Role of Education in the Consolidation of Islamic Solidarity

The title is an article by Rana Eijaz Ahmad and Abida Eijaz published in “International Journal of Humanities and Social Science”, Vol. 1, No. 6; June 2011. The following is the full article.

Abstract

Plato believes that no ideal state can be perceived without education. In this age of globalization education is a real investment that rarely recognized in the Muslim world. Islamic Solidarity is call of the day. Islam is the only religion that believes in global unity and universal solidarity. There are 57 Muslim countries, all are member of Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC, having no say in international community owing to lack of education that is considered an important indicator in the socio-economic, political, cultural, and scientific development in today's world. Islam has unique ideology that provides a uniform system of survival for all communities without any subjectivity. Owing to media propaganda and some fanatics Islamic ideology has been under cloud since 9/11. We as Muslims have obligations to consolidate Muslim glory through ljtihad, a dynamic aspect of Islamic Ideology and education. Role of education in the consolidation of Islamic solidarity is very much significant in this modern world. Without equipping Muslim world with modern education regarding ljtihad may hamper the Muslims' role in world politics. The dilemma with Muslim world is of being intellectually dependent upon the West. Whatever is considered best for the West is considered good for the Muslim world. It is not like that. Muslims have its own norms and values that have universal credibility due to its objectivity. Essence of global legislation and international law lies in morality. It is an Islamic canon not of the West. We have to prepare ourselves for fighting against propaganda of the twenty first century that is based on a 'borderless world' as determined by Kenichie Ohmae in his popular treatise The End of the Nation State and the Rise of Regional Economies. In the rise of regional integration consolidation of Islamic solidarity is sine qua non for the Muslim world especially and for Asian Union as a whole in the region. It is only possible when societies in the Muslim world will be educated with modern knowledge. Through power of knowledge the OIC platform can be used effectively for the consolidation of Islamic solidarity.

Introduction

Education has always been an important source of inspiration for everyone. Islam is the chief exponent of education. The first ever revelation of Quran, last and universal book for guiding the whole world, categorically gives prove of Islamic appreciation for knowledge and education. Muhammad last prophet of Allah at the age of forty got a revelation from Allah through angel Gebrael said, "Recite! He said in surprise, 'What shall I recite?' Again the divine voice very clearly and openly called out, 'Recite, O Muhammad!' And a third time Gebrael repeated, 'Recite in the Name of Your Lord Who created. He created the human being from a clot. Recite and your Lord is Most Honorable, Who taught (to write) with the pen, taught the human being what he knew not..." Holy Quran (Alaq 96: 1-5).' Therefore, it is evident that Islam is the only religion in the world that explicitly reveals the importance of learning. This paper is going to expose that modem age of globalization needs a review of the role of education for the consolidation of Islamic solidarity in the world. Inductive and deductive methods are being used for the exploration of facts and answering all questions regarding to the problem under discussion.

Theoretical Perspective

Education is a relative term can be used in different ways and meanings at different times. Most of the people believe that education is a source of earning bread and butter. Therefore, they attain education and earn their livings.

Undoubtedly, it is a source of earning but this proposition gives an expression that education has been a source that an individual believe about its utility. For instance if a person attain education for making a nuclear bomb and wish to destroy the whole world, he may become successful owing to his education and knowledge but there is no advantage for humanity in this learning or education. On the other hand a person attains education for the betterment of human beings and works hard for his wish, will definitely be successful. Therefore, education is not only the name of badges, medals, earning bread and butter, or winning laurels in the form of degrees, certificates or roll of honour. Education means to harmonize behaviour of the individuals that could sustain a civilized society in the precincts. It synchronizes the attitudes and behaviours of the people for the attainment of a peaceful and prosperous society. It is all about making capable to someone to differentiate between right and wrong. Socrates once said that 'virtue is knowledge'. Therefore, virtue is all about morality, honesty, and piety. Hence, all characteristics or aspects of virtue end at righteousness.

