Transformative Islam and Ibn Khaldun’s Ethical ‘Aṣabīyah: A Decolonial Analysis by Syed Farid Alatas

Abstract

This article examines the reconstruction of Ibn Khaldun’s concept of ‘aṣabīyah through Syed Farid Alatas’s post-Khaldunian and decolonial approach and explores its relationship with transformative Islam. It aims to recover the broader social, moral, religious, and political dimensions of ‘aṣabīyah and to develop ethical ‘aṣabīyah as the authors’ conceptual reconstruction for contemporary social analysis. Using qualitative content analysis, the study examines al-Muqaddimah together with Alatas’s major works through interpretive comparison of key conceptual statements. The findings show that ‘aṣabīyah is not limited to tribal solidarity, but functions as a social force related to cohesion, political power, religion, and civilization. Ethical ‘aṣabīyah is formulated as solidarity directed by justice, public responsibility, and the common good. Corruption, declining public trust, and institutional fragility are discussed as contemporary illustrations of how ethical ‘aṣabīyah can be applied to interpret moral and institutional problems in modern society. This article argues that ethical ‘aṣabīyah can be connected with transformative Islam through justice, social criticism, liberation, social agency, praxis, and the ethical role of religion.