Pioneers of Islamic Modernism: Jamal-ad-Din Afghani and Muhammad Abduh - Research Paper Example

Introduction During the period between the 19th and 20th century, the Islamic ideology was in the transition stage; the transition from history to modernism and from captivity to liberation. This stage was led by the pioneers including Jamal-ad-Din Afghani and Muhammad Abduh who played central roles in representing Islam to the modern world.1 It was during the late 19th century when both personalities came out as the Islamic activists. Their concerns were to bring religious reforms both in the Arab and western world communities. Though they started off from their native regions “Afghanistan and Egypt”, but sooner they recognized that the message is significant enough to be passed on to the rest of the world.2 This was how the process of Islamic liberation started and was left on to each corner of the world by the Islamic activists Al-Afghani and Sheikh Muhammad Abduh.3 In this paper, contributions of both individuals are covered to highlight similarities and dissimilarities in their views and also, the impact of their contributions to the Islamic ideology. Activists on Islamic modernism Jamal-ad-Din Al Afghani (born at Asadabad, Persia 1838) was a thinker, an ideologist, and a political reformist. Al Afghani’s mode of progression was politics, but being a Muslim he decided to merge politics with Islam to make it a more pious and uniform process. Being a political activist Al Afghani developed roots to the concept of Islamic modernism.4 He wanted to see Muslims to develop in front of the western establishers for which he emphasized on the openness of minds and acceptation of the Islamic modernity. With concentration on modernism, Al Afghani overcame the limitations of acquiring knowledge. In his acceptance of the Islamic modernism, he emphasized that knowledge is a power to deal with challenges including those of poverty, ignorance, and illiteracy, which were all there at his time of activism.5 Muhammad Abduh, on the other side, was a popular name in the Islamic modernism. He consented with Jamal-ad-Din Afghani in order to escalate the concept of the Islamic modernism.6 Abduh being a disciple of Jamal-ad-Din Afghani kept the spirit of politics, but being an ideologist and a philosopher his concerns were on the socialism side. Abduh emphasized on the acquisition of knowledge and education. Being a student of logic, he made great impact on the areas of philosophy, science, and ‘Aqida (Islamic theology), which were reflections of his modern ideology.7 Muhammad Abduh being an educational reformist believed in the prism of education. He believed that by having knowledge, logic, and practice Muslims can retrieve their lost distinction in the world. All of these backed up the ideology of Sheikh- Muhammad Abduh, which contained the elements of modernity, liberty, and socialism respectively. Adopting the evolutionary approach, Muhammad Abduh realized the western ideals to be valuable for the Muslims of the nineteenth century. He recognized that by adopting western principles, Muslims can find a way of science and technology, which were considered as tools of progressing in the early nineteenth century.8 Jamal-ad-Din Afghani in his period of political reforms rejected pure tradition and pure westernization. He admired good things from the West and those which were essentially needed to change the thinking of the nineteenth century’s Muslims. Afghani never wanted Muslims to carry blind faith. He emphasized on logic and rationality just as Muhammad Abduh did to carry the word of religion and practice in the right manner.9 His concerns were to empower Muslims who were carrying elements of tradition and customs in the late nineteenth century. Abduh believed in the essence of knowledge and hence, wanted it to be part of the Muslim society, which was lacking access to education and also the determination to acquire it. Accompanying modernity, Jamal-ad-Din Afghani asserted flexible ways of moving forward.10 He suggested that to gain domination Muslims should adopt the true sense of the Islamic religion, which talks about determination, motivation, and self-realization. He emphasized on making struggle and declared it as one of major segments of the Islamic faith. This was how Al-Afghani merged knowledge with modernity and built a bridge for the Islamic modernism for the nineteenth century Muslims.11 Muhammad Abduh before his 10 years of exile (Egypt to Britain) went active in the educational reform. His educational reform was a reflection of the modern thinking, which carried