Journal of Philosophy and Theology

Tajdīd ad-dīn: Islam and the Question of Renewal in the Thought of Yūsuf al-Qaraḍāwī
Dr. Mahmud El-Wereny

Abstract
One of the core debates of the Muslim scholars and thinkers of the nineteenth and twentieth century was centered upon the question of whether Islam is reconcilable with modernity. It‟s an ongoing debate, which is still being led today. Yūsuf al-Qaraḍāwī is arguably one of the most important and most popular Sunni Islamic authorities in the contemporary Muslim world who intensely devotes himself to this issue. He considers Islam to be comprehensive and eternally valid. By virtue of its continuous validity, Islam allows for life being subject to change, thus endorsing the renewal (tajdīd) of its teachings in order to respond to emerging questions of modern life and to be applicable to all eras and contexts. How should tajdīd be implemented, and can the teachings of Islam be reconciled with modernity? Can Islam embrace changes and new challenges created by modernity and globalization? Can the aspired tajdīd meet current challenges, while staying faithful to the primary principles of Islam? This essay deals with the abovementioned questions and tries to answer them by referring to al-Qaraḍāwī‟s concept of tajdīd ad-dīn. The following examination is meant to point out al-Qaraḍāwī‟s understanding of tajdīd and his opinion on the relationship between the Islamic legacy (turāth), modernity and the West.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/ijpt.v5n2a3