Success and prosperity are two
things that people, communities, and nations are after and desire. Prosperity
is the sign of success and success means that you’re good that whatever methods
you are utilizing are working. It is a good thing. You, everyone, wants to be
successful. The pressure to be a success builds if someone near or around you
is doing really well. The pressure to do better or at least as good begins to
build and you begin to feel desperate. You look at what you’re doing trying to
figure out what it is that you’re doing that is not working. You begin to
question what you’re doing. You begin to think that copying or at least
modeling what the successful nations beside you are doing will help you do
better. But it doesn’t.
I researched 3 prominent Islamic thinkers: Tahtawi, Afghani, and Abduh. Each man tackled problems occuring globally and nationally in Egypt.
Responses to the predicament
varied. Rulers frequently tried to adopt to French or British methods of
operation from schooling to military tactics. However, there were a group of
individuals who sought to rectify the predicament. The problem, as they saw it,
was a perceived incompatibility between Islam and modernity. Thus,these men began to explain and elaborate on how and why Islam and
modernity are easily, nay naturally, compatible. Each of these men built upon the previous thinker’s thoughts and led a revolution
in thinking and engagement. Now, these three men each have a focus in Egypt and
thus the focus of this paper will share their focus on Egypt—also, Egypt was
independent enough to have multiple and plentiful interactions with European
powers, which spurred dialogue about modernity and its compatibility with
Islam.
Something interesting about how these men approached modernity is through the assumption that France and Britain had it. And this belief lead to them comparing themselves to the West frequently. For instance,
Afghani felt that if Islam was to be the solution for so many
problems that Islam was in need of a reformation—similar to the Protestant
reformation, which lead to (or closely proceeded) many advancements in
Europe—and actually felt that he was the reformer or an Islamic version of
Luther[1].
One of the reasons that Afghani felt that Islam could carry similar impact, as
Protestantism to France and Britain, is that “Islam teaches reason is capable
of knowing all and testing all[2].”
All of which proposes that Islam is inherently a match for modernity as if they
are keenly designed to work together to produce positive and effective results.
It is interesting, however, that Afghani simultaneously wants reform and
believes that Islam is naturally and already a complimentary fit with
modernity.
Afghani was definitely interesting, as was Tahtawi, but its really brilliant watching these two influences come into life in Abduh.
Abduh’s engagement
of Islam was definitely different than his predecessors—a unique blend of
Tahtawi and Afghani, despite only learning directly from Afghani. In Abduh’s
mind, Islam was best when a) preserving unity and social peace of the umma and
b) answering the questions posed by the religious debates of Europe[1].
More specifically, “Abduh’s purpose [was] to show that Islam contained in
itself the potentialities of this rational religion, this social science and
moral code which could serve as the basis of modern life; and to create the
elite who should guard and interpret it[2].”
The elite is a reformed, like what Tahtawi and Afghani were after, umma and
ulama. Abduh was concerned with rationality because of his interactions with
Renan. Renan was a scholar in France who had a very orientalist view of Arabs
and Islam. Abduh was often in debates with him. One of Renan’s comments that
riled Abduh was that religion, including religion, was impossible of rational
thinking[3].
Abduh felt very strongly against this notion. Instead Abduh became very focused
in proving that Islam the opposite—that Islam is indeed very rational[4].
“Reason is free[5]”
and since reason/rationality is found in Islam then Islam can act as the medium
to free the people.
It seems that it always comes down to freedom:
freedom from being in the shadow of the prosperous and successful Britain and
France. These thinkers wanted to close the gap. Their thoughts, preachings, and
writings inspired so many after them. However, did it work? One might be able
to make an argument, but by general assessment the gap that these men wanted to
close, they were unable to do so—so far no one has. Tahtawi was certainly
right, though, states rise and fall, but there must be something else that contributes
to a society’s success or failure other than the things that men can put their
hands on. Maybe there’s some luck in the universe.
WHB
[1] (Hourani, Muhammad 'Abduh 1962)
[2] (Hourani, Muhammad 'Abduh 1962)
[3] (Hourani, Muhammad 'Abduh 1962)
[4] (Hourani, Muhammad 'Abduh 1962)
[5] (Hourani, Muhammad 'Abduh 1962)
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