notions of tolerance, modest,y and use of reasoning.12 He practiced the concept of rationalism, which he related with the fundamentals of Islam. Abduh emphasized on reasoning and “logic” because it was reasoning that gave him the true understanding of Islam as a religion.13 He suggested that to build a strong relationship with God it is necessary that man touches grounds of rationality and contemplation. Profoundness and prudence were found in Abduh’s ideology, which he later on passed to the rest of the world by his deliberate means of writing.14 At the Cairo University, he studied the concept of logical philosophy, rationalism, and modern practice which gave him the compassion to spread Islam as an acceptable religion. It was his view of Islam as a fluid relion, which Abduh tried to project, which later on received high criticism from the Islamic Egyptian scholars of his time. It was the logic that was common in both Abduh and Afghani’s visions. Both proclaimed logic as a tool; an instrument to understand faith in the right true sense.15 In contrast to Muhammad Abduh, Jamal-ad-Din Afghani with his basic reliance on modernity moved to different geographies to spread out his conception. Afghani’s work got affiliated to different countries of the world including Afghanistan, Iran, India, The Arab world, Turkey, and later on Russia.16 This was to intensify the religious reform - the Islamic reform, which was restricted to the scholars and imperialists’ of the nineteenth century. Jamal-ad-Din Afghani wanted to see a change in the Islamic system. He wanted to reassert Islamic doctrines to bring an everlasting change in the Islamic regime. This was to shape the Arab world in contrast to the transitional world, which was demanding advancement and modernism at the same time.17 Al-Afghani while addressing the Indian Ulamas stated the following words which reflected his clear vision of the Islamic modernity: “Why do you not raise your eyes from those defective books and why do you not cast your glance on this wide world? Why do you not employ your reflection and thought on events and their causes without the veils of those works? Why do you always utilize those exalted minds on trifling problems? Yet you spend no thought on this question of great importance, incumbent on every intelligent man, which is: What is the cause of poverty, indigence, helplessness, and distress of the Muslims, and is there a cure for this important phenomenon and great misfortune or not?18 The initial political struggle of Al-Afghani was on the revival of the Islamic theology, but it was all for the unity of the system and concept of nationalism.19 Reformulation of the Islamic doctrines was Afghani’s central ambition. This was to reposition Islam with the scientific thought in order to improve the distinction of the nineteenth century Muslims. Basically, Al-Afghani came up with a political mindset and to back his philosophy he admired provisions of Islam and its fundamentals. The basic element that Al-Afghani kept away was “tradition” as it was tradition which in his point of view was the main cause of Islamic orthodoxy.20 To break the ice of orthodoxy, Al-Afghani came up with the segment of liberation, which to great extent defines the idea of the Islamic modernism.21 On the other side, Muhammad Abduh being a follower of Al-Afghani kept the same spirit of reform. Abduh’s ambitions also included reformation of the doctrines, which was to bring change in the right and real sense. Muhammad Abduh also wanted to see Muslims marching in the modern world for which he kept backing the idea of the reformist Jamal-ad-Din Al Afghani.22 Both of them believed that if Islam is reformulated, it can get to a better solution for the Muslim society, which was lagging just because of the conventional nature of the practice. In the reform period, Muhammad Abduh recognized Islam as a universal religion. He recognized that if Islam is well expressed then it is the only religion to agree with the modern conditions. Abduh’s emerging ideas of modernity were saved in the Tafsir-al-Manar, Qur’an commentary and interpretation. It was the latest text by Muhammad Abduh in which he tried to relate Islamic doctrines with the context of modernity. In this text version, Abduh brought validations and authenticity relating Islam with the modern values and principles. It was a detailed principle overview of modernity in order to convince Muslims on latest adaptations and acquisitions.23 Activists on Pan-Islamism and Anti-Colonialism Jamal-ad-Din Al-Afghani was the continuator of the Pan-Islamism concept. Afghani always talked