ISLAMIC CULTURAL PLURALISM IN ASIAN SOCITIES: THE ABBASID MODEL

ŞAHİN DOĞAN

ABSTRACT

Islam sets free the individuals with regard to belief and adopts as a principle that no
pressure or whatsoever can be put on people (Qur’an, 2/256). In Qur’anic doctrine,
the fact that the duty of the Prophet Mohammed is to promote the religion in the
best way possible is described as follows: “And had your Lord willed, those on earth
would have believed, all of them together. So, will you then compel mankind, until they
become believers” (Qur’an, 10/99-100) Pluralist nature such as variant religion, culture,
language and nation is the social system Islam projects. Islam regards the existence of
different kinds of race, belief and culture as a cultural wealth so as to live in a peaceful
environment. “And had Allah willed, He could have made you (all) one nation. But that
(He) may test you in what He has given you. So strive as in a race in good deeds” (Qur’an,
5/48) Striving in a race and in good deeds as specified in the verse is not an occasion to
conflict and despise different race and cultures but it is an occasion for us to understand
the cultural blending and living along with those differences in a peaceful environment.
This paper will be a brief examination of this issue in the history of Islamic civilization
paying attention more to the earlier periods.