.png)
Taha brief biography
Mahmoud Mohamed Taha (1909-1985) was a prominent Sudanese religious thinker, reformer, and political leader. He was born in Rufa'a, a small town on the eastern bank of the Blue Nile in Sudan. Taha is best known for his reinterpretation of Islam, advocating for progressive views on religion, social justice, and women's rights.
Taha studied engineering at Gordon Memorial College in Khartoum and worked as an engineer before fully committing to his political and religious endeavors. In the 1940s, he founded the Republican Party (later renamed the Republican Brotherhers), a social and political movement that sought to promote his vision of Islam as a means to achieve justice, equality, and development in Sudanese society.
One of Taha's most influential works was his book "The Second Message of Islam," in which he argued that the Meccan period of the Prophet Muhammad's teachings, characterized by principles of equality and social justice, should be the foundation for modern Islamic society rather than the later Medinan period, which he saw as more restrictive and context-specific.
Taha's ideas often put him at odds with the Sudanese government and conservative religious authorities. His opposition to the implementation of Sharia law in Sudan led to his arrest and trial for apostasy. In 1985, Taha was executed by the regime of President Jaafar Nimeiry, at the age of 76, a move that drew widespread condemnation and highlighted the oppressive nature of the Sudanese government at the time. after just 76 days, his execution greatly contributed to to a popular uprising that toppled the regime and Nuimeiry was ousted from office.
Despite his execution, Taha's ideas continue to influence discussions on Islam, human rights, and social justice in Sudan and beyond. His legacy is preserved by his followers and scholars who continue to study and disseminate his teachings.
Taha studied engineering at Gordon Memorial College in Khartoum and worked as an engineer before fully committing to his political and religious endeavors. In the 1940s, he founded the Republican Party (later renamed the Republican Brotherhers), a social and political movement that sought to promote his vision of Islam as a means to achieve justice, equality, and development in Sudanese society.
One of Taha's most influential works was his book "The Second Message of Islam," in which he argued that the Meccan period of the Prophet Muhammad's teachings, characterized by principles of equality and social justice, should be the foundation for modern Islamic society rather than the later Medinan period, which he saw as more restrictive and context-specific.
Taha's ideas often put him at odds with the Sudanese government and conservative religious authorities. His opposition to the implementation of Sharia law in Sudan led to his arrest and trial for apostasy. In 1985, Taha was executed by the regime of President Jaafar Nimeiry, at the age of 76, a move that drew widespread condemnation and highlighted the oppressive nature of the Sudanese government at the time. after just 76 days, his execution greatly contributed to to a popular uprising that toppled the regime and Nuimeiry was ousted from office.
Despite his execution, Taha's ideas continue to influence discussions on Islam, human rights, and social justice in Sudan and beyond. His legacy is preserved by his followers and scholars who continue to study and disseminate his teachings.