Epistemology of Occidentalism: Study on Hanafi's Thoughts

By Ridho Al-Hamdi

More than two centuries that orientalism was able to construct itself as a civilization has strong power than others. It often called “The West”. While “The East” constructed as a weak civilization and still in inferior position. The dichotomist category causes various critiques from some scholars. Therefore, we need an academic study to balance of orientalism studies. The emergence of Occidentalism as a modern theory will criticize the West (European awareness) from non-West perspective. As a result, there is a balancing analysis on the civilization. To some extends, this study will focus on Hassan Hanafi’s thoughts particularly on al-Turats wa al-Jadid (the legacies and the modern). Hanafi is an Egypt Scholar who was graduated from Sorbone University of France.

Occidentalism still becomes a modern science that has not fundamental orientation yet. Therefore, I believe that we must analyze it deeply and philosophically. There are some questions must be answered here, such as how is standardization on the truth for Hanafi’s Occidentalism? From which the sources of the Occidentalism obtained? How are the methods for studying on the Occidentalism?

Methodologically, this study uses literature references to explain on the epistemology of Hanafi’s Occidentalism. The prime source is a book with title Muqaddimah fi ‘Ilmi al-Istighrab – Introduction to Occidentalism (Cairo: al-Dar al-Faniah, 1991). In addition, this study uses secondary sources that can to complete the whole analyses. The method for data collecting uses historical continuity, taxonomy analysis as well as interpretation.

Above all, the epistemology of Hanafi’s Occidentalism consists of sources, methods, and tolo ukur the truth. The sources of this study is Europe awareness that consists of three steps i.e. construction, structure and the fate of European awareness. This study use two methods i.e. dialectic-historical and phenomenology. For the standardization on truth of this study consists of al-Ana (Self) as a subject from al-Akhar (the others), removing the myth on the cosmopolite civilization, European awareness as an object of study, the self liberation as well as the equality of civilization.

The sources of European awareness consist of two things, the published sources and the unpublished sources. The published sources are Greek-Roman and Jewish-Christian. While the unpublished sources are old East and European territorial. The structure of European awareness can be seen into some ideologies such us Nationalism, Atheism, Fascism, Zionism, Nazism and Racialism.

This executive summary submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for Bachelor Degree (S1) in Department of Theology and Philosophy, Islamic State University of Sunan Kalijaga, Yogyakarta. Advisor is Dr. Alim Roswantoro and Co-Advisor is Dr. Zuhri.