XX

REFORM MOVEMENTS IN THE NEAR EAST

"T

REV. JOHN GIFFEN, D. D., CAIRO

HE whole fabric of Islam remains precisely as the prophet left it, neither taken from nor added to-his work alone. As the faith issued from the lips of Mohammed or was embodied in his daily life, even so it lived, and still lives, the religion of more than a hundred and seventy millions of our race. 'This day,' as he said at the Farewell Pilgrimage, 'I have perfected your religion unto you;' and for weal or woe, thus perfect and complete, it has ever since remained." Thus closes Sir William Muir's "Mohammed and Islam," and we all bow to his authority on matters of Islam.

Such a system seems to leave no place for reformation. Its author considered it perfect and so his followers have considered it perfect. It has virtually remained without reform during all these centuries at Cairo, the citadel of its strength, at Constantinople the seat of the caliphate, at Damascus from which it rules Syria, as well as in the Mosque of Omar at Jerusalem, and in the cities along the coast of North Africa. But despite its claims and its history, both at Cairo and Constantinople, as well as in all the other regions bordering on the Great Sea, reform is in the air.

Reform in the air is not very tangible, it is hard to see, to touch, to take hold of. As long as the air is still, its effect may not be very perceptible. Its presence can scarcely be known. But the air is always in contact

with the earth. Then whatever elements it may have in it, that are capable of producing changes in the earth, have a chance to do their work. Therefore, if there is reform in the air about Islam, it must be doing something whether we see it or not, or whether Islam itself perceives it or not. Furthermore, permit me to assure you that the Mohammedan atmosphere in these parts is surcharged with reform. Every Moslem breathes it, and breathing it, it must affect his life.

When I began to think of preparing this paper, I wrote to a most intelligent, earnest worker in regard to the subject. He replied that he had thought of the matter, and he had consulted a colleague who has been a missionary in these parts for more than half a century, "and," said he, "we both plead ignorance of anything of great value in Syria of this kind." Still, I am sure, that both these missionaries will agree with me that there is reform in the air.

If in some way the air can be set in motion; if some master of science shall arise who will turn to account the electricity with which it is charged, then there will be results which shall be seen and felt.

The evidence is abundant that the elements of doctrinal and social reform exist in the Islamic atmosphere of Mediterranean lands.

The Pan-Islamic Movement may be mentioned first, though it is far from being the most important as a reform movement. Indeed it may be denied whether it be reform at all. It is supposed to be aggressive. To be aggressive it must also be reformatory. As I understand it, this is a movement to gather the scattered members into one body. In order to do this differences must be eliminated, or at any rate smoothed over so that the members may fit one into another. To do this rites and customs which are found in one sect and not in another

are being left off. Especially is this true of such ceremonies as are in themselves repulsive to twentieth century civilization. I am told on good authority that numerous smaller "Mulids" have been discontinued in Egypt. The "Doseh" was a part of the celebration of the "Mulid en Nebi" itself at Cairo. I remember well witnessing its last performance. That the Sheikh of the Saadiye dervishes should ride on horseback over the prostrate bodies of faithful Moslems was too revolting to the feelings of intelligent men to be tolerated longer. It is true that this particular instance of reform happened before the movement called pan-Islamism was recognized and named, but the spirit that demanded these elisions has eventuated in the movement, and its friends demand that it be carried still farther, that Islam may present a united front, and move on to conquest. The AngloEgyptian control in the Sudan, by its Egyptian army with British officers, making the Arabic language the vehicle of communication, and the Moslem "Jumaa " the weekly rest day instead of Sunday, by its building mosques at public expense and its repressing Christian missions is aiding the pan-Islamic propaganda. This is a fact too well known to need comment. How far the type of Islam thus fostered is reformed remains to be

seen.

The "New Islam" is another evidence that reform is in the air. As it appears to me, the movement which has this name is but an expression for the influence of Western thought and Western life on Islam when the two are brought into close contact. It was the presence of Christian civilization and influence which produced in India the New Islam, as Dr. Weitbrecht showed us in the paper which he presented at the first meeting of this conference at Cairo in 1906. The opening of the Suez Canal, and the events of 1882 in Egypt brought that country

An era

into the closest touch with all that is Western. of unprecedented financial prosperity in the Nile valley filled the pockets of many a Moslem, and so he took his family to summer on the continent or even to England. Being intelligent he has learned much of European customs, dress, manner of life-much which Islam could never have given him. So he becomes dissatisfied with his religious forms and formulas, but finds them inelastic as they have been always understood. He then sets about interpreting them for himself. Where a literal interpretation will not suit him, he makes it figurative, and spiritualizes it. So the Koran and the Hadith take on a new meaning. This method gives an easy way to reconcile contradictions, and gives a reasonable gloss to absurdities in theological standards.

It is hard to measure the influence of changes of this character. Some institutions and teachers will be more influenced than others, and some will influence more than others. The leaven is working. It may be a question whether it is strengthening or whether it be rather undermining Islam. As far as it goes, it is a re-forming of the religion, whether it be a reformation, a change for the better or not. It seems to be a sort of spiritualizing, sublimizing of old forms; not an actual reform; but a reaching out after something better than Islam itself gives. It is a loosening from the old, a feeling for the new. May we not say that it is an opening of the door to admit that which only the Gospel can supply.

Another evidence that reform is in the air is the chaotic state of purely Mohammedan schools in Egypt. What is true of Egypt is probably true of these schools in other parts of the Levant. I can only refer to two notable examples to illustrate my meaning.

The great school at the Mosque Al Azhar in Cairo has long been considered the great centre of Islamic learning.

Students have been gathered from all parts of the Mohammedan world. It has often been referred to as a great university, claiming to have within its walls at times as many as twenty thousand students. Its authorities themselves have never called it a university. They are now proposing to do so, introducing changes at the same time to justify the change in name. A scheme for its reform has been drawn up, which has received the sanction of the Khedive; except, it is said, the clause giving its chancellor and his permanent committee powers of administration over all other mosques, which are considered as auxiliaries to Al Azhar. "His Highness thinks," says a Nationalist paper, "that decentralization is better and more conducive to efficiency in such matters." This is said to be the ninth time in the last forty years that the laws and programmes of Al Azhar have been radically changed; and this last has been considered much more sweeping and radical than all others. New studies in science and philosophy are to be introduced. By this new reform, it is said, the Azhar will assume the dignity of a great university, and be recognized as the head and centre of all Mohammedan learning in Egypt. If it be considered so in Egypt it may be counted so for the whole Moslem world. All this is but on paper as yet. And as Colonel Roosevelt said of a paper constitution, it is of no value so long as it is only paper. It is certain too that the Mosque Al Azhar lacks most of the elements that make a true university.

Another claimant for the title of university is the new one which has been named "The National University of Egypt." However, this does not claim to be in any sense a rival institution to Al Azhar. Al Azhar has always been, and will still be distinctly religious, making the propagation of Mohammedan doctrines its special end and aim. The National University, while nominally