The Need for an Additional Qualification

TAQLID AND IJTIHAD numerous subjects but does not include a chapter on introducing Islam to the world. Now, consider the example of Syed Jamaluddin Afghani (d. 1897). During his time, the British and French had established near-total political dominance over the Muslim world. Syed Jamaluddin Afghani devoted his life to ending this political subjugation. His slogan was, “The East for the Easterners” (Al-Sharq lil-Sharqiyin). Superficially, it may appear that the political dominance of Western nations has ended, as around sixty independent Muslim countries have since emerged on the world map. However, in reality, the situation remains largely unchanged, with Muslim nations still compelled to live under Western supremacy. The reason is that Al-Afghani viewed the situation mainly in political terms and failed to grasp its deeper reality. He viewed British and French dominance as purely political, overlooking the foundational issue: Western nations had achieved remarkable advancements in knowledge, science, and technology, outpacing Muslims. With his traditional political perspective, Syed Jamaluddin Afghani was unable to grasp these deeper dimensions of the problem. Had Syed Jamaluddin Afghani recognized the critical importance of intellectual and scientific progress in the modern era, he might have dismissed external dominance as a temporary concern. Instead, he could have focused his efforts on advancing Muslim intellectual development to match that of the West. By prioritizing intellectual jihad