The Religious (Islamic) Identity in the Reformist Project of Sayyid Jamal al-Din al-Afghani

Abstract

During the period extending from the late nineteenth century to the beginning of the twentieth century, the Islamic nation went through difficult times and began to lose its balance, discipline, and identity. Muslims became aware that there was a loss in themselves and could not find a way to understand the contradiction arising from the values and principles that characterize the self or Islamic thought that It expresses the identity and original essence of this nation, and this is due to the Western European threat that has become an obstacle that threatens the Islamic nation and hinders it from rising and progressing, through the standard of subordination and Western imitation. In light of these difficult circumstances under which the Islamic world is suffering, Mr. Jamal al-Din al-Afghani emerged, who put Foundations of Islamic religious reform in the entire Islamic world.

The importance of the research topic comes from the fact that it aims to clarify the role played by Mr. Jamal al-Din al-Afghani, in developing awareness of the truth and importance of Islamic identity, clarifying its pillars, calling for embodying its principles into reality, defending it, and inviting others to it. Religious identity, according to Jamal al-Din al-Afghani, is the basic pillar of his reform project. It means complete affiliation in all its material, moral, social, cultural, and economic dimensions and is not limited to mere sectarian, tribal, racial, or geographical affiliation. The importance of the research also lies in the fact that it traces the impact of Sayyed Jamal al-Din al-Afghani in urging Muslims to unite and cooperate in light of the establishment of the Islamic University, in order to establish a building block for Islamic unity.