The Islamic Reform Movement of the Association of Algerian ʿulamaʾ, 1931-1954 - (Studies in the History and Society of the Maghrib)

About the Book

With a focus on the Association of Algerian ʿUlamaʾ founded in 1931, this book reveals the dynamics and resilience of the Islamic reform movement from both its discursive features and its social activism.

Book Synopsis

How are we to understand the internal dynamics of an Islamic reform movement that calls for nationalist rallies and joins a delegation to meet with the French Prime Minister but denies that it 'does politics'? This book analyzes how the Association of Algerian ʿUlamaʾ, founded in 1931 as a league of Muslim scholars, addressed the peculiar situation of French laïcité in colonial Algeria and competed with Algeria's revolutionary nationalists. It also highlights the financial basis and the grassroots organizations of the movement, from which it brought about a 'passive' revolution against the colonial social order.