RELIGST 3CC3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Maslaha, Ibadah, Ijtihad

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Religious Studies
• Course: RELIGST 3CC3
• Professor: Liyakat Takim

Document Summary

Trying to modernize islam without losing the religious fundaments. Studied at azhar: read western books by comte & post revolutionary french lit. (1872) met afghani, became his student & spread his ideas. Witnessed british bombardment of alexandria in 1882 (1899) became mufti: able to interpret laws, put his preaching to action, gave judicial opinion (self-trained) Islam not a closed system developing principle. Usul (essential) & furu" (derivative); essential & non essential islam: things that will remain the same (essential/usul, things that need to be changed (non essential/furu") New state schools imitated western schools (alienated youth) 2 systems of education going to create 2 classes in egypt: elite & mundane. Criticized madrasa system: narrative rather than critical. Need synthesis (traditional scholars with western methodology) Afghani too meddled up with palace of constantinople: abduh more concerned with educational reforms. Azhar required major reform: students loitering, teachers trying to run each other down.