The Nature of Islamic Progress and its Analytical Requirements

The terminological meaning of Islamic progress is obtaining hierarchal objectives of Islamic systems. Accordingly, we may analyze the concept of progress as well as its basics and requirements from the viewpoint of Islamic sources. To do so, we discuss topics such as the starting point of progress, the subject of progress, the objective of progress, the distance of progress, the agent of progress, and the action of progress from the viewpoint of Islamic thought. The subject of this article is human progress and, consequently, the progress of Islamic society. Thus, we may consider Islamic progress to be human-centered. The starting point of progress is the very status quo which is considered anti-value from Islamic point of view. The end or ultimate point of progress is the hierarchal objectives of Islamic system. Islamic objectives are comprehensive and consistent objectives. The ultimate point of Islamic progress is the perfectionist movement of the individual and society towards divine names and attributes of perfection. Accordingly, the distance of progress would also be the very divine attributes and names. The agent of progress is, in the first place, the divine authority of Almighty God and, consequently, the authority of the prophets and divine saints as well as all members of Islamic society. Thus, Islamic progress is stated based on the principle of 'authority' (wilāyat). The action of progress is realization of Islamic system. Indeed, realization of Islamic systems is the ultimate cause for Islamic progress.