2. Modernization and Rationalization.
According to Madjid, the assumption that modernization, as a phenomenon of
globalization in Muslim society, is simply equivalent to Westernization, can only be
rectified in terms of the essential def~t ionof modernization ia Western civilization. What
should concern Muslims is the question of what are the essential features of the modem West
which are transmissible and can be emulated. As a substantialist, Madjid has claimed that
Muslims should not merely be satisfied with the superficial features of modernity, but must
discover its essence and its basic spirit and be able to make it as their own. He states that the
essence and spirit of modern culture is to be found in man's attitude towards the rational
mode of thinking: science and technology. Since there is no doubt that it is the West that has
made great contributions to the development of the modern sciences and technology,
Muslims need to learn these aspects from the West in order to save time and energy, so that
they need not start again from the beginning. And this ability to access modem science and
technology is a must for contemporary Muslim societies to be able to contribute to the
making of a global world?g In this case, Madjid disagrees with the attitude of Muslim
fundamentalists and other conservative groups who tend to be reactionary, rejecting blindly
mything coming from the West, including these intellectual technicalities." ~ ~ 0antile h ~
Dermenghem, Madjid reminds his readers of the fact that this situation is not foreign to
Mush history. He points out how Muslims in the classical and the medieval periods were
Madjid. Islam, Doktrin dm Perahban, p. 453 and idem, Bilik-Bilk Pesantren* pp. 89-90.
79 Madjid, "Kosmopolitanisme Islam dm Terbentuknya Masyarakat Papyaban:' in M. Nasir
Tamara and Elza PeIdi Taher, eds., Agarno h Dialog, p. 45
Madjid, Islarn, Kemudemru, &n Keindonesiaan, p. 86 and idem, Tradisi r~lt~tt8,p3..
"Fathimah, Chapter 11, ," 74
truly open-minded and eagerly learned and transformed foreign knowledge through their
contacts with the Jews, Greeks and Persians. Because of this they experienced success and
power along the lines of what the modem West has accomplished in the present day?
Therefore, if Muslims are seriously in need of acquiring or regaining the success they had in
the past, they need to develop a positive and creative attitude toward the very basis of modem
scientific achievement, which is rational thinking as exemplified in the form of science and
technology. After all, Islam itself contains doctrines which either implicitly or explicitly
encourage the use of reason and rational modes of thought. Indeed, it was the spirit of the
Qur'Tm and the Sunna that inspired the earlier Muslims to transform and reformulate the
intellectual heritage of pn-Islamic civilization.= As we saw Madjid imply previously,
Muslims only need to place more emphasis on how to use these inteliectual tools for better
and more ethical gods than has been the case in the West.
As has been stated above, the essence of modernity is rationality. According to
Habermas. rationality as a clear concept of modemity was first developed by Hegel (1770-
1831); thus he suggested that one should return to Hegel if one wants to understand more
deeply the internal relationship between modernity and western rationalitym However, such
- - - " Madjid. Islam, Dobin dan Perahban, pp. xliv and 133; and idem, "KosmopoIitanisme
Islam," p. 43. Seee also Denaeng h-eMm, ond the Islamic Tradition, trans. by Jean M. Watt
(New York: Harper and Brothers, ad), p. 87; and Esposito, The Islamic Threat: Myth or Reality
(Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1995), 2nd edition, p. 34.
There an many places in the Qur'h and m hind icating this spirit, such as Q 822; 58: 11 ;
3:191: 12: 11 1; 3: 137. Madjid also mentions in many places the prophetic traditions (bdnhs):
"@kmcrh (wisdomis) t he lost treasurr of the believers, so whoever among them h d i t, they should
take it," and "Pursue the knowledge even though it is in China," and "Pay attention to what someone
says, not to who says that," etc. See Madjid, Islam, Kcmodernon don Keindimesilran, pp. 275 and
299; idem, Is& Doktrin dnn Pcra&ban, pp. ciii. 13 1 and 474; and idem. Tradisi Islom, pp. 35-36.
" Hitbermas, The Philosophicat Diccocuse of Modernity, pp. 4-5. In HegeIian perspective, the
concept of modernity is used in its historical context.
"Fathimah, Chapter ll, " 75
an historical relationship between modernity and Western rationality is not determinant.
