The Ethics of Reform: Justice and Love in Contemporary Islam

The discourse on the “Clash of Civilizations” posits Islam and modernity (or at times, Islam and the West) as opposing entities – which feeds into a perspective that casts Muslims as somehow less than genuine citizens of the West. A fresh reform movement underway seeks to transcend this dichotomy: the key tenets of ‘Progressive Islam’ tap into reservoirs of commitment to social justice and love to address issues of pluralism and gender equality. Hitherto, Muslim as well as western scholars have not accorded sufficient attention to the role of Sufi traditions – with their particular emphasis on spiritual bonds – in the development of Islamic ethics. This lecture will propose an ethically informed, spiritually alive and socially responsive modality of Islamic thought and practice.