We must reach a level of historical evolution and social...

We must reach a level of historical evolution and social maturity to be able to judge accurately the thoughts and efforts of others so that we know our place in the world and can put our own house in order. This way we can choose what benefits us' in the new world and reject all that does not. We must become active on three fronts. First, we must understand the peculiarities of our era and treat Western civilization as our era's ultimate manifestation and symbol.

This means understanding the values and tenets of Western civilization and freeing ourselves from the equally, harmful extremes of either hating it or being completely taken in and entranced by it. Second, we must try to come to grips with our own historical identity that has brought many valuable gifts to humanity but has also encountered many difficulties and inadequacies.

And third, while we must pay attention to problems that threaten our society from the outside-the hegemonic nature of Western politics, economics, and culture-we must also focus on our own internal problems and frictions. Many of our traditions are human constructs that, however great they might have been in their own time, belong to a different historical epoch and place but have nonetheless maintained the veneer of sanctity and infallibility.

Today, dogmatic attachment to archaic ideas poses a serious obstacle to our society, preventing it from utilizing the human achievements and thoughts of our era. Let us not forget that not just the natural world, but religion also must be scrutinized by reflection, for our interpretation of religion is constantly being modified as well. Our attachment to the past should not mean negating all the achievements of modern, Western civilization.

We will not return to the past to stay there, but merely to understand and regain our identity that has been rendered fragile by the onslaught of Western culture. With knowledge and will, we can shape the future, which beckons the cooperation and coordination of all devotees and thinkers of the Muslim world. We Muslims have a grand historical legacy that we must revive in today's world.

Despite disagreements among sects within the Islamic world, the unity and coordination of Islamic thought across various parts of the Islamic world has been phenomenal. Over centuries of Islamic history, Andalusia theologians preached in Damascus and Baghdad, just as Persian philosophers and mathematicians felt at home in Africa and Mesopotamia.