118,838 research outputs found
Conversion of African Americans to Islam : a sociological analysis of the Nation of Islam and associated groups
No full text'Conversion of African Americans to Islam: A Sociological Analysis of the Nation of
Islam Associated groups' is an empirical study of the religious experience of people
who had/have distinctive features in terms of race, ethnicity and historical experience.
The purpose of this thesis is to demonstrate how African Americans' (AAs) conversion
experience in general, and the Nation of Islam associated groups' conversion in
particular, differ from the studies of recruitment and conversion in the sociology of
religion and New Religion Movements (NRMs). More specifically, their recruitment
and conversion experiences to Islam diverge from those who converted to mainstream
Islam. The study investigates how AAs' historical experience, soci-economic
difficulties and the racism they encountered shaped and influenced their religious
understanding.
Research methods involved participant observations, a survey questionnaire, interviews,
conversations, personal communications and correspondence. To collect ethnographic
data eleven months field research was conducted mainly in the Chicago area and on two
short visits to Detroit, and three years continued communications with Muslim officials
and academics in the area. During the field research and afterwards through personal
communication 181 survey questionnaire responses were received, and 23 Muslim
officials, academics and ordinary Muslims were interviewed through semi-structured,
unstructured interviews, conversation and correspondence.
The thesis begins with a brief history of Islam and Muslims in general and the African
American Muslims (AAMs) in particular. More emphasis is given on the historical
development of the Nation of Islam (NOl). Then in Chapter III, discussions of schisms
in the history of the NOT are examined from sociological perspectives of social and
religious movements. In Chapter IV I aimed to formulate my own perspective to
analyse and study the conversion experiences of AAMs to Islam. I used a multivariate
approach, considering selectively widely held conversion and recruitment theories in the
sociology of the religion. I consider in Chapter V the predisposing conditions for AAMs
that influence their decision-making to join in the NOT, for example, political and
nationalistic sentiments and socio-economic deprivations. In Chapter VI I have applied
different terms to describe their religious experiences, such as conversion, alteration and
reversion. I have analysed further their encounters with the NOT, the methods of
recruitment they used and their major motives for joining the NOT and converting to
Tslam. In the concluding chapters (Chapter VII VTTT) I describe the different responses
of AAMS to Islam following the death of Elijah Muhammad. It is found out that the
Islamic appeal has polarised. While Farakhan's NOT appeared to continue the tradition
and style of the old NOI with the emphasis on nationalistic and socio-economic factors,
Tmam W. D. Mohammed's community turned more to the religious and spiritual aspects
of Tslam. These different approaches led to a polarisation of the appeal of Tslam to
AAMS.
This thesis contributes to knowledge in four key areas; the sociology of religion and
religious movements, the sociology of social and nationalistic movements, religious and
Islamic studies
The Concept of Land Ownership in Islam and Poverty Alleviation in Pakistan
No full textLand ownership—in its ethico-legal and historical manifestations, reflects the importance of being a politico-economic institution. In the process of its development, it includes various heterogeneous elements of different systems of ownership. With the growth of the Ummah, the principles of laws of ownership represent and embody the relations, rights and duties to form the general law of obligations at the state as well as individual level. This is the case of economic and legal theory, regarding the ownership of land with implicative infrastructure to build social welfare institutions of Islam. It is generally and basically have been ordained that according to the teachings of Islam, Real ownership belongs to Allah Almighty. Man being the vicegerent holds property in trust for which he is accountable to him in accordance with the clearly laid down economic philosophy of Islam. Ownership of man is a concept alien to Islam as it belongs to Allah Almighty only.
Political Instrumentalisation of Islam, Persistent Autocracies, and Obscurantist Deadlock
No full textThe empirical literature has established a strong link between the fact of being a Muslim-dominated country and indicators of political performance and democracy. This suggests the possible existence of a relation between religion, Islam in this instance, and societal characteristics. Bernard Lewis and others have actually argued the case for such a relation, pointing to aspects of the Islamic religion and culture that make the advent of democracy especially difficult. These arguments fall into the general idea of the Clash of civilisations put forward by Samuel Huntington. In this paper, we discuss this sort of argument and show that there is a systematic misconception about the true nature of the relationship between Islam and politics: far from being merged into the religious realm, politics tends to dominate religion. Because of the particular characteristics of Is-lam, namely, the lack of a centralised religious authority structure and the great variability of interpretations of the Islamic law, there is a risk of an obscurantist deadlock in the form of a vicious process whereby both the ruler and his political opponents try to outbid each other by using the religious idiom. This risk looms particularly large in crisis situations accentuated by international factors.
Islam and the Kirk?
