The modern Arabic concept of society did not yet exist in 1900

Evidence

Thus even though he considers the shari¯‘a system to be integral to governance, he does not consider the state to be the source of its authority. Nevertheless, he regards the shari¯‘a to be essential to the restoration of “the family,” especially among the lower classes. Without the work of the shari¯‘a courts—which are in effect “family courts”—he sees social life itself in danger of moral collapse. By being identified with the family the shari¯‘a thus becomes functionally central at once to political order and to the total body that will eventually be represented as “society.” The modern Arabic word for society (mujtama‘) is not yet linguistically available, nor is the modern concept to which it now refers. — Talal Asad, Formations of the Secular, 1099

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the sociology-of-concepts theme in ‘Communication as Culture’ on how communication technology shapes the ideas of community and society available at a given time.
• DEFINE: Distinguishes the premodern Arabic umma concept from the emergent modern concept of ‘society’ (mujtama’) as equal citizens.