Religion and Human Progress: Conflict or Cooperation?

By Dr. Zafar Darik Qasmi, New Age Islam 18 September 2025 Abstract: Religion is a cultural and spiritual foundation of human life that provides moral values, justice, and peace. Despite modern challenges, religion still offers guidance, inner peace, and social harmony. Critics often see it as anti-modern or against democracy and human rights, but many scholars show that Islam, through ijtihad and rational interpretation, can align with modernity, science, and global values. Books by Akmal al-Din Ihsanoglu, Murad Hofmann, Khaled Abou El Fadl, Abdulaziz Sachedina, Daniel R. Chadwick, and Reza Aslan highlight that religion is not inherently a barrier to progress; rather, interpretation and application decide its role. Main Points: 1. Religion provides morality, peace, and social justice. 2. Modernity questions religion, but harmony is possible. 3. Islam supports democracy, rights, and rational inquiry. 4. Scholars show religion adapts through ijtihad and renewal. 5. Religion is not a barrier; misuse and misinterpretation are. ----- Religion is the civilisational and spiritual foundation of human life. Looking at human history, it becomes evident that religion not only gave individuals and societies moral principles but also enriched human values, justice, fairness, peace, and tolerance. It is part of human nature to seek the mysteries of the universe and the purpose of existence, and religion has always sought to answer this quest. However, in the contemporary era, religion faces many new and delicate challenges which have placed it under severe intellectual and practical tests. Even today, the relevance of religion remains intact. It provides spiritual peace, builds moral character, and promotes justice, equality, and brotherhood in society. What is needed is to present religion in harmony with the scientific and social requirements of the modern age. For this, religious scholars, thinkers, and intellectuals must develop a narrative that not only fulfils the standards of logic and reason but also paves the way for human needs and global peace. It can thus be said that confronting the challenges of the modern era is only possible when religion is understood and presented in its true spirit—namely, the welfare of humanity, moral reform, and global peace. This is the path through which religion can appear before the world as a positive and constructive force. Generally, it is assumed that religion is opposed to modernity or that there is no room for modernity within religion. Similarly, religion is often labelled as a carrier of outdated and rigid ideas. In reality, such thoughts arise because those who make such objections are not aware of the true essence of religion. Instead, they have studied false things in the name of religion. Accordingly, Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu wrote an important book entitled “Islam and the Challenges of Modernity”. In this book, he presented a deep intellectual inquiry into the relationship between Islam and the modern age. The author emphasised that Islam is not merely a relic of the past but a living and comprehensive system of life that can adapt to changing circumstances. How Islam responds to issues such as scientific advancement, secularism, democracy, human rights, and globalisation is explained in detail in this book. It also highlights how Muslim societies can preserve their intellectual and cultural traditions while playing an effective role in the modern world. The central message of the book is that Islam is a universal religion that, through ijtihad (independent reasoning) and intellectual renewal, can provide solutions to the problems of every age. Another important contribution is by Murad Hofmann, who authored “Islam and the Challenge of Civilization”. This book presents an intellectual study of the relationship between Islam and Western civilisation. The author raises the question of whether Islam can face the challenges of modern Western civilization or not. He argues that Islam not only holds answers to the intellectual crisis of the West but also possesses a comprehensive moral and spiritual system that can provide humanity with peace, justice, and balance. The book discusses political, social, philosophical, and scientific subjects and shows how the weaknesses of Western civilisation—such as moral decline and spiritual emptiness—can be addressed through Islam. This work offers intellectual guidance to Muslim youth, encouraging them to understand Islam as a dynamic and modern system. A common objection against Islam is that it opposes democracy. However, Islam is not inherently against democracy. In this context, Khaled Abou El Fadl’s book “Islam and the Challenge of Democracy”carries great significance. This book presents an important dialogue on the relationship between Islam and democracy. Abou El Fadl explains how far Islam can align with democratic values. The book highlights that Islamic principles such as consultation (shura), equality, justice, and human dignity are not opposed to democratic values but actually support them. However, the author stresses that democracy in Islamic societies cannot be established by simply copying Western models. Instead, it must be developed within the framework of Islamic tradition and jurisprudential reasoning. The book addresses issues such as the relationship between religion and politics, religious freedom, women’s rights, and human dignity. It provides a balanced response to the political challenges of the modern age. Another objection often raised