Lessons from the Protestant Reformation for Today’s Islamic World

Lessons from the Protestant Reformation for Today’s Islamic World

Authors

  • Hussein Solomon Centre for Gender and Africa Studies at the University of the Free State
  • Rene de Klerk Department of Political Studies and Governance, University of the Free State

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15575/ijik.v13i2.25503

Keywords:

Protestant Reformation, Muslim, Islam, Martin Luther, Religious Extremism

Abstract

The Islamic world today faces multiple challenges, including political stagnation, religious authoritarianism, and societal inertia. Drawing on a historical-comparative approach, this article explores the Protestant Reformation as a case study to examine how religious renewal can emerge from within a faith tradition. The study employs a historical-analytical method, drawing parallels between key developments in the Reformation and current conditions in the Muslim world. By analyzing historical parallels, the authors argue that Islamic societies can benefit from lessons learned during the Reformation, particularly regarding the decentralization of religious authority, promotion of literacy, and critical engagement with sacred texts. The study finds that while the contexts differ, the need for internal reform and revival is shared. The article concludes that meaningful Islamic reform must originate from within Muslim societies and cannot be imposed externally. This analysis contributes to contemporary Islamic thought by encouraging critical reflection on religious tradition in light of historical experience, thus fostering a deeper understanding of reform in the modern Islamic context.

Author Biographies

Hussein Solomon, Centre for Gender and Africa Studies at the University of the Free State

Prof Hussein Solomon, is located at the Centre for Gender and Africa Studies, University of the Free State. His research interests include political Islam, gender in the Arab world, and terrorism. His most recent books include African Security in the Anthropocene (with Jude Cocodia, Springer, 2023), Directions in International Terrorism: Theories, Trends and Trajectories (Palgrave, 2021), Terrorism in Africa: New Trends and Frontiers (with Glen Segell and Sergey Kostelyanets, Institute for African Studies, Moscow, 2021), Arab MENA Countries: Vulnerabilities and Constraints Against Democracy on the Eve of the Global COVID-19 Crisis (with Arno Tausch, Springer 2021), Exporting Global Jihad (with Tom Smith, IB Tauris/Bloomsbury 2020), Islamism, Crisis and Democratization: Implications of the World Values Survey for the Muslim World (with Arno Tausch, Springer, 2020), African Security in the Twenty-First Century: Challenges and Opportunities (with Stephen Emerson, Manchester University Press, 2018), Understanding Boko Haram and Insurgency in Africa (with Jim Hentz, Routledge, 2017), Islamic State and the Coming Global Confrontation (Palgrave Macmillan, 2016), Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism in Africa: Fighting Insurgency from Al Shabaab, Ansar Dine and Boko Haram  (Palgrave Macmillan, 2015) and  Jihad: A South African Perspective (Sun Media, 2013).

Rene de Klerk, Department of Political Studies and Governance, University of the Free State

Rene de Klerk, was a lecturer in the Department of Political Studies and Governance at the University of the Free State at the time of writing this article. Her research has focused on democratization in Africa and issues of corruption in South Africa. Currently she works as a researcher and analyst for FOCUS Group. She has a specific interest in climate justice and development in Sub-Saharan Africa.

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Published

2023-05-15

How to Cite

Solomon, H., & Klerk, R. de. (2023). Lessons from the Protestant Reformation for Today’s Islamic World. International Journal of Islamic Khazanah, 13(2), 109–123. https://doi.org/10.15575/ijik.v13i2.25503

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 2 (2023): IJIK

Section

Articles

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Copyright (c) 2023 Hussein Solomon, Rene de Klerk

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