The Implication of Mohammed Arkoun's Political Ethics in the Practical Politics

The Implication of Mohammed Arkoun’s Political Ethics in the Practical Politics Muhammad Azhar Abstract The writing of this article was at least motivated by several reasons: first, Mohammed Arkoun is one of the postmodern/contemporary Moslem scholars (21st century) –after the era of Modernist Moslems such as Abduh and Ridha—who owns authority to re-establish the ‘submerged iceberg’ of the rich potential of Islamic thought. Second, in comparison with other scholars, Arkoun is a Moslem philosopher with the ability to combine “Islamic authenticity” and the broad knowledge of contemporary social sciences. From within his academic visions, he gave birth to the Applied Islamology. Third, Arkoun is a Moslem scholar who experienced a life among two traditions—since his child- hood—Islam (Aljazair) and France (western) that definitely had great influence on his attempt at creating future Islamic study which aims to link many facets of both aforementioned civilizations, whereas at the same time many other Moslem philosophers—with few exceptions— would rather conflict the two instead. Several methodologies presented here include descriptive, historical, comparative and synthetical analysis methodologies. Meanwhile, data gathering is based on library research, covering both the writings of Mohammed Arkoun himself and other writings by different people relevant to this study. Data gathering technique relies on documentation of Arkoun’s works either primary or secondary that contains relevance. All of the resources received thorough review accompanied with data selection. The description process culminates in this written textual Muhammad Azhar. The Implication of Mohammed Arkoun’s Political Ethics in the Practical Politics. Central European Journal of International and Security Studies 12, no. 4: 396–410. © 2018 CEJISS. Article is distributed under Open Access licence: Attribution - NonCommercial 3.0 Unported (cc by-nc 3.0). narration, in accord with data analysis and with its following theories. Based on a philosophical-critical research over all available data, a ver- ifiable conclusion is drawn. In all, the entire processes were conducted in systematic orders, continuous and in certain circumstances, several none-Arkounian views are presented as a point of comparison. Muhammad Azhar Keywords: philosophical approach, siyãsah Islam, theo-humanistic ethics, postmodern islamic study methodology, ushũl as-siyãsah al-mu’ãshirah Introduction Already many articles on siyãsah Islam are written by other research- ers.1 Nevertheless, generally, they don’t focus on the intellectual re- flection over political ethics as Arkoun has proposed. If othersiyãsah Islamic studies tend to be only analytic-descriptive-historic, Ark- oun’s analysis gets down to the core of ethical-political reasoning that has deconstructive-epistemological nature within the scope of such siyãsah Islamic studies. Based on this research, therefore, a philosophical criticism toward Islamic-political thought commonly fall under the hegemony of Political-Islamic discourse (Daulat ilãhiyyah) with idealis- tic-fundamentalist-theocratic pattern can be proposed. 2,3,4 The birth of religious oligarchy or tyranny that seek to secure theocratic authority, are due to the lack of mastering of contextual-inte- grative methodologies in the Islamic field of study and their respective instruments, as well as knowledge of Theo-humanistic ethics. And since there is an absence of any concrete, contextual formulation, a distinct separation between responsibilities within the religious field and responsibilities within political field, conflicts have arisen between scholars who believe in critical freedom and the power that be who often suppresses. Turkey’s secularism experience in the past can serve as a constructive lesson for other Moslem countries. Likewise the negative outcomes of marginalizing politics toward religious values in the west, like what happened in France, and in Indonesia during the New Order era.3 The richness of classical Islamic-ethical thought needs critical review, as well as contextualization with the present situation. Politi- cal-ethical thought model like what Ibnu Khaldun, Fazlur Rahman,4 M. Sa’id al-‘Asymawy,5 and Mohammad Arkoun6 have proposed still seem relevant to receive furtherance and development, especially for the progress of political-ethical thought in Indonesia, which is plural- 397 istic. Pancasila as an ideology has humanistic qualities, within its prin- ciples rest religious values, universality and eternity of humanity, and serve as a symbol of the relevance and significance of the development of Theo-humanistic, political-ethical ideas, through the advancement CEJISS of the religious democratic system. For