OPEN ACCESS S Journal of Islamic & Religious Studies ISSN (Online): 2519-7118 ISSN (Print): 2518-5330 www.uoh.edu.pk/jirs JIRS, Vol.:1, Issue: 2, 2016, DOI: 110.12816/0033349, PP: 15-26 15 Tradition and Modernity within Islamic Civilization * Dr Shahzadi Pakeeza Assistant Professor, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi dr.pakeeza@fjwu.edu.pk ** Nosheen Iftikhar Research Student, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi ABSTRACT Colonialism has impacted on Islamic Law as well as Islamic civilization. Islam has a dissonant relationship with modernity in that it agrees with central aspects of this epochal phenomenon and parts ways with others. The compatibility issues were raised by the Muslim thinkers. Many Muslim scholars have contributed to give an original understanding of message of Islam detached from sectarian influences. Traditions are considered to be the vehicle for the transference of factors to modernity with a strong role in determining power and culture of a civilization. Thus, they pave the way for the power tools of a civilization. The theories of Muslim scholars from Asia and Egypt are discussed to elaborate the Muslim understanding of facing the challenges of modernity. The contemporary scholars’ views are also added with an analysis of their observation on compatibility of Islam with modern era challenges and the criticism on it due to their modernity conception. Keywords: Islamic Civilization, Modernity and Islam, Traditons Colonialism and Islamic Law Colonialism had a significant influence on Islamic Law in the sense that it did brought up a new face of law for the Muslims residing in different parts of the world. 1 It was, no doubt, the rule of colonizers and they tried to impose their laws and culture in the colonized lands but were met with resistance and this resistance forced them to ponder about finding the middle path between their laws and Islamic law. The middle path was in fact an effort to come to terms between the colonizers and the colonized ones. Though their intention was still the same i.e. to rule the lands but it could not have been possible if they had been rigid in implementation of their own laws. So flexibility was the only option left for them to exercise. 2