Meaning of Solidarity and Islamic Solidarity

Meanings of solidarity are unity, harmony, cohesion, and commonality. Thus solidarity also gives the true meaning of Islamic norms and values in a comprehensive way. Islamic solidarity does not only talk about for the oneness of Muslims but it also urges to hold other peoples of the world together as Allah says in Quran about Islamic Solidarity "And hold fast, all of you together to the rope of Allah, and be not divided among yourselves." (3:103) Quran censures sectarianism and considers it shirk or polytheism. The Quran again in Sura Al-e-Imran says: "O ye who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared and die not except in a state of Islam." This verse clearly ordains that instead of adhering to Sunnism, Shiasim or Wahabism we should strongly adhere to Islam. In Mishqat Sharife there is a tradition of the Holy Prophet which says; "The Muslims are like a body; if one limb aches, the whole body aches." Muhammad PBUH says; "whoever does not care about the affairs of the Muslims is not one of them." Islam supports the unity of all mankind and campaigner of peace, fairness, and egalitarianism. Islam integrates humanity instead of dividing the same. We must censure radicalism and terrorism after the name of any faith and amalgamate humanity if we trust in the harmony of God.

Role of Education in Consolidation of Islamic Solidarity

Education is the only source by which a harmonize, uniform and global consolidated Islamic polity can be attained. After the incident of 9/11, it is said that only in America 4000 non-Muslims embraced Islam. As people started studying Islam and its essence and accepted Islam after pondering, contemplating and finding it true for all humanity. Therefore, the people who came in the fold of Islam in America after 9/11 are true Muslims in a sense that they embraced Islam by choice not by birth. Muslims who descended from Muslim families are Muslims because of their parentage. They are unable to understand the value and preciousness of their faith. Hence people are unaware of the value of their faith, difficult to consolidate them through prevailing set of Islamic norms owing to the rapidly changing world. Islam has been a complete code of life for the whole humanity. It is not for any specific age, caste creed, or peoples but for all mankind. As quoted above how Allah talks about the oneness of human beings. In this age of globalization, people always try to understand things with science and technology that is mere a source of measuring worldly things. Islam is a religion that is legislated by Allah himself who is above all forms of knowledge and flawless. So His decisions and acts can not be understood on human based knowledge or sciences. In the twenty first century we can not argue with a non-Muslim with such purely faith based ideas.

We have to be very specific and pragmatic in our actions that speak louder than words. Today Muslims are popularized as terrorists through all Western media. In such circumstances Muslims have to be consolidated in a way that all other peoples of the world would like to embrace Islam. Unfortunately we are not ready for such internationally demanding task. Therefore we are not being respected. In such realm of affairs we believe that education of Muslims in three ways is necessary: First we have to take Ijtihad as a basic junction in the prevailing circumstances to face all type of criticism against Islam. For this we have to enact new laws for a true Islamic polity of the twenty first century. Second, we have to make our own institutions on pragmatic grounds for the socio-political and economic development rather taking assistance from Western control international financial institutions. Thirdly, we have to unlearn certain un-Islamic norms and values to learn how to overhaul our minds and hearts that could see other peoples more objectively. Muslims believe that they are really the best in the world, they have to prove their claim. Whatever is being associated with Muslims today we know that is all propaganda but a strong repulsion with rational attitude is a call of the day. Are we prepared for such challenge? It is a big question mark? The three fold paradigm described above can only be achieved through proper training of the people. Does Rabat-based Islamic Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) has a realistic plan to face that challenge? Answer is no.

We have to revive our knowledge through the prism of Allama Muhammad Iqbal's philosophy that gave us a wake up call to consolidate Muslims of the World. His philosophy of ego, nationalism, renaissance of Muslim Ummah, ljtihad, integrity of Muslims, economy, and ideological state were entirely different and unique. Iqbal emphasizes on the Islamic Ummah to understand Quran in its real sense. He says, "The act of knowing and the act of creating are identical." Iqbal emphasizes that Muslim culture and civilization are unique in the world and they could never be compared with other culture or civilizations. He distinguishes the Muslim identity from others says,

APNI MILLAT PER KYAS AQWAM-E-MAGHRIB SE NA KER KHAS HAY TARKEEB MEIN QOEM-I-RASOOL-I-HASHMI

This verse clearly separates the Muslims from all other nations of the world and denotes that we have no need to idealize westernization as the Omnipotent Himself gives our code of life. It is flawless and has universal application. He also gave a paradigm to Muslims of the world for consolidating Islamic Ummah,

