In the Name of Allāh,

the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful

Praise is due to Allāh, Lord of the worlds, may the blessings and peace be upon our master Muḥammad, the last of prophets, on his family, and all his companions.

Resolution No. 163 (1/18)

Milestones to Revive the Islamic Civilizational Approach

The Council of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, holding its 18th session in Putrajaya, Malaysia, on 24–29 Jumādā al-Ākhirah 1428h (9–14 July 2007),

Having examined the research papers submitted to the Academy concerning

Milestones to Revive the Islamic Civilizational Approach, Having listened to the discussions on the subject,

Having recalled the leading precedent of Islam in establishing the rightly guided state when the Prophet Muhammad SAW issued the Charter of Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah, which laid down relationships in the first Muslim society, and the International Human Rights Declaration, which he announced in his Farewell Sermon,

In light of the Quran and the Sunnah which form up the Islamic constitu- tion, such as the following verses: «Allāh commands justice, the doing of extra good (Iḥsān), and giving to kith and kin, and He forbids shameful deeds and non-rational actions and unjust rebellion,» (Al-Nahl, 90) and «O ye who be- lieve obey Allāh and obey the Apostle and those charged with authority among you.» (Al-Nisā, 59)

Resolves

First: Following an Islamic civilizational approach offers Muslims a chance to recover their historical role and disseminate their message for rescuing hu- manity from the despised grip of the pervading darkened materialism.

Second: The best way for dealing with the state of backwardness which the Ummah suffers today is the sincere return to this righteous religion. The cat- astrophic events that Muslims face are a direct consequence of their deviation away from the teachings of Islam and imitation of other secular approaches.

Third: An Islamic civilizational approach based on a cohesive plan can free Muslim countries and societies from the evils of hegemony, dependency and backwardness.

Fourth: Proper understanding of Islam, firm commitment to its teachings

and application of its rulings in an integrated and balanced manner are funda- mental prerequisites for the success of the project of Islamic renaissance.

Fifth: Considering that Shūra is a fundamental pillar of the Islamic state, it is necessary to have a strict adherence to the Axiom of Shūra, theoretically and practically, as dictated by Allāh The Almighty when He said, «…and consult them in the affairs,» (Āl ʿImrān, 159) and «…who (conduct) their affairs by consultation.» (Al-Shūra, 38).

Sixth: The Council acknowledges the permissibility of separation between authorities: executive, legislative and judiciary powers which have emerged and gained general acceptance in our present times. This is learnt from the Prophet Muhammad’s SAW actual practice with regard to the different functions he as- sumed: message conveyance, government leadership, and judiciary.

Seventh: The right of citizenship shall be guaranteed for all, including non-Muslims, according to the Shariah rules in matching rights with obligations. Eighth: Participation of women in public activities without violating the relevant Shariah rules as Allāh The Almighty said, «The believers men and women are pro- tectors, one of another: they enjoin what is just, and forbid what is evil.» (Al-

Tawbah, 71)

Ninth: Muslims should take the initiative to get rid of any negative attitudes in the Muslim society in order to overcome the challenges they face such as:

1. Sectarian fanaticism which bars the way to Shariah-accepted
2. Ideological and behavioral extremism which creates problems in the society and gives rise to extremist movements.
3. Atheism and secularism that deny the relationships between religion and
4. Monism of knowledge (partial knowledge) which leaves no room for visualizing the issue from all dimensions.
5. Negligence of the value of time and how it could lead to failure and backwardness of nations.

Recommendations

1. Strengthening faith and altuirism as a first step in the educational efforts aiming to build up the Muslim character, which can resume the role of reviving the Islamic culture and its positive contribution to human
2. Emphasizing the fact that the Islamic cultural approach is based on strengthening the ethical values of Islam in
3. Commending the steps taken by Malaysia for adopting its project of the

Islamic cultural approach and calling on it to organize an internation- al Islamic conference to illuminate the cultural facts of Islam and the brilliant contents of its everlasting message. The results of this proposed conference should be put before the eyes of intellectuals and leaders of Muslim countries.

Indeed, Allāh is All-Knowing.