No full textIn this paper, Glenn Chestnutt reflects theologically on aspects of the current context of the Church of Scotland. Drawing on Karl Barth, Daniel Migliore and Mona Siddiqui, he argues that there is a potentially enriching opportunity for reflection for the Kirk as it considers the truth claims of Islam. This would take place, not simply in dialogue, but through genuine encounter and authentic interaction.Publisher PD
Bradford's Muslim communities and the reproduction and representation of Islam
No full textThis thesis studies the creation of Bradford's Muslim communities, in particular the impact of migration on Islamic identity. To this end it begins by mapping the contours of Islamic expression in South Asia, especially the development of distinct maslak, discrete schools
of Islamic thought and practice. These were, in part, a response to the imposition of British imperialism in India. The settlers from South Asia also came from a variety of areas, with their own histories, regional languages and cultures. The ethos and character of Islam, which is shared by different sects, is studied unselfconsciously at work in the establishment of Muslim communities in Bradford, generating separate residential zones and a network of
businesses and institutions, religious and cultural, developed to service their specific needs. The leadership, resources and ethos which the different maslak could draw on, and the institutions they created to reproduce the Islamic tradition in the city are explored and the extent to which these connect with the new cultural and
linguistic world of young British Muslims. Attention is then focused on the education, status, functions and influence of the 'ulama, critical carriers of the Islamic tradition in this new context. The role of the Bradford Council for Mosques is examined both as a bearer
of the Islamic impulse to unity, transcending the regional,
linguistic and sectarian differences, and as an emerging authority, locally and nationally. The study concludes by exploring the challenges facing Muslims - youth, gender, intellectual tradition, and da'wa, invitation to Islam - as British expressions of Islam struggle to birth
AGAMA KEADILAN SEBAGAI NARASI PEMIKIRAN HUKUM ISLAM MASDAR F. MAS'UDI
No full textAbstract
This article explains Masdar F. Mas'udi's thoughts on the "Religion of Justice" which is the main focus of the theme of Islamic legal thought. The concentration of his studies refers to the two books he has written, namely the religion of justice: the treatise on zakat (tax) Islam and women's reproductive rights: the fiqh dialogue on empowerment. The meeting point of thought in these two books, in addition to the choice of the same paradigm, is also the dominant theme of discussion on benefit, justice, democracy, and human rights (egalitarianism). The discourse and the manifestation of the appropriate methodology were compiled and practiced by Masdar referring to the fields of zakat/taxes and women's fiqh. From the reconstruction of his various thoughts, a lot of controversy emerged. The results of this paper indicate that the paradigms and methods as well as implementation in the practice of ijtihad refer to the areas of zakat, taxes, hajj, and women's issues. In addition, Masdar's thoughts also include spiritual teachings and individual morality and the most important thing is the inspiration of an adequate basic framework of social concepts for an era or modern era that is so complex with human problems in all dimensions.
Keywords: religion of justice, qat'i-danni, zakat-tax.Abstrak
Artikel ini menjelaskan pemikiran Masdar F. Mas’udi tentang “Agama Keadilan” yang menjadi fokus besar tema pemikiran hukum Islam. Konsentrasi kajiannya mengacu kepada dua buku yang telah ditulisnya yaitu agama keadilan: risalah zakat (pajak) Islam dan hak-hak reproduksi perempuan: dialog fiqih pemberdayaan. Titik temu pemikiran dalam kedua buku ini di samping pilihan paradigmanya yang sama juga begitu dominannya tema pembahasan tentang kemaslahatan, keadilan, demokrasi, dan hak-hak asasi manusia (egalitarianisme). Diskursus dan manifestasi metodologi yang tepat disusun dan dipraktekkan oleh Masdar mengacu pada bidang zakat/pajak dan fiqih wanita. Dari rekonstruksi berbagai pemikirannya, muncul banyak kontroversi. Hasil dari tulisan ini menunjukkan bahwa paradigma dan metode serta implementasi dalam laku ijtihad mengacu pada bidang-bidang zakat, pajak, haji, dan isu-isu perempuan. Selain itu, pemikiran Masdar juga meliputi ajaran spiritual dan moralitas individual dan yang terpenting adalah inspirasi kerangka dasar konsep sosial yang memadai bagi suatu zaman atau era modern yang demikian kompleks persoalan kemanusiaannya dalam seluruh dimensi.
