  Criticisms from people who criticize Modernism besides Post Modernity. 
2.  Criticisms from supporters of Modernism.  
3.  Criticism from within Post Modernity. 
4.  Criticism from those who believe that Post Modernity is a passing, and not a 
growing, phase in social organization. 
 
Critics of Modernism and Post Modernism 
 
Many  philosophical  movements  reject both  Modernity  and  Post  Modernity  as  useful. 
Some of these are associated with cultural and religious conservatism. They view Post 
Modernism as an allied movement to Secularism. Post Modernity is seen as a rejection of 
basic spiritual or natural truths, and the emphasis on material and physical pleasure is 
explicitly  a  rejection  of  inner  balance  and  spirituality.  Here,  religious  conservatives 
mainly  include  non-Islamic  thinkers  as  Muslins  scholars  are  yet  to  focus  on  Post 
Modernity and its impacts.  
However, this criticism sometimes result not merely from a faith in traditional authority 
but rather from a reasonable belief in the disjunction that objective knowledge must be 
either obtainable in all domains, or obtainable in no domain. Then from the fact that such 
domains as physics and chemistry are not seriously taken to be subjective or relative in 
any meaningful sense by most of Post Modernity; it follows that ethics, politics, and the 
good life in general are not relative or subjective either. This view has been mentioned by 
Allan Bloom. Christian  writers  tend  to  look  at  the  postmodernist  era  as  ideologically  agnostic  and 
replete with moral relativism or situation ethics. Josh McDowell & Bob Hostetler offer 
the following definition of postmodernism: “A worldview characterized by the belief that 
truth doesn’t exist in any objective sense but is created rather than discovered. Truth is 
created by the specific culture and exists only in that culture. Therefore, any system or 
statement that tries to communicate truth is a power play. It is an effort to dominate other 
cultures.”  
 
One of America’s premier Christian leaders, Dr. James Dobson, sees Post Modernism as 
a system of thought that negates moral certainty. He says that 'Post Modernism' refers to 
a philosophy or mindset that rejects the value of rational thought, denies the existence of 
moral and spiritual absolutes, and affirms the right and power of the individual to invent 
his  or  her  own  'reality.'  This  way  of  thinking  is  incompatible  with  the  Christian 
perspective because it denies the existence of a truth that is valid for all people at all 
times.  In  other  words,  it  rejects  the  claims of  the Gospel  on  principle, without  even 
granting it a hearing." 
Roslyn  Wallach Bologh &  Leonard Mell (1994) argue that the postmodern theory
 of 
language constitutes a form of nominalism that parallels
 the nominalism of speculative, 
monetarist capitalism and that
 postmodernism's understanding of language as a "play of 
power"
 corresponds to the political realism of contemporary international
 relations. This 
metatheory  of  postmodernism  helps  to  undermine
  the  development  of  any  rational 
alternative to contemporary
 political economy and the current world disorder.
  
Criticism of Post Modernism by Pro-Modernists 
James Fowler argues that Post Modernity is characterized by the "loss of conviction", and 
Grenz concurs by saying that Post Modernity is a period of pessimism contrasting with 
modernity's optimism. Post Modernism is a counter enlightenment philosophy whereas 
modernism is a pro-enlightenment philosophy.   Jürgen Habermas argues that without both critical and rational traditions, society cannot 
value the individual, and that social structures will tend towards totalitarianism. He favors 
universalism as the fundamental requirement for any rational criticism, and to give it up 
is to nullify the liberalizing reforms of the previous two centuries.  
Criticism of Post Modernism by Post Modernists 
David Foster Wallace argues that the trend towards more and more ironic and referential 
expression has reached a limit, and that a movement back towards "sincerity" is required. 
Few also propose that religion can not be ignored completely and hence religion is here 
to stay and must not be utterly discouraged and opposed. They propose that religion must 
be accepted as a stakeholder to keep the balance in a Post Modern society.  
Critics of Post Modernism’s Future and Lasting Impact  
Finally, there are critics of Post Modernism who believe that Post Modernity is a passing, 
and not a growing, phase in social organization. Bernard Smith (1998) argues that `Post 
Modernism' is unlikely to survive as a general
 description of contemporary culture in 21
st 
century.  
Muslim Thinkers on Modernism and Post Post Modernism 
S.  Irfan  Habib  (2000)  in  his  article  “Reconciling  science  with  Islam  in  19th  century 
India”  gave  an  account  of  two  Muslim  thinkers.  He  regarded  
Syed  Ahmad  as  a  re-constructionist  who  tried  to  reinterpret  the  Quran  to  assimilate 
modern scientific knowledge. He commented on Afghani as a pragmatist who stood for 
the cultivation of modern sciences, but did not approve of the aping of the West. He 
criticized the ulema for the strange divide they had created between Muslim science and 
European science.  
 