this, Pancasila ideology must 4/2018 always be maintained as an inclusive ideology, not as an exclusive ideology instead. The same goes for apologetic political studies that seen in various Sunni and Shia literature, along with the use of positivis- tic reasoning of some of the orientalist philosophers, which are due for critical re-evaluation. Various methodologies under the scope of Islamic Studies and study of politics should remain open for critical and academic assessment throughout the history. From the above focus of research, the author felt the deep urgency for an attempt of reconstructing Islamic understanding through the use of academic reasoning instead of ideological-political-theocratic reasoning. From here a new political-ethical thought can be brought to existence. New Islamic-political ethics cannot be developed on the base of old Islamic Studies’methodologies but should arise from the foundation of a new scientific-Islamic methodology called Postmodern Islamic Study Methodology. Based on such methodology establishment of a Theo-humanistic political ethics can receives differentiation from the theocratic-political ethics and the humanistic a sich. From a practical political point of view, this paper will reveal that the broad knowledge of Ark- oun’s political ethics is generally still within the discursive border, not yet be aiming at the field of practical politics. In other words, research- ers on Arkoun’s political ethics are limited to individual ethics, instead of covering social, procedural and institutional political ethics already. In this research paper, the author too would like to propose an ur- gent appeal to formulate ushũl as-siyãsah al-mu’ãshirah, with a touch of Theo-humanistic color through a concept of religious democracy, as a scientific contribution to the contemporary political study in Islamic world. Generally speaking, the writing of this article will surely have some implications, both philosophically, theoretically and in praxis. In ac- cordance with the formulation of the problem, the research is more concentrated on the field of ethics (read: thought) of Islamic politics, with the focus of study revolves around the vision of Mohammed Ark- oun on political ethics, viewed through philosophical and historical approach. 398 Applied Islamology as the Foundation of Political Ethics Philosophically, Arkoun’s political ethics and reasoning lie on the foundation of his own Applied Islamology theory, which in principle aims no to negate differing methods of many Islamic studies, but rather tries to be comparative in nature, while maintaining scientific cooperation The Implication with multidisciplinary Islamic study model. Applied Islamology also of Mohammed does not assume itself as the only correct methodology and remains Arkoun’s Political open towards scientific critique. To Arkoun, Islam is not a lifeless mat- Ethics ter or abstract ideas but is widely influenced by historical, sociological contexts and as such. Therefore, every intellectual product of Islamic thought – including any of its derivation in political field – is very limited to a certain epistemological frame. To Arkoun, Islamic study for the next era should employ contemporary episteme in place of Middle Ages episteme. In other words, Arkoun tries to emphasize that Islamic study is supposed to not only centered on substance or material texts (content analysis) but is also capable of perceiving both the contexts and historical reality as well as a mental limitation (logocentrism) prev- alent during the Middle Ages. 7 Future Islamic studies – including sub-Islamic political studies – should not revolve around the formative era of Islam (early Islamic pe- riod) or reforming Salafiah era only, but should also elaborate on the later phenomena of reformative ideas. In Arkoun’s perspective in his Applied Islamology, there is a conviction that every intellectual tradi- tion must be accompanied by two things: the unthought-of and the un- thinkable. Meaning, the study of Islamic politics can always be renewed or revised, according to the developing socio-historic context. Islamic thought must be liberated from old taboos, mythology, and ideologies born later. In reality, Islamic thought is often convoluted with various stumbling blocks, especially when integrating the “origi- nality” in Islam and principle of modern open-mindedness supported by the change in material-industrial aspects. As regards the relation between Islam and western civilization, one must be able to see that two civilization interacting with each other (Greek, Byzantium, and Arab), does not necessarily mean two opposing fractions per Samuel P. Huntington’s explanation. For this, a compre- hensive re-evaluation on the relationship between Islamic and modern

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