Muhammad Abduh and the Reform of Muslim Education

This text explores Muhammad 'Abduh's efforts to reform Muslim education in Egypt. Abduh tried to revive the tradition of rationalism. His success was mixed due to resistance from traditional jurists. Nevertheless, the boldness and freshness of his initiatives call for renewed efforts to carry on where he left off. It is evident that many of the challenges he struggled with are still with us and have to be addressed. Among these are rigid conservatism and deep-seated anti-rationalism.