awakening
Muhammad
Abduhs
Life
Islamic Awakening:
From Wave to Power
Paradigm
14
23
Islamic
Awakening
in the
Quranic
Teachings
26
34
Islamic
awakening
Muhammad
Abduhs Life
Compiled by Ibrahim Ali Khani
T
Abduh attended
the Mosque School
in Tanta and
subsequently alAzhar University
in Cairo, receiving
the degree of alim
(scholar) from the
latter in 1877.
After an early
infatuation with
mysticism, in 1872
he was influenced
by Jamaladdin
Assadabdi, the
revolutionary panIslamic preacher
of Persian origin
who had settled
in Cairo and
who stimulated
Abduhs interest
in theology,
philosophy, and
politics.
he Egyptian reformer
and Muslim apologist
Muhammad Abduh was
born in 1849, Nile Delta area,
Egypt and passed away on July
11, 1905, near Alexandria. He
was a religious scholar, jurist,
and liberal reformer, who led the
late 19th-century movement in
Egypt and other Muslim countries
to revitalize Islamic teachings
and institutions in the modern
world. As mufti (Islamic legal
counsellor) for Egypt (from
1899), he effected reforms in
Islamic law, administration, and
higher education and, although
resisted by conservatives, broke
the rigidity of some ritual and
dogma.
Abduh attended the Mosque
School in Tanta and subsequently
al-Azhar University in Cairo,
receiving the degree of alim
(scholar) from the latter in
1877. After an early infatuation
with mysticism, in 1872 he
was influenced by Jamaladdin
Assadabdi, the revolutionary panIslamic preacher of Persian origin
who had settled in Cairo and who
stimulated Abduhs interest in
theology, philosophy, and politics.
Although he was a pupil and
friend of Jamaladdin Asadabadi
and deeply influenced by
him, Abduh was less inclined
to political activism and
concentrated on religious, legal
and educational reform.
In punishment for his political
activities, Assadabadi was
Islamic
awakening
ar
zh
Al-A
ity
ers
v
i
n
U
Achievements
Islamic
awakening
Renaissance
of Political
Islam
By: Ahmad F. Islam
Islamic
awakening
5
Islamic thought can be traced
back to the influence, direct or
indirect, of this most outstanding
of all modern Islamic thinkers.
The Quran commentary planned
and begun by him was interrupted
by his death in 1905; it was
continued (but unfortunately
also left incomplete) by his
pupil Rashid Rida under the title
Tafsir al-Manar, and has been
extensively used by me.
Abduhs formidable work in
espousing his modernist ideas
is Tafsir al-Manar, his greatest
legacy and contribution in
exposing modern and rational
interpretation of the Quran.
Abduh believed that it was not
only possible but imperative to
show how modern values and
institutions could be reconciled
with authentically Islamic ideals.
His inclusivity in taking more
conciliatory and evolutionary
approach characterized his
worldview and principle outlook
of modernism, with strong
conviction that adopting the
Western ideals will liberate
the Muslim from stagnation,
decadence and backwardness,
leading the ways to reap the
benefit of science and technology.
Islamic
awakening
in the reform plan, and determine to
furnish significant and vital influence
to realize its objective, sharing the
common platform and commitment to:
(1) reproduce the genuine and most
characteristic of religious ideas, in its
inward and outward form; (2) reform
the religious conception of Islam and
revive the religious practices and beliefs
of the Muslims of to-day; (3) emphasis
upon the direct study and exegesis of the
Quran rather than the ponderous tomes
of theology, in order that faith might
be derived from its proper source (4)
to bring the dogmas of theology within
the comprehension of the common
people; (5) fight against the bidah and
corruption of to-day; (6) reclaimed
the right of independent investigation
(ijtihad) and went back to first sources
and principles in everything.
