Muslim Thought MA 3rd Sem
Muslim Thought MA 3rd Sem
Muslim Thought MA 3rd Sem
4. Social and Educational Reforms: One of the key aspects of the Sanusiyya
movement was its emphasis on education. The movement established numerous
schools and educational institutions, providing both religious and secular
education to its followers. This focus on education helped empower individuals
and communities, fostering social and intellectual development.
5. Political Engagement: The Sanusiyya movement actively engaged in political
affairs, seeking to establish Islamic governance and resist colonial rule. It
played a pivotal role in various anti-colonial movements, including the Libyan
resistance against Italian colonization. The movement's leaders, known as the
Grand Sanusi, held significant political influence and were seen as spiritual and
political authorities.
Introduction
Later in life, Rida travelled to Egypt and became associated with the
renowned reformer Jamal al-Din al-Afghani and the reformist
movement known as the Salafiyya. This association played a pivotal
role in shaping his political philosophy, as he was exposed to ideas of
Islamic revivalism and the need for political and social reform
within the Muslim world.
Rasid Rida: His Time
Rida lived during a time when the Muslim world was grappling
with the challenges posed by European colonialism, political
fragmentation, and the decline of Islamic political influence.
The Ottoman Empire, which had long been the centre of the
Islamic world, was in decline, and its territories were being
carved up by Western powers.
Rida witnessed the disintegration of the Ottoman Caliphate
and the emergence of nationalist movements in various
Muslim-majority regions.
Civilization)
Qasim Amin
Qasim Amin is a pioneering Egyptian thinker, writer, and jurist, left an
indelible mark on the social and political landscape of Egypt and the wider Arab
world during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His contributions to
women's rights, modernity, and reform remain influential and thought-
provoking to this day.
Education:
He came from an influential family and received a traditional Islamic
education.
Later, he pursued higher studies in Law in Egypt and France, earning a
degree in Law from the University of Montpellier in France in 1888.
Even though some people didn’t like his ideas about women's rights,
many intellectuals and people wanting change supported him. His
thoughts paved the way for later movements fighting for women's rights
in the Arab world.
His ideas about fairness and a better society still influence talks about
equality and progress in the Middle East and other places today.
Career as Editor
As a young man, Al-Kawakibi had a strong interest in literature and
politics. At the age of twenty, he started working as a journalist. He
became the editor of Aleppo's official newspaper called Al-Furat from
1875 to 1877. He also edited a well-known reformist journal called al-
Manar, which was started by Rashid Rida, another influential Islamic
scholar.
When he was twenty-two, Al-Kawakibi, along with his friend Hasim al-
Attar, started his own literary journal called al-Sahba in 1878.
This journal strongly opposed the Turkish administration and criticized
the despots and dictators of the time, including the new Vali of Aleppo,
Jamil Pasha. However, due to Al-Kawakibi's outspoken political views,
the journal was shut down by the local Ottoman Government after only
15 issues.
He later started another journal called al-Itidal in 1879, but it faced the
same fate and was also closed down criticized the rulers of his time.
However, his journals were shut down by the government because of his
outspokenness.
Career as a Politician
After working as an editor, Al-Kawakibi entered politics and held various
positions in the Ottoman civil service in Aleppo.
After He served in high posts in the city's administration under the
Tanzimat reforms.
Despite his opposition to the Ottoman Empire, he wanted to serve the
Arab population and took initiatives to protect them from corrupt
authorities.
Al-Kawakibi and other Aleppans complained about the Vali (governor) to
the central government in Istanbul, but their complaints were ignored.
When Istanbul sent a representative to investigate, Al-Kawakibi and his
followers were imprisoned for false complaints.
After his release from prison, his popularity grew, and he became the
mayor of Aleppo in 1892.
His Struggle in Egypt
Al-Kawakibi arrived in Egypt in 1898 during the rule of Khedive
Abbas Hilmi.
He received a warm welcome from other Islamic intellectuals residing
in Egypt.
In Egypt, he met Rashid Rida, another Islamic scholar and advocate for
Arab independence.
Al-Kawakibi was influenced by the teachings of Jamal al-Din al-
Afghani and Muhammad Abduh.
He incorporated Al-Afghani's theories into Pan-Islamic Arabic
solidarity.
Al-Kawakibi and Rashid Rida discussed ideas of Pan-Arabism and
Quranic interpretations.
Al-Kawakibi believed that Arabs should represent Islam, not the
Ottomans.
Rida believed that blind-following (taqlid) was the reason for the
downfall of Muslims.
They both advocated for the revival of independent Islamic thinking
(ijtihad).
During his time in Egypt, Al-Kawakibi socialized with Syrian and
Egyptian reformist colleagues, published books and articles, and
traveled throughout the Muslim world.
