A two-day international conference on Islam and modernity, held at the Islamic University, reached the conclusion that Islam is compatible with science and technology, and Islamic faith has no difficulty with science.
It also made a plea that Muslims must understand how far the new insights into the nature of social structure could be accommodated in the basic Islamic faith since difficulties arose in perception of Muslim theologians to understand changes in social structure.
This was the gist of the address of Rector, Islamic University and Dr Manzur Ahmad at the concluding session of international conference at the Islamic University, here on Friday. In articulating the theme on Islam and modernism the Rector stated Muslims should develop a new discourse to understand the sacred text.
In this regard, he quoted the example of early years of Islam. At that time the Muslims welcomed Greek logic and developed a very systematic doctrine to assimilate new scientific thoughts. Similar to the early experience, Muslims must, in this present age, find whether alternative systems would relate to classical deductive system, yet also reflect our accommodation with them in the basic Islamic faith.
He added that Muslims ought to deviate from the methodology used by classicists and develop a new logical approach towards plurality of modern discourse. Speaking at the conference, Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed stated that it was time for Muslims to rethink their strategy towards other nations.
The Senator suggested that Muslims stop blaming others for their own mistakes and misfortunes. But shoulder responsibilities in working for the emergence of a peaceful world. He agreed that Muslims are attacked by their opponents; still they have a responsibility to build a better future for themselves and their children.
Another speaker, Professor Khurshid Ahmed, said in spite of differences between the Muslims and other faiths there exists space for tolerance between them, and therefore, Muslims have a duty to come forward and engage in a meaningful dialogue with others.
In this regard the Islamic University had created a good environment for furthering scholasticism as a step towards promoting inter-faith dialogue and understanding between different faiths. IIU President Dr Anwar Hussain Siddiqui spoke over his university's role in scholarly exchange of opinions and views.
Another scholar, Dr Mumtaz Ahmed, Executive Director Iqbal International Institute for Research and Dialogue (IIIRD) said 'our dissatisfaction with the prevailing confusion, in Pakistan as well as the rest of the Muslim world, in truly understanding Islam and modernity had been the main reason for arranging the conference.
He believed that the time had come for critical re-examination of the nature of the debate on Islam and modernity as well as to understand the ideological-political purposes behind this question.
Ms Tamara Sonn, Dr Pervaz Hoodbhoy, Dr Zafar Ishaq Ansari, Noman-ul-Haq, Dr Muhammad Farooq Khan, Aasim Sajid Akhtar, Khaled Ahmed, Salman Sayyid, Misbah Saboohi, Asad Farooq, Suroosh Irfani, M Shahid Alam and Dr Khalid Masud, spoke on the need for visiting Islamic teachings that advocate for harmony among followers of diverse religions. Essentially, Islamic values were not in conflict with other faiths and we should revive this spirit of coexistence as it existed in the past.