baligh Feb 13, 2010:

Enlightenment sounds best, even if bit's it is related to European literary and philosophical movements, etc.

Randa Farhat Feb 13, 2010:

Anis, I wish you added this as an answer. Nevertheless, the word "renaissance" is not restricted in use to that certain European period. However, enlightenment is a good alternative.

Anis Farhat Feb 13, 2010:

The word Renaissance refers to a certain period of time. (14th century) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance. and it is translated in Arabic as عصر النهضة.)
Whereas the word التنويريون comes from Enlightenment (le Siècle des Lumières in French) and it is used to refer to the 18th century.
We say: Age of Enlightenment = Enlightenment Era= عصر التنوير / عصر الأنوار
Enlightenment thinkers = مفكري التنوير
Enlightenment philosopher= فلاسفة عصر التنوير
And during this era we talk mainly about French thinkers and intellectuals like Voltaire, Montesquieu Diderot and Rousseau.(18th century)
Thus, Arabic thinkers like Tahtaoui and Muhamed Abduh were influenced by these occidental thinkers.
The concept of “reformist” applies to these thinkers (Tahtaoui and Abduh); but it means مصلح
إخفاق المشروع التنويري في المنطقة العربية وشروط استنهاضه : http://www.3almani.org/spip.php?article1211
I would suggest "enlightened thinker"