The Islamic Reform Movement of the Association of Algerian ʿUlamaʾ, 1931–1954

Between Politics and the Religious Sphere

Series: 

Author:
Shoko Watanabe
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.
Copyright Year:
2026
E-Book (PDF)
Availability:
Published
ISBN:
978-90-04-74129-4
Publication:
17 Mar 2026
Hardback
Availability:
Published
ISBN:
978-90-04-74128-7
Publication:
08 Apr 2026
Cover The Islamic Reform Movement of the Association of Algerian ʿUlamaʾ, 1931–1954

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Shoko Watanabe, Associate Professor at the Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia of the University of Tokyo, has published articles on Islamic reform and nationalism in the Maghrib, including 'Making an Arab-Muslim Elite in Paris', International Journal of Middle East Studies 53(3) (2021): 439-54.
List of Tables and Figures
Abbreviations and Acronyms

Introduction: an Islamic “Passive Revolution”?
 1 Understanding Modern Islamic Reform
 2 Main Arguments of the Study
 3 Terms Used in the Book

Part 1 Political Ideas of the ʿUlama‌ʾ and Nationalism
 1 Between Waṭan and the Colonial State
 1 Cultural and Political Backgrounds
 2 The Naturalization Debate and Opinions of ʿUlama‌ʾ on the Separation of Churches and State in Algeria
 Concluding Remarks

2 Politics According to AUMA
 1 The ʿUlama‌ʾ and Politics
 2 Interactions with the Nationalists
 Concluding Remarks

Part 2 AUMA in Social Actions

3 The Free Arab Education Movement
 1 Schooling in Algeria
 2 Development of the Free Arab Education Movement
 3 Curricula, Ideas, and Relations with Society
 Concluding Remarks

4 AUMA and the Economy
 1 AUMA Economic Ideas and Practices
 2 AUMA and Muslim Entrepreneurs
 Concluding Remarks

5 AUMA and Other Social Movements: the Case of the Muslim Scouts
 1 History of the Muslim Scouts
 2 AUMA and Religious Education within the Muslim Scouts
 Concluding Remarks

Conclusion: Redefining the Role of Religion in Bringing about Social Change in Colonial Algeria
Appendices
Bibliography
Index
This book will attract scholars and students of Maghrib studies, French colonial history, and Islamic reform in the modern Muslim world, while remaining accessible to the general public.
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