is that Islam opposes human rights, but this claim is entirely baseless. Islam has taken extraordinary measures for the protection of human rights. Numerous Qur’anic verses, Prophetic traditions, the Farewell Sermon,( خطبہ حجتہ الوداع)and other significant agreements and documents all testify that Islam is indeed a true champion of human rights. In this regard, Abdulaziz Sachedina’s book “Islam and the Challenge of Human Rights” provides an in-depth academic discussion on Islam’s position regarding human rights. The author makes it clear that Islam is not an opponent of human rights but rather their protector. However, there are differences in interpretation and application depending on historical and cultural contexts. The book discusses issues such as freedom of speech, religious freedom, gender equality, and political rights. The author argues that principles of human rights can be derived from the Qur’an and Sunnah in a way that aligns with modern global standards. It also shows that within the Islamic tradition, there exists a dynamic interpretation of human rights based on reason and ijtihad. This book serves as an important bridge of dialogue between the Muslim world and the West, providing strong responses to objections against religion regarding human rights. In this context, Daniel R. Chadwick’s book “Three Challenges to Religion: Knowledge & Scepticism” also carries great importance, as it presents a comprehensive discussion on intellectual and practical issues. The book outlines three major challenges that religion faces: knowledge, doubt, and human experience. The author addresses both believers and sceptics, asking whether religion can maintain its significance in today’s scientific and intellectual age. He evaluates religious interpretations in the light of scientific theories, philosophical debates, and human reason. Alongside criticism and argument, the book also highlights the positive values of religion to show that religion is not merely a collection of beliefs but also a living intellectual and moral force. It explores the relationship between religious experience and human consciousness, demonstrating that despite doubt and investigation, religion continues to provide moral guidance and existential meaning in human life. Overall, this book represents a serious effort to advance dialogue between religion, philosophy, and science. Similarly, Reza Aslan’s book “No God but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam” explains that Islam is not merely a religious tradition of the past but a living faith capable of addressing contemporary challenges. The book includes historical facts, jurisprudential discussions, and analyses of different Muslim schools of thought. The author makes it clear that Islam contains within it the resources of ijtihad, intellectual debate, and reason to resolve new problems. This book is especially useful for Muslims to understand Islam’s relevance and strength in the context of modernity, secularism, and global dialogue. Based on the above evidence and facts, it can be firmly stated that those societies which considered religion a driving force for progress, and utilised it as a support for ijtihad, knowledge, and research, were more successful and developed. On the other hand, societies which saw religion merely as a tradition or restriction sometimes faced intellectual, economic, and social decline. The conclusion is that religion itself is not an obstacle to progress. Rather, the way it is interpreted and applied determines whether it becomes a supporter or an opponent of progress. By aligning religious teachings with reason, understanding, and the needs of the modern age, humanity can preserve its moral and spiritual foundations while moving forward on the path of progress. Therefore, the question “Is religion an obstacle to progress?” does not have a simple answer but must be approached objectively and analytically within social, academic, and intellectual contexts. It must also be clarified that Islam is not inherently opposed to modernity. To claim that Islam is anti-modernity is simply an allegation. However, religion does oppose those traditions, ideas, and ideologies that increase unrest or destruction in society, and it certainly resists attempts to damage its spiritual essence and social values in the name of modernity. If such elements are present within modernity, then it is indeed fair to say that religion strongly opposes that kind of modernity. Scholars and researchers must also understand that modernity is primarily based on science, rationality, individual freedom, secular thought, and social progress, while religion is founded on divine revelation, moral principles, and transcendent values. At first glance, these two may seem opposed, since modernity evaluates everything through experiment and reason, whereas religion gives primary importance to revelation and faith. Within this context, some thinkers believe that religion is an obstacle to modernity because it binds individuals to metaphysical beliefs. On the other hand, there are intellectuals who maintain that religion is not an opponent of modernity but rather in harmony with it. In their view, religion provides moral and spiritual guidance, while modernity highlights the material aspects of progress. Together, the two can form a balanced society. ----- Dr. Zafar Darik Qasmi is an author and a New Age Islam Regular Columnist URL: https://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/religion-human-conflict-cooperation/d/136882 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism