アシエン アシエン アシエン アシエン ヅロࢼ ヅロࢼ ヅロࢼ ヅロࢼ オフ オフ オフ オフ メネࢤメン ࢺメネࢤメン ࢺメネࢤメン ࢺメネࢤメン ࢺサイネセ ࢰサイネセ ࢰサイネセ ࢰサイネセ ࢰア ࢻࢼア ࢻࢼア ࢻࢼア ࢻࢼエࢣࢢサン エࢣࢢサン エࢣࢢサン エࢣࢢサン ISSN: 2186-845X ISSN: 2186-8441 Print Vol. 1. No. 1. April 2012 (株) ＆ࢼࢼインࢱーࢼショ ࢼ＆ࢼࢼインࢱーࢼショ ࢼ＆ࢼࢼインࢱーࢼショ ࢼ＆ࢼࢼインࢱーࢼショࢼル 小山市、 小山市、 小山市、 小山市、日本 日本 日本 日本 www. leena-luna.co.jp P a ge | 63 MUHAMMAD ABDUH’S CONTRIBUTIONS TO MODERNITY Ahmad N. Amir, Abdi O. Shuriye, Ahmad F. Ismail Kulliyyah of Engineering, International Islamic University Malaysia MALAYSIA. . shuriye@hotmail.com ABSTRACT This paper analyzes the contributions of Shaykh Muhammad ‘Abduh to modernity, and his struggle for change and reform in al-Azhar and Egyptian society. Abduh was hailed as the “first leader of modern thought in Egypt”, “the father of the 20 th century Muslim thought” and “pioneers of the modernist movement in the Arab world”, whose legacy in the history of Islamic reform was significant, carrying dynamic role in the transformation and reinterpretation of Islam in contemporary thought. His contribution to Islamic modernism was clearly seen in liberalizing the educational system, restructuring the mufti (jurist consult) office, transforming the Islamic worldview, championing Islamic feminism and integrating western and Islamic ideals and tradition. Keywords: Muhammad Abduh, Islamic modernism, educational reform, Pan Islam, Western and Islamic ideals. INTRODUCTION The contributions of Muhammad Abduh to modern Islamic movement was definitive, and his role in the formation of the 20 th century Islamic reform was phenomenal, for “he had inaugurated a new temper of religion and scholarship in Egypt to which ‘more than any other single man (he) gave…a centre of gravity and created…a literature inspired by definite ideas of progress within an Islamic framework.” (H.A.R. Gibb, 1928). This paper discusses Abduh’s contribution to modernity and his dynamic influences throughout the Muslim society. It will begin with brief discussion on the meaning and definition of modernity and modernist Islam with extensive reference to works of several academic authorities in the field. The Nature of Modernity Modernity, or the modern age, is usually defined as post-traditional, post-medieval historical period (Heidegger 1938, 66-67), marked by the move from feudalism toward capitalism, industrialization, secularization, rationalization, the nation-state and its constituent institutions and forms of surveillance (Barker 2004, 444). From conceptual understanding, modernity relates to modern era and to modernism, but forms a distinct idea. Whereas the enlightenment refers to specific movement in western philosophy, modernity tends to refer only to social relations associated with the rise of capitalism. Modernity may also refer to certain intellectual cultures, particularly the movement associated with secularization and post-industrial life, such as Marxism, existentialism, and some formal establishment of social science. Modernity has been