Principles of Islam
12. Fundamentalism
~ 32 ~
12. FUNDAMENTALISM
Fundamentalism literally means to stick to the
fundamentals or to stick to the basic teachings of a
religion. As religious terminology this term
originated in the early period of the 20th century. In
its initial stages it was mainly a Christian
phenomenon. Modernist Christians attempted to
give a liberal interpretation to some biblical
teachings like the concept of the virgin birth;
atonement and resurrection etc.
The conservative Christians refused to accept this
kind of liberal interpretation. They maintained that
the Bible was a sacred book and that they were
bound to take all its teachings verbally. So the term
fundamentalism was applied to the conservatives as
against the liberals.
Later this term in its extended meaning began to be
applied to other religions also, for instance, Islamic
fundamentalism or Muslim fundamentalists. The
same story was repeated here also. Muslim
modernists too started to give a liberal
interpretation to the traditional teachings of Islam.
