ABSTRACT
Islam was modern because in its historical and social context it was meant to introduce a solution to the critical socio-historical situation of the Arabian peninsula at the time. Its modernism is evident on the level of belief, ethics and sociology. As the Khawarij supported their political position by quoting verses of the Quran, this brought about the emergence of Islamic theology, with the Quran or rather its interpretation and counter interpretation at the heart of it. The allegorical school leaves room for the reinterpretation of religious law, because God's word has to be understood according to its spirit, not its letter; the logical conclusion of this attitude is that public authorities and/or society are entitled to practise interpretation and application of the law. Averroes, the great Muslim philosopher who contributed to Western enlightenment through his Arabic works, as well as through his translations of and commentaries on Aristotle.
