As a result, many Islamic thinkers began to regard the Western model as an advanced paradigm, one without which prosperity in Muslim societies would be unattainable. This dominance extended beyond the technical and experimental sciences to also encompass thought and the human sciences. Clear evidence of this influence can be found in the various attempts by some Islamic intellectuals to reinterpret the Islamic epistemological framework, particularly the concept of religion, on the basis of Western epistemological methodologies.
These efforts gave rise to a strong presence of derivative intellectual approaches within the Islamic world that offered re-readings of religion. Among such approaches is the theory of epistemological relativism, which led some to dismiss religion as a valid epistemological system, while prompting others to call for a re-approach to religious understanding altogether.
In this article, we aim to examine the extent of influence that epistemological relativism can exert on the notion of religion. We will do so by first outlining the theory itself, then analyzing its impact on religion, and finally offering a critique of it based on the contributions of Muslim philosophers in the field of human knowledge.
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