A person with an imitative mindset, as the popular saying goes, simply follows the beaten path. Such individuals lack the ability to reassess situations. They persist in following the same familiar track, even when it yields no results. In contrast, a person with an ijtihadi mindset continuously reevaluates circumstances. They study the past and present to develop new plans of action. While the imitative person remains stuck in the past, the one with ijtihadi insight focuses on the future.
An example of this distinction can be found in the history of the Indian subcontinent. During the 18th and 19th centuries, when the British dominated India, Muslim leaders of that era largely responded with armed confrontation. Influenced by the traditional theories of Dar al-Harb (land of war) and jihad, their mindset led them to pursue only one course of action: to fight the British and eliminate these foreign rulers.
Under this approach, Sultan Tipu waged war against the British in 1799, which resulted in his death and the collapse of his vast kingdom. Similarly, in 1857, Muslim leaders launched an armed rebellion against the British, which continued in various forms for over half a century. This rebellion also ended in their complete destruction, bringing no benefit to Islam or Muslims.
This exemplifies an imitative response to the challenges posed by British rule. However, history also provides an example of an ijtihadi approach to the same issue. This approach was embodied by Syed Muhammad Rashid Rida (d. 1935). In 1912 (1330 AH), he visited Lucknow at the invitation of Maulana Shibli Nomani to attend a session of the Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama. He then visited Darul Uloom Deoband, which was at that time a centre of resistance against the British. During his visit, a special session was convened at Darul Uloom Deoband. Maulana Anwar Shah Kashmiri (1875–1933) delivered a speech on behalf of the institution. Following this, Syed Muhammad Rashid Rida (1865–1935) addressed the gathering. His speech, delivered in Arabic, was later published in the proceedings of Darul Uloom Deoband (1330 AH). An excerpt from his speech reads:
“There is an important point that every farsighted Muslim should consider: the number of Muslims in India is so small compared to non-Muslims that their existence in this country will always be in danger. The British government, which is a government of reason and justice, has maintained a balance between non-Muslims and Muslims. If this balance is disrupted at any time, you can imagine what the result would be. Probably, Muslims will face the same fate as they did in Andalusia. Therefore, we must have a group among us to dispel the doubts cast on Islam. These doubts have arisen due to the modern sciences and arts, and it is essential to remove them. However, dispelling these doubts is impossible without understanding modern philosophy. Therefore, it is necessary that the members of this group be familiar with the key issues of modern philosophy” (Al-Jami’at Weekly, Delhi, February 2, 1970, p. 10).
This speech by Syed Muhammad Rashid Rida exemplifies ijtihadi insight. By thoroughly analyzing the situation, he foresaw that the balance between the Muslim minority and the non-Muslim majority in undivided India, maintained by the presence of the British as a third power, would collapse once the British withdrew. The resulting political independence would bring new challenges for Muslims rather than solve their problems.
Based on this forward-looking assessment, Syed Rashid Rida advised Muslim leaders in India to focus on dawah (conveying the teaching of Islam) rather than armed confrontation. He urged them to prepare intellectually rather than militarily, ensuring they could effectively convey Islam’s peaceful message in line with the demands of the time. However, the Muslim leaders of that era were so consumed by their animosity toward the British that they could not imagine any constructive work being undertaken under British rule. A significant historical opportunity was lost, and the lack of ijtihadi insight was the primary reason.
Muslims suffered setbacks because they adopted an imitative mindset and stopped practicing ijtihad. This stagnation has left Muslims akin to a backward caravan in the modern era, struggling to keep pace with contemporary challenges.
