Anwar Ibrahim told a gathering at the International Institute of Islamic Thought in Beirut earlier this week that Muslims should frame the right questions for a better grasp of the riddles of modern existence.

pakatan convention 191209 anwar talk Speaking at a panel discussion attended by renowned Muslim scholars and intellectuals from over 100 countries, Anwar said that rather than ask, “What is the Islamic concept of knowledge?” Muslims ought to ask, “How have Muslims understood knowledge?”

He explained that using better-framed questions would lead to an enquiry of the earliest history of Islam without the burdens of prejudice and misperceptions accumulated over time.

“Invariably, in this quest, we will encounter societies where diversity of views was not only tolerated but seen as a blessing of providence.”

Anwar said that history has shown Muslims have worked with people of other cultures and faiths in dialogue, while still retaining their ideals.

“More significantly though less apparently, it will also show that non-Muslims had in the past reached out to us to engage with problems of our times.”

Anwar draws the line

In citing the example of the Egyptian scribe, Rifa’ah Rafi Tahtawi, who spent five years in France in the early 19th century trying to understand the ideals of the French Revolution, Anwar drew the line against the nihilistic trends that some of the European Enlightenment’s liberal ideas have tended to.

Anwar said that Rifa’ah, who was one of the earliest of the progressive reformists in Islam, could not have appreciated some of the European Enlightenment’s leading ideas without being steeped in the tradition of Islamic political thought.

He said that Rifa’ah’s musings on humankind’s role in society, the principle of justice being essential for a good society, and welfare as the guiding purpose of government, were the fruit of his attempt to synthesise Islamic ideals with Enlightenment currents.

The Malaysian opposition leader also held forth on the need of Muslims to treat minorities living in their midst with consideration as to their needs in education and other fields.

“Democracy of education through empowerment of minorities in Muslim countries is therefore a relevant issue that warrants renewed focus by Muslim majorities as that would be reflective of the attitude Muslim minorities bear when living in similar situations,” he said.