"Observe justice as witnesses respectful for God even if it is against yourselves, your parents and relatives" (4:135)

21 In recent times, especially after the Taliban experience in Afghanistan and Sep 11^th 2001, there has been many references in the media and in the language of notable leaders and analysts that Western civilisation's value system is far superior to that of Islam's. Islam is depicted as a system with values incompatible with modern life and human needs in the ^st century and beyond. Yet when we examine the values of materialistic philosophy upon which the current popular wisdom is based and the fundamental principles of Islam according to the Qur'an — not according to what some Muslims might do today — we notice rather a different picture.

In the popular wisdom of materialistic philosophy, social life depends on the notion of 'power'. The powerful rule and the powerful are right. Whatever the powerful do, a rationale is posed to justify the action. The outcome of brute power is the transgression of the rights of weaker individuals and nations. This becomes manifest especially when one is in a position of power. The purpose of existence centres on the idea of personal or national 'benefit'. The 'what's in it for me?' mentality becomes the guiding principle of decision-making. If there is no benefit, the plight of people is ignored. This attitude results in brawl and competition when two or more parties want to take advantage of the same finite 'benefit'. The gathering agent in the popular wisdom of materialistic philosophy is either race or negative nationalism, which leads the person or the group of people to see themselves superior to other races and nations. This attitude justifies the exploitation and the occupation of the other 'inferior' peoples or races. The principle notion regarding life is that 'life is a struggle'. The other is 'out there to get me' is the attitude resulting in personal and social conflict. The purpose of worldly existence is to 'satisfy the self'. The masses are typified as 'consumers'. Marketing is targeted at the insatiable human desires resulting in a cycle of never-ending dissatisfaction and increased dependence on products that one does not really need.^[18]

The result of this popular wisdom has brought material happiness and comfort to a small percentage of the national and world population, while the great masses work and live in undesirable conditions to perpetuate the comfort of the minority elite. After two world wars, the perils of this materialistic worldview have become apparent. In the last few decades, there have been some changes in attitude and rhetoric as a result. However, the evidence suggests that the essential dominance of this mindset is still the norm.

On the other hand, Qur'anic wisdom teaches us something quite different. Social life is dependent on truth and justice, which leads to trust between individuals in a society and the legal system. Trust leads to social unity. The purpose of existence is to recognise and worship God, to reach a level of personal integrity built on virtue and to express these in good works to attain the acceptance and approval of God. This attitude leads to interdependence within a society made up of independent individuals respecting each other's rights. The gathering agent is not race or nationality, but humanity and religion as more universal centres of social gravity leading to a sense of egalitarian brotherhood. The principle motivation in life is to help one another instead of struggle, resulting in peace and harmony in the interpersonal and social spheres. The purpose of worldly life is to reach spiritual contentment while checking the desires of the self through their lawful satisfaction. The outcome of a controlled self and highly developed spirituality is happiness in this world and the next for the majority of people.^[19]

Islamic history bares testimony to the successful application of these principles that brought material and spiritual contentment to a complete society. It is the great society that was the outcome of implementing these fundamental principles of Islam that led H.G. Wells to say in his book 'The Outline of History', "Islam has created a society more free from widespread cruelty and social oppression than any other society had ever been in the world before." Muslims are well aware that the present Muslim societies are distant from some of these principles. They also know that it is practically possible to implement them as was the case in the early society established by the Prophet and thereafter by the Rightly-Guided Caliphs and many other rulers seen in the Muslim history. Therefore, contemporary Muslim populations believe that the solution to their problems lie in the implementation of these fundamental social principles of Islam.

The challenge of Muslims is to have the clarity of thought that it is these fundamental principles that need to be implemented not some of the practices that worked in the past under the circumstances of the day but are no longer effective. Hence, Muslims need to find a workable model that not only meets the needs of today, but also launches Muslim societies well into the future.

[18] Said Nursi, "Words", Soz, 2003, 12^th Word, p 120.
[19] Said Nursi, "Words", Soz, 2003, 12^th Word, p 120