Islamic Reform And Colonial Discourse On Modernity In India: Socio-political And Religious Thought Of Vakkom Moulavi
by Jose Abraham /
2014 / English / PDF
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Colonialism was much more than another instance of imperialism in human history. It introduced European categories and concepts into everyday habits and thoughts of the colonized. Focusing on writings of Vakkom Moulavi, who is known as the father of Islamic reform in Kerala, South India, Abraham argues that the socio-religious reform movements of the colonial period were largely shaped by the discourse on modernity. In the wake of the socio-political changes initiated by colonial rule in Kerala, Vakkom Moulavi motivated Muslims to embrace modernity, especially modern education, in order to reap maximum benefit. In this process, to counter the opposition of conservative leaders and their followers, he initiated religious reform arguing that the major themes of colonial discourse were fully compatible with Islamic traditions. However, though modernization was the overall purpose of his socio-reform movement, he held fairly ambivalent attitudes towards individualism, materialism, and secularization and defended Islam against the attacks of Christian missionaries.
