Islamic Civilization in Imam Khomeini’s Point of View

Various definitions of civilization fall into four general categories:

1. Definitions that express the nature of civilization;

2. Definitions that make a distinction between culture and civilization;

3. Definitions that elaborate on the causes of civilizations;

4. Definitions that include the conceptual components of civilization.

 

In the following, we will discuss some of these definitions.

 

While separating culture and civilization, the Algerian thinker Malik ibn Nabi considers culture to be the spirit of civilization. His view of civilization is close to theories about man and the methods of realizing his humanity in a given natural environment (time and place).

 

He defines civilization as follows: “Civilization is a set of moral and material factors that enable a society to provide the opportunity for each individual at any stage of life, from childhood to old age to experience growth. Civilization makes human life safe and secure, provides him with the necessary support to meet his individual needs, and protects his national and religious character.”

 

Civilization is a set of software and hardware assets and capitals that are developed and evolved in the light of the innovations and activities of individuals and groups over the past centuries, and are common in all parts of one or more societies that have relations with each other. Take for example the Islamic civilization, Iranian civilization, etc.

 

The Differences between Culture and Civilization

 

Despite the connections and fusion between the two concepts of culture and civilization, one can use them interchangeably in terms of definition and application and outline considerable differences between the two. Some of these differences are as follows:

• Civilization has scientific, objective, technical and intellectual aspects whereas culture has more mental and spiritual aspects.
• Civilization mostly has social aspects whereas culture deals mostly with individuals. Civilization contributes to the progress of humans and society whereas culture, in addition to such contributions, addresses individual development as well.
• Civilization is cumulative and irreversible, but the components of culture are highly transformable and may not accept any excess.

 

Islamic civilization is a religious civilization whose all its components are based on Islam. Due to the existence of this feature, on the one hand, it can be limited to a specific time and defined conceptually because its origin and end are clear, and on the other hand, it covers a wide range of concepts and topics in a manner that it encompasses all the complexities, nuances and universality of Islam as a divine religion. Thus, Islamic civilization has all the characteristics of divine civilization based on the framework of Qur’anic teachings and the tradition of Prophet Muhammad (s), and its components are religion, ethics, science, justice, laws, regulations, religious principles, etc.; as Madinah, the newly founded city by Prophet Muhammad (s) was established based on these pillars and created a civilization based on the teachings of the Holy Qur’an and Prophetic tradition. In that utopia, man, as the “Vicegerent of God,” had serious duties who in the pursuit of “nearness to God” and His pleasure, went through all the stages of growth and transcendence by relying on divine laws and the Prophetic tradition.

 

Islamic conquests led Muslims to carry out jihad to encounter the people of other regions such as Iran, the Levant, North Africa, Egypt and Andalusia. As a result of the expansion of lands and the development of areas under the influence of Islamic rule, most of the components of civilization changed and Islam, with fixed principles and flexible secondary teachings, was promoted in the conquered lands. The result of the fusion of Islam with other cultures of different nations was a valuable civilization that emerged in Madinah but flourished in lands such as Iran, Mesopotamia, Levant, Egypt and Spain.

 

Pillars and Features of Islamic Civilization

 

Islamic civilization, which is a perfect example of religious civilization, has features that distinguish it from other civilizations. Most of these features are in fact Qur’anic teachings. They are as follows:

 

1. Religious Laws:

With a set of religious laws derived from the Holy Qur’an and the teachings of the Prophet (s), Islamic civilization covers all social, political, cultural and economic aspects of the individual as well as the social life in the Islamic society.

 

2. Monotheistic Attitude:

By instilling the attitude “we belong to God and to Him do we indeed return,” the unifying element of monotheism guides the Islamic society, unites all different ethnic groups and nations under the banner of the Unity of God and creates a deep connection between them.

 

3. The Factor of Reason:

Islam is a religion of contemplation and reasoning. The repeated emphasis and advice of the Holy Qur’an on contemplation confirms this claim:

• “Do they not observe the camel, [to see] how it has been created?”
• “And in your souls [as well]. Will you not then perceive?”
• “There are indeed signs in that for a people who reflect.”

 

All these verses call for purposeful thinking asking the man to open the doors of knowledge to himself with deep reflection.

 

4. Science and Knowledge Acquisition:

One of the most important elements that create a good platform for the advancement of society is learning science and acquiring knowledge. Islam, the religion of growth and flourishment, while calling on human societies to develop the epistemological system, invites people to overcome ignorance by acquiring knowledge. Moreover, emphasizing the necessity of learning and acting upon knowledge, Islam praises knowledge-based rationality and considers them a factor involved in the destiny of human civilization.

 

5. Observance of the Rights of the Oppressed and the Downtrodden:

Islam is the religion of justice and equality and opposes arrogance. It determines the strategy of the Islamic society with establishing justice and in the end, promises the rule of the oppressed over the world.

