The intellectual legacy of Rifa`ah Rafi` al-Tahtawi : an overview

Abstract

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.