Being Muslim in a Morally Relative World: The Dilemma of Contemporary Polarized Pakistani Society

Cover Half Title Series Page Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Contents Introduction Notes Chapter 1: Morality and System of Values Morality, Ethics, and Conscience Morality in Traditional Civilizations Morality in Non-Semitic Races Relativism in Ancient Greeks Semitic Religions Fundamental Agreements between the Classical Traditions Regarding the Concept of Man and Morality Notes Chapter 2: Islamic Value System Islamic Value System: Absolute and Divine The Pre-Islamic Morality of Arabs The Concept of “Good” and “Evil” in the Qur’an and Sunnah Qur’an as the Source of Morality Some Terms in the Qur’an for Elaborating “Good” and “Evil” Salih Taqwa Birr Ihsan Sayyi’at Adl Fasad Maruf and Munkar Sunnah as the Source of Morality Conclusion Notes Chapter 3: Man: A Spiritual and Moral Self Spirituality: The Real Dignity of Man Ammanah and the Free Will Servitude to Allah: the Sole Purpose of Man’s Creation Fitra: The Innate Sense of “Good” and “Evil” The Debate of “Good” and “Evil” in the Medieval Ages and Foreign Contamination The Non-Philosophical Nature of Arabs The Interaction with Roman and Persian Civilization Mu’tazila Ash‘ariyya The Mainstream Islamic Thought Maturidiyya Al-Ghazali (1058–1111) Conclusion Notes Chapter 4: The Evolution of Modern Thought and Its Impact on Moral Philosophy: From the Renaissance to Postmodern Times Renaissance Reformation: A Revolt against Church The Scientific Discoveries and the Emergence of a New Criterion for Veracity Philosophical Revolution: Liberation from All Orthodoxies Enlightenment and New Collective Ideals Modernity and the Dominance of Eurocentric Secular Value System The Advent of Postmodernism Possibility of Religion in Postmodernism “Human” from Transcendence to Homo Sapiens and the Relative Morality Conclusion Notes Chapter 5: Exploring Moral Relativism: Genealogy, Scope, and Implications Genesis of Moral Relativism Classical Moral Relativism Neo Moral Relativism Aspects of Moral Relativism Descriptive Moral Relativism Cultural Moral Relativism Ethical Non-Realism Ethical Non-Cognitivism Meta-Ethical Relativism Normative Relativism Arguments for Moral Relativism Argument against Moral Relativism Conclusion Notes Chapter 6: Moral Relativism and Contemporary Islamic Discourses Islamic Absolutism vs Moral Relativism Islam: The Inclusive Religion Peaceful Coexistence within the Islamic Paradigm The Modernist Trends within Islam and the Westernization of Values Islamic Modernism: A Reaction to Subjugation or a Prescription for Life Polarization in Islamic Societies and Traditionalist View of the Current Scenario Conclusion Notes Chapter 7: Moral Polarization in Pakistan Polarization: The Dilemma of Muslim Societies in General and Pakistani Society in Particular Case Study by the Method of Survey Sample of the Study Questionnaire for Study Results of the Survey Discussion and Analysis Conclusion Notes Conclusion Recommendations The Real Task Ahead Bibliography Index About the Author