Islamic Modernity and the Question of Secularism: Revisiting the Political Thought of Jamāl al-Dīn al-Afghānī
This article explores Jamāl al-Dīn al-Afghānī’s political thought in relation to modern debates on secularism and Islamic reform. While often invoked by Islamist thinkers to support their anti-secular stance, al-Afghānī’s reflections on reason, religion, and constitutional politics show that he enga...
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| Published in: | Religions |
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| Main Authors: | , |
| Format: | Articles |
| Published: |
2025
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | View article (DOI: 10.3390/rel16081003) |
| _version_ | 1877637432312070144 |
|---|---|
| author | Fu, Fiona Kahambing, Jan G. |
| author_autocomplete | Fu, Fiona Kahambing, Jan G. |
| author_browse | Fu, Fiona Kahambing, Jan G. |
| author_facet | Fu, Fiona Kahambing, Jan G. Fu, Fiona Kahambing, Jan G. |
| author_sort | Fu, Fiona |
| container_issue | 8 |
| container_issue_str | 8 |
| container_title | Religions |
| container_title_str | Religions |
| container_volume | 16 |
| container_volume_str | 16 |
| description | This article explores Jamāl al-Dīn al-Afghānī’s political thought in relation to modern debates on secularism and Islamic reform. While often invoked by Islamist thinkers to support their anti-secular stance, al-Afghānī’s reflections on reason, religion, and constitutional politics show that he engaged with modernity in a more nuanced way than is commonly recognized. This article examines al-Afghānī’s writings and their reception. It argues that his thought was not about choosing a side between religion and secularism. Instead, his thought is better understood as a pragmatic anti-colonial strategy aimed at the revival of Muslim civilization. This reframing challenges the widely cited genealogical narrative that links him to later Islamists. His attempt to reconcile religious traditions with the imperative for reform provides valuable insights into the responses of Muslim reformers to modernity—insights that remain highly relevant today. |
| doi_str_mv | 10.3390/rel16081003 |
| first_indexed | 2026-09-29T04:00:29Z |
| format | Articles |
| genre | Articles |
| genre_facet | Articles |
| id | zotero-9K6RJIRX |
| institution | zotero_group |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| last_indexed | 2026-09-29T04:00:29Z |
| latest_content_date | 2026-09-29T04:00:29Z |
| physical | 1003 |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| record_format | zotero |
| spelling | Islamic Modernity and the Question of Secularism: Revisiting the Political Thought of Jamāl al-Dīn al-Afghānī This article explores Jamāl al-Dīn al-Afghānī’s political thought in relation to modern debates on secularism and Islamic reform. While often invoked by Islamist thinkers to support their anti-secular stance, al-Afghānī’s reflections on reason, religion, and constitutional politics show that he engaged with modernity in a more nuanced way than is commonly recognized. This article examines al-Afghānī’s writings and their reception. It argues that his thought was not about choosing a side between religion and secularism. Instead, his thought is better understood as a pragmatic anti-colonial strategy aimed at the revival of Muslim civilization. This reframing challenges the widely cited genealogical narrative that links him to later Islamists. His attempt to reconcile religious traditions with the imperative for reform provides valuable insights into the responses of Muslim reformers to modernity—insights that remain highly relevant today. Religions Articles 2025 Islamic modernity Islamic reform Islamism Jamāl al-Dīn al-Afghānī secularism Fu, Fiona Kahambing, Jan G. |
| spellingShingle | Islamic Modernity and the Question of Secularism: Revisiting the Political Thought of Jamāl al-Dīn al-Afghānī Fu, Fiona Kahambing, Jan G. Islamic modernity Islamic reform Islamism Jamāl al-Dīn al-Afghānī secularism |
| title | Islamic Modernity and the Question of Secularism: Revisiting the Political Thought of Jamāl al-Dīn al-Afghānī |
| title_autocomplete | Islamic Modernity and the Question of Secularism: Revisiting the Political Thought of Jamāl al-Dīn al-Afghānī |
| title_full | Islamic Modernity and the Question of Secularism: Revisiting the Political Thought of Jamāl al-Dīn al-Afghānī |
| title_fullStr | Islamic Modernity and the Question of Secularism: Revisiting the Political Thought of Jamāl al-Dīn al-Afghānī |
| title_full_unstemmed | Islamic Modernity and the Question of Secularism: Revisiting the Political Thought of Jamāl al-Dīn al-Afghānī |
| title_short | Islamic Modernity and the Question of Secularism: Revisiting the Political Thought of Jamāl al-Dīn al-Afghānī |
| title_sort | islamic modernity and the question of secularism: revisiting the political thought of jamāl al-dīn al-afghānī |
| topic | Islamic modernity Islamic reform Islamism Jamāl al-Dīn al-Afghānī secularism |
| topic_autocomplete | Islamic modernity Islamic reform Islamism Jamāl al-Dīn al-Afghānī secularism |
| topic_facet | Islamic modernity Islamic reform Islamism Jamāl al-Dīn al-Afghānī secularism |