TECHNO-JAHILIYYAH: EXAMINING TRANSHUMANISM THROUGH THE ISLAMIC LENS

Abstract

This paper explores the philosophical underpinnings of Transhumanism through the lens of the Islamic concept of Jahiliyyah. By examining the metanarratives of modernity that shape the transhumanist worldview, particularly those of autonomy, progress, and techno-salvationism, the paper argues that Transhumanism represents a form of secular enchantment. The analysis posits that Transhumanism emerges as a reaction to the crisis of meaning and purpose in modernity. Transhumanism's secular enchantment arises from its attempt to address the nihilistic implications of modernity. Applying the Qutbian framework of Jahiliyyah, the paper posits that Transhumanism is a manifestation of techno-jahiliyyah—a state of existential ignorance marked by an unwavering faith in science and technology as the exclusive means of transcendence and salvation. In response, the paper presents an Islamic counternarrative that emphasizes divine guidance, the integration of faith and reason, and the role of humans as Khalifah on earth.