Jamal al-Din al-Afghani could hardly be seen as a "reformer"of Islam, as suggested in the caption. He was an Islamic revivalist, who saw the Ottoman Caliphate as corrupt and morally destitute. He did not "reform" Islam at all,he took it back to "first principles". Similarly, Rida was connected with al-Afghani when they founded the "Al Manar" publication, but the pair fell out big-time over direction of Islamic revival.

I am a bit concerned at the comment that these "have changed our thinking about the religion and its place in society." For most people, it is not these people, but their followers who have influenced Islam's reputation. And apart from in the cesspits of the far left, the fanatics of Jamaat e-Islami and the Muslim Brotherhood have not influenced Western opinions positively.