AIK HON MUSLIM HURAM KI PASBANI KEY LIYE

NEIL KEY SAHIL SEY LEY KER TABKHAK-I-KASHGHIR

After the failure of Khilafat Movement in India in 1920s, comprehensively persuaded the poet of the East that Muslims had to struggle for a separate homeland where they could live their lives according to the canons oflslam. Khalid bin Sayeed appreciates Iqbal's views on Islam;

"It was Sir Muhammad Iqbal who pointed out that there was no need for Muslims to emulate the Western example in politics or philosophy because the West itself had grown disenchanted with its thinking and philosophy which had produced the inequitable capitalist system and horrible global conflicts.

He had great urge for Muslim unity and integrity that had been fallen into pieces after the First World War in 1918 as turkey was divided among allies and Mustafa Kemal Ataturk himself abolished the institution of Khilafat from Turkey in March 3, 1924. The modem world talks about globalization. Iqbal says, "the coercive and despotic monarchic system upholds under the cloak of democracy, nationalism, socialism, fascism and the rest. Under these veils, the freedom values and human decorum are mortified and ridiculed the world over, that one will not find a parallel to that even in the gloomy phase of the history. There is only one commendable unity and that is of the human being, which is above colour, race and language. As long as the curse of this so-called democracy, the dirty nationalism and the disgraceful monarchy, is not sweeped and till the time a person gets persuaded through his acts and manners, of the standard that 'all creatures are the family of Allah,' and the credibility of colour, creed and the geographic nationalism is demolished, human being will stay rundown of the welfare and felicity in this worldly life." Allama Iqbal, benefited from both the contemporary and traditional learnings. He avowed with full confidence that Islam is the only truth on the earth and all other religious concepts are faulty.

According to him Islam is an innovative and novel concept for the world. In his address on January 1, 1938, he said, 'The Reconstruction of Religious Thoughts in Islam,' Allama Muhammad Iqbal present his view on the issue of contemporary legislation and the legislative assemblies. Towards the end of it he honestly says that, The West is a big impediment in the way of human progress, and unless the humanity gets rid of the perception of life given by the West, its problems will not be solved. The moral modernization of the universe according to the doctrines designed by Islam, the detection of the realistic person and building the society around social justice, are the foundations on which the world needs to be established. A society that satisfied the imperatives of social justice and in which the Law of Islam (shariah) is acted upon; one in which the Muslims, free from the slavery and mockery of the Western powers, present Islam as a religion of guidance and an undying culture. So this was the concept of a great scholar of all times. Allama Iqbal criticized those who were following a different path. He particularly criticized Turkey, which was busy transforming itself into European mould.

Those who instituted secularism, materialism, and Westernization in the world, paved the way for socialism, have given up the ideals of the poet of the East. They are the ones looking for ways to swerve from Islamic law and who created parochial and ethnic prejudices and clashes. We, in fact, are fighting these menaces through our faith in Allah sound arguments and firm conviction. Iqbal's philosophy categorically exposed the deplorable condition of Muslim Ummah more than a century ago and he also gave a way out but even after seventy years of his death we are unable to follow his philosophy and groping in the dark even in this age of scientific and technological advancement owing to our lack of learning and sluggish ness on the part of decision makers and lack of vision on the part of Muslim rulers who never govern over Muslim societies but rule. Here we have an historical analysis to know about powerful nations' behaviour when they were stronger than the others were. What America is doing today for ruling over the world was done by Muslims in 640s A.D. Hazrat Umar's (RA) generals conquered Azerbaijan, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Khurasan, Kinnan, Palestine, Seistan, and Syria, and included them into the Muslim empire.6

