The founding figure of Islamic modernism in Egypt. He believed that Muslims could only overcome European domination by adopting European education and science. Under the British (who appreciated his modernism) he was appointed head of the prestigious traditional university al-Azhar, where he tried to incorporate modern elements into the curriculum. As chief mufti of Egypt, his flexible legal interpretation attempted to reconcile Islamic law with modern circumstances. Some of his followers moved toward secularism, while others, such as Muhammad Rashid Rida (1865-1935) moved toward islamism.