The post-colonial Muslim World responded to modernism brought about by Western encroachment in various ways. It is generally believed that those educated in Islamic knowledge advocated a negative stance towards modernity while those educated in secular institutions embraced it. 'Ali al-Tantawi (1909-1999), a Syrian journalist, judge, and Islamic scholar and one of the few of his time who were educated in both secular and religious institutions, called for a conscious selection of modernist innovations by accepting and implementing those he believed were Islamically sound and leaving those he believed were not. A largely overlooked figure in Western academia, al-Tantawi's large corpus of writings for various newspapers and magazines around the Muslim World throughout the twentieth century was an attempt to reconcile Muslims' understanding of Islam with the far-reaching changes of modernity. Although this stance was taken by several Muslim scholars and reformers of the early to mid twentieth century, al-Tantawi stands out as being an independent reformer, refusing to become affiliated with any Islamic group or organization that were becoming prevalent at the time. Al-Tantawi also took a more sympathetic stance toward women, especially within marriage, and his thoughtful attitude is prominent in his writings as a journalist. His position was extended to the legal realm who, as a highly ranked judge in the Syrian court system, called for the implementation of reformist legislation. Through employing a limited ijtihad and proper taqlid by relying on all four legal schools (madhhabs) of Islamic jurisprudence rather than traditionally relying on exclusively one, al-Tantawi tried to present an Islamic law that accommodated modern concerns, and this was employed in his designing of the Syrian Personal Status Laws of 1953. Furthermore, by emphasizing Islam's broader principles such as the need for progress, and the happiness and stability of all members of the Muslim family, al-Tantawi tried to ameliorate the status of women in their marriages and encourage men to ensure their wives' happiness. Through these changes, Muslims can effectively counter Western encroachment through producing an alternative, authentic Islamic society that guarantees the stability and happiness of its members.