1.Contemporary Islamicrevivalism:Movements, personalities andtheir thoughts Faraz Nomani

2. Speaker information Name: Faraz Nomani Final year student of Economics/Law, UNSW. | Paralegal andtutor at university. Study Islamic sciences (focusing on Quranic sciences).Interested in Islamic history and politics. Email:faraz.nomani@nahdaproductions.org foranycorrespondence after the event. Facebook: Faraz Nomani 3. Defining the Islamic revival Product of the Islamic Decline. Fall of the Ottoman empire. Decline in Islamic sciences (religious and secularsciences headed by Muslims). Colonial invasion of the Muslim lands. Impact of the World Wars and the subsequentcarving up of the lands of Muslims. Different parts of Islam emphasised differently bydifferent people. Arguably there is a center? 4. Defining the Islamic revival Few waves of revivalism generally that haveexisted in the Muslim world. Not all these waves of revival can be called Islamic,nor are they Islamic revivalism. Islamic revivalism must be distinguished fromcultural or racial revivalism so as not toconfused between the two. The two are distinct phenomena that have theirown separate goals and ambitions. 5. An Nahdah (Cultural revival) Refers to a wave of Arab-centric revival that tookplace in Arabia from the 1830s onwards well intothe 1900s. Arguably only ended in 1970s or so. Response to the Egyptian occupation by Francesemperor Napoleon Bonaparte (1798). France installed an Arab ruler by the name ofMuhammad Ali in Egypt who in essence was anEgyptian proxy. The Ottoman Caliphate was forcedto recognise him. 6. Muhammad Ali of Egypt 7. An Nahdah (Cultural revival) Spread from Egypt into modern day Syria, Lebanon, Jordan,Palestine. Tenets were: intellectual modernization and reform. Arab-centric revival (the idea of pan-Arabism was bornhere). Advocating the freedom of the Arabs, not just from theFrench/British but ALSO the Turks (i.e. the OttomanEmpire) Eventually it was this idea that inspired post WW2 pan-Arabism and to push to have a state for Arabs (which wastried for a time but failed). 8. Islamic revival (a distinction) Is by definition based on Islam not notions of Arab, orsub-continental, or any other racial, superiority. Driven by a desire to return to Islamic temporal rule (iereligious law being implemented in lifes affairs). Due to the differences of opinion within Islam,there have been a few waves of this Islamic revival. But broad underlying exists on several importantissues. Methodologies of how to achieve change notunified (reflection of interpretations) 9. Role of political machinations At times, Islamic revivalistic movements and trends havehad their aims or ambitions frustrated by the politicalcircumstances or machinations of others. But we can and should still view them as Islamic revivalisticefforts. E.g.: Saudi Arabia and the thought of Muhammad ibn AbdulWahhab (many argue that the Muhammamad ibn Saud iethe Saudi family) used this thought for their own authority. E.g.: The Taliban in Afghanistan and the collapse of theirgovernment post-invasion. E.g.: Hamas and its participation in Palestine. 10. Islamic revival: shifting perspectivesThe approaches that Islamic revivers have taken towards it have not always been the same.Are without doubt influenced by context.Earlier vs later revivalism: several trends can be noted.Arguable that these differences have become sharper as the situation of the Muslims has become worse. 11. A revival of all things Islamic? Some might ask: Should Islamic revival be definedbroadly, to include personal practice, or should it bedefined to refer specifically to the revival of politicalIslamic thought? Argument 1: This question is redundant as Islam iscomplete. Argument 2: Should be based on the former. Argument 3: Should be based on the latter. 1/3 are similar; 2 is unique does not have support in:A) Islamic scripture B) academia C) politics D) Islamicscholarship. 12. A revival of all things Islamic? While the Islamic revival might not by definition referto the revival of Islamic practice, it has been theinevitable result. Reason: the re-politicisation of Islam by revivalistsis based on more than just temporal objectives (ie: nota power grab). Islamic revivalism isnt a sociological phenomenon itis a religious phenomenon. Justified by revivalistsic figures/movements on thebasis of Islamic scriptures (Quran/Sunnah etc). 