Muslim Renaissance and Modernity

7/30/2019 Muslim Renaissance and Modernity

1/7

Muslim renaissance and modernity: reinterpretation and new

challenges with special reference to Kerala

Sufyan Abdul Sathar. M*

Abstract;

Post modern criticism destroys the stereotypes and prejudices of modernism. The

renaissance is closely related to modernism, but whenever talk about Muslim

Renaissance it does not favor of modernism in nowadays Muslim renaissance became the

object of incisive commentary as if it is the byproduct of European enlightenment and post

colonial intellect. This paper discuss the record issue regularly the opening of Ijthihad, by

which the terrorist attack is justified, so this include the source of ideas to Al Qaeda and

the problem is either related to opening of Ijthihad or not. Woman empowerment

annihilation of Arabic Malayalam, resistance or unislamic traditional festival and othersare become the challenge of reformative (Islahi) organizations, especially, in Kerala.

Introduction

The means of modernism went out of the stage in attaining cultural and humanitarian

ideas. The science and technology which played a great role to realize the modernism

in its materialistic form, hence the root cause of that world experience natural crisis and

decline of healthy environment, is the said modernism. The renaissance which related

to modernity means the interference of intellect and secularism to mold the religion and

the community identity in the way of modernism, but the Muslim renaissance does notfavor of euro centric modernism while Hindu and Christian religions became having

identity through secular colonial modernism in 18th

and 19th

century(1)

, the Hindu

religion havent any community identity, even a religious identity, as they were

dispersed by the different caste until the coming of colonial renaissance.

No one can deny the influence of European Enlightment in every movement which

had took place in 18-20th

Century, and Muslim renaissance have its own influence from

Enlightment because the opening of Sues canal and invasion of Napoleon Bonaparte

to Egypt are influenced in culture, art and literature of Egypt(2)

so we can see its bad

effect also on the way of though of Egyptian scholar in different topics likeindividualism, woman liberation and others. There are some Arabic scholars in such a

way like Qassim Ameen(3)

and Taha Hussein,(4)

but the Muslim intellect of Egypt

resists all such inclinations in possible way.

*Post graduate student, Department of Arabic, AMU.

1


2/7

Muslim renaissance

The Muslim renaissance means the reformation (Islah) to uplift the community in all

forms, religiously, educationally and socially by adopting basic doctrines of Islam. The

word Islah, actually contain the means of several words, like Inara (enlightenment),Nahada (renaissance), Ihya (revival), Thahseen (reformation) partially or beyond it.

And this word also used in Quran in several places (2:11,110; 49:10; 11:88).

In modern times, post modernity critic the Muslim renaissance incisively as it is the

byproduct of European Englishment and post colonial intellect. They depict the

reformists as like Mohammed Abdu, Rasheed Riza, Vakkam Moulavi, Sanaullah

Maqthi thangal (in Kerala) and others as loyalists, imperialists, who perplexed to

modernism and who spend their life in trifling dispute.(5)

Now, I draw your attention to

the renaissance process among Muslims in Egypt by Mohammed Abdu, Rasheed Riza

and Jamluddin afghani, their basic motives for the Islamic reformism were Quran andsunnah because Islam hasnt any afraid to intellectual discourse as Christian Church

afraid the sciences, intellect and its all possibility and also try to impose Bible based

universal view. The Euro centric literature tried to interrogate the existence of

monotheism and Islamic principles by adopting the intellect as a tool, but the reformists

themselves resist such allegation against Islam by same intellect within the frame of

Islamic doctrines. We can see its examples in the article of Muhammed Abdu,

Risalathu Thouheed, Al Islam val Nasraniyya fil Ilm val Madaniyya and the article of

Rashee riza, Thafseer-ul- Manar, al Muhya, Al Mohammedi and others.

But by the end of the nineteenth century, a growing number of Muslim Intellectualsfall under the influence of Christian modernizers , for example Qasim Ameen, author

of the emancipation of women (thahreer-ul-marah) modern woman (Al marathul

Jadeedah)(6)

Islah in Kerala

In Kerala we find strong currents of Islamic reformism, the largest organization being

the Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (KNM), this radical reform movement, originating in

1920s and limited to kerala state, draws its inspiration from wide range of strands both

within India and from the wider Islamic world. Keralas Islamic reformism is

simultaneously local which emerges within a specific social, political and historical

context, and also pan Islamic which historically characterize the development of Islam

across the world(7)

Religious education was wide spread among Kerala Muslims while they are unfamiliar

with modern education but the traditional education systems like Dars and Madrasa

maintain the hypoplasia and adherence to legal tradition(Taqleed)(8)

2


3/7

The kerala Muslims were in long sleep as the result of conservative Ulemas

priesthood. They stop the community from modern education, English and Malayalam

learning.They produced Fatwas against the learning of women and stand in the way of

women to write and read. But, now, all their intervention to the society interpreted as

the part of freedom struggle. Actually, it is the beyond of historical favour because theFatwa (the juridical opinion) must be derived from the doctrines; hence these fatwas

influenced, more ,on Muslim community during the independent struggle and post

independent era.

Islahi movement in Kerala is neither a true copy of resurgence of Egypt nor of Najd.

Kerala reformists tried to intermix both the course of thinking of Ibn Abdul Wahab and

Egyptian reformists. Vakkam Abdul Kadar Moulavi was more influenced on Egypt

than Saudi. Other renaissance which held in other communities like Ezhava in the

leadership of Sreenarayana Guru was also influenced this Islahi movement, moreover,

the political and sociological scenario after the Malabar riot (1921) has it own influenceon renaissance movement.

