Rashid Rida
Encyclopedia
Muhammad Rashid Rida is said to have been "one of the most influential scholars and jurists of his generation" and the "most prominent disciple of Muhammad Abduh
"
Rida was born near Tripoli
in Al-Qalamoun
, now in Lebanon
but then part of Ottoman Syria
within the Ottoman Empire
). His early education consisted of training in "traditional Islamic subjects". In 1884-5 he was first exposed to al-`Urwa al-wuthqa, the journal of the Jamal al-Din al-Afghani
and Muhammad Abduh
. In 1897 he left Syria for Cairo
to collaborate with Abduh and the following year they launched al-Manar
, a weekly and then monthly journal comprising Quranic commentary at which Rida worked until his death in 1935.
Rida was an early Islamic reformer
, whose ideas would later influence 20th-century Islamist thinkers in developing a political philosophy
of an "Islamic state
".
societies vis-à-vis Western colonialism
, blaming Sufi excesses, the blind imitation of the past (taqlid
), the stagnation of the ulama
, and the resulting failure to achieve progress in science
and technology
. He held that these flaws could be alleviated by a return to what he saw as the true principles of Islam
- salafi
yya Islam which was purged of impurities and Western influences — albeit interpreted (ijtihad
) to suit modern realities. This alone could he believed save Muslims from subordination to the colonial powers.
The corruption and tyranny of Muslim rulers ("caliphs") throughout history was a central theme in Rida's criticisms. Rida, however, celebrated the rule of Mohammad and the Rightly Guided Caliphs, and leveled his attacks at subsequent rulers who could not maintain Mohammad's example. He also criticized the clergy ("ulama
") for compromising their integrity - and the integrity of the Islamic law ("sharia
") they were meant to uphold - by associating with worldly corrupt powers.
". He "was an important link between classical theories of the caliphate
, such as al-Mawardi
's, and 20th-century notions of the Islamic state
".
Rida promoted a restoration or rejuvenation of the Caliphate
for Islamic unity, and "democratic consultation on the part of the government, which he called "shura
"." In theology, his reformist ideas, like those of Abduh, were "based on the argument that
Although he did not call for the revolutionary establishment of an "Islamic state
" itself, rather advocating only gradual reform of the existing Ottoman
government, Rida preceded Abul Ala Maududi
, Sayyid Qutb
, and later Islamists in declaring adherence to Sharia
law as essential for Islam and Muslims, saying
Muhammad Abduh
Muhammad Abduh was an Egyptian jurist, religious scholar and liberal reformer, regarded as the founder of Islamic Modernism...
"
Rida was born near Tripoli
Tripoli, Lebanon
Tripoli is the largest city in northern Lebanon and the second-largest city in Lebanon. Situated 85 km north of the capital Beirut, Tripoli is the capital of the North Governorate and the Tripoli District. Geographically located on the east of the Mediterranean, the city's history dates back...
in Al-Qalamoun
Al-Qalamoun
Al-Qalamoun is a Mediterranean seaside town of the North Governorate of Lebanon in the Tripoli District. The town is 5 km south of Tripoli and is also the first town south of Tripoli.-Name:...
, now in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
but then part of Ottoman Syria
Ottoman Syria
Ottoman Syria is a European reference to the area that during European Renaissance from the late 15th to early 18th century was called the Levant within the early period of the Ottoman Empire, the Orient until the early 19th century, and Greater Syria until 1918...
within the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
). His early education consisted of training in "traditional Islamic subjects". In 1884-5 he was first exposed to al-`Urwa al-wuthqa, the journal of the Jamal al-Din al-Afghani
Jamal al-Din al-Afghani
Sayyid Muḥammad ibn Ṣafdar Husaynī , better known as Sayyid Jamāl-ad-Dīn al-Afghānī and Sayyid Jamal-ad-Din Asadabadi , , was a political activist and Islamic ideologist in the Muslim world during the late 19th century, particularly in the Middle East, South Asia and Europe...
and Muhammad Abduh
Muhammad Abduh
Muhammad Abduh was an Egyptian jurist, religious scholar and liberal reformer, regarded as the founder of Islamic Modernism...
. In 1897 he left Syria for Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
to collaborate with Abduh and the following year they launched al-Manar
Al-Manar (journal)
al-Manar, meaning "The Lighthouse" was an influential Islamic journal, written in Arabic, published by Rashid Rida from 1898 until his death in 1935....
, a weekly and then monthly journal comprising Quranic commentary at which Rida worked until his death in 1935.
Rida was an early Islamic reformer
Islamic Modernism
Islamic Modernism is a movement that has been described as "the first Muslim ideological response" to the cultural challenges which attempts to reconcile Islamic faith with modern values regarding nationalism, democracy, civil rights, rationality, equality and progress...
, whose ideas would later influence 20th-century Islamist thinkers in developing a political philosophy
Political philosophy
Political philosophy is the study of such topics as liberty, justice, property, rights, law, and the enforcement of a legal code by authority: what they are, why they are needed, what, if anything, makes a government legitimate, what rights and freedoms it should protect and why, what form it...
of an "Islamic state
Islamic State
An Islamic state is a type of government, in which the primary basis for government is Islamic religious law...
".