about the Muslim unity and Islamic nationalism, which were his core concerns since the earliest period of his life. Rebuilding a stronger Islamic state and bringing the Caliphate in order were his foremost objectives in the late nineteenth century. Keeping a political background and thinking, Afghani paid less attention to the theology - “Islamic discipline” and followed the notions of Muslim brotherhood and unity. His entire focus was to generate a Muslim response to restrain the pressures of the European encroachment, which was possible by enjoining the Muslim world including the Arabs and entire Middle East region.24 In the era of nineteenth century, when Muslims were asleep Afghani came out with the spirit to awake the nation by asserting modern principles and ideas of progression. He fought with the power of pen and marched with the spirit of determination to unite Muslims who were under utter stress from the West. In his preaching period, Afghani recalled the old times of the Muslim Umma, where there was success just because of brotherhood and accord amongst the Muslims.25 This Pan-Islamic thinking of Afghani was disliked by the imperialists, but was highly appreciated by the Middle East and Arab world at his time.26 Al-Afghani in giving a real shape to Pan-Islamism and Caliphate order joined the Ottoman Empire, which was the most established Muslim empire in the late nineteenth century. It was 1870, when Afghani joined Turkish Ottoman, which was to unite the Indian, Afghani, and Central Asian Muslims against the Russian colonialists.27 Actually, the Ottoman sultan “the ruler of Turkey” had the same Pan-Islamic thinking, which became a reason for Afghani to join his cause and ambitions. This led Afghani to embody his dream and to give it the exact real shape, which he thought at the earlier age of his life.28 Muhammad Abduh also took the agreement with Al-Afghani to unite Muslims as one nation. Being a graduate scholar from Al-Azhar University, Abduh was appointed as a lecturer in the same institution. He declared lectures on the Muslim unity and began his journey on the Pan-Islamism concept. Accompanying Al-Afghani’s vision, Abduh stood against the British rule which was exerting influence on the Egyptian politics to divide the Muslim authority. Being the chief editor at Gazette, Abduh started preaching against the Imperialist rule in Egypt, which had influential elements of the British and French colonialists. Furthermore, he came out as a partner to Al-Afghani, and joined the Urabi revolt to intensify his Pan-Islamic preaching.29 This was to build the pressure on imperialism and to seclude the Europeans from the Egyptian politics.30 With pressures of the Europeans in Egypt, Abduh was convicted, exiled, and forced to leave the country in the year 1882. At this time, Abduh continued his journey of the Pan-Islamism and Muslim brotherhood. He met Afghani in Paris (1884), where both of them published an anti-imperialist journal “al-Urwah al-Wuthqa” (the indissoluble bond). It was to confirm the Muslim concord and also to figure out ways to counter impression for the European imperialist. In addition, remaining under the guidance of Al-Afghani, Muhammad Abduh developed a concern for the internal reform (Egyptian reform), which he had to discontinue as a result of exile.31 On his return to Egypt in the year 1888, he was appointed as a judge and got the authority to establish the true Islamic reform - “Pan-Islamic reform”. Being a disciple of Al-Afghani, he began his quest to stabilize the Muslim authority. In 1898, Muhammad Abduh established al Manar (The Beacon). It was a Muslim forum to share ideas both from the liberal side and pious religious scholars.32 This was to empower Muslim intellect by giving them a podium to polish their ideologies.33 Actually, Muhammad Abduh wanted to create a shelter for the Muslim community and give them a direction, which can last for the next generations of the nation. Out of his political breach, he decisively focused on the education system to bring improvements in the right sense and created an intellectual forum, which was part of his struggle. Creative thinking and innovation were elements of Abduh’s ideology for which he kept on placing educational modifications in each period of his life. He wanted to see Muslims succeeding and for that he planted roots of education time after time.34 Next to Muhammad Abduh, Jamal-ad-Din Afghani kept his interest in the Pan-Islamism. Being an Islamic philosopher, Afghani sighted education as a pillar to create a bond between Muslim Umma. He suggested philosophy as a reason to unite