Khayr al-Din al-Tunisi and Islamic Reformism as a Synthesis between the West and the Islamic Tradition

Muslim countries have experienced great change and transformation during the 19th and 20th centuries as a result of their encounters with the West. Islamic reformism might be considered as a discourse developed to face the diverse challenges posed by Western modernity. Khayr al-Din al-Tunisi (1810–1...

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Main Author: Hatice Rumeysa Dursun
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-01-01
Series:Religions
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/1/109
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author Hatice Rumeysa Dursun
author_facet Hatice Rumeysa Dursun
author_sort Hatice Rumeysa Dursun
collection DOAJ
description Muslim countries have experienced great change and transformation during the 19th and 20th centuries as a result of their encounters with the West. Islamic reformism might be considered as a discourse developed to face the diverse challenges posed by Western modernity. Khayr al-Din al-Tunisi (1810–1890) was a statesman and intellectual of the 19th century who elaborated an original approach to the question of Islamic reformism. His major work, <i>The Surest Path to Knowledge Concerning the Conditions of Countries</i> (<i>Aqwam al-Masalik fi Ma’rifat Ahwal al-Mamalik</i>), represents an important contribution to debates on Islam, modernism and the West. This study is based on this work of al-Tunisi and other primary and secondary sources (books and articles) regarding his approach. Using qualitative methods of analysis (contextualization and descriptive discourse analysis), this study aimed to scrutinize how Khayr al-Din offered a balanced reformist vision as a synthesis between Westernism and the Islamic tradition. Rather than purely imitating the West, Khayr al-Din emphasized the need for a better understanding of Western methods and institutions on the basis of Islam.
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spelling doaj.art-6e327b8dc0204d27ab3b04cb7371d6102023-12-01T00:17:57ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442023-01-0114110910.3390/rel14010109Khayr al-Din al-Tunisi and Islamic Reformism as a Synthesis between the West and the Islamic TraditionHatice Rumeysa Dursun0Department of International Relations, Sakarya University, Sakarya 54187, TurkeyMuslim countries have experienced great change and transformation during the 19th and 20th centuries as a result of their encounters with the West. Islamic reformism might be considered as a discourse developed to face the diverse challenges posed by Western modernity. Khayr al-Din al-Tunisi (1810–1890) was a statesman and intellectual of the 19th century who elaborated an original approach to the question of Islamic reformism. His major work, <i>The Surest Path to Knowledge Concerning the Conditions of Countries</i> (<i>Aqwam al-Masalik fi Ma’rifat Ahwal al-Mamalik</i>), represents an important contribution to debates on Islam, modernism and the West. This study is based on this work of al-Tunisi and other primary and secondary sources (books and articles) regarding his approach. Using qualitative methods of analysis (contextualization and descriptive discourse analysis), this study aimed to scrutinize how Khayr al-Din offered a balanced reformist vision as a synthesis between Westernism and the Islamic tradition. Rather than purely imitating the West, Khayr al-Din emphasized the need for a better understanding of Western methods and institutions on the basis of Islam.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/1/109Islamic reformismthe Westthe Islamic traditionthe <i>Tanzimat</i>Khayr al-Din al-TunisiMuslim world
spellingShingle Hatice Rumeysa Dursun
Khayr al-Din al-Tunisi and Islamic Reformism as a Synthesis between the West and the Islamic Tradition
Religions
Islamic reformism
the West
the Islamic tradition
the <i>Tanzimat</i>
Khayr al-Din al-Tunisi
Muslim world
title Khayr al-Din al-Tunisi and Islamic Reformism as a Synthesis between the West and the Islamic Tradition
title_full Khayr al-Din al-Tunisi and Islamic Reformism as a Synthesis between the West and the Islamic Tradition
title_fullStr Khayr al-Din al-Tunisi and Islamic Reformism as a Synthesis between the West and the Islamic Tradition
title_full_unstemmed Khayr al-Din al-Tunisi and Islamic Reformism as a Synthesis between the West and the Islamic Tradition
title_short Khayr al-Din al-Tunisi and Islamic Reformism as a Synthesis between the West and the Islamic Tradition
title_sort khayr al din al tunisi and islamic reformism as a synthesis between the west and the islamic tradition
topic Islamic reformism
the West
the Islamic tradition
the <i>Tanzimat</i>
Khayr al-Din al-Tunisi
Muslim world
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/1/109
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