Islamic reform and colonial discourse on modernity in india : socio-political and religious thought. of vakkom moulavi

In Kerala, Vakkom Moulavi motivated Muslims to embrace modernity, especially modern education, in order to reap maximum benefit. In this process, he initiated numerous religious reforms. However, he held fairly ambivalent attitudes towards individualism, materialism and secularization, defending Islam against the attacks of Christian missionaries. Colonialism was much more than another instance of imperialism in human history. It introduced European categories and concepts into everyday habits and thoughts of the colonized. Focusing on writings of Vakkom Moulavi, who is known as the father of Islamic reform in Kerala, South India, Abraham argues that the socio-religious reform movements of the colonial period were largely shaped by the discourse on modernity. In the wake of the socio-political changes initiated by colonial rule in Kerala, Vakkom Moulavi motivated Muslims to embrace modernity, especially modern education, in order to reap maximum benefit. In this process, to counter the opposition of conservative leaders and their followers, he initiated religious reform arguing that the major themes of colonial discourse were fully compatible with Islamic traditions. However, though modernization was the overall purpose of his socio-reform movement, he held fairly ambivalent attitudes towards individualism, materialism, and secularization and defended Islam against the attacks of Christian missionaries Front Matter....Pages i-xv Introduction....Pages 1-20 Vakkom Moulavi: Biographical Details....Pages 21-42 Swadeshabhimani and Identity Politics in Kerala....Pages 43-64 Contributions to Educational Reform....Pages 65-88 Promotion of Islamic Reform....Pages 89-114 Representing Islamic Modernity....Pages 115-135 Community Mobilization....Pages 137-165 Conclusion....Pages 167-173 Back Matter....Pages 175-243 Cover 1 Title 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 Preface 8 Notes on Transliteration 14 Quranic Quotations 16 Introduction 17 1 Vakkom Moulavi: Biographical Details 37 2 Swadeshabhimani and Identity Politics in Kerala 59 3 Contributions to Educational Reform 81 4 Promotion of Islamic Reform 105 5 Representing Islamic Modernity 131 6 Community Mobilization 152 Conclusion 181 Notes 188 Bibliography 237 Index 248