If you ask any non Muslim about those conquests he may pronounce them a cruel act of history. Since non Muslims have their own perception. Empirical analysis discloses that in the third century Alexander the great conquered the world, in the fifth century Roman and Byzantine Empires came into existence, in the sixth century Muslims ruled over the world until the thirteenth century. Changaiz Khan and Mongols emerged in the thirteenth century and ruled for three centuries. In the sixteenth century Spanish rose in the world, the seventeenth century was of Dutch conquerors, the nineteenth century was of British Empire and in the twentieth century, Zionism conquered the world through its multinational corporations. Consequently, the twenty first century can be considered a sharing between capitalism and Zionism. These details give us a valid point that any nation when had power in the form of religion, economy, politics, or culture at any stage of history that did make conquests and made itself prosperous and dominant. Being a Muslim we can say that Muslim ventures were based on morality, while, the contemporary Western ventures are based on selective morality. Since, the people of the West are not convinced with the notion of war against terrorism. Midterm elections of Senate held in America at the end of 2006 in which donkey defeated elephant is a categorical proof of peoples' disliking for war against terrorism. We now proceed to look in to the operational framework that how Muslim Ummah is facing disintegration owing to lack of knowledge?

Operational Framework

The North and South division is increasing day by day because of the imbalance occurring between population and resources. For instance population growth is going up in the South including Muslim countries and industrial development is going on in the North. Therefore, poverty in the South is increasing rapidly as compare to the North. It is creating sense of deprivation in the South. Muslim glory on the other hand had been demolished after the death ofHazrat Muhammad PBUH. The Khulfa-i-Rashideen started confronting on the issues of governance. Undoubtedly, Abubakar (RA) and Umar (RA) had been very successful rulers but they had also been controversial in their nomination and selection as rulers respectively. After them there had been a consistent downfall under Muslim rulers owing to their wars for rule. The element of disintegration had been existing in Muslim Ummah just after the death of Muhammad PBUH. Contrary to this the Western world or the developed world occupied over the most resources of the world through education, integration and tolerance. All these three valuable elements are basic ingredients of Islam. As mentioned earlier in this paper that value of acquiring knowledge is determined with the first revelation of Quran.

Therefore, in the modem world the West has dominated over the world and dictating its terms owing to scientific and technological advancements. This is a reality on the ground that today whatever the whole Muslim world is using for their luxuries or even for fulfilling their basic amenities of life; all are invented or discovered by the non Muslim world. For Instance, refrigerators, TV, air conditioners, telephone, cell phones, ovens, automobiles, airplanes, fastest railway system, missiles, nuclear bomb, other weapons of war destruction, submarines, war arsenals and all other paraphernalia of human needs. Therefore, non Muslims are really working for the service of humanity through scientific knowledge. Most of the people from Muslim world prefer to go in the developed world for their treatment of diseases, accepting that they are the best in medicines also. The process of industrialization, communication development, and individual revolutions are three major developments after the Second World War. All these three developments also created some environmental concerns. Again, it is the West that started talking about protecting the degrading environment, although they are also the major source of polluting the environment as only the U.S. is emitting 25% carbon dye oxide of the world in the environment every year. So it is natural they should protect it. In the same way if they are providing most needs and luxuries to the world through power of knowledge. Hence, they also have the right to rule over the world.

This is where the shoe pinches, right of ruling the world always lie with whom, who is morally strong along with education, integration and tolerance, Muslims claim that they are more moral than the developed world. They have proved it, as Muslims never indulge in any World War or any other bloodshed in the world but the developed world do. Only morality does not give Muslims a right to rule over the world. Only providing peoples of the world luxuries and needs not give the right to rule over the world. It is an amalgam of morality and knowledge that integrate the peoples of the world and make them tolerant towards others. The Muslims are dominant with morality but missing knowledge, the West or the developed world has knowledge with selective morality. That based on biased attitude. For instance, America supports Israel for its homeland and nuclear bomb but deny the independence of Palestine and making of nuclear bomb by Iran. Muslims are called terrorists for fighting their rights and others called evangelists even committing real terrorism. This dichotomy in the Muslim and the non Muslim worlds is a consistent source of contention. Now question arises how Muslims can sustain themselves respectfully in such an environment when they (Muslims) are being called terrorists.