 
 Islamic Perspective on Post Modernism  
 
Critical Analysis of Consumerism 
 
Consumption may be viewed in two ways. The first is concerned with satisfying basic 
needs, and thus in this sense it can be regarded as ‘‘natural’’ and ‘‘legitimate’’; although 
it is a mundane matter, not related to other-worldly activity. In the second perspective, 
consumption may be viewed as a matter of gratifying desires and wants through luxury 
and  unnecessary  services  and  goods,  that  is,  consumerism.  The  first  sense  can  be 
accepted within most religious boundaries, but the second form of consumption does not 
appear to have religious legitimacy nor to be ethically convincing, appearing far removed 
from religion’s serious, significant, profound and lasting messages. 
 
WTO legalizes the western objective to dilate western supremacy over the third world 
countries. Even though some interpreted it as a clash of civilization or even clash of 
religions,  but  it  is  not  true.  After  renaissance,  religion  in  west  has  virtually  lost  its 
prominence especially in Western Europe and Scandinavia. More effectively put, it is a 
clash of classes i.e. rich and poor.  
 
Developing countries are denied gains from comparative advantage in agriculture through 
export  subsidies  provided  by  developed  countries  to  their  comparatively  inefficient 
agriculture sector. This creates unemployment and poverty in the developing economy. 
Eventually,  a  developing  country  will  have  to  submit  itself  before  the  international 
financial institutions which are able to exert extraordinary influence in the developing 
economy. Therefore, the role of IMF, World Bank, WTO and the adaptation of Structural 
Adjustment Program  and  Free-Float exchange rate system  are all interrelated in their 
objectives to dilate the supremacy of developed world over developing countries.    
Challenge of Post Modernism: The Islamic Perspective 
History does not  give us a regular pattern of human struggle towards a just and fair 
political, social and economic setup as described by Marx. Kant also did not tell when we will be able to say that we are living in an enlightened age. These views of Marx and 
Kant  were  more  relevant  to  Europe  only.  Muslim  world  provided  a  socially, 
economically and politically just system to the world for at least 50 years in the rule of 
Caliphates. In the period after caliphates too, Muslim world provided most things Kant 
asked for in an enlightened age. 
However, one clear difference has to be appreciated between Muslims and Islam. Most of 
the  laws in  Christianity were  mainly developed  by  humans  themselves  like  St. Paul. 
Therefore, when thinkers of 15th century and afterwards criticized the church and the 
clergy, their criticism was also on religion and it was justified as the Christianity and the 
Clergy were the one and the same thing.  
This  is  not  the  case  with  Islam  and  Muslims.  Islam  was  not  invented  or  created  by 
Muhammad (P.B.U.H). It was the message of God as was Christianity with the difference 
that the divinity of Christianity was obscured and later modified by Christians. Islam as a 
message of God remained pure. However, Muslims as all other human beings have not 
been and are not perfect in their acts and systems. But, the acts of Muslims can not said to 
be representative of what Islam is as Islam was not invented by Muslims.  
Therefore, a distinction is to be made between the Muslims and Islam. Muslims may or 
maybe acting truly on Islam and hence their actions do not determine what Islam is. 
When we study the ‘Pure Islam’, we will find that there is not a single thing in Islam that 
is irrational or unjust. In the following lines, I will just give the brief highlights of Islamic 
teachings which may or may not be truly present or found in Muslim world as Islam is 
the word of God and not how Muslims act and lead their lives. 
The Building Blocks of Islamic Philosophy and Teachings which are viewed as most 
controversial and misunderstood dare briefly summarized hereunder: 
1. Islam gives the following right to women:  
 
a. Muslim women must educate themselves. 
 b. Choose an occupation and earn their livelihood 
 
c. Own a property. 
 
d. Choose their husbands and right to separate from their husbands. 
 
e. Entitlement to ‘Mehr’ (wealth at the start of marriage), ‘wirasat’ (wealth at the death of 
husband, children or father). 
 
f. Islam does not make it obligatory on women to earn for their family. However, they 
can earn for the family and yet they are not obliged to spend their earnings on the family. 
However, men are obliged to spend their earnings on the family and they are made 
responsible for earning the livelihood for their children and wives. 
 
g. Mother must be respected three times more than the father. 
 
h. No man is allowed to have extra-marital relationships with other women. 
 
i. Adultery is a severe crime in Islam. 
 
