An Analysis of Action Stimulus; a Comparative Approach to the Views of Western and Muslim Sociologists

Nowadays, the extensive debates on indigenization and Islamization of knowledge show the necessity of extracting and expounding the Islamic view on the basic issues of social sciences including sociology. However, there are two approaches to explaining the Islamic human sciences: the first is rejecting the existing achievements and establishing a new scientific paradigm and the second is making use of the existing sciences, and modifying and improving them according to Islamic teachings. Using a documentary method based on the second approach and a comparative study as a basic research method in social sciences, the present paper elaborates on the concept of action in the light of famous western thinker's views, the viewpoint of the Quran and traditions, and compares between them. Contrary to most western theories which have dealt with a two-variable one-dimensional analysis of action, Islam touches through its comprehensive analysis on the mental, physical, natural, and social dimensions of the development of action and considers actor, freedom, opportunity, facilities and motivation (intention) as the main basic elements of action.