Mustafa al-Maraghi facts for kids
Muhammad Mustafa al-Maraghi (born 1881, died 1945) was an important Egyptian leader. He was a reformer who wanted to make things better. He led Al-Azhar University, a very old and famous school, in the 1930s. Mustafa al-Maraghi was a student of another famous reformer, Muhammad Abduh.
He worked hard to change society, laws, and education. He especially wanted to add modern science subjects to Al-Azhar's lessons. He set up groups to update the university's rules and what was taught. He also created a special department for research, which helped publish new ideas and translate books.
Mustafa al-Maraghi: A Modern Thinker
Mustafa al-Maraghi helped connect the ideas of his teacher, Muhammad Abduh, with later leaders. These leaders included Mustafa Abd al-Raziq, Abdel-Halim Mahmoud, and Mahmoud Shaltout. As a reformer, al-Maraghi believed that Islam could change and fit in with modern times.
Why Change Was Needed
He encouraged people to use their own thinking and understanding. This is called ijtihad in Arabic. He was against taqlid, which means blindly following old traditions. He felt that sticking too much to old ways, without new thinking, had caused problems. He believed it led to a decline in religious, moral, and political strength for Islamic people.
Thinking for Yourself
Al-Maraghi said that after the first 300 years of Islam, it was hard to get everyone's agreement on new laws. This agreement is called ijma'. He explained that scholars were spread out across the East and West. Because of this, it was often impossible to gather all their opinions. This made it even more important for individuals to use ijtihad.
