1/9

A.K. Brohi [1915–1987] 🇵🇰 was one of the most influential jurists of the region, began "secular" before getting close to "Islamist" Gen. Zia (Brohi is on the right in the pic.)

In 1966, this is what he wrote on the effects of "affluence" on women/family system/society.

🧵 2/9

"It is not only the earning of money by lawful means that is the current Gospel—it is the worship of wealth itself that is the dominant duty."

1/9

China’s 🇨🇳 little-known but substantial assistance to the Mujahideen 🇦🇫 against the Soviets, also involving Mao Zedong’s grandson Kong Jining.

Thread 🧵 2/9

"For the first decades of the relationship, Afghanistan was largely peripheral to China’s interests."

1/15

Zhang Chengzhi [b. 1948] is one of China’s 🇨🇳 best known writers today, an anthropologist (Mongolia 🇲🇳/Japan 🇯🇵) turned poet & novelist.

Maoist activist during his student days (coined the term "Red Guard") he later evolved into a Pan-Islamist ☪️ YET remaining Maoist.

🧵 2/15

In 2012 he went to Palestine 🇵🇸 :

"[…] swathed in a black-and white-check Palestinian scarf, the keffiyeh, Zhang addressed an audience made up of inhabitants of the camp. He and his party brought with them to the event a cardboard box filled with $100,000 […]"

1/6

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto [1928–1979], President [1971–1973] & then PM [1973–1977] of Pakistan 🇵🇰, and his concept of "Islamic Socialism" by the 1960s onwards.

Thread 🧵 2/6

"Why socialist parties have not succeeded in India is because Hinduism is against socialism, just as it is against Islam. Hinduism can never tolerate socialism, because the Hindu religion provides for various classes."

🧵

"Importance of religion in life" in Pakistan 🇵🇰 as per the World Values Survey Wave 7 [2017-2022].

By ETHNIC GROUP :

(for other variables — age, education, social class … — see below 👇) By AGE :

1/5

Mullah ‘Umar 🇦🇫 🏳️ could be critical of both the religious/morality police and the Pashtunwali, "the [pre-Islamic] tribal code" of the Afghans-Pashtuns than can eventually be conflictual from the perspective of the Sharia.

Short thread 🧵 2/5

"Mullah Omar and the other Taliban leaders were very concerned about the intimidating behavior of the religious police in Kabul."

1/6

King Fahd was Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦’s Crown Prince from 1975 to 1982 after which he’d remain King 👑 till 2005.

Under his rule, the Kingdom adopted a critical stance about the West and, in particular, the US 🇺🇸 and Zionism. 🇮🇱

Rhetoric sounded like post-‘79 Iran 🇮🇷

Thread 🧵 2/6

"Saudi editorials accused the ‘enemies of Arabs and Islam’ of implementing a campaign initiated by ‘foreign news sources’ that were intended to discredit the state. Western media commentaries were described as seeking to ‘weaken the people’s morale’ […]"

1/7

İbrahim Kalın has just been selected as the director of the MİT, Türkiye’s national intelligence agency.

Earlier he served as Erdoğan’s spokesperson for many years.

But he began as an academic specialized in Islamic metaphysics.

Here he criticizes Western rationalism.

🧵 2/7

"As a mark of modernity, reason has been constructed as a self regulating principle and the arbiter of truth from the mathematical and physical sciences to social and political orders […] has never worked as expected."

1/7

General Zia-ul-Haq [1924–1988], "Islamic dictator-president" of Pakistan 🇵🇰 [1978–1988], and some of his thoughts on Islam ☪️ as derived from few speeches 🎤

Short thread 🧵 2/7

"Muslim countries must consider ways and means for the collective defence of the Islamic ummah rather than the defence of individual countries."

1/11

Necmettin Erbakan [1926–2011], early mentor of Erdoğan (before parting ways later due to differences in foreign policy), is considered the father of "Islamist politics" in the mainstream Turkish 🇹🇷 democracy.

This is how he initiated a movement from 1970 onward.

Thread 🧵 2/11

He was a mechanical engineer, being one of the first post-WW2 Turkish students to graduate from Germany 🇩🇪 ; as a student already he was implicated with the Naqshbandis.

1/9

🇮🇩

Felix Siauw [born 1984], a convert ☪️ of Chinese descent, is one of the most popular preachers in Indonesia, with many millions of followers on social media.

Known for his "radical" positions, there’s not much in English about him, but there’s this 2018 article.

🧵 2/9

Some bio : he was born into a Catholic ✝️ family and has been associated with Hizb ut Tahir Indonesia (now banned), an Islamist movement known for his pro-Khilafa position in particular, reflected in the names of Felix’ children.