Weber's notion of modernity, for instance, as Habermas points out, detaches the relationship
between modernity and the historical context of Occidental rationalism," so that the process
of modernization can no longer be conceived of as rationalization in the traditional Western
sense. As Habennas writes:
The theory of modernization performs two abstractions on Weber's concept
of "modernity." It dissociates 'hodernity" from its modem European origins
and stylizes it into a spatio-temporally neutral model for processes of social
development in general. Furthermore, it breaks the internal connections
between modernity and the historical context of Western rationalism, so that
processes of modernization can no longer be conceived of as rationalization,
as the his toricd objectification of rational s tr~ctures.~
Apparently, Madjid reduces the meaning of rationality by making use of Weber's and
Bellah's concept rather than Hegel's and Habermas's. He points out that rationality in the
Weberian sense has no necessary connection with rationalism in Western philosophical
tradition. Rationalism in the modern Western tradition carries with it a belief in the absolute
power of human reason that can lead to the attainment of Absolute Truth without external
influence from God or religious convictions?" From Weber's point of view, however.
rationality is the Zweckrrationatitat, meaning the rationality of means and ends. The end
which Weber seems to discern as dominant in the modem world is man's ability to control
For analytical and illuminating studies on Weber's view of Western rationalism, see
Schluchter, Thc Rise of Western Rationa1ism;and Ralp Schroeder, Max Weher and the Socidogy of
Culture (London: Sage Publications, 1992).
8s See Habermas, The Philosophical Discourse of Modernity, p. 2; Weber, Thc Protestant Ethic,
p. 24; and Schluchter, The Rise of Westen Rationalism, p. 3.
as Madjid, Islam, Kernodeman dm Kelndonesiaun, p. 181. See also Samuel Huntington,
Political Order in Changing Societies (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1968). p. 99.
"Fathimah, Chapterll," 76
nature and society." However, unlike the traditional theory of Western rationality, this
theory implies a nomtional dimension in the sense that human reason cannot be said to have
total and absolute power that would enable it to understand the prevalent nonrational
elements in nature and society." This approach is also employed by fimile Durkheim and
Talcott Parsons, of whom Bellah says in great appreciation that:
mhe fact that these three great non-believers [Weber, Durkheim, and
Parsons], the most seminal minds in modem social science, each in his own
way ran up against nonrational, noncognitive factors of central importance to
the understanding of human action, but which did not yield readily to any
available conceptual resources, is in itself a fact of great significance for
religion in the twentieth century."
Following these thinkers, Madjid explains that modernization involves the
systematic, sustained and purposeful application of human energies to the 'rational' control
of man's physical and social environment for various human purposes. He uses the adjectives
purposeful, systematic, and sustained because, to his mind, it is quite obvious that the process
of rationalization as such began Long before the 'modem age' and is almost coextensive with
recorded humm history."
Therefore. for Madjid. the meaning of modernization can be said to be analogous
with the meaning of rationalization, which is "a process of transformation from irrational old
modes of thinking and activity to rational ('aqlaa) and new modes so as to obtain their
" Weber, The Protestant Ethic, p. 5 1. See also Schmeder. Max Weber and the Sociology of
Culture* pp . 1 1 3-1 14.
Bellah, Beyond Belid pp. 4-8 and 239-240.
" Ibid.. p. 240. See also Parsons, The Sociat System mew York: The Free Press, 1951) and
Durkheim, The Elementary F m of t he Religious we, trans. by Karen E. Fields (New York: The
Free Press, 1995).
" Madjid. hlam Kemodemn dnn Keindonesiaan, pp. 473475;idem, Tmdisi ilsslurn, pp. 84-85.
"Fathimah, Chapter 17," 77
effectiveness and efficiency at a maximum level for the purpose of achieving man's
happiness."" This transformation was applied long ago when Islam was brought by the
Prophet Muhammad who urged it on his Companions (afhlib),b ut then it was cormpted in
later developments. It is in this context that Muslims must try to revive the basic religious
liberating principle that rationalization represents. Impressed by the philosophical depth and
dynamism of Ibn Taymiyya and his great appreciation of the salaf as ones who were logically
as well as historically the most knowledgeable of all people in the field of Islamic doctrines,
Madjid writes:
To open oneself to religious truths as they are expressed in the sacred texts
is natural for man, since it is the dictation of his ownfipa. It is also rational,
because reason (Caql) is human instinct (gharBa) which arises frornfipa.
Since religion is said in the Holy Book to be a kind of fipa, religious
principles are always rational, and what is rational should by its nature
conform to nligion."
