Islamic Rationalism: A Critical Evaluation of Harun Nasution’s Thought

Islamic Rationalism: A Critical Evaluation of HarunNasution’s Thought

Author: Mohd Suhaimi Ishak

Publisher: IIUM Press

ISBN: 978-967-5272-45-5

Pages: 210 pp

Year: 2009

Weight: 0.3kg

Price: RM45.00

Harun Nasution is an important name in thereformation of religious thought in Indonesia. His idea of reformation inreligious thought is by introducting a new theology known as Islamicrationalism modeled along the lines of the classical rational thought ofMu’tazilah. His approach via education had to a certain extent exertedconsiderable influence on the development of contemporary religious thoughtparticularly at IAIN (Institut Agama Islam Negeri or State Islamic ReligiousInstitute). This book examines the theology of Islamic rationalism, as promotedby Harun Nasution, as the only means to change the attitude of Muslims. HarunNasution believes that the cause of the backwardness of Muslims is thelogicalin nature and thus can be resolved by the introduction of a new theology calledIslamic rationalism. Harun Nasution’s rationalism focuses on the relationshipof human reason to human action, that is, while God gives the capacity, man hasthe freewill to determine the shapes and forms of his actions. A new system ofvalues under a new theology in Islam is needed to enable Muslims to understandand interpret their environment and act accordingly. The book also examines theimpact of Harun Nasution’s Islamic rationalism in religious education at IAIN and the great influence theology had sofar exerted in the development of intellectual and religious thoughts at IAINin Indonesia.

The book concludes that while Harun Nasution’s idea ofrationalism has strong resemblances to Western liberalism, which presentsitself conducively to the changes and demands of the contemporary world, hisliberalism had opened the door for ideology of suspicion towards anything thatcomes from established doctrines, which can be dangerous and harmful as ittantamount to an absolute skepticism of Islam. Finally, Harun Nasution’sinfluence can be felt by the presence of a large network of liberal thinkerswhose opinions and writings have had tremendous on Muslims in Indonesia.