The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences Vol. 4, No. 2, 1987 V 

Editorial Note 

The complex and bewildering variety of issues and problems facing the 
present-day Muslims have made them singularly hard pressed to develop ra- 
tional strategies and efficient policies. The intensity and multiplicity of demands 
have increased to such an extent that in recent years efforts to Islamize 
knowledge or recreate a Muslim way of life needs congruent thinking and 
prudent planning. 

In thinking about this question, at least two issues of adaptability and sus- 
tainability take the front stage. Adaptability would mean that Islamic social 
sciences and cultural habits should be sought out and adopted. This way would 
not be an imposition of alien models or values, but a reversion to the Qur'an 
and Sunnah for knowledge and guidance. Once adopted, either from tradi- 
tional or modem Islamized social science, it ought to be maintained against 
all odds. 

The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences has been trying for the 
last four years to initiate such changes in the social and individual behavior, 
and Islamize the knowledge with the assistance of the International Institute 
of Islamic Thought and the Association of Muslim Social Scientists. My 
predecesssor, Sulayman Nyang, left such a strong record of service that would 
be difficult for anyone to meet. I was conscious of this challenge when I was 
asked and accepted to succeed him. I knew of course that I could always count 
on his support to maintain the Journal at the same standard, if not higher. 

This issue has three sections. Section one includes two papers on matters 
concerning the Islamic Thought. The first paper by Ahmad Zaki Hammad 
presents Ghazali's approach to usul-al-Jiqh, divided into three elements: (i) 
ahkam, (ii) adilla (source), and (iii) mujtahid.. . .Of these three, the paper 
provides broader explanation only of ahkams, leaving the other two for subse- 
quent presentations. The second paper by Bogdan Meckowski compares Ibn 
Khaldun with Adam Smith, and other modern economists, giving Ibn Khaldun 
the prominent place he deserves. With remarkable skill, Mieckowski establishes 
that Ibn Khaldun favored laissez-faire, and opposed a socialized or monopolistic 
production. Accordq to Mieckowski, most modern economists b o r n  heavily 
from Ibn Khaldun without acknowledging or crediting him in their works. 



vi The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences Vol. 4, No. 2, 1987 

The second section of this issue on Islamization also includes two papers. 
Ibnomer Mohammad Sharafuddin presents An Zslamic Administmtive Theory, 
concluding that an Islamic administrative system should relate to Islamic 
heritage, value systems, societal norms and administrative behavior. In other 
words, the Muslim societies need a value-patterned, socially responsible, sus- 
tainable and convivial administrative system developed from within by its own 
people following the guidance of the Qur’an and Sunnah. The other paper 
by Abbas Mirakhor is a commentary on Muslim scholars and the history of 
Economics. Mirakhor goes beyond traditional analysis to explain that all of 
the early economists were to some extent influenced by the Muslim scholars. 
This fact is seldom stated by the modem economists in their writings. 

The Research Note by Dilnawaz Siddiqi defines Human Resource Develop- 
ment (HRD), reviews the Muslim education, and presents the HRDs model 
of education, which may be relevant to the Muslim countries. The concluding 
Research Note by Muhammad Anwar, a former IIIT Research Associate, pro- 
poses a reorganization of the Islamic Banking System. Partly based on his 
book, Modelling Interest-Free Economy, published by the IIIT in 1987, the 
Research Note provides some interesting insights into the Islamic Banking 
system. 

This issue also highlights a review article by Muhammad Ma’ruf entitled 
The Rescuing of Muslim Anthropological Thought. The article makes a critical 
and comprehensive analysis of two major anthropological works, Toward 
Islamic Anthropology: Definition, Dogma, and Directions, by Ahmed S .  A k k ,  
and The idea of an Anthropology of Islam, by Talal Assad. 

Mushtaqur Rahman