Madjid also repeats many times Bellah's discussion of this pre-modern application of the
intended meaning of rati~nalization?D~a wam Rahardjo, in an attempt to set Madjid's ideas
in context, has emphasized this point. He adds that Madjid's perception of modernization
and rationalization seems to be in Line with that of Wilbert Moore who sees modernization
Madjid explains broadly the discourse on the history of philosophy and religion, the struggle
betwan religion and science (reason). See his Istam, Kernodeman dan Keindonesiaan, pp. 264-266;
and idem. Islam, Doknt, don Peradaban, pp. xxviii-xlviii.
92 Madjid, 'Ibn Taymiyya on Kalh and Falsafia: A Problem of Reason and Revelation in
Islaw Ph. D. dissertation, University of Chicago (June I984), p. 221 and 88.
Madjid, Islam, Doktn'n dnn Peraditban, pp. xxv and 455; idem, Ishurt, Kernodeman dm
Keindorzesiaan, p. 63; idem, "Suatu Tatapan Islam terhadap Masa Depan Politik hdonesh," in
Prism, no. ekstra, year I3 (I984), pp. 19-20; idem, Kaki kutgit Peradaban Islam, pp. 138 and 143.
See also Bellah, Beyond Belie$ p. 15 1.
"Fathimah, Chapter I&" 78
as the rationalization of social structures."
Madjid further hints that the process of modernization can be accomplished through
the use of scientific method. Again, following Weber and contrary to the traditional Western
paradigm, he insists that science with its rational character is not in opposition to religion.
In his theory, science constitutes a product of human understanding of the objective law that
controls nature, which is itself the law of God (Sunnat All& orfipah). In fact, as Weber
argues, science can lead humans to the true nature of being and is 'a way to God', just as
modernization consequently can be said to be a process of thinking and doing according to
the law of God and a means toward approaching God." Therefore, Madjid stresses that
becoming modern is indeed the fulfilment of God's commands and precepts, as shown in
such Qur'bic verses as 10: 101; 45:13; 2: 170; 43:22-25, etc. Modernization is consequently
an obligaton for a Muslim. Furthermore, to become modem, Muslims are absolutely obliged
to how better and understand properly the Qur'iin and the Sunnn of the Prophet in which
the commands of God an formulated.% Moreover, Madjid argues that since a human being's
understanding of the objective principles of the universe cannot be acquired conclusively,
comprehensively, and simultaneously, but only temporarily, comparatively, and gradually
from time to time, the process of becoming modern, consequently, is also a progressive and
dynamic process. Accordingly, this would imply a certain presumption that the word
'modem' or 'traditional' has a relative meaning and possesses an ontological rather than
RBhardjo, ''ISIaxn dan Modernisasi: Catatan atas Paham Sekularisasi Nunholish Madjid," a
preface of Madjid, Islam Kernodeman don Keindonesiaan, p. 28.
" Madjid. Islam, Kernodeman dan Keindonesiaun, pp. 143, 175-176. See also Weber, The
Protestant Ethic, p. 180.
% Madjid, Islam, Kemodem don Keindonesiaan. pp. 172-173.
"Fathimah. Chapter ll. " 79
chronological sense. Thus, what precedes should not necessarily be regarded as more
traditional than what comes later and vice versa. Also, it is limited by time and space in the
sense that something that caa be called modem at acertain time, can be traditional at another
time, just as modernization and traditionalization in a society may actually occur
simultaneously and even compIement each other?
It is important to note that in terms of the core meaning of modernization in the above
sense, Muslims should learn that modernization is in no way contradictory to the basic tenets
of Islam. Following the Weberian sense of rationalization. Madjid insists that the ody
existence with a permanent attribute of modernity is Allah as the Absolute Truth, and that
modernity canies within itself the capacity to adopt different forms of relative truths in order
to acquire the Absolute and Ultimate Truth. Based on this argument, Madjid criticizes any
claim, such as that of the fundamentalists, to the effect that human truth is the absolute
Therefore, it is important to keep in mind that rationalization in Madjid's framework,
as explained above, does not have the same sense as it does in the traditional Western
conception, where its philosophical implication leads it into such extnme forms as atheism
or communism. Rationalization in his definition will in fact increase religious ~ommitment.~
Madjid, Islam, Kernodeman h a Keindonesim, p. 174.
Madjid, Islam. Kernodeman dan Keirtdonesim, p. 174.
Madjid, Islam Kemodem h Keindonesiclcm, pp. 149450; idem, Tmdisi lsiam, p. 86.
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