 

“And We desired to show favour to those who were abased in the land, and to make them imams, and to make them the heirs.” (Qur’an 28:5)

 

6. Hijrah (Emigration):

This determining factor, which initially acted as an effective tool in preserving the lives of Muslims living in the early days of Islam, later made a significant impact on Islamic civilization. Being Influenced by emigration, most of the saviours and founders of the great religious or non-religious revolutions, in addition to completing their knowledge and experience, would find the opportunity for a great change available to themselves.

 

7. Tolerance and Leniency:

Islam was introduced to humanity at a time when the world was captivated by religious and ethnic prejudices. Under these circumstances, Islam advised Muslims to abandon monasticism and isolation and introduced the middle way so that an ideal society would be realized. After the expansion of Islamic conquests, a school of thought was promoted which was adapted to the conditions of the time and place, and of course, human instinct.

 

Civilization and its Features in the View of Imam Khomeini (ra)

 

1. The Nature of Civilization and its Meaning:

First of all, it should be noted that there is a fundamental difference in terms of the theory of civilization between the views of Imam Khomeini (ra) and others who have spoken in this category. In his view: “Orientalists have limited civilization only to high-rise buildings, schools, mosques and the like; that is, in a limited and materialistic view. In other words, civilization is limited to material achievements, whereas, in the deep view derived from a special attitude towards man and his interaction with the universe and God, the pious, moral and educated man is also considered an achievement of civilization.”

 

According to Imam Khomeini (ra), any civilization that emerges must be capable of leading human beings towards material and spiritual transcendence. Civilizations should meet the individual and social needs of human societies and strive for the growth and exaltation of human beings.

 

By examining the views and statements of Imam Khomeini (ra), it can be argued that progress is another meaning of civilization. He considers industrial and economic developments which result in the establishment of institutions and construction of new tools, as examples of civilization.

 

This is evident in the following statement of Imam Khomeini (ra): “The Shah accuses you of being against civilization and of living in the past. What is your answer to this? It is the Shah himself who is opposed to civilization, and who is living in the past. For fifteen years I have been persistently advocating, through my proclamations and statements addressed to the Iranian people, the socio-economic growth and development of my country. But the Shah implements the policies of the imperialists and attempts to keep Iran in a backward and retrogressive state.”

 

2. Indices of Civilization:

According to Imam Khomeini (ra), the indices of civilization are religion, law, freedom, the existence of parties, independence and division of social affairs.

 

“Having respect for religion and law, accepting emendations in the bills and yielding to religion and law is a sign of courage and civilization.”

 

Imam Khomeini’s View of Western Civilization

 

Imam Khomeini (ra) has a selective view of Western culture and civilization. Although he has religious approaches and is concerned about the widespread influence of the West in Islamic societies, he tries to take a realistic view of Western civilization. Imam Khomeini (ra) considers Western civilization as a set of factors in which there are both positive and negative aspects. He criticizes the thinkers who are affiliated with the first and second currents, namely the Western-oriented and anti-Western people. In his view, neither of the supporters of these two currents can solve the problems of Islamic societies.

 

Imam Khomeini (ra) also criticizes those who reject Western civilization. In his opinion, this group also hinders the country’s progress by applying strictures and adopting a cautious and negative approach to the achievements of Western civilization. According to Imam Khomeini (ra), the reason for their negative stance does not lie with their stubbornness or lack of interest in the progress of the country, rather, it is rooted in their fear of the spread of vulgar Western culture and colonialism. He believes that “the sense of threat of the spread of the alien culture, particularly the cliché culture of the West had made them deal cautiously with inventions and phenomena. This group was pessimistic about the West due to its colonialist nature such that they were not relying on any aspect of Western civilization. For them, the Western accomplishments were a prelude to imperialist penetration. Thus, they would issue a decree, prohibiting their use.”

 

The Positive Aspects of Western Civilization in the View of Imam Khomeini (ra)

 

Imam Khomeini (ra) acknowledges some positive aspects of Western culture and civilization yet emphasizes that “the West keeps the good things for itself,” and is reluctant to offer them to other countries and even if it does, it would be due to certain reasons.

 

The most important positive aspect of Western civilization in Imam Khomeini’s view is the advances in science, technology and industry, which should be recognized and acknowledged. According to Imam Khomeini (ra), “Islam praises science and expertise and invites Muslims to seek knowledge even if it requires referring to the unbelievers,” and use it to serve the country and Islam.”

 

The Negative Aspects of Western Civilization in Imam Khomeini’s View

 

Lacking Spirituality:

According to Imam Khomeini (ra), the West has progressed only in the material sphere and has only been able to overcome nature and achieve welfare and prosperity by using science and technology; however, it has failed to bring spiritual excellence to man and cannot respond to man’s need for spirituality and morality. “Western countries, even if they can ... go to Mars, they will still be deprived of true happiness, moral virtues and spiritual advancement and be unable to solve their own social problems.”

