Ahlul Bayt News Agency ; PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia -- Muslim scholars have been urged to focus on spreading Islamic thinking for the good of mankind and the world, said former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
He said new methods and approaches were needed to challenge Western ideas and theories that controlled and influenced world thinking.
"Western theories and conventional approach have at times, failed to provide the best solution," he said after being conferred honorary Phd in Economy & Muamalat Administration by Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) on Friday.
The Phd was conferred by USIM Chancellor Tuanku Najihah Tunku Besar Burhanuddin at a special convocation at Putrajaya International Convention Centre.
Dr Mahathir said the world is facing a moral, social, political and economic crisis because it is bound and restricted by Western ideas and theories.
"Now we realise that what was inherited and taught by our religion is unsuitable and outdated," he said.
Muslims also felt inferior when facing theories of Western thinkers, most of whom did not base them on religion.
"They created theories and ideas that were accepted without question by Muslims," said Dr Mahathir.
He said free thinking and individual freedom spread by Western theories would make Muslim society lose direction and objective in life.
As such, Muslim scholars should come up with alternative thinking and solutions to world crisis.
Muslims should get out of the world culture of rhetoric to find a more meaningful and practical approach to solutions.
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