Islam as an Alternative(<Special Issue>Islam and Religious Studies)

Abstract

Western civilization, which has been dominant in the modern world, has been subjected to criticism from every quarter of the contemporary world. Among these criticisms, the most conspicuous is criticism from the Islamic world. The author supposes that, behind extremist elements which are striking in terms of their terrorist acts, the majority of Muslims are considering an idea for a new civilization based on Islam. In this article the author attempts to shed some light on conceptions which have been brought up in the Muslim world as an alternative civilization. The subject of this article is, however, limited to introducing and examining ideas of Dr. Nurcholish Madjid, one of the most prominent scholars and most leading figures in the Muslim society of Indonesia, whose influence extends not only to intellectual circles but to the general public, so much so that once it was hoped that he would be a candidate for the presidential election in 2004. In his book, "Religious Society, " he discusses various aspects of society, from a political system to medical ethics. Above all, the bulk of his book is devoted to the discussion of a democratic political system based on Islamic teachings, which may take the place of the Western democratic system.