Kata kunci: agama keadilan, qat’i-danni, zakat-pajak
Formative contacts between Britain and Islam, and their repercussions for contemporary British Muslim communities
No full textChapter 1 introduces the Terms of Reference, Methodology, and Dissertation Structure. In Chapter 2, formative contacts are discussed chronologically and regionally, specifically concentrating on primary sources as indicators in the development of perceptions and knowledge of Islam within Britain - forming part of European interpretation of Islam. The historical narrative incorporates a discussion of earliest contacts between Britain and Islam; 'evolution' of knowledge about Islam; movement of British agents into the Islamic world - and their importance in providing crucial information about different forms of Islam; (mis)representation of Islam; isolation of themes regarding perceptions of Islam. In Chapter 3, contemporary issues concerning Muslims in Britain are surveyed in the context of themes emerging as important in assessment of Islam, during the discussion of formative contacts. These themes are discussed within the context of a Survey of Islam in Britain; an analysis of 'Fundamentalism’; The Satanic Verses controversy; British Muslim Community Representation and Leadership; the position of Women in British Islam; Islam in Europe; the role of the contemporary Media in perceptions of Islam; a survey of the 1991 Gulf War, in which many impressions of Islam conveyed by formative contacts were re-articulated. Within Chapter 4, other important issues affecting Muslims in Britain, notably education, interfaith dialogue, and social welfare, are incorporated into a discussion on British Muslim identity. The dissertation concludes with establishing whether there is correlation between formative contacts and contemporary British Muslim issues. It assesses the way forward for Islam in Britain in the light of lessons learnt - and what work needs to be done by Muslim and non-Muslim communities in Britain to improve the perception of Islam
Sectarian influences within Islam in Britain with special reference to community
No full textAlthough much is heard from the Media of the Muslim `community' in Britain, the latter is in fact far from presenting a united front. There are divisions between
generations and ethnic origins, and a diversity of religious practice and doctrine. There are many different religious groups at work that originate from the subcontinent, and reflect this wide range. Organisations like Young Muslims UK, Tabligh-i Jamaat, and schools of thought represented by the Deobandis and Barehvis,
to name but four, play a vital role in the life of many Muslims. They both link them back to their roots in the subcontinent and influence the direction that Islam will take in Britain.
The Muslim population in Britain is approaching two million. It is involved in a process of redefining itself as a minority in an alien culture. For the older generation
the conflict has been cultural, their own ethnicity being under seige from the values of the receiving culture. Islam becomes an important ally of ethnic identity. For many
Muslims born in Britain, however, the process is more complex. Their parents' values can seem as strange, or even stranger, than the values of the receiving culture. For
this increasing percentage of the population, their religion can offer an identity. Stimulated by Islam's global revival and the West's reaction to it, some Muslims are attempting to discover a faith stripped of cultural accretions which are considered to be unlslamic. In the process they hope to find the universal Islam which can be practised in any environment. They feel that this is the key to establishing a successful British Islamic community.
The ideal of ammah has always been central in Islam, but now becomes an important concept in the development of Islam in Britain. There are several questions to
be considered: To what degree does an unmrah exist? What is its form? How is it likely to change? What effect will it have on the development of Muslims seeking a more localised identity in Britain? Within this context, what will be the effect of the various organisations and schools of thought at work amongst Muslims? To what degree will they shape the development of Islam in Britain? Are they free from
'cultural accretion' or are they firmly rooted in idiosyncratic local expressions of the faith? Will Islam in Britain be moderate, or strongly revivalist in nature under their influence? Are they unifying or divisive forces? Can they hope to resolve traditional differences and work together in the new environment of Britain?
In spite of the increasing interest in the Muslim presence in Britain, very few
major works have looked at the influence of these various groups in the context of these questions. I know for myself that I could have used this kind of study when working for my M. A. in Religious Studies, and I know of many students in the same position. I feel that this study will therefore contribute not only to the study of Islam but also to the study of the various minority faiths found in Britain
Post-Islamism or Veering Toward Political Modernity? State, Ideology and Islam in Turkey
No full textIn this article I assess the suitability of exploring the entanglement of state and Islam in Turkey under the rubric of post-Islamism. This is achieved through an exploration of the composite intertwining of religious discourse, historical and teleological imaginaries, and ideals of civic engagement within the Gülen movement. In my view not only does the post-Islamist thesis appear to be limited in regard to analyzing this and similar cases, but it also dangerously echoes recurrent neo-orientalist narratives, which in essence circumscribe how Islam can be “inclusive” and open to ideals of “individual freedom,” “pluralism,” and to Western ideals of democracy. In this paper I argue that it is instead the ideologization of religious discourse – a specific product of political modernity – which hinders Islamic movements such as the Gülen and others from realizing the full potential of Islam as an alternative global civilizational discourse to that of liberal modernity
The Face of Islam: the Perception of Muslims in America
No full textThis speech contextualizes the racialization of Arabs, Muslims, and South Asians in the post-9/11 era. It is important to try to understand and theorize what is happening and compare it to what has happened in the past and try to predict how to deal with it based on our understanding. The[re are] three points I want to make. The first is that there has certainly been a racialization process which is not the first time it has happened in American history, but we have to acknowledge, describe, and deconstruct and strategize on how to eliminate it. The second point I want to make is that government action is legitimizing this racialization