The idea of reform has been
germinated and magnified from his
encounter with Europe, and the dynamic
influence he received from the leading
exponent of Pan Islam, Jamal al-din
Assadabadi. (Youssef Michael 1985, 54)
Assadabadi, the revivalist and great
reformist from Asadabad, was described
as the Socrates of the (modernist)
movement (Zaki Badawi 1978, 7) and
the Awakener of the East, seeks to
integrate the entire ummah and to
revive and crafted the political destiny
of Islam.
During his campaign in Egypt, India,
Sudan, Iran and Istanbul he called for
social reform and independent thinking
and the dismantling of taqlid (blind
following or emulation) which has been
pervasive in the traditional norms of
Muslim society. Assadabadi violently
critic the colonial agenda in the East,
as stated in his famous and momentous
journal, al-Urwatul-Wuthqa: The
English deny the wealth of India to the
Indians. They take it as their own simply
because the Indians are weaker than
themselves. He also rejected the notion
of European
supremacy, and the notorious tactic
of imperialist to control the sources
and wealth of the conquered land,
by their deceitful propaganda and
References
Islamic
awakening
bduhs best-known
writings are a theological
tareatise, Risalat altawhid (translated into English as
The Theology of Unity), and an
unfinished Quranic commentary,
Tafsir al-manar (The Manar
Commentary), on which he
collaborated with Rashid Rida.
One of the key themes of these
works is that since modernity is
based on reason, Islam must be
compatible with it. But Abduhs
modernism went hand in hand
with returning to an idealized
past, and his rationalism was
tempered by a belief in divine
transcendence which limits the
scope of intellectual inquiry. In
ethics as in theology, he regarded
the classical debates as arid and
divisive, although on the issues
of free will and moral law his
position was in fact similar to
that of the Mutazila.
Ethics
Islamic
awakening
List of Works
Islamic
awakening
References
It is possible that
Abduh was influenced
by Mutazilism as
mediated by Seyed
Jamals thoughts
based in Shiism, or
less probably that
we should detect the
influence of Kantian
philosophy. There
seems little doubt,
however, that his
ethical thinking was
molded by the needs
of apologetics. This
is particularly clear
in his essay on Islam
and Christianity, in
which he replied to
Hanotaux, a French
cabinet minister who
had contrasted the
Semitic mentality
of Islam - with its
transcendentalism,
predestinarianism
and contempt for
individuals - with the
Aryan humanism of
Christianity, which
through the Trinity
raised human dignity
to that of God.
10
Islamic
awakening
Gender
Equality
A
By Abdi O. Shuriye
bduh is a strong
advocate of womens
rights. His struggle
for the education of women
and reforms on their behalf
(Charles Adams, 232) had
significant impact on many great
Muslim idealists and reformists
such as Zainal Arifin Abbas,
(Azyumardi Azra 2002, 184-5)
Qasim Amin (1863-1908), Zainal
Abidin Ahmad (1895-1973),
Syed Sheikh Ahmad al-Hadi
(1867-1934), Syeikh Muhammad
Tahir Jalaluddin (1869-1956)
Islamic
awakening
the texts highest and ultimate
aim to preserve equality. It was
a significant moral foundation of
the Quran, which he skillfully
articulated in Tafsir al-Manar:
God has ordained that the basis
of His legislation (concerning
marriage) is the condition that
one keep far from injustice. This
confirms the fact that justice
is enjoined as a condition and
that duty consists in thriving
for it. Polygamy is like one of
those necessities which are
permitted to the one to whom
it is allowed (only) with the
stipulation that he act fairly with
trustworthiness and that he is
immune from injustice. In view
of this restriction, when one
now considers what corruption
results from polygamy in modern
times, then one will know for
certain that people cannot be
trained so that their remedy lies
in polygamy, since, in a family
which a single man has two
wives; no beneficial situation
and no order prevails. (Farouk,
2011).
Abdi O. Shuriye is a member
of Kulliyyah of Engineering,
International Islamic University
Malaysia.
References
Azyumardi Azra. 2002.