Muslims. He came up with the concept of intellectual interaction where he progressed to gather all Muslim Alims and intellects at one forum “Al Jamia-Al-Islamiyaa”.35 This was in resemblance to Muhammad Abduh, who also wanted to see Muslims joining at a forum of education. After establishing the forum, Afghani expected an international Muslim community in Al-Jamia-Al-Islamiyaa. This later on happened as hundreds of Muslim scholars from different fields “science and religion” joined the cause of Jamal-ad-Din Afghani and his institution. Afghani accessed that if Muslims are united on education then they will be more powerful and stronger than any other nation in the world.36 Both scholars emphasized on education as work in the progress of acquiring different fields of knowledge. Science and technology were their high value concerns for which they invited people from different disciplines to share knowledge and increase awareness of the Muslims living in the nineteenth century, who were out of the touch of advancements taking place in the work. Picking up education as the basis both Muhammad Abduh and Al-Afghani grounded roots of Pan-Islamism.37 Differences in the Ideologies Along with the resemblance and similarities in the ideologies of two scholars, there were to the extent some differences in Abduh’s and Afghani’s vision. Muhammad Abduh being a scholar and religious reformist had a social frame of mind.38 He was actually a socialist and moderate thinker who had less interest in politics in the way as Afghani had since his earlier age of time. Muhammad Abduh was more on the educational, social, and religious reforms with less focus on dominating the world as Afghani had in his political view and ideology.39 Muhammad Abduh was not looking for a ruling Muslim State but was concerned about stabilizing the internal structure of the Muslim society in order to improve their position in the world.40 Muhammad Abduh was onto changing minds, while Al-Afghani was decisively on changing geographies and systems. Al-Afghani had less concern about the theological interpretation as he was more on the anti-imperialism and anti-colonialism aspects. Meanwhile, Muhammad Abduh always focused on internal weaknesses; weaknesses which were existing in the nineteenth century Muslims due to their own negligence and ignorance.41 He wanted to see societies moving forward and hence, came out as the rationalist thinker to revive Muslim societies and cultures. Afghani on the other side, wanted to revive Caliphate “an old Islamic mode of ruling the State and countries”. This was different to Abduh as he wanted to see change but not in governments and instead in the behaviors and practices of the common Muslim person.42 Conclusion Jamal-ad-Din Afghani and Muhammad Abduh are pioneers of Islamic modernism. Their efforts in the nineteenth century established the notion of Islamic liberation. Both personalities kept their impression by bringing a change in the Islamic system. They gave the thought of openness, fluidity, and moderation to make Islam a universal religion and not just a mark of conventional practitioners. Jamal-ad-Din Afghani with a political mind set emphasized on Muslim brotherhood. He believed that if Muslims are united they can overcome the pressures of European imperialists rule. On the other side, Muhammad Abduh gave the ideas of logic, rationalism and contemplation. Abduh believed that if Muslims use reasoning, they can come to a better understanding of faith and religion. List of References Ahmed, S., 2010. A Perspective of the Arab – Islamic Political Philosophy of the 18h and 19th Centuries, Vienna : University of Vienna. Amir, A., Shuriye, A. & Ismail, A., 2012. Muhammad Abdu's Contribution to Modernity. Asian Journal of Management Sciences and Education, Volume 1, pp. 63-75. Dabashi, H., 2008. Islamic Liberation Theology: Resisting the Empire. New York: Taylor & Francis. Esposito, J., 1998. Islam and Politics. New York: Syracuse University Press. Keddie, N., 1983. An Islamic Response to Imperialism. London: University of California Press. Kedourie, E., 1997. Afghani and ʻAbduh: An Essay on Religious Unbelief and Political Activism in Modern Islam. London: Routledge. Ozcan, A., 1997. Pan-Islamism: Indian Muslims, the Ottomans and Britain, 1877-1924. New York: BRILL. Robinson, N., 1998. Abduh, Muhammad (1849-1905). [Online] Available at: [Accessed 18 January 2013]. Sever, A., 2010. A Pan-Islamist in Istanbul, Ankara: Graduate School of Social Sciences. Tariq, M., 2012. Jamal Ad-Din Afghani: A Pioneer of Islamic Modernism. The Dialogue, Volume 4, pp. 341-354. Read More