Exploring Reformers and Historical Parallels in the Islamic World

The early Protestants believed the Catholic Church had become too compromised and worldly, advocating a return to primary sources and the text. Similarly, the fall of the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century led to similar reform movements in the Islamic world, mirroring the Protestants' desire for purifying their faith. The merging of secular and spiritual authority in the Ottoman Empire invited corruption, contrasting with the Catholic Church's decision to focus on spiritual authority, which contributed to its survival. The Wahhabis' iconoclastic actions in the 1920s mirrored the Protestant movements in Europe, aiming to purify Islam by destroying art and idols, akin to the Protestants' actions against Catholic churches in the 1500s.