Muhammad al-Bahi
- Died
- 1402 AH
- Born in
- Egypt
Muhammad al-Bahi (1323–1403 AH / 1905–1983 CE; another report gives his death on 10 September 1982 CE) was an Egyptian Islamic thinker, academic, and statesman who served as the rector of al-Azhar University and as the Minister of Awqaf and al-Azhar Affairs.
Education and Academic Career
Al-Bahi was born in the Beheira Governorate in Egypt. He entered the Dasuq Religious Institute as a student in 1917, going on to obtain the ‘Alamiyyah degree in 1928 and a specialization degree in literature and rhetoric in 1931. He was subsequently sent to Germany as part of the Muhammad Abduh educational mission to the University of Hamburg, where he earned a higher diploma in the German language in 1934, alongside a doctorate in philosophy, psychology, and sociology.
Upon his return to Egypt, al-Bahi was appointed as an instructor at the Faculty of Theology (Usul al-Din) and later became the head of the philosophy department at the Faculty of Arabic Language. He also served as a visiting professor abroad, teaching at McGill University in Canada in 1952 and at the modern University of Rabat in Morocco in 1960, in addition to representing al-Azhar at various scholarly conferences. He was later appointed rector of al-Azhar University and subsequently assumed the leadership of the Ministry of Awqaf and al-Azhar Affairs.
Thought and Reform Efforts
Al-Bahi advocated for religious renewal and educational reform. In 1936, he publicly argued that education at al-Azhar should not remain confined strictly to traditional religious subjects; this vision materialized in 1962 when modern scientific disciplines were incorporated into the institution's curriculum. During his ministerial tenure, he sought to establish a dedicated "General Culture Division" at the Women's College to provide public enlightenment and instruction in social, psychological, Islamic, and home management disciplines, though the initiative ultimately went unrealized.
Politically and ideologically, al-Bahi maintained independent stances. At the Muslim Scholars Conference held in Cairo in 1392 AH, he was the sole scholar to declare that Islam is an invitational call (da‘wah) rather than a revolution, affirming that Islam does not sanction military coups or the nationalization of private property. His major writings examined civilizational and contemporary thought, including al-Din wal-Hadara al-Islamiyya (Religion and Islamic Civilization) and al-Fikr al-Islami al-Hadith wa Silatuhu bil-Isti‘mar al-Gharbi (Modern Islamic Thought and Its Connection to Western Colonialism), both of which were translated into English, Turkish, and Indonesian.
Death
Al-Bahi died in 1403 AH (1983 CE), while another record places his death on 10 September 1982 CE (1402 AH).
Answer updated
List of Works
al-Islam wa Muwajahat al-Madhahib al-Haddama (Islam and Confronting Destructive Doctrines) is an ideological and apologetic treatise analyzing Western and Eastern intellectual movements that challenge Islamic society and outlining strategies for ideological confrontation.
al-Mubashshirun wal-Mustashriqun fi Mawqifihim min al-Islam (Christian Missionaries and Orientalists in Their Stance Toward Islam) is a treatise analyzing Western missionary and Orientalist activities in the Islamic world and outlining strategic responses to them.
al-Fikr al-Islami al-Hadith wa Silatuhu bil-Istimaar al-Gharbi (Modern Islamic Thought and Its Connection to Western Colonialism) is a book analyzing modern Islamic intellectual trends and their interaction with Western colonialism and cultural influence.
al-Ikha al-Dini wa Majma al-Adyan wa Mawqif al-Islam (Religious Brotherhood, the Complex of Religions, and the Position of Islam) is a treatise that critically evaluates contemporary interfaith initiatives in Egypt and examines their theological and political implications from an Islamic perspective.