1/6

Ryoichi [‘Umar] Mita [1892–1983] was a Japanese 🇯🇵 economist & social worker who reverted to Islam ☪️ & wrote books 📚 related to the religion.

Also translated the Qur’an, his translation being the first by a Japanese convert.

These are some of his thoughts on Islam.

🧵 2/6

"The righteous way of life as taught by Islam, was shown to me by our Pakistani 🇵🇰 Tablighi brethern (Missionaries), who visited my country and to whom I am deeply grateful."

1/20

Within the Muslim discourse, there are 4️⃣ approaches to evolution, which are :

1️⃣ Creationism

2️⃣ Human exceptionalism

3️⃣ Adamic exceptionalism

4️⃣ No exceptions

As Shoaib Ahmed Malik details in 📖 "Islam and Evolution".

To make it simple 1 post = 1 thinker

👇

🧵 2/20

Summarized classification :

1/16

Emir Abdelkader [1808–1883] of Algeria 🇩🇿, a philosopher-poet grounded in Islamic scholarship turned warrior, and his struggle of more than a decade [1832–1847] against French 🇫🇷 imperialism.

Thread 🧵 2/16

Context of the French invasion :

1/6

General Zia-ul-Haq, the "Islamist dictator" 🇵🇰 [1978–1988], on education, including the traditional role of the mosque 🕌 as "the nucleus of the community", in a 1977 speech 🎤 delivered at the National Educational Conference, Islamabad.

Short thread 🧵 2/6

"Mosque has been the nucleus of our community. It is not merely a place of worship. It is the community centre and also the educational centre in the community. During the colonial days it did not suit our rulers that we maintain and strengthen our social institutions […]"

1/11

The Hejaz railway 🚃 was a project of Sultan Abdülhamid II that aimed to help Muslims for Hajj. 🕋

Supported by ordinary Muslims (no European 🏦 loans) it connected Damascus 🇸🇾 to Medina 🇸🇦

But the role of a Punjabi-Muslim 🇵🇰 writer ✍️, Inshaullah, is little known.

🧵 2/11

This railway also had a symbolic significance outside the Sultan’s Pan-Islamism, as it projected the Ottoman Empire as a great power on par with the West, due to its abilities for technology/infrastructure :

1/10

"Liberal imperialism" might seem a confusing expression for many, after all liberalism as an ideology prides itself in freedom maximalism, so being forced would be counterintuitive.

Yet European colonialism & WoT weaponized liberal ideas such as democracy/human rights.

🧵 2/10

Liberals believe that their ideology is the most legitimate to bring "human happiness", thus leading liberal philosophers like JS Mill could write [d. 1873] :

"Despostism is a legitimate mode of government in dealing with barbarians, provided the end be their improvement."

1/6

Abdurrahman Dilipak [born 1949], a journalist, is considered one of the main "Islamist" thinkers in Turkey 🇹🇷 & also to be supportive of Erdoğan (previously he was a member of Erbakan’s National Order Party).

This is what he writes about democracy. 🗳️

🧵 2/6

"Democracy is a system which secularizes the person, on the basis of human, rather than divine, will… Source and measure of truth is not the divine will but the human mind."

1/6

Herbert [Mohammed Aman] Hobohm [1926–2014] was a German 🇩🇪 diplomat and a convert to Islam. ☪️

In 1989 he published an article in the Iqbal Review: "Iqbal's Contribution to the Reawakening of the Muslim World"

🧵 2/6

"I feel that as a Muslim whose own understanding of Islam has been deeply influenced by Iqbal it was my duty to join you in paying homage to this great and noble soul repaying some of the debt of gratitude I owe him for enlightening me […]"

1/12

Is there a link between usury/riba 🏦 and moral decline ? 💰

Ibrahim Lawson 🇬🇧 thinks so & shows that ONLY a society that abandons morality could allow it, and how it has been done on PURPOSE, by looking at modern Western philosophy (he mentions Kant, etc).

👇 🧵 2/12

"I will describe in philosophical, social and psychological terms those aspects of our modern society forming the context in which usury has found such fertile soil."

1/17

Dr. Absar Ahmed is not only the brother of the celebrated Dr. Israr Ahmed [1932–2010] 🇵🇰 but also a Muslim thinker of his own.

In a 1998 article ✍️ he reconsiders Western philosophy (epistemology/ethics), from Descartes to Popper, and oppose al-Ghazali to them.

🧵 2/17

"In an age in which thinkers generally find themselves in intellectual morass, Islamic thought offers them a genuine alternative - a venue of hope, sanity and intellectual integrity."