He has been praised by Arab and Muslim writers as a pioneer of Arab
nationalism, an enlightened Islamic reformer, and a promoter of causes
such as democracy, liberalism, socialism, and secularism.
Criticism
Some people criticized Al-Kawakibi for being a proponent of socialism.
Islamic socialism suggests that the Quran allows for the redistribution
of wealth, but this viewpoint is disputed by many Muslim scholars.
This criticism stemmed from his belief that Caliphs should not have
political power but should serve as spiritual guides.
Legacy
Al-Kawakibi's message and legacy influenced Pan-Arab nationalists like
Gamal Abdel Nasser, even though he himself was not a Pan-Arab
nationalist.
He believed in Arab unity and solidarity, emphasizing the founding of
Islam in Arab lands as a reason for the entire Muslim world to unite
under the Arabs.
Many Islamic and Arab reformists have been influenced by Al-
Kawakibi's ideas.
The Kawaakibi Foundation is named after him, and his great-grandson,
Salam Kawakibi, is a Paris-based intellectual and director of the Arab
Centre for Research and Policy Studies.
Al-Kawakibi's essays on despotism have been published in French, co-
authored by Salam Kawakibi.
Alongside the Syrian Islamic cleric Sayyid Rashid Rida, Al-Kawakibi
remains influential in pan-Arab circles for their strong criticisms of
Abdul Hamid II and the autocratic rule of the Ottomans.
Works
1. "Umm al-Qura" (The Mother of Cities): This book explores the historical
and cultural significance of Mecca, the birthplace of Islam.
1. Background:
Ali Abd al-Raziq lived during a transformative period in Egypt,
marked by the decline of the Ottoman Empire and the rise of
nationalist movements.
He was deeply influenced by the changing socio-political
landscape and the intellectual ferment of the early 20th century.
2. Key Ideas:
Separation of Religion and State:
Al-Raziq argued against the traditional Islamic view that the state
should be founded on religious principles.
He believed that Islam was primarily a spiritual and moral
guidance system rather than a blueprint for governance.
According to him, the Prophet Muhammad did not establish a
theocratic state but rather a community centered on religious
principles.
Secularism in Islam:
He advocated for the separation of religious authority from
political authority.
Al-Raziq proposed that the state should be based on democratic
principles and that governance should not be influenced by
religious authorities.
He emphasized the importance of a secular state where citizens of
different faiths could coexist peacefully without religious
interference in governance.
Individual Freedom and Citizenship:
Al-Raziq highlighted the importance of individual freedom and
citizenship rights in an Islamic state.
He believed that individuals should have the freedom to practice
their religion without state interference.
He argued for equal rights and opportunities for all citizens,
irrespective of their religious beliefs.
4. Legacy:
Despite facing criticism during his time, Ali Abd al-Raziq's ideas
continue to be influential in discussions about the relationship
between religion and politics in the Islamic world.
His advocacy for a secular state and the separation of religious
authority from political governance remains relevant in
contemporary discussions on democracy and Islam.
Works:
"Islam and the Foundations of Governance" (original title: "Islam wa
Usul al-Hukm")
Ahmad Kasrawi
Early life:
Ahmad Kasravi was born in Tabriz, Iran, in 1890 to a middle-class
family.
He received his early education in traditional Islamic schools, where he
showed a keen interest in religion and philosophy.
Education:
In his early twenties, Kasravi became disillusioned with traditional
Islamic teachings and began to study modern Western thought.
He was particularly influenced by the work of European philosophers
such as Voltaire, Rousseau, and Montesquieu.
Career:
Kasravi began his career as a teacher and journalist.
In the early 1920s, he founded a religious reform movement that
advocated for a return to the original teachings of Islam and rejected the
authority of Shi'a clergy.
He was a prolific writer and published over 70 books and articles on a
wide range of topics, including religion, politics, history, and social
reform.
Travel:
Kasravi traveled extensively throughout Iran and the Middle East,
spreading his ideas and engaging in debates with religious scholars.
He also visited Europe and met with Western intellectuals.
Works:
Kasravi's most famous work is Azari or the Ancient Language of
Azerbaijan, which argues that the Azerbaijani language is a dialect of
Persian and not a separate Turkic language.
He also wrote extensively on the history of Iran, including the History of
the Iranian Constitutional Revolution.
His religious writings, such as The Scum of the Tabrizis, are highly
critical of Shi'a Islam and Sufism.
Legacy: Kasravi was a controversial figure during his lifetime and remains so
today. He is admired by some for his critical thinking and his commitment to
social reform, but he is also criticized by others for his attacks on Islam. His
ideas have had a significant impact on Iranian intellectual thought and continue
to be debated today.