Capturing the Intelligentsia: A Forgotten Mission in Modern Islam.

By Salim Mohamed Badat

“Unless we capture this young western educated intelligentsia for Islam, we are doomed” Muhammad Fazlur Rahman Ansari (1914–1974)

These words by Moulana Muhammad Fazlur Rahman Ansari, a visionary philosopher and Islamic scholar, are not merely a lament from the past. They are a warning one that echoes louder today in an era where faith and identity are increasingly challenged by scientific materialism, skepticism, and secular ideologies.

The Essence of Ansari’s Warning.

In the quote featured above, Ansari addresses a crucial issue: the intellectual abandonment of young, educated Muslims. He highlights the dilemma faced when these minds, shaped by Western education, are exposed to Darwinian , liberalism, evolution, Marxist materialism, and agnostic philosophies without receiving robust Islamic intellectual responses.

He writes:

“Now when we go to propagate Islam to them, they have doubts. Is Darwinism true? Is Karl Marx’s philosophy of dialectic materialism true? Is Bertrand Russell’s agnostic theory true? All these questions arise, who is going to answer it?”

Ansari identifies a gaping vacuum: Islamic dawah has focused heavily on ritualistic instruction, the Kalimah and Salaah, while neglecting the deeper, existential and philosophical questions that educated youth grapple with. The result is a rising tide of “Doubting Muslims.”

Relevance Today: A Crisis of Faith and Intellect.

In today’s world, Ansari’s fears have materialized. A growing number of Muslim youth, especially those attending secular universities or consuming global media, are increasingly disillusioned or confused about Islam. They are inundated with:

Scientific reductionism that denies the soul and afterlife. Philosophical atheism that questions divine existence. Moral relativism that challenges Islamic ethics. Post-modern ideologies that blur identity, gender, and truth.

Without access to qualified scholars who understand both the Islamic tradition and modern thought, these youth often drift toward agnosticism or cultural Islam, practicing rituals without conviction or abandoning them altogether.

Where We Are Failing. Intellectual Dawah Is Neglected. Most religious education remains centered on rituals, fiqh, and basic theology. While foundational, this leaves many unequipped to navigate complex contemporary issues.

Lack of Engagement With Modern Thought.

Few scholars are trained to tackle the epistemology of modern science, philosophy, and political theory from an Islamic worldview. The failure to respond to these ideologies leaves a vacuum quickly filled by secular thinkers.

Cultural Alienation.

Many Islamic centers and scholars struggle to communicate in the language of today’s youth. They appear out of touch, irrelevant, or dismissive of genuine intellectual struggles.

Sectarian Distractions.

Intra-Muslim divisions and debates often overshadow the more urgent task of defending the Islamic worldview in modern times.

What Needs to Be Done: The Ansari Mandate.

Moulana Fazlur Rahman Ansari’s insight demands a revival of a new generation of scholars, deeply rooted in Quran, Hadith, and classical tradition, yet fully conversant in science, philosophy, and global issues.

Here’s how:

Establish Institutes of Islamic Thought: Where Muslim intellectuals engage with Western philosophies critically, producing books, lectures, and curricula.

Train Scholar-Philosophers: Revive the model of the alim who is also a philosopher and public intellectual, like Imam Ghazali or Shah Waliullah.

Engage with the Youth’s Questions: Create safe, accessible spaces (online and offline) where doubts are addressed with compassion and evidence, not dismissal or shame.

Bridge Tradition and Modernity: Translate the eternal truths of Islam into the language of the present, without compromising authenticity.

Conclusion.

Muhammad Fazlur Rahman Ansari saw something many ignored: the battle for the Muslim mind is no longer in the village, it is in the university, the media, and the digital world. Unless we rise to this intellectual challenge, he warned, “we are doomed.”

The time has come to heed his call, not just to teach the Kalimah and Namaaz, but to inspire conviction in the hearts of those drowning in doubt. For the survival and revival of Islam in the modern world depends not just on preaching, but on thinking.

Salim Mohamed Badat

Writer exploring the intersection of faith, politics and justice