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 others are 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 not favor 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 like individualism, 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.

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 and sunnah 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 Intellectuals fall 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)
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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 the Fatwa (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 influence on 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)

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 and their 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)

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 organization but 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.

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 3. Thareeq ul Adab il Arabi (Arabic). By Hanna Al fakhoori, 4. Libid. 5. Prabodhanam 60th anniversary issue( Malayalam) Page no: 318, Calicut. 6. Thareeq ul Adab il Arabi (Arabic). 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

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