The Islamic Renaissance Project: From the Predicament of Imitation to the Bet on Renewal — Jamal al-Din al-Afghani as a Model

Abstract

This study examines the reformist thought of Jamal al-Din al- Afghani, one of the foremost pioneers of the Islamic intellectual renaissance. It explores his attempts to address the stagnation and backwardness of the Islamic world, highlighting the issue of blind imitation (tailed) as a fundamental cause of intellectual stagnation and diminished capacity for critical thinking and creativity. The research presents Al-Afghani's mature vision for renewal. emphasizing intellectual emancipation grounded in tradition, the revival of ijtihad (independent reasoning), and the pursuit of liberation from colonialism. dependency, and  authoritarianism