The Culture of Defending Society: Between Foucault, Popper, and the Hilf al-Fudul Captain Mohammed Hassan Al-Tahir

 

*Date: September 24, 2025*

 

*Understand before you lead—toward a society balanced between power, reason, and values:*

At the heart of every vibrant society, ideas clash over:

– Power,

– Freedom,

– And justice.

 

While Michel Foucault and Karl Popper may seem to belong to two distant intellectual worlds, their reflections on society and culture open windows into a deeper understanding of human nature and its interactions. When we introduce the “Hilf al-Fudul” into this dialogue, we discover how ethical values can mediate between authority and rationality, granting society a renewed human dimension.

 

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*🧠 Foucault: Power as Continuous Warfare*

 

In his book _“Society Must Be Defended”_, Michel Foucault deconstructs the structure of power, revealing its transformation:

– From a mere tool of governance

– Into a complex network of conflicts.

 

Society, in his view, is not a space for consensus but a battlefield, where power is exercised through discipline and surveillance, and its tools are used to regulate and direct individuals.

 

Foucault does not see culture as a mere expression of identity, but as a product of power—shaped and reshaped according to the interests of dominant forces. Thus, culture becomes both a tool of resistance and a mechanism of subjugation.

 

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*🌍 Popper: Rationality as a Path to Freedom*

 

In contrast, Karl Popper presents in _“All Life Is Problem Solving”_ a more optimistic vision. Life, as he sees it, is:

– A series of trials and errors, where absolute truth does not exist, only a continuous striving toward improvement.

– Democracy, in his view, is not a perfect system, but a correctable one that allows people to revise themselves without resorting to violence.

 

Popper elevates rationality, considering it the most effective means to understand and transform the world. Culture, in this context, is an expression of individual freedom and the human capacity to overcome problems through dialogue and critical thinking.

 

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*🤝 Ethics Before Authority*

 

Amid this contrast between Foucault and Popper, the “Hilf al-Fudul” emerges as an ancient ethical symbol with striking modern relevance. Before Islam, men from various Meccan tribes gathered and pledged to support the oppressed, regardless of religion or lineage. This pact embodies the idea that society is not built solely on power or intellect, but on values of justice and human dignity.

 

From Foucault’s perspective, Hilf al-Fudul might be seen as a symbolic resistance to tribal authority. From Popper’s angle, it serves as a living example of how society can ethically correct itself without external imposition or authoritarian force.

 

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*🧩 Conclusion: A Society Balanced Between Power, Reason, and Values*

 

Culture is not merely an accumulation of knowledge or art—it reflects how society engages with power, freedom, and principles. Between:

– Foucault, who warns against the expansion of power,

– And Popper, who bets on rationality,

Hilf al-Fudul stands as a reminder that ethics are the indispensable foundation.

 

In an era of rapid transformation, perhaps we need to draw inspiration from all three: Foucault’s critique, Popper’s optimism, and the spirit of Hilf al-Fudul. Only then can we build a society that not only defends itself, but also delivers justice to its people and empowers them to solve their problems—without losing its humanity.