Browsing by Author "Idris, Adam Abba"

This dissertation explores the intellectual legacy of one of the legendary reformers of the 19th century, namely of Ri:fa`ah Rafi` al-Tahtawi. It focuses on his educational, political and socio-economic thought that played a vital role in facing the challenges of the 19th century. It provides an overview of his life, education and institutional career, and then discusses and analyzes his role in addressing the challenges of his time, beginning from his five-year sojourn in Paris when he wrote his magnum opus "Takhlis al-Ibriz fi Talkhis Bariz" and his subsequent two other books namely: "al-Murshid al-Amin fi Ta `lim al-Banat wa al-Banin" and "Manahij al-Albab al-Misriyyah fi Mabahij al-Adab al- `Asriyyah". His educational, political and socio-economic reforms were adequately addressed in these three books. The discourse also tackles the impact of this great reformer on the 19th and 20th centuries reform movements in Egypt in particular and the Muslim world at large. It concludes by enumerating the major findings of the research.

At the beginning of the 19th century, a series of revolutionary Jihad movements emerged in the Sudanic Belt. However, those of Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio in the Hausaland and Muhammad Ahmad ibn Abdallah (popularly known as the Sudanese Mahdi) in the Nilotic Sudan were the most spectacular and successful of them all as they managed to uproot the regimes in their respective lands, and to replace them with militant Islamic states. After several years of teaching, preaching and fighting between these Jihadists and the rulers of their land, the military confrontation seemed to have been the only option left to the authorities to quell what they viewed as rebellions against them. From their own side, the Jihadist well understood this option and expected it, thus started preparing themselves for the eventual clash between them and their local authorities. This research aims to explore the motive behind these two major JihÉd movements as orchestrated by their leaders. It analyses their careers, thoughts and impacts in the region. The research also examines the notion of the Mahdiyyah in these movements vis-à-vis Islamic worldview. It pays special attention to the intellectual tussle between these Jihad leaders and the Ulama’ of their time. Moreover, the study elaborately discusses their Jihad strategies, such as secret and public preaching, formation of supporters, Hijrah, Bay`ah, declaration of Jihad, Jihad tactics and the types of weapons they used in the battlefield. The research concludes by discussing the major legacies of these movements, in addition to presentation of major findings and recommendations for possible further research.