ISLAM, CIVIL SOCIETY, AND MODERNITY: PUBLIC THEOLOGY AMID CULTURAL NARRATIVE

Abstract

This essay offers a historical and sociological analysis of the Islamic Renaissance in Baghdad and Córdoba, highlighting their significant contributions to the Enlightenment, civilization, and civil society. Using a world-system approach, I explore a post-Eurocentric perspective on the Islamic contribution to the commercial revolution and global capitalism, particularly during the thirteenth century in Egypt. This historical-sociological framework emphasizes the need for a post-Eurocentric stance when acknowledging Islam’s pivotal role in the European Renaissance. I employ the sociology of Islam and its study of modernity, focusing on the Nahda (Islamic Renaissance) and reform movements through an Islamic narrative, rooted in religious sources and intellectual achievements. The intellectual legacy of the debate between Al-Ghazali and Averroes remains a classic example of shaping public theology and its direction. A Muslim public theology marks a significant approach to contemporary issues such as popular sovereignty, religious pluralism, and emancipation, all within the framework of Tawhid (God’s oneness).