Seminars, Conferences, Addresses Methodologies of Change in the Contemporary Islamic World 12-14 Sha'ban 1414 I 24-26 January 1994 Kuwait City, Kuwait llris seminar was the second in a series of seminars held jointly by the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IDT) in cooperation with the Kuwaiti Department of Awqaf. The inaugural session of the seminar was addressed by the Minister for Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Jam'an al 'Azimi, who stated that the topic of the seminar sufficed to indicate its importance. The following speaker, the Secretary of the Ministry, Khalid al Zir, underlined the fact that while everyone agreed on the need to re­ turn to the pristine teachings of the Qur'an and the Sunnah, it was not an easy matter to determine how, in practical tenns, this might be achieved. This is why, the Secretary said, this seminar was convened. Taha Jabir al 'AlwanI, President of the International Institute of Islamic Thought, after making his opening remarks, delivered a paper entitled The Horizons of Change and Its Approaches, in which he stated that the Arab world had very recently reached a critical stage. Many analytical studies of various aspects of the Arab situation, he added, had been conducted from several different perspectives. Undoubtedly, on the basis of these studies, the outlines of an alternative civilizational project may emerge. It is for this reason that the topic of the seminar, "Methodol­ ogies of Change in the Contemporary Islamic World," is of such over­ whelming importance. Muhammad al Ghazali, the noted Muslim 'ii.Lim and author, then spoke on behalf of the seminar participants. Prefacing his remarks by noting the importance of Kuwait in the Arab and Muslim worlds, al Ghazali explained that it is the duty of Muslims everywhere to work to­ gether to further the cause of Islam. This is why, he added, the coopera­ tion of the Kuwaiti Ministry with the International Institute of Islamic Thought was such a commendable undertaking. The seminar was comprised of four distinctive themes. The first one dealt with defining the concept of change within the Islamic paradigm, beginning with the Qur'an, the Sunnah, and the historical experience of Islam. This concept may be studied in light of the theories and opinions of the classical scholars of Islam. In addition, it may prove beneficial to study it in conjunction with such similar concepts within the Islamic para­ digm as tajdid, reform, revival, awakening, revolution, modernization, development, and progress. Topics for discussion included the following: 270 The Americau Journal of Islamic Social Scieinces 11:2 the Qur'anic methodology of change (including not only interpretation but new ijtihad for the application of Qur'anic precepts in the contemporary world); the methodology of change in the Sunnah (with particular refer- ence to the m a q a ' d ) ; change in Islamic history; and a survey of views and opinions held by the classical scholats of Islam on the subject of change. The second theme was a survey of conditions in contemporary Is- lamic societies. This included analyses of the cultural and intellectual at- mosphere as indicatom of these Societies' mentality. Studies focussed on culture and its ShottCOmings and whether these were the d t of extinct ideas from our past or of perilous ideas impotted from other cultures. The following topics were discussed: ethics and values in Muslim society; economic and valuational aspects of Muslim culture; the sociology of cul- ture in Islamic society today; the cultme of politics in Islamic society today; and the religious aspect of Islamic society today. The third theme dealt with the methodologies of change favored by contemporary Islamic movements descriptive, analytical, and critical studies that identified the positive and the negative aspects of these meth- odologies and specified where and how each either failed or succeeded. Topics discussed were: individual spiritual methodologies of change; edu- cational and indoctrinational methodologies; and violent methodologies of change. The final theme analyzed plurality in the organization and structure of contemporary Islamic movements. What has been the nature of rela- tions between these movements and other elements of society as well as between the different movements themselves? What have been the effects of organizational plurality on the success or failure of these movements? Also discussed were: the legitimacy of organizations independent of the d, the Islamic view of diversity in reform; organizational plurality; and the lack of methodology and well-defined principles. Those pteSenting papers at the seminar included: 'Abd a1 Jalil al Gharaballi, Values Determining Economic Behavior in the Arab Gu& 'Ali Jumu'ah, The Philosophy of Change; Fahmi Jad'in, Islam and Change by Coercion; Tiiriq a1 Bishfi, The Historical Framework of Is- lamic Revival Movements; b d Sidqi al Dajj;Ini; M&ammad Abii a1 Qkim; Muhammad ' A e r a h , Secularist Criticisms of the Islamic Plan f o r Revival; Ja'far Shaykh Id&, Mubammad a1 RumayU, Values and Morals that Influence Culture in the Gu& Muhammad al Samtniik, The Role of Media in Influencing Culture and Belief in the Arab World; Abmad Buzabar, Modern Theories of Change and Islamic Thought; Wajlh KawtharM, Why Think of Malik Bennabi when Change is Men- tioned: Remembering, Forgetting, and Continuing in Arab Islamic Seminars, Cooferences, Addresses 271 Thought; Sadiq al 'lbadi, Change Methodology in Shi'i Thought; 'Abd al Latif, 'lbiidah, Change Methodologies of Contemporary Islamic Movements: Critical. Analysis from the Ideas of Malik Bennabi; and Qays Khaz'al, Attempts at Change by Means of Military Takeover. Yusuf Ta)al DeLorenzo IDT Research Department Herndon, Virginia