Jaringan Global dan Lokal Islam
Nusantara. Bandung: Mizan.
Adams, Charles. C. 1929.
Mohammed Abduh: the
Reformer, Moslem World, xix,
Jan, 266.
http://en.harakahdaily.net/
index.php/columnist/ahmadfarouk-musa/388-feminismthrough-thelens-of-islamists.
html.
Zanariah Noor. 2007. Gender
Justice and Islamic Family Law,
Kajian Malaysia, 40:4, 512517.
11
Abduh also spoke
relentlessly about
the nature of Islamic
feminism which he
distinguished from
the Western-style
feminism. It was a
genuine framework
based on Islamic
model which he ideally
constructed according
to the spirit of the
Quran and Sunnah.
His struggle to uphold
the right of women
was meticulously
propounded by Dr.
Ahmad Farouk Musa
in his article entitled
Feminism through
the lens of Islamists:
It was in the late
19th and early 20th
centuries that the
struggle for what is
known as feminism
started in the Muslim
world. And it was
from the work of one
exceptionally brilliant
man that this movement
had spread across the
Muslim continents and
reached the shores
of our country. This
exceptional man was
Muhammad Abduh.
(Farouk Musa,2011).
12
Islamic
awakening
Abduhs Contributions to
Modernity
By: Ahmad N. Amir
he reform movement
inaugurated by Shaykh
Muhammad Abduh
in Egypt had significantly
contributed to reforming and
liberating the educational
system, and reviving the
religious ideals and thoughts.
His work and struggle has
brought unprecedented
change in legal, social, and
political structures of Egypt,
and helped to revitalize
modern Islamic aspiration.
The modern worldview he
projected had significant
impact on engineering the
force of rational spirit and
reviving modern and liberal
ideas and contributing to
dynamic change in social,
cultural, educational, political
and religious paradigms of
modern Egypt.
Educational Reform
Abduhs passion for reform
had begun to develop at
Ahmadi Mosque, Tanta
and Jami al-Azhar, Cairo.
The encounter with the
conservative system of
learning inspired him to
undertake reforms and
embark on transforming the
obsolete curricula where: the
students were to read texts,
their commentaries, the
glosses on the commentaries,
and the superglosses on the
glosses, (Amin, Uthman
1953, 3) without critical
analysis and comprehension.
He introduced groundbreaking
initiatives to systematize the
teaching classes, syllabus and
method of learning, capable
of competing with scientific
styles of Western education.
He included relevant ethical
and moral disciplines,
Islamic
awakening
science, philosophy, history
and other classical literary
traditions in his style. Abduhs
strategic focus to endeavor
and undertake change at
al-Azhar institution was
highlighted by Yvonne Haddad
in an article on Abduhs
reform program: His first
experience with learning
by memorizing texts and
commentaries and laws for
which he was given no tools of
understanding was formative
in his later commitment to
a thoroughgoing reform of
the Egyptian educational
system. Shaykh Muhammad
Mustafa al-Maraghi described
the condition of such
unmotivated learning activity:
[Muhammad Abduh] grew
up in a lusterless agehe,
and others like him, went on
studying dull, lifeless rules cut
off from their wellsprings in
the Quran and the canonical
writings, shorn of their
roots in the language of the
Arabs
In his letter to his European
compatriot, Abduh criticized
the educational policy
introduced by Egyptian
government and administered
by the British. He tried to
embark on reform initiative
and
transforming the whole
structure of curricula,
fees, subject, and teaching
components as well as
improving basic necessities
of schools and teachers.
He emphasized the need to
uplift the level and standard
of al-Azhar University: The
Egyptian government spends
only two hundred thousand
Egyptian pounds on education
out of an income of twelve
13
million pounds. It also keeps
raising schools fees to the
point where education is
becoming a luxury that
ornaments a few rich homes
There are only three schools
for higher education in
Egypt: the schools of law,
medicine and engineering.
