“There is no question but that under muhammad, Arabian society made a remarkable leap forward in social complexity and political capacity. When the structure that took shape under the prophet was extended by the early caliphs to provide the organizing principle for a world empire, the results is something that for its time and place is remarkably modern. It is modern in the high degree of commitment, involvement, and participation expected from the rank and file members of the community. It is a modern the openness of its leadership positions to ability judged on universalistic grounds and symbolized in the attempt to institutionalize a non-hereditary top leadership. Even the earliest times certain restrains operated to keep the community from wholly exemplifying these principles, but it do so closely enough to provide a better model for modern national community building than might be imagined,”
However, a question arises: Is the Quran, which was revealed 14 centuries ago, still relevant in addressing contemporary and future issues and challenges? The context of the issues faced then and now has evolved significantly. For example, Syahrur’s concept of “milkul yamin,” which once sparked controversy in Islamic countries.
In the past, the permission for “milkul yamin” was based on humanitarian values, allowing slaves to experience intimate relations as a fundamental human need. However, today, slavery has been abolished. This means that the concept of “milkul yamin” is no longer applicable. Reinstating this concept would be a regression of human civilization.