Again we have to adopt our basic ingredients: education, integration, and tolerance towards other communities of the world. Islam itself educates us through Quran that "you should not abuse others' god when they call him their god instead of Allah." Education and tolerance is taught in this one verse of Holy Quran. Therefore, if today Muslims wish to go parallel to the West they first have to equip themselves with modem knowledge. Modem day world believes in skillful social capital that could sustain country's socio• political and economic growth at domestic as well as at international levels. It is only possible through an organized and uniform system of education that could reform the existing system according to the international standards. No political system is viable without social sciences. Social sciences are as important as the science and technology for the economic growth; it has been accepted world wide.

Science and technology can only give armaments and ways to destroy the world rapidly but social sciences trained individuals for utilizing peaceful means, norms and values for a universal solidarity. Although it is correct that Muslim Ummah that has been lagging behind in science and technology should concentrate upon such domains but again it is suggested that nothing can be achieved without morality that does not sprout from science and technology but from social sciences. And morality has been a basic essence of Islam. Unfortunately, the developing world including OIC member states has been consistently under the influence of the Western sources of communication that has made Muslim Ummah intellectually dependent upon the West. Whatever considered best for the West is considered good for the rest. It is wrong as mention above:

KHAS HAY TARKEEB MEIN QOEM-I-RASOOL-I-HASHMI

In the contemporary world Ijtihad is the only way that could translate Islamic junctions, but doors of this Islamic canon have been closed since the end of eighteenth century. Islam is a dynamic religion it is not stagnant therefore, its education can never be static. We as Muslims have the responsibility to educate ourselves with both types of knowledge that are based on worldly affairs and the world of Sharia that is sine qua non for our survival in the present world. Muslim world is lagging behind in education, integration and tolerance that was why we are being disparaged in the whole world. lbn-i-Khuldun one of the enlightened Muslim scholar in Philosophy explained the phases of a state, that every state have stages like an individual have after its birth that is childhood, boyhood, adolescent and old age etc. In the same way he said that states have its Inception, Culmination, and Downfall owing to the strengthening and weakness of the sense of Asbiya that is integration. He is of the opinion that any state remains secured and developed until it remains united with the sense of Asbiya. As soon as it lacks Asbiya it starts declining and any other state that has strong sense of Asbiya always occupied over the weaker sense of Asbiya. Therefore, owing to the lack of knowledge, lack of integration and lack of tolerance Muslim world is facing the music.

Muslim downfall started with the death of Muhammad PBUH and had many ups and downs until the twentieth century. In the nineteenth and twentieth century colonization undermined the economy of the Muslim world but the twentieth century experienced two World Wars (1914-18, 1939-45) that depleted the economic resources of the colonial powers they were equipped with knowledge and scientific advancements started monopolizing the resources of the developing nations, including Muslim world. In the age of neocolonialism, the disintegration of Soviet Union in 1991, monopolization by the 'haves' started with a rapid scale. The communication revolution worked as a catalyst and achieved the targets of the capitalist world more convincingly and hurriedly. At the end of twentieth century, one Muslim country Pakistan emerged as a first Muslim nuclear power in the world that created skepticism in the developed non Muslim world. They started a planning against Muslim world in a way that it could never become integrated and could not transform nuclear technology for the peaceful purpose to other Muslim countries.

In the second half of the twentieth century, big powers kept two oil powers Iran and Iraq in war conditions for almost ten years (1979-88). America intervened in Iraq first in 1991 and then in 2003 in the name of cyber war against terrorism. After totally ruining Afghanistan, looting, plundering, and destabilizing Iraq, America is heading towards Iran. America intervened in Afghanistan in 2001 after the incident of 9/11 and started expanding its forces under the umbrella of the NATO forces and now that expansion was causing serious consequences for the countries of Eurasia. It all shows the helplessness on the part of the Muslim world owing to the deplorable scientific and technological standards in the Muslim world. Most of the Arab and African Muslim world literacy rate is low as compare to the non Muslim countries it is quoted that in Muslim countries literacy rate is 51 % in average. 7 Muslim countries are rich in resources especially Arab Muslim world is rich in oil but lacks in research and development sector. "Only five countries amongst the Islamic countries fall under high development, the remaining 50, by and large, belong to low and medium development categories (Chapter 2 of the document). High development amongst Islamic countries does not necessarily indicate as having proper development of S&T infrastructure. Nor does it mean that they are producers of processes and products based on new technologies.