Wahabism, Terrorism

Some of the western intellect interpret Ibn Abdul Wahabs course of thinking is the

major source for terrorists after September 11. while Indira Falk Gesnik oppose that the

opening of Ijtihad ,to public instead of elite Ulema deal with it in early period, is major

host for terrorist group like Hamas and Al-Qaeda(9)

. The monopoly of ijtihad had to

Ulema but its opening by reformists like Muhammed Abdu led to modern

understanding that ijtihad can exercised by any believer fluent in Arabic. But, in fact,the ijtihad (legal reasoning) is the important way to Islah and it will not be applicable

without incisive commentary on Taqleed.

Muslim renaissance leaders doesnt open as to be object of broader practice but is

misinterpreted and misused as we see any good attempt have loop holes by which one

can misuse it.

After September 11, Western Medias depict the Wahabi movement as the sign of

terrorism, radicalism, and intolerance. Middle East correspondent of BBC, Roger Hardy

says in his article titled as Inside Wahabi Islam

Osama bin Laden, named by US officials as the main suspect of in the

September 11 attacks against America, is Saudi born and a Wahabi.

Some of researches told us that Wahabi ideas does not favour to terrorism and Ibn

Abdul Wahab is not inspiration to Osama Bin Laden and others(10)

while other charge

against Syed Qutub as the source of Ideas to terrorists movement(11)

3


4/7

But, I see all its discourse is the product of westernism. They, simply, want a prey to

accuse all the charges of terrorism. But, in fact, it is the result of clash of civilization as

Samuel P Huntington summed up his observation,

The underlying problem for the west is not Islamic fundamentalism.

It is Islam, a different civilization whose people are convinced of the superiority of their

culture (12)

Women empowerment

Another allegation against renaissance movement that their insufficient regard to

women empowerment. The reformers are much done for the women empowerment and,

in Kerala, the women became educated, leader and contributor in different fields. The

lofty examples for it pudava (cloth), Aaraamam(Garden), two magazines for women

under KNM and jamat e islami respectively.

New challenges

Muslim renaissance leaders in Kerala never support the imperialist side but they took

part in independent struggle actively as they played their role in Qilafath movement,

Indian National Congress and Muslim League. We can see its examples in the

biography of KM Moulavi, Seethi Sahib, Muhammed Abdu Rahman Sahib, Moithu

moulavi and others. But they have an obstinacy that the enemity to british rule never

caused to abandon English and modern education.

Kerala Muslims are quite distinct from north Indian Muslims and even from Tamil

group

(13)

.Muslims in kerala are not Urdu speakers and Arabic is deeply enritched andtheir folk arts (such as the duff) are heavily Arabicized. Until the 1960s Arabic

Malyalam (Malayalam language written in Arabic script) was in wide use.(14)

But, the

annihilation of Arabic-Malayalam is response of renaissance movement, According to

consevatives view. But the problem of the annihilation of Arabic-Malayalam related to

sociological and historical process that every one, even is language, has no survival

ability , it should be went out of stage even a university is established for it , in the case

of Sanskrit Language.

Another major challenge to kerala islahi movement is resistance for unislamic

traditional festivals which are mixed with superstitions. Dr. Abu Ameena Bilal Philips

sees that Islam being practiced in much of the muslim world may be referred to as

cultural Islam or folk Islam. The main feature of this version is the blind following of

local tradition.(15)

4


5/7

There are four basic sources for unislamic tradition in cultural Islam: pre Islamic

practices, adopted practices, religious innovations and factionalism

Conclusion

Kerala Muslim Renaissances have its own face. It doesnt individualistic organizationbut it has many variety initiatives. The traditional history of renaissance starts from

Sanaullah Makthi Thangal while the real reformist movement took place in the period

of Zainuddeen Maqdoom, Author of Thuhfathul Mujahideen.(16)

Kerala Islahi

movement depict the Islam as a consolation, shelter and peace to living human being

and as a way to heavenly life in after resurrection.

5


6/7

Reference:

1. Muslim navothaanavum aadhunikathayum( Malayalam),

By Mujeeb Rahman Kinalur, Yuvatha Books 2010

2. Thareeq ul Adab il Arabi (Arabic).

By Ahmed Hasan Zayyath , Dairathul Maarif, 2007


By Hanna Al fakhoori,

4. Libid.

5. Prabodhanam 60th

anniversary issue( Malayalam)

Page no: 318, Calicut.


By Hanna Al fakhoori

7. Islamism and Social Reform in Kerala

By Filippo Osella and Caroline Osalla

Modern Asian Studies 42, 2/3, 2003

8. Muslim navothaanavum aadhunikathayum( Malayalam),

By Mujeeb Rahman Kinalur, Yuvatha Books 2010

9. Islamic Reformism and Conservatism

By Indira Falk Gesnik, Book Review , Muslim Minority Affairs Journal

Vol No: 31 Issue: 2

10. From revival and Return to Global Jihad by Natana J Delong Bas.

Unholy war: Terror in the name of Islam by John el Esposito

The Wahabi Mith by Haneef James Oliver

11. Gregary Gos , Caren Amstrong, Haneef James oliver

12. The Clash of civilization , Samuel P Huntington

6


7/7

7

13. Islamism and Social Reform in Kerala

By Filippo Osella and Caroline Osalla

Modern Asian Studies 42, 2/3, 2003

14. Libid

15. Islamic Online University

Moral Foundation of Islamic Culture course module

Vol No: 2 P: 4

16 Prabodhanam 60th

anniversary issue( Malayalam)

Page no: 318, Calicut

Muslim Renaissance and Modernity

Documents

Transcript of Muslim Renaissance and Modernity