قراءة في مفهوم الحريّة عند عبد اللّه العروي

Abstract

Abdallah Laroui argues that traditional Islamic thought focused on confining the concept of freedom within religious boundaries, while contemporary Arab thought seeks to reconcile it with modern values and human rights without severing ties with the religious foundation. He emphasizes the need for a historical and philosophical approach to understanding freedom as a political and social practice linked to justice and equality rather than a mere individual right.

    Using the historical method, Laroui begins not from a preconceived notion of freedom but from Arab reality itself, analyzing how freedom has been practiced within its historical and social contexts. His central problem lies in assessing the capacity of Arab thought to reconcile the demands of modernity with contemporary realities in a practical and systematic way.

   Through his critical project, Laroui aims to diagnose the causes of the Arab world’s historical backwardness, critique inherited intellectual and social structures, and call for reforming the relationship between the state and society. He advocates for tolerance, peace, and human rights while rejecting fanaticism and traditional views that have long dominated Arab consciousness, as these are no longer acceptable in light of modern scientific and reformist religious thought.