The other components of
human knowledge are denied
to the Egyptian who is only
superficially exposed to some
of them in secondary schools
The governments plan seems
to be first: to assist primary
schools where reading and
writing are taught. Second:
reducing the spread of
education in the country
as much as possible. Third:
limiting secondary and higher
education to very narrow
circlesI do not see what the
British will gain from this. On
the contrary, it should be in
the interest of the British to
have a strong and free nation
in Egypt. The more wealthy
we are, the richer the source
they draw upon. (Khoury,
Nabil Abdo 1976, Muhammad
Imara 1972, 170-172).
Ahmad N. Amir is a member
of Kulliyyah of Engineering,
International Islamic
University Malaysia.
References
Amin, Uthman. 1953. Muhammad Abduh. Translated by
Charles Wendell. Washington,
D.C.: n.p.
Khoury, Nabil Abdo. 1976.
Islam and Modernization
in the Middle East: Muhammad Abduh, An Ideology of
Development (Ph.D. Thesis,
State University of New York,
Albany).
14
Islamic
awakening
Morteza Mutahari
Ali Shariati
Islamic
Awakening:
From Wave to
Power Paradigm
By Mahdi Goljan (PhD)
Sayyid Qutb
Islamic
awakening
15
The wave of
Islamic Awakening
is not limited to
Muslim countries
in the Middle
East and North of
Africa, and has
gradually spread
to European
countries and
even the United
States. A protest
movement has
begun in the
West, Occupation
Movement, the
most famous of
which is Occupy
Wall Street.
efforts in countering the Islamic
movement, the real symbol of
which is the Islamic Republic,
or said in his message to Hajj
pilgrims that, the spread of
Islamic Awakening wave in
todays world is a truth that
heralds a bright future for the
Islamic Ummah. This powerful
uprising began three decades ago
with the victory of the Islamic
revolution and the establishment
of the Islamic Republic, and
out great nation has progressed
and removed obstacles from its
path.
The wave of Islamic Awakening
is not limited to Muslim countries
in the Middle East and North of
Africa, and has gradually spread
to European countries and even
the United States. A protest
movement has begun in the West,
16
Occupation Movement, the most
famous of which is Occupy Wall
Street. Thousands of people in
the European countries and the
US took to the streets in protest
to economic problems, class
discriminations and injustice of
their rulers, demanding change
and reform.
Professor Joan Martos,
the head of Islam and Arab
department of Complutense
University in Madrid, said in
reference to these protests and
movements that, A new wave
of approach towards Islam has
spread in the world. Even the
propaganda wave against Islam
(Islamophobia) has led people
to seek more information about
Islam. Revolutions in the Arab
countries, that some call Arab
Spring, shows that Islamic
Awakening has spread in the
world and has even reached
the Europe and the Western
countries. This is what the global
Zionism is terrified of.
The movement that has swept
across many Arabian and African
countries and has even fanned
out to Europe and the US did
not take place overnight, it is
rooted in a movement that was
founded by Seyyed Jamal adDin Asadabadi more than 150
years ago and has been referred
to as the first wave of Islamic
Awakening.
150 years ago, Seyyed Jamal
said the only salvation for the
people of the East, particularly
Muslims enslaved by the
colonialism was awakening,
returning to the pure principles
and basics of Islam. He
considered the awakening of
Muslims from ignorance the only
way of this-worldly and other
worldly salvation; a path that
leads to salvation in the material
life on one hand and spirituality
on the other hand.
Seyyed Jamal introduced
Islamic
awakening
several issues as the foundations
of Islamic Awakening which
are still fighting strategies for
achieving independence, progress
and development in the Muslim
world after more than one
century. The first pivot is fighting
despotism of dictators who rule
Muslim countries like pharaohs.
The next step is returning to
the original Islam, an Islam
without heresy and superstition
which also reviving the spirit of
Jihad and fighting in the Islamic
society.
