Strengthening Usuluddin in Responding to Postmodernism and Post-Normal Challenges

Abstract

This article examines the reinforcement of Usuluddin in addressing epistemological challenges posed by postmodernism and the post-normal era. Postmodernism, marked by skepticism toward meta-narratives and the relativization of truth, undermines the unity of meaning and the hierarchical structure of knowledge central to Islamic thought. Meanwhile, the post-normal condition introduces radical uncertainty, conflicting values, and non-linear change, demanding adaptive yet principled responses. Using a qualitative approach through philosophical and documentary analysis, this study engages classical sources (kalam, tawhid traditions) and contemporary thinkers (Lyotard, Foucault, Sardar, al-Attas, Nasr). Existing studies on Usuluddin often remain doctrinal and may not integrate responses to post-normal complexity and technological ethics. This article addresses this gap by proposing a structured approach to rearticulate Usuluddin as a dynamic epistemic system. The findings indicate that strengthening Usuluddin requires more than preserving tradition,it contributes by outlining a threefold strategy which are purifying tawhidic epistemology, expanding the Islamic worldview to contemporary domains such as artificial intelligence, digital media, and ecology, and restructuring methodology and knowledge governance. This normative framework enables Muslim societies to navigate uncertainty and fragmentation while maintaining fidelity to revelation and ethical principles.