2. Islam gives following rights to non-Muslims: 
 
a. Non-Muslims can worship at their worship places.  
 
b. No non-Muslim can be forcibly converted to Islam.  
 
c. Muslims believe in all Prophets sent by God including Moses and Christ. 
 
3. Islam’s concept of Jihad 
 
a. Holy Quran says that Jihad can only be for the sake of eliminating injustice.  
b. It is not q fight against non-Muslims. It is fight against injustice. 
 
c. It can only be undertaken as a last resort to eliminating injustice.  
 
d. It can only be undertaken by the government and not by the community on its own. 
 
e. In all great battles of Badr, Uhud, Ihzab etc., Muslims in the leadership of Prophet 
Muhammad (P.B.U.H) fought a defensive war as the war was imposed on Muslims. 
 
f. Jihad can not be for the expansion of the state, against innocents, against non-
combatants, against the contract of peace if it has been signed and it can not be sudden 
and unannounced. So, suicide bombing against civilians is unislamic.  
 
4. Islam concept of equality: 
 
a. All men are equal. No white has superiority over a black. 
 
b. Only Piety and Righteousness are the attributes that will distinguish us before God. 
 
c. No rich has superiority over a poor.  
 
d. All men should have equal chance to earn their livelihood.  
 
e. Interest which results in concentration of wealth is prohibited. 
Responding to Post Modernism: The Islamic Perspective 
1.  Knowledge was the main reason why Muslims fared so well in history for almost 
a millennium. Knowledge is the basis of progress. Greek philosophers regarded 
Knowledge as virtue. Similarly, the west also took lead from east with progress in knowledge. By knowledge, I mean not only the knowledge of religion and its 
related fields, but also the knowledge in sciences including social and technical 
sciences. 
2.  Ijtihad was an important element in Islamic world in heydays. It kept Muslims 
updated and pace with the world. The decline in Muslim civilization resulted from 
refraining from Ijtihad later on. 
3.  Freedom  of  expression  is  necessary  in  Muslim  societies  to  pave  the  way  of 
Ijtihad. In revitalizing the process of Ijtihad, not only the Muslims scholars be 
given  the  chance  to  contribute,  but  the  philosophers  and  experts  of  material 
sciences be given a chance to contribute in Ijtihad.  
4.  The institution of Family system is the basis of the social order in Muslim society. 
Muslims should not lose it at any cost.  
5.  Muslims  should  relate  their  philosophies  with  philosophies  like  Humanism, 
Liberalism, Democracy and show that they are in line with Islamic teachings and 
hence Islam is not opposed to liberty, human rights, women rights, minority rights 
etc. 
6.  The economic teachings of Islam in a period when late capitalism is weakening 
can provide an alternative system to the world economy. 
7.  Extremism as a matter of principle be avoided and non-violence should be the 
strategy in domestic and international politics.  
8.  West has made trade blocs to unite and gain from synergy. Muslims should also 
need to be on one platform so that if future gives them the opportunity to give a 
new system, they can offer the Revitalized and Restructured Islamic thought from 
one platform.  
                      
 
 
 References 
Bernard Smith (1998), The Last Days of the Post Mode, Thesis Eleven, Aug 1998; vol. 54: pp. 1 - 23. 
 
Habib, S. Irfan (2000), Reconciling science with Islam in 19th century India, Contributions  to Indian 
Sociology, Feb 2000; vol. 34: pp. 63 - 92. 
 
Wallach, Bologh & Mell, Leonard (1994), Modernism, Postmodernism, and the New World (Dis)order: A 
Dialectical Analysis and Alternative, Critical Sociology, Jan 1994; vol. 20: pp. 81 - 120. 
Post Modernism, an article at wikipedia. 

Islamic Philosophy and the Challenge of Post Modernism: A Sociological Perspective

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