The third step is fighting
foreign colonialism; colonialists
are one of the reasons of
underdevelopment in Muslim
countries. Another point stressed
by Seyyed Jamal and one of
the issues of Islamic Awakening
is maintaining the unity in the
Muslim world. Not only religious
but also political unity in order
to form a united front against
colonialism.
The second wave was initiated
by Imam Khomeini, the founder
of the Islamic awakening, in the
20th century and in the form of
Islamic revolution. The Islamic
movement of Imam Khomeini
was the epitome of all Islamic
movements during the history of
Islam and Shiism and embodiment
of all revolutionary ideals of
previous movements.
Imam Khomeinis movement
had its roots in Madnat alNab (city of the prophet)
and the Islamic civilization,
and revived the lost glory of
Muslims. By relying on original
Islamic theology and complete
knowledge about Islamic
civilization and the situation of
Muslims and the latest ploys of
the West, Imam Khomeini tried to
revive Islam and carried out his
mission in the best way possible.
Religious and civilization model
of Imam Khomeini, which is
rooted in Islamic teachings,
Islamic
awakening
turning point in the history
of developments in the
society (such as Irans
contemporary society).
The theories and ideas of
the founder of a paradigm
gradually form the core
or its structural causality.
These theories and
thoughts are interpreted
and promoted by the main
commentators of this power
paradigm (Sattari, 2011,
45, 73). Therefore, as the
main agents of a power
paradigm, the founder of
the paradigm and its main
commentators produce
new values and explain
the content of structural
causality or central core
of that paradigm based
on knowledge system,
cognitive collection and
their perceptions.
This knowledge system
has a historic characteristic
and is on one hand under
the influence of sources
such as tradition (like the
traditions of political Islam
in the power paradigm of
Islamic Republic) and on
the other hand is affected
by the mental image
caused by class structure
of the main commentators
of the power paradigm
(such as class, social origin,
economic situation of
commentators of the power
paradigm of the Islamic
Republic).
Islamic Revolution of Iran
is the prime example of
this definition. By founding
the Islamic Revolution
through using spiritual
power, Imam Khomeini
disrupted the structure
of hegemonic order that
has been formed based on
material power and offered
a new translation of power
17
18
Islamic
awakening
Islamic
awakening
Sources
19
Structural causalities of a
power paradigm
must be viewed
as a structural
whole. First,
there are dynamic and powerful relations
between its components and second, any change
in one component of structure
will cause relative transformation in other
elements of
structural causalities because
of interrelation
between these
components.
20
Islamic
awakening
Street Politics
Islamic
awakening
21
22
Islamic
awakening
Islamic
awakening
23
yatollah
Khamenei,
the Leader of
the Islamic
Revolution,
delivered a
message to
this years Hajj
pilgrims. The following is the full
text of this message issued on
October 11, 2013.
24
instabilities, the prevalence of
cruel terrorism, the emergence
of extreme groups and
orientations- which like savage
tribes in history, cut open the
chests of human beings and
rip their hearts out with their
teeth- the emergence of armed
mercenaries who kill women and
children, cut off the heads of
men and rape women and who
do such horrible and disgusting
crimes in the name of religion are
all the products of the satanic
and arrogant plots of foreign
intelligence services and their
regional agents.
Such plots are implemented in
countries in which the ground is
prepared before-hand and as a
result, they create a disastrous
situation for these nations and
peoples. In such conditions, it
is clear that one cannot expect
Muslim nations to remedy
their material and spiritual
shortcomings and to achieve
security, welfare, scientific
progress and international dignity
which are the results of achieving
awakening and finding ones true
identity.
These disastrous conditions
can abort the progress of
Islamic Awakening, destroy the
mental awareness which has
been created in the world of
Islam, drag Muslims- once moretowards stagnation, isolation and
decline and consign to oblivion
important and fundamental issues
such as the liberation of Palestine
and other Muslim nations from
the transgressions of the USA and
Zionism.