13. What you heard about last time At the first lecture by Dr. Jan Ali, to which this lecturewas a response, we heard that the three key figures inmodern Islamic revival were the following figures: Jamal al Deen Afghani (Egypt) Muhammad Abduh (Egypt) Sir Syed Ahmed Khan (India) [4th referred to: Rashid Rida (Egypt)] 14. Jamal Al Deen Afghani 1838 1897 Origin hotly debated: as to whetherIranian or Afghani. Travelled widely; including India,Afghanistan, Egypt, other provinces of theOttoman empire; Western lands includingLondon, Russia, France, Germany. Views: Anti-imperialism | Muslim (or at least Arab) unity as aresponse to imperialism | Quran as basis for legislation (but attimes this wasnt clear). Criticisms: his links to western intelligence services and moregenerally foreign powers | Pragmatism | personalhabits/reality | recourse to rationalism. 15. Muhammad Abduh 1849 1905 Student of Afghani. Eventually became Mufti of Egypt under the control of the British. Travelled extensively to Europe (France and England) and became well impressed with doctrines of law in these nations. Views: Pan-Arabism and a lesser form of pan-Islamism |modernisation | heavily relied on rationalism (to the point ofbeing called a neo-Mutazili) Criticisms: links to western colonial powers (in spite ofadvocating anti-imperliaism) | Excessive modernism | maslaha(benefit) | Over reliance of rationality. 16. Muhammad AbduhSo many thoughts, that served this orientation appeared, forexample; religion is flexible and evolving, take and then demand,accept what agrees with the Shara or that which does notcontradict the Shara, committing the lesser of two harms or evils,if you cannot take the whole of it, dont throw away most of it,gradualism in taking Islam, it is not rejected that rules change with the time and place, wherever there is an interest, that is the Shara of Allah. These thoughts and their l ike became the intellectual standpoint or principle that they called the modern Islamic revival. Their most important protagonist was the freemason Jamal ud-deen al-Afghani and his freemason student Muhammad Abduh, who was known as the Shaykhul Islam.- Dawah to Islam; Sheikh Ahmed Mahmoud. 17. Sir Syed Ahmed Khan 1817 - 1898. Indian educator, academic. Founded the world-famous AligarhMuslim University. Also travelled to, and gained educationfrom, England, which occupied India. Views: education as way forward for Muslims | Muslimempowerment Criticisms: Founder of quraniyoon? | Not advocating for Islamicself determination; rather, Islam within a nation state and / oran Islam that borrows from the west without implementing itsown unique system. 18. Impact of these figures on Islamicrevival Depends on the angle of analysis. Perhaps indicative of the intellectual decline of theMuslims that even those things vaguely Islamicwere seen (at their time, nor not long thereafter)as being islamic in nature, even if the thoughtswere combined with other thoughts. Nominal influence no doubt existed, but itsquestionable if from TODAYs trends of Islamicrevival this is considered particularly momentous. 19. Post-Caliphate revivalism It was ultimately with the destruction of theCaliphate in 1924 (though the post of Caliph waslast occupied by Sultan Muhammad VI in 1918)that the impetus was most strongly felt. Personalities, movements, organisations rose up;conferences were organised to try to bring backthe Islamic Caliphate even as it had just beendestroyed. Analysis: immediate aftermath and longer-termefforts. 20. Immediate aftermath of the Caliphates destruction One cannot say that there was an outcry at thetime. Nationalism and division had weakened theMuslims considerably. This can be understood by the very nominal controlthe Ottoman Caliphate had over its provinces. Most notable reaction was from the Indiansubcontinent with the formation of the KhilafatMovement. 21. Khilafat movement (India) Founded in what is modern day India at the timeIndia/Pakistan didnt exist as they do today. It was a movement that called for pan-Islamic unityand voiced its support for the Ottoman Caliphate itstrove to make Muslims want to be part of the empire. The Treaty of Versailles (at the end of WW1) abolishedthe office of the Caliph in 1919. Movement folded in 1922, but its members remainedactive as many were well educated scholars andacademics. 22. Khilafat movement (India) Great personalities such as Mohammad Ali Jouharwere among its leading figures. While some of the means contestable with ourhindsight (eg Jouhar petitioned the British not to havethe Sultan removed unlikely they would listen)nonetheless the sentiment was based on Islam. Educated at Oxford University, in Britain. Jailed for 4 years for advocating resistance to theBritish and support for the caliphate. 23. Shibli Nomani (1857-1914)Famous Islamic scholar from India. Scholar of Islamic history, Fiqh, Seerah, etc.Wrote the famous seerat An Nabi, Al Faruq (biography of Omar RA) and the most famous English biography of Imam Abu Hanifah (RH).SIGNIFICANT: Met both Muhammad Abduh during his travels to Egypt and worked with Sir Syed Ahmed Khan of India.Ultimately disagreed with Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and advocated Pan-Islamism (unification of Muslims under one land).Legacy: Considered one of the greatest scholars India has produced in the last 150 years. 