They are in fact consumers of high technology products and processes. Despite high HDI, and enviable economic indicators, especially in terms of high per capita GNP, the acceptable levels of S&T infrastructure are yet to be developed. In a majority of developing Islamic countries, the S&T infrastructure requires drastic improvement. This is limited by inherent weakness of financial resources. Both categories need a different plan for economic development, related with technological change. Certainly, a strong will for technological change is emerging in these countries." The Standing Committee on Scientific and Technical Cooperation (COMSTECH) and ISESCO both are working under the OIC but results are not encouraging for the Muslim world. Arab States are enjoying a comfortable position in Human development index (HDI), except Djibouti, Mauritania and Somalia, who are consistently living below poverty line for decades. There is higher levels of economic deprivation in the Asian and African Islamic countries, the African states being least developed, (HDI 0.32). The same is true of science and technology. 9

Role of/SESCO and COMSTECH in strengthening the education among Muslim Countries

Role of ISESCO and COMSTECH under the umbrella of the OIC is deplorable in strengthening Muslim world for sustainable economic development. These organizations are making policies, strategies and devising plans for the development in science and technology in the Muslim world. The COMSTECH has also talked about the making of Islamic Economic Community like European Economic Community. All these strategies are idealistic have no pragmatic designs to develop the economy of the Muslim world. There are no scholarships that could raise the standards of Muslim world. Both organizations are docile in performing its role for uplifting the literacy rate in the Muslim world. It is sine qua non for the OIC to allocate funds for the member countries students and teachers to train them and prepare them for the socio-political and economic development of the Muslim world. It is condemnable that most of the Non Muslim countries are giving scholarships to the Muslim students. They are obliged to work for their objectives. It is not a matter of division among peoples of the world but a reality that why Muslims are not assisted by the Muslim world. Here is a comparison of the Muslim and Non Muslim world, disparities lie at the part of Muslim world. Owing to low literacy rate Muslim world is lagging behind in the Human Development Index (HDI). Out of 192 member countries of the United Nations six Islamic countries fall in the high human development index, 22 in the medium and as many as 23 in low HDI category.

The U.N. sources explain that the Islamic countries are located at the lowest 173rd, in the HDI list of 178 countries. France and Japan 's GNP are $ 1.5 trillion and $ 5.1 trillion, respectively while all the Muslim world has the total GNP with only $1.1 trillion. 10 That is very low. Japan has almost one thousand universities. The total number of institution of higher education in Muslim World is 328 as compare to Tokyo having 120. The Muslim World needs almost 12000 campuses. The entire Muslim world with a big chunk of population contributes hardly a thousand research papers that is a very little part of the world research published annually. In such circumstances the West has thousands of doctors of philosophy in the discipline of science while the Muslim statistics are even not available. Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan nuclear scientist of Pakistan rightly said, for competing with the developed world and meeting the needs of the contemporary world "universities should give importance on technology and research in scientific education." Here is another example of Muslims lopsidedness towards education as mentioned earlier there are a few numbers of campuses of research in the Muslim world. It is surprising to note that mostly Muslim countries do not have enlightening links and acquaintances with each other that could devise any plan for Muslim uplift in the future. It needs to develop think tanks that could resolve the crises of erudition among Muslim countries.

Although few efforts are in practice yet it required more pragmatic approach in accumulating Muslim institutions for higher intellect. Muslim world is not taking the advantages of globalization and suffering from all types of banes. It should establish strong links among their scholars and facilitate them with frequent visits in each others countries for meeting other intellectuals for joint research ventures. Under such a paradigm Muslim Ummah surely can work for the consolidation of the Islamic world. Asian Muslim countries have distinguished researcher who can work as consultants in developing academic programmes for the expert opinion on different scientific, technological, and cultural domains. In this way exchange of ideas, teachers, students, and assimilating such knowledge can open new venues for the whole world that may integrate the whole world including non-Muslim peoples that should be the ultimate of Islamic world. In Central Asian Republics, (CARs) literacy rate is almost 97.5 per cent while in African country Niger the literacy rate is only 19 per cent. Therefore, coordination and cooperation with the CARs can be increased for the uplift of Muslim literacy rate in the underdeveloped Muslim communities in Africa. Pakistan's Research Institutes can exchange research experiences with campuses in the Muslim World. Faisalabad Agricultural University and other arid agricultural institutes in Pakistan can share knowledge with Arab and African agricultural as well as arid academics to resolve problems in these fields.

