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ʿAbd al-Ḥamīd ibn Bādīs

Savant

ʿAbd al-Ḥamīd ibn Muṣṭafā ibn Bādīs (1889–1940) was one of the great intellectual and religious figures of 20th century Algeria. Scholar, teacher, exegete, preacher and reformer, he devoted most of his life to a fundamental conviction: the rebirth of a society requires science, education and the transmission of knowledge. His journey is deeply linked to the history of Algeria under French colonial rule. Its action focused mainly on the teaching of the Quran, the Arabic language and Islamic sciences, but also on the preservation of the cultural and religious identity of Algerian society. A childhood marked by the Quran and knowledge Ibn Bādīs was born in Constantine in 1889, into an old and influential family in the city. His family was known for its attachment to knowledge and religion. At a very young age, he memorized the Quran and began the study of the Arabic language as well as religious sciences. Among his first teachers was Ḥamdān al-Lūnīsī, who had an important influence on his training. This first education gave him the foundations on which he would build all his work: attachment to the Quran, importance of the Arabic language, discipline in learning and the responsibility of the scholar towards the community. Zitouna: a decisive step In 1908, Ibn Bādīs went to Tunis to continue his studies at the al-Zaytūna mosque-university, then one of the great centers of Islamic learning in the Maghreb. He studied different religious and linguistic disciplines there and obtained his diploma in 1912. He then stayed for some time at Zitouna to teach there. His stay in Tunisia was particularly important for his intellectual development. There he met several scholars who influenced his way of approaching the Quran, the Arabic language, history and contemporary problems of the Muslim world. Among them are Muḥammad al-Nakhlī and Muḥammad al-Ṭāhir ibn ʿĀshūr. These influences contributed to forming in Ibn Bādīs a conception of knowledge which associated the study of religious sources with reflection on the real needs of society. The return to Algeria: making teaching a mission Returning to Algeria in 1913, Ibn Bādīs settled in Constantine and gradually began to develop a vast educational activity. In 1914, he notably began teaching at the al-Akhdar mosque, where he gave lessons to students and the public. He taught in particular the tafsīr of the Quran, the hadith and religious subjects, while also devoting an important place to the education of children. His teaching was not limited to a restricted circle of students. He taught: to advanced students; to children in Koranic schools; to adults; to the general public; Women's. He also developed courses in other mosques and participated in the establishment of a real educational dynamic. For him, education should go beyond traditional circles and reach the whole of society. “Reform through education” One of the central ideas of his project was that the reform of a society could not begin with speeches or political changes alone. It had to start with the education of the individual. Ibn Bādīs considered that the quality of education directly shaped the quality of future generations. In his writings devoted to the reform of education, he insists on the fact that the reform of Muslims requires the reform of their scholars, and that this itself requires a reform of their training. This conception explains the considerable energy he devoted to teaching. He did not see the teacher as someone who simply transmits information. The teacher had to help shape a person: their intelligence, their faith, their behavior, their language and their sense of responsibility. A global vision of education Ibn Bādīs' teaching was not limited to memorization. He placed great importance on understanding. He taught in particular the Quran and its exegesis, the hadith, the Arabic language, literature, history and various knowledge necessary for the training of the student. Its objective was to train Muslims capable of understanding their religion and actively participating in the life of their society. This educational concept also explains its interest for teacher training. He encouraged the sending of Algerian students to Zitouna so that they could deepen their training and then return to contribute to education in Algeria. A first class of students was sent in 1918. Women's education Ibn Bādīs also placed particular importance on the education of women. In his educational project, he considered that ignorance could not be fought if a part of society remained deprived of education. The education of girls and women should make it possible to transmit religious and cultural knowledge within families and to form generations capable of preserving their identity. This dimension of his work was part of a broader project of literacy and the development of Arabic education. Historical works devoted to the educational action of the Association of Ulemas highlight in particular its role in the creation…