How to apply Islam to the modern, secular world? Three major strands of thought: Traditionalists Islamists Modernists

Traditionalists Look to rigid adherence to Islamic past for guidance, but tradition has changed over time Question of how to legitimise change esp. in face of long-established life patterns “Neo-Traditionalists” advocating cautious change

Islamists a.k.a “Literalists” or “Fundamentalists” Advocating return to Qur’an and hadith as sources of wisdom, rejecting traditional interpretations. See this as leading to revival of Islam Often anti-intellectualist and anti-philosophy Extremist Islamists tend to dominate media. Advocating armed struggle, with polarised worldviews Sayyid Qutb (d. 1966)

Modernists See Islam as needing to adapt to modern world, often looking to moral precepts behind legal injunctions Embrace useful modern developments, but leave faith to individual Law needs to be adapted to circumstances through thoughtful interpretation of Qur’an and hadith

Jamal al-Din al-Afghani (d. 1897) Muhammad Abduh (d. 1905) Muhammad Iqbal (d. 1938)

Modernists Islam can be basis of political as well as personal life, but needs to be flexible Strong advocates of use of reason in interpretation of texts. Interpretations may be radical in light of modern ideas of democracy, freedom, equality, tolerance and social justice (seen as values inherent in Islam anyway)

Case Study - Polygamy Traditionalists accept polygamy, because it has always been practiced Islamists look to Qur’an and say that it was advocating monogamy but allowed for older practices that are no longer relevant Modernists say that since the sexes are equal, and monogamy aims for social welfare while polygamy is potentially problematic, should stick with monogamy. View Qur’an as supporting position

How do we approach a 7th c. scripture in the modern day?

Muhammad Abduh (d. 1905) Modernist, seeking to use Islam as filter for modern progress Seeking to make Qur’an more accessible and applicable to modern day Tafsir al-Manar (Interpretation of the Lighthouse/Minaret)

Qur’an as encouraging reason, education and political independence Ambiguities encouraging attention to spiritual world Rulings as tied to context in which revealed Muhammad Abduh (d. 1905)

Sayyid Qutb (d. 1966) Radical Islamist and extremist member of Muslim Brotherhood Initially attracted to westernisation, then rejected it after visit to America in Advocated Islamic state in Egypt with Islamic institutions

Fi Zilal al-Qur’an (In the Shade of the Qur’an) Qur’an as complete blueprint for society, needing group like Muslim Brotherhood to implement it properly Emphasis on Qur’an’s artistic/literary merits Sayyid Qutb (d. 1966)

World divided into good and evil. Individual obligation to fight evil Military jihad Muslims who do not fight evil are apostates, may be killed Sayyid Qutb (d. 1966)

Issues at stake: Qur’an as eternal, uncreated word of God How do we understand and implement it? Questions of historical context, degree to which it should be taken literally Impact on law When does interpretation lead to heresy?

Abdullah Yusuf Ali ( ) Indian scholar best known for translating Qur’an into English Originally Shi‘ite, but was concerned for all Muslims. Also mystical tendencies

Born Bombay. Educated at Muslim school in India, then degree at Cambridge. Worked in Indian civil service. Supported British presence in India. Died in London Translation of Qur’an shows modernist and mystical tendencies, has led some Islamists to try and expurgate what they see as unorthodox Abdullah Yusuf Ali ( )

Muhammad Abduh ( ) and Muhammad Rashid Rida ( ) Abduh was pupil of al-Afghani. Rida was pupil of Abduh. Both were modernists, advocating Islamic reform in face of modern world Together worked on Abduh’s journal Al-Manar, which included Tafsir al-Manar, commentary on Qur’an