In the same way Iran, Pakistan and Turkey can assist each other in nuclear domains. It will assist them to cooperate in production of energy, biotechnology, power generation, and medicines. In this age of communication Muslim world can have collaborative distant learning programmes to acquire advantages from each other with the assistance of different organizations. Pakistan must guide the Muslim world in this coordination being a sole Muslim nuclear power, its responsibility has been increased a lot more than any other Muslim country of the world. Education is the only aspect that can amplify the standards of living in any society. All the emerging and developed nations always give importance to learning and knowledge for the prosperity in the society. If the Muslim world wishes to join the ranks of the developed countries they will have to coordinate in the fields of education and research by expanding educational coordination and cooperation programmes among Muslim countries, as education plays a vital role in development.

Conclusion

Islam does not abhor in learning science and technology. The pursuit of knowledge and scientific research is the birthright of every human being regardless to cast, creed, religion, gender and status. The rediscovery of Islamic science and technology in the twenty first century is an academically alarming task need a persistent endeavor over several decades. The first step to be taken for scientific rebirth is ljtihad, to exert the utmost effort, to struggle; to do one's best to know something in the light of Sharia that is Quran and Sunnah. ljtihad is a significant source of law after the Quran and Sunnah. Muslim countries should prepare itself for employing science and technology in the construction of a new Islamic civilization. This will prevent the imbalance, disharmony and disintegration in almost every field of human endeavor such as social, economic, cultural, political or any other. This goal can be achieved by simultaneously implementing the following:

• The Islamization of Muslim scientists and technologists who are trained by Western science and technology.

• The training of young Muslims in Islamic science and technology.

The Muslim scientists who are trained by the West hardly cope with the norms and values oflslam. Therefore it is difficult to Islamize them. It is a dire need that Muslim scientists and technologists should be assisted or financed by Muslim sources. We have to make a new syllabus with cuniculum to train our younger generation into Islamic science and technology that surely based on an amalgam of Islamic values and Western science and technology. All text in science and technology should be written at all levels of education that are primary, secondary, and higher education.

Muslim countries have established organizations to meet their religious, political, economic and social needs such as the OIC, Arab League, Muslim World Bank, Muslim World League, World Assembly of Muslim Youth, COMSTECH, and ISESCO but that organizations are directly or indirectly under the influence of the West and not working on pragmatic grounds. They have to be given more powers and strengthened with huge funding. Therefore, call of the day is to establish the following paradigm for the consolidation of Islamic solidarity:

• Establishment of an Institution for educating Muslim Ulemas for ljtihad

• Establishment of a Global Institution for the Universal Brotherhood based on the activities like interfaith dialogue

• Establishment of Islamic Union like European Union

• Establishment of Islamic Academy of Sciences that could translate every work in the local languages.

• Think-Tank institutions to solve scientific and technological problems of the Muslim countries

• Islamic Foundations to award grants.

• Recognition of Muslim scientists.

• Establishment of Alternatives to Nobel Prizes, such as Umar, Abubakar, Usman, Ali or King Faisal Awards.

• Prizes for work done or accomplishments of Muslim scientists and technologists.

• Islamic Atomic Energy Agency where Muslim scientists and engineers from Muslim countries can be trained in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and transfer of technology.

• Exchange of Muslim scholars in the sciences and engineering at Post-graduate level, faculty level and senior faculty level.

• Holding of Annual conferences at the national and international level.

Fortunately, Allah has blessed many Islamic countries, with an income over 100 billion dollars per year. Hence, Islamic countries have the prospects and resources to make Islamic sciences and technology a deterrent for the non Muslim world. For the achievement of our sacred purpose we need to review our lives in the light of Quran and Hadith along with ljtihad that will cause renaissance of Muslim glory.' That Muslim glory will attain its ultimate objective of the consolidation of lslamic solidarity in the world.

References

References are available on the website of the journal.