Reformist ideas
Like his predecessors, Rida focused on the relative weakness of MuslimMuslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
societies vis-à-vis Western colonialism
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
, blaming Sufi excesses, the blind imitation of the past (taqlid
Taqlid
Taqlid or taklid is an Arabic term in Islamic legal terminology connoting "imitation", that is; following the decisions of a religious authority without necessarily examining the scriptural basis or reasoning of that decision, such as accepting and following the verdict of scholars of...
), the stagnation of the ulama
Ulema
Ulama , also spelt ulema, refers to the educated class of Muslim legal scholars engaged in the several fields of Islamic studies. They are best known as the arbiters of shari‘a law...
, and the resulting failure to achieve progress in science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
and technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
. He held that these flaws could be alleviated by a return to what he saw as the true principles of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
- salafi
Salafi
A Salafi come from Sunni Islam is a follower of an Islamic movement, Salafiyyah, that is supposed to take the Salaf who lived during the patristic period of early Islam as model examples...
yya Islam which was purged of impurities and Western influences — albeit interpreted (ijtihad
Ijtihad
Ijtihad is the making of a decision in Islamic law by personal effort , independently of any school of jurisprudence . as opposed to taqlid, copying or obeying without question....
) to suit modern realities. This alone could he believed save Muslims from subordination to the colonial powers.
The corruption and tyranny of Muslim rulers ("caliphs") throughout history was a central theme in Rida's criticisms. Rida, however, celebrated the rule of Mohammad and the Rightly Guided Caliphs, and leveled his attacks at subsequent rulers who could not maintain Mohammad's example. He also criticized the clergy ("ulama
Ulama
-In Islam:* Ulema, also transliterated "ulama", a community of legal scholars of Islam and its laws . See:**Nahdlatul Ulama **Darul-uloom Nadwatul Ulama **Jamiatul Ulama Transvaal**Jamiat ul-Ulama -Other:...
") for compromising their integrity - and the integrity of the Islamic law ("sharia
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
") they were meant to uphold - by associating with worldly corrupt powers.
Contributions to Islamist political thought
Rida's ideas were foundational to the development of the modern "Islamic stateIslamic State
An Islamic state is a type of government, in which the primary basis for government is Islamic religious law...
". He "was an important link between classical theories of the caliphate
Caliphate
The term caliphate, "dominion of a caliph " , refers to the first system of government established in Islam and represented the political unity of the Muslim Ummah...
, such as al-Mawardi
Al-Mawardi
Abu al-Hasan Ali Ibn Muhammad Ibn Habib al-Mawardi , known in Latin as Alboacen , was an Arab Muslim jurist of the Shafi'i school most remembered for his works on religion, government, the caliphate, and public and constitutional law during a time of political turmoil...
's, and 20th-century notions of the Islamic state
Islamic State
An Islamic state is a type of government, in which the primary basis for government is Islamic religious law...
".
Rida promoted a restoration or rejuvenation of the Caliphate
Caliphate
The term caliphate, "dominion of a caliph " , refers to the first system of government established in Islam and represented the political unity of the Muslim Ummah...
for Islamic unity, and "democratic consultation on the part of the government, which he called "shura
Shura
Shura is an Arabic word for "consultation". The Quran and Muhammad encourage Muslims to decide their affairs in consultation with those who will be affected by that decision....
"." In theology, his reformist ideas, like those of Abduh, were "based on the argument that
shari'a consists of `ibadatIbadahThe Arabic word ibadah or ibada, usually translated "worship", is connected with related words literally meaning "slavery", and has connotations of obedience, submission, and humility. In terms of Islam, ibadah is the ultimate obedience, the ultimate submission, and the ultimate humility to Allah ...
(worship) and mu'amalat (social relations). Human reason has little scope in the former and Muslims should adhere to the dictates of the Qur'anQur'anThe Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
and hadith. The laws governing mu'amalat should conform to Islamic ethics but on specific points may be continually reassessed according to changing conditions of different generations and societies.
Although he did not call for the revolutionary establishment of an "Islamic state
Islamic State
An Islamic state is a type of government, in which the primary basis for government is Islamic religious law...
" itself, rather advocating only gradual reform of the existing Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
government, Rida preceded Abul Ala Maududi
Abul Ala Maududi
Syed Abul A'ala Maududi , also known as Molana or Shaikh Syed Abul A'ala Mawdudi, was a Sunni Pakistani journalist, theologian, Muslim revivalist leader and political philosopher, and a major 20th century Islamist thinker. He was also a prominent political figure in Pakistan and was the first...
, Sayyid Qutb
Sayyid Qutb
Sayyid Qutb was an Egyptian author, educator, Islamist theorist, poet, and the leading member of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood in the 1950s and '60s....
, and later Islamists in declaring adherence to Sharia
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
law as essential for Islam and Muslims, saying
`those Muslim [rulers] who introduce novel laws today and forsake the Shari'a enjoined upon them by God ... They thus abolish supposed distasteful penalties such as cutting off the hands of thieves or stoningRajmRajm is an Arabic word that means "stoning". It is commonly used to refer to the Hudud punishment wherein an organized group throws stones at a convicted individual until that person dies. Traditionally it is called for in cases of adultery where the criteria for conviction are met...
adulterers and prostitutes. They replace them with man-made laws and penalties. He who does that has undeniably become an infidelApostasy in IslamApostasy in Islam is commonly defined in Islam as the rejection in word or deed of one's former religion by a person who was previously a follower of Islam...
.`