The most important cure for
this situation can be summarized
in two key phrases, both of which
are among the clearest lessons of
Hajj:
First: unity and brotherhood
of Muslims under the flag of
monotheism.
Second: knowing the enemy
Islamic
awakening
and confronting his plans and
methods.
Strengthening the spirit of
brotherhood and cooperation is a
great lesson of Hajj. During Hajj,
even quarrelling and arguing
with others is forbidden. During
Hajj, wearing the same clothes,
following the same practices,
making the same moves and
behaving in a kind way,all mean
equality and brotherhood for all
those who believe in and rely on
monotheism.
This means that Islam strongly
rejects any idea and belief
which views a number of Muslims
and believers in Kabah and
monotheism as people who are
outside the circle of Islam. These
orientations which are based on
takfirism, which have become
playthings in the hands of the
treacherous Zionist politicians
and their western supporterscommit serious crimes and
shed the blood of Muslims and
innocent people, and the people
who claim to be religious, who
call themselves clerics and who
fuel the fire of fitna between
Shia and Sunni and other
denominations- should know that
the Hajj pilgrimage will thwart
their claims.
I, like many Islamic scholars
and sympathetic personalities in
the Islamic Ummah, announce
that any statement or action
which fuels the fire of discord
among Muslims, any insult to the
sacred beliefs of each one of the
Muslim denominations and any
act of takfirism against Islamic
denominations equals serving the
camp of atheism and polytheism
and betraying Islam. All of these
things are haraam.
Knowing the enemy and its
methods is the second important
factor. First, we should not forget
about the existence of a spiteful
enemy. Performing the ritual of
the stoning of the jamarat during
Islamic
awakening
25
domestic wars in such countries
is a great danger. The loss that
may be inflicted on the Islamic
Ummah because of such events
will not be quickly compensated
for.
Of course, we have no doubts
that the people who have risen
against global arrogance and who
have become the embodiment
of Islamic Awakening in such
countries will not, by Allahs
favor, allow time to go back
so much so that the era of
the corrupt, dependent and
dictatorial rulers starts again.
However, ignorance about the
role of arrogant powers in
creating discord and bringing
about destructive interference
will create a difficult situation
for such countries and will cause
a very long delay in achieving
an era of dignity, security and
welfare.
We believe, from the bottom
of our hearts, in the capability of
nations and in the power, faith,
determination and foresight which
Allah the Omniscient has offered
to the masses of the people.
For more than three decades,
we have seen this in the Islamic
Republic with our own eyes and
we have experienced it with
all our hearts and souls. Our
determination is an invitation
forall Muslim nations, to this
experience of their brothers in
this dignified and indefatigable
country.
I ask Allah the Exalted to
bestow peace on Muslims and
to foil the plots of the enemies.
I ask Him to accept your Hajj
pilgrimage and bestow physical
and spiritual health on you. I
ask Him to provide you pilgrims
of the House of God with an
overflowing supply of spiritual
blessings.
Greetings be upon you and
Allahs Mercy
Sayyid Ali Khamenei
26
Islamic
awakening
Islamic
Awakening
in the Quranic
Teachings
By Bahaman Akbari (PhD)
Definition of Awakening
of mankind.
3 Creation of consensus
among Muslims and preparing
the grounds for a united Muslim
Ummah.
4 Applying the teachings of
Islam in practical life through
raising a generation who is
committed to implementation of
Islam in all fields.
5 Confronting the cultural
and political invasion of the
arrogant powers.
Contexts of Awakening in
the Quranic Teachings
Islamic
awakening
27
28
Islamic
awakening
Objectives of Awakening in
the Quranic Teachings
Islamic Dignity
Human dignity
Freedom
Islamic
awakening
Those who wait upon occasion
in regard to you and, if a victory
cometh unto you from Allah, say:
are we not with you? and if the
disbelievers meet with a success
say: had we not the mastery of
you, and did we not protect you
from the believers? - Allah will
judge between you at the day of
resurrection, and Allah will not
give the disbelievers any way (of
success) against the believers.