24. Shibli Nomanis letter to Caliph Abdul Hamid II in Istanbul1) Due to you, we feel that the grandeur of Badr, the dignityand splendor of the Haramain (the two sacred mosques) isonly due to you.2) Who else except yourself is the supporter and defender of thelove of the Holy Prophet (saw). To you is owed the sweetness ofthe faith of the Holy Prophet (saw). The areas of Islam arestrong just because of you.3) Through your majesty and authority the Shariah lawsacquired a high status and through your orders the splendourof Islam has risen high.[The Rise and fall of Muslims, Saeed Akbarabadi, Pg. 133] 25. Caliphate Conferences: 1925-1933 In response to what was by now seen as a crisis, conferenceof Muslim personalities and scholars was organised toaddress the Caliphate Issue. 1925: The Mecca Conference. World Muslim Congress heldin Mecca and convened by Ibn Saud, with delegates fromPalestine, the Hijaz, Egypt, the Sudan, Russia, Turkey, Indiaand Java. The Egyptian Caliphate movement was another movementand they held separate conferences in Cairo: 1925-1927. Blocs formed: Indian movements vs Saudis (clearly backedby Britain). 1931 Jerusalem Conference by now the matter was afarce and success was impossible. 26. Caliphate Conferences: 1925-1933 Clearly these moves, which sent delegations on the basis ofthe very nation states that they sought to replace, were notgoing to work. People wanting Islamic revival increasingly saw stateinstitutions and governments as part of the problem. Thus arose movements, personalities that would workoutside these state institutions to create change. These movements reflected an understanding in the peopleof the futility of individualised action. 27. Islamic Revivalistic methods/movements Individual/family focused Tablighi Jamaat (founded 1926) Gulen Movement Turkey (1960s) Political/activism focus Muslim Brotherhood (founded 1928) with offshoots: Jamaati Islam Pakistan (founded 1941) | Jamaate Islam Bangladesh (1971) | Jamate Islam Hind (India) (1948) Hamas (also militant at one stage) Hizb ut Tahrir (founded 1953) Tanzeem e Islami (founded 1957) Sufi tariqah cum-political movement Murabitun (1970 or so) Physical resistance/action Islamic Jihad Egypt (1970s) Jamaah Islamiyyah Indonesia (1988/1993) 28. Famous personalities and associations Individual/family/social focused Sheikh Muhammad Ilyas al-Kandhlawi (founder of TJ) Said Nursi (Turkey; precursor to Gulen Movement) Fethullah Gulen (Turkey) Political/activism focus * Shaheed Imam Hasan Al Banna (Muslim Brotherhood) Shaheed Syed Qutb (Muslim Brotherhood) Sheikh Taqiuddin Nabahani (Hizb ut Tahrir) Sheikh Ahmed Yaseen (Hamas) Syed Abul Ala Mawdudi (JI Pakistan) Sheikh Dr. Israr Ahmed (Pakistan) Sufi tariqah cum-political movement Sheikh Umar Vardillo Shaykh Abdalqadir as-Sufi 29. Famous personalities and associations Physical resistance/action Imam Anwar al Awlaki (deceased; Yemen) Ayman Al Zawahiri Osama ibn Laden (deceased) Sheikh Abu Muhammad al Maqdisi (Jailed in Jordan) Abu Musab al Zarqawi (deceased; Iraq) Amir Khattab (Chechen Resistance) Abdullah Azzam (Palestine) 30. Famous personalities and associations Other figures Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini (Iran) Abu Bakr Bashir (JI Indonesia) Mullah Mohammad Omar (Taliban; Afghanistan) Tareq Suwaidan (preacher) Sheikh Muhammad al Arifi (Saudi Arabia) Sheikh Nabil al Awady (Gulf) Sheikh Yusuf al Qaradawi (Egypt; exile) Sheikh Wajdi Ghunaim (Egypt, Tunisia) Sheikh Khalid Yasin (America) Sheikh Imran Hossein (Caribbean; eschatology) Sheikh Faisal (jihad) 31. Hasan al Banna: Muslim Brotherhood 1906-1949. Founded the MB. (assassinated) Established it in 1928. Hated the Britishperversion of Egyptian/Islamic culture andthe Muslims passivity to it. Method of activism was a combination ofpolitics and social activism. Social activism: mosques, Islamic welfareassociations, and neighbourhood groups.Established businesses, clinics, and schools Called for Islamic order in Egypt. All Muslims are guilty if theIslamic State is not installed. This amounts to betrayal not toone Muslim alone but to the entire humanity Method of 4 stages: individual family community state. 