Rethinking Islamic Civilization: Dialog Pemikiran Hodgson dan Syaḥrūr Dalam Konteks Keilmuan Islam Kontemporer

Abstract

This article examines the intellectual dialogue between two major thinkers who have made significant contributions to contemporary Islamic studies: Marshall G.S. Hodgson and Muhammad Syaḥrūr. Despite coming from different backgrounds and scholarly traditions—Hodgson as a Western historian and Syaḥrūr as a Muslim intellectual—both developed epistemological frameworks that potentially revolutionize understanding of Islamic civilization and its scripture. This research explores the intersections between Hodgson's concept of "Islamicate" and Syaḥrūr's theory of limits (ḥudūd), particularly in conceptualizing the relationship between religious norms and civilizational dynamics. Using a comparative-integrative approach, this article demonstrates how the thoughts of these two figures can be synergized to produce a more comprehensive theoretical framework for understanding the dynamics of tradition and modernity in the Islamic context. The research findings show that the Hodgson-Syaḥrūr synthesis offers a productive alternative to the traditionalism-modernism dichotomy that often dominates contemporary Islamic discourse. This study contributes to the development of an interdisciplinary methodology that connects historical studies, hermeneutics, and social theory in understanding the complexity of Islam as both religion and civilization.