Rashid Rezā, Almenār and its First Years of Development (1898 – 1903)

Almenār is considered to be the most famous reformist and modernist journal in Islamic modern centuries. Being a rich source of information with regard to the condition of Islam universe in the 19^th century, it not only attracts the researchers’ attention, but also is the right place to introduce Islamic intellectuals’ different ideas and to analyze their relationship with the phenomenon and the scientific progresses of the modern world. In this article, the author has used authentic information in order to examine the cultural and social contexts of the society in which Rashid Rezā published his valuable work. Therefore, he firstly provides a short history of the publication in Egypt; and then he talks about Rashid Rezā’s biography and the years he spent in Syria. Following this, through presenting the first financial documents of the journal establishment and Rashid Rezā’s first months of presence in Egypt, the writer has tried to examine the development of Almenār’s primary structure and the way Rashid Rezā has managed it. Then, naming the first circle of Almenār’s subscribers, he analyses the ways in which the journal effect the Egyptians’ lives and their relationship with this new phenomena (journal) in order to expose Rashid Rezā’s place in the progress of publishing industry in Egypt.  Finally, he studies a view of Rashid Rezā, his religious and modern look at publishing industry, and his purpose of publishing this journal.