32. Syed Qutb: MB1906-1966. Death by Hanging..Was initially a secularist, but had an Islamic education from his youth.Travelled to the USA, where he was disgusted by various aspects of the materialistic life led in the west.Clash of Civilisations: Islam vs the West was a central thesis of Qutb. Saw them as mutually irreconcilable. Gemal Abdul Nasir (President of Egypt) initially tried to woo Qutb: Wewill give you whatever position you want in the government, whether itsthe Ministry of Education, Ministry of Arts, etc. He refused. Said that Islam is a system that requires implementation. Was jailed, let out, jailed again and after a show trial was killed. 33. Abul Ala Maududi (JI Pakistan) 1903-1979. Founded Pakistani JI. Wrote the most read tafsir of the Indiansubcontinent. Strong views on politics and Jihad. Extremely popular due to his publications,tafsir and the publication of his works. Famous quote that summarises his thought: "Islam is not a religion in the sense this term is commonlyunderstood. It is a system encompassing all fields of living.Islam means politics, economics, legisla-tion, science,humanism, health, psychology and sociol-ogy. It is a systemwhich makes no discrimination on the basis of race, color,language or other external categories. Its appeal is to allmankind. It wants to reach the heart of every human being." 34. Taqiuddin Nabahani (HT; Palestine) 1907-1977 Founded Hizbut Tahrir(Party of Liberation) in1953. Had studied in Al Azhar University andgraduated with excellence; became judge inPalestine. Wrote extensively. Seeing the decline of theMuslims, did extensive thought and foundedHT. Advocated a method of re-establishing Islam that hebelieved followed the Prophetic model: culturing andcreating carriers of Dawah interacting with the Ummahand creating public opinion for change (by reviving Islamicthought) implementing Islam through seeking powerfrom sources of power in society. 35. Sheikh Dr Israr Ahmed (Pakistan) 1932-2010 Founded Tanzeem e Islami after initially having contact with TJ. Gained mass following as a result of publication of his works and popular slots on TV/media. Advocated a method that sought to create revival through Quranic education. Tanzeems motto is working for Khilafah. Was a critic of modern democracy and never took part within thePakistani system of politics. Had warm ties with similar minded organisations like Hizb ut Tahrir(which invited him to speak at their conferences); his son is also said tohave studied economics with HT. Had slight differences with HT. Considered himself a product of Mawdudis thought but decried JIs shift. 36. Participation within politics different approachesSyed Qutb was an opponent of participation within political systems of Jahiliyyah (socities where non-Islamic systems are implemented).MBs thought, however, has since evolved.MB and its offshoots in Pakistan, Bangladesh , Egypt, Bangladesh , have partaken in elections in a bid to create change from within the system.Others, such as HT, Tanzeeme Islami, disagree with this approach. 37. Armed resistance as a methodology Some thinkers/scholars advocate/d a method of fightingresistance, or, in other cases, fighting established armies ofMuslim nations, as a method of change. Where lands are occupied resist (as a duty) fightallying national armies remaining forces become theforces of a new emirate. Where lands arent national armies (seen as supportersof kufr law) are fought remaining forces/popularrevolution leads to creation of emirate/Islamic state. Method criticised for being unrealistic, violent and not inkeeping with Prophetic teaching. Variations of this exist which are restricted to just occupiedlands and which are more acceptable en mass. 38. Sheikh Abdullah Azzam 1941-1989 (assassinated). Advocate of Jihad and the concept of globalobligation as to Jihad upon the Muslims(starting with Afghanistan). Widely recognised as pious, brave fighterwho led the Muslims excellently in theAfghan war vs the USSR. Sought to moveJihad to Palestine Focused on Jihad as a manifestation of the highest form of struggle andepitome of Islamic activism. Thought that lands could only be liberatedthrough fighting and this would lead to ultimate victory. Has influenced many others since, including Sheikh Muhammad alMaqdisi, some of the figures associated with Al Qaeda and arguablyAnwar al Awlaki. 39. Impact of these thinkers/movements The impact of these personalities cannot be denied. Poll after poll in the Muslim world finds that Muslims wantto live by divine rule. The uprisings in the Muslim world have had a stronglyIslamic favour, with scholars and laypeople alike calling forShariah (Libya, Tunisia, Egypt, Syria, Yemen) rule in theplace of the old systems. While several of these movements disagree with each otheron the detailed methodologies, what ties contemporaryIslamic revivalism together as a thread is the desire toreturn to Islamic rule. This is what Dr. Jan Ali said at the lastevent and this is what we have explored in greater depthtoday.