 

Corruption:

Imam Khomeini (ra) believes that corruption in Western civilization is such that even the Westerners themselves are complaining about it. In his view, Western societies have not only suffered from corruption but also try to promote corruption in Eastern and Islamic societies. He sees a direct link between colonialism and corruption believing that promoting corruption is one of the ways by which the West exploits other nations. By corrupting the Muslim youth, the West is trying to make the youth lose their determination and willpower and occupy them with diversion and time-wasting activities. “When young people often go to the centers of corruption they have created, they gradually become useless and indifferent individuals.”

 

Colonialism:

Imam Khomeini (ra), like other Islamic thinkers, criticizes Western colonization and divides it into political colonization, economic colonization, and cultural colonization. In his view, the latter, which is the most important one, provides the basis for economic and political domination. According to Imam Khomeini (ra), the most important goals of the West in colonizing other countries are: “Expanding the influence and strengthening the foundations of domination, plundering the wealth of nations, controlling strategic areas, finding new markets for selling their goods, etc.”

 

Criticizing the Royal Civilization:

Some of Imam Khomeini’s statements about civilization and Islamic civilization focus on his critique of royal civilization. In his speeches, while strongly criticizing the vision of “Toward the Great Civilization,” he points out the misconceptions about civilization and the weak methods and practices adopted by the Pahlavi regime: “They pushed our culture backward in the name of the great civilization, destroyed our agriculture in the name of progress, and suppressed freedom of the print media and publicity centers in the name of freedom. They bequeathed to us a country in shambles, a country in utter ruins, which has to be rebuilt from scratch.”

 

Islamic Civilization:

In Imam Khomeini’s view, man is a creature that has material and spiritual aspects both of which must be given sufficient attention; both material, as well as spiritual well-being, should be ensured. In his opinion, Islam is a comprehensive religion that covers all aspects of human life and has taken into account the material and spiritual excellence of man. Islam provides man with a system and way of life that addresses both worldly affairs and spiritual excellence. The precepts and teachings of Islam are so complete that they “do not neglect any point which may have a bearing on the growth of man and society as well as their material and spiritual progress. It warns people of all difficulties and obstacles standing in the way of perfection in order to eradicate them.”

According to Imam Khomeini (ra), in order to achieve true perfection, we need to take into account the improvement of livelihood and material well-being, as well as the spiritual excellence of the people of the society.

 

The Superiority of Islamic Civilization:

Imam Khomeini (ra) views Islamic civilization as superior to other civilizations describing its government and spirituality as distinguished and privileged: “The Muslims are those whose greatness once conquered the world. Their civilization excelled all others; their spirituality was of the highest calibre; their officials were the best; the vastness of their lands was greater than all others; the power of their government dominated the world.”

 

Islamic Conquests are In Line with Promoting Civilization:

Believing that the elements of martyrdom and faith and Islam play a key role in the superiority of Islamic civilization over the ancient and advanced civilizations of Rome and Iran, Imam Khomeini (ra) states: “During the establishment of Islamic civilization, Muslims were able to gain the trust of nations with good character and fair virtues, and they did not seek commercialism and utilitarianism - as the colonialists did- rather, they tried to promote ethical codes and the noble idea of monotheism.”

 

Islam Does Not Oppose the New Civilization:

From the point of view of Imam Khomeini (ra), Islam does not reject the new civilization and its manifestations, and the clergies also did the same; however, it opposes corruption, savagery, and misunderstanding the civilization: “Islam has the most advanced of governments and the Islamic government has no opposition to civilization at all. Islam has been among the founders of great civilizations of the world. Any country implementing Islamic laws will be undoubtedly among the most progressive countries of the world.”

 

The Reasons for the Decline of Islamic Civilization:

Imam Khomeini (ra) points to various factors that caused the failures and weakness of Muslims and the superiority of the West over them. One of them is of great significance such that based on Imam Khomeini’s point of view it can be described as the first cause of Muslims’ weakness and failure. Since his system of thought is based on monotheism and religious teachings, he considers that cause as “Muslims turning away from religious teachings.” Factors such as the betrayal of the rulers of Islamic countries, the weakness of Muslims in fighting and confronting the intellectual and political invasion of the West, Muslims’ preoccupation with material concerns, the spread of corruption in Islamic societies, etc. which caused the decline of Islamic civilization, the weakness, division and defeat of Muslims, all are rooted in one fundamental factor, that is to say, neglecting the divine ordinances.

 

Imam Khomeini (ra), on the other hand, considers the division among Islamic nations as the cause of the decline and fall of Islamic civilization believing that the colonialists created two types of divisions among Muslim societies, namely the Shi’ah-Sunni split and the national division among the tribes and ethnic groups inside Iran.

 

“They (the imperialists) saw that with this power, with this unity of the Islamic lands, they could not impose whatever they wanted on them; they could not seize their wealth, their black gold and their yellow gold, so they thought of a solution. The solution was to create division between the Muslim countries.”

 

Reference: The History of Islamic Culture and Civilization [A Quarterly Research Journal]. Vol. 3, No. 9, Winter 2013, Pp. 7-40.

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