(4 141)
Methods of Achieving
Awakening in the Quran
29
In fact, consulting
the Holy Quran
means regulating
our lives in
accordance to the
teachings of the
Quran. Practicing
the teachings of
the Quran can
help Muslims solve
their intellectual
problems and find
out ways to settle
their material
problems as well.
At the same time,
holding fast to
the Rope of Allah
can help Muslims
achieve unity and
solidarity to fight
illegal regimes.
And he who
rejecteth false
deities and
believeth in Allah
hath grasped a firm
handhold which will
never break. Allah
is hearer, knower.
(2:256)
30
Islamic
awakening
Unity of Brethren
Disappointment is one of
the reasons for frustration
and inaction. Muslims should
always have faith in the
divine assistance to avoid
Resistance and
Steadfastness
References
Islamic
awakening
31
he sociopolitical
developments in the Middle
East and North Africa have
been interpreted as sociopolitical
tsunamis. They have some
common features, some of which
are: Relying on a historical
background based on Islam; being
inspired by the Islamic Revolution
in Iran and its influence; strong
participation of the young
generation in the center of
this Islamic liberation wave;
leadership of the movement by
educated elite; and, reliance on
profound Islamic values seeking
to promote religious democracy
and improve the living standards
of the people in the Middle East.
Besides major reasons behind
the popular uprisings such as the
new wave of Islamic Awakening
demanding civil rights and
economic reforms, certain other
32
Islamic
awakening
Islamic
awakening
33
Islamic
awakening
Iranians
found Islam
compatible
with their
nature which,
combined
with the then
prevailing
social
injustices and
issues, caused
the pure soul
of the nation
to accept
and embrace
the Islamic
thought, thus
creating a
civilization
adorned and
substantiated
with Islamic
thought.
34
Islamic
awakening
to tenth centuries A.D.
The European world came
under the influence of Muslim
thinkers such as Avicenna (Ibn
Sina) and Ibn Arabi during two
centuries, as a result of which
different currents of thoughts
emerged and the Islamic
civilization shone its brightness
over the Western lands. Gradually
and under the influence of
Islamic scholars thoughts,
the Westerners also achieved
scientific growth. The progress
of Muslim countries, however,
dimmed because of various
domestic and foreign reasons and
could not continue on its path.
The Islamic civilization was
so strong that even barbarians
like Moguls who attacked Iran
underwent transformation under
the influence of religious scholars
such as Nasir al-Din al-Tusi and
enriched themselves by utilizing
profound thought.
The Safavid period is another
praiseworthy era of Irans Islamic
civilization, which is of course
not flawless. During the Safavid
era several important measures
were taken which included
creating national unity in order
to consolidate the Great Iran,
collecting Islamic materials and
promoting the culture of Ahl
al-Bayt which turned it into a
prominent period in our history,
and the same path is pursued
35
today.
Islamic civilization once again
fell into recession after the
Safavid era because of internal
and foreign reasons and the
emergence of colonialism in
the international scene, but
the Constitutional Revolution
was a good sign and triggered
intellectual awakening.
Religious scholars were flagbearers of this great thought that
changed the situation, but the
Constitutional Movement also
changed over time and deviated
from its path because of foreign
efforts and the activities of
Westomaniac currents. Hence,
all the efforts of social reformists
and religious figures failed and a
dark dictatorship took control of
the country.
The victory of the Islamic
Revolution is another glorious era
of Irans history that reformed
many flaws of the previous eras
in an evolutionary movement and
Imam Khomeini brought hearts
and lands together instead of
creating an empire.
Today we are witnessing the
inspiring results of the Islamic
Revolution across the world, but
ignorant of the true nature of
the Islamic Revolution, certain
countries, and among them
several Muslim states, claim that
Iran is once again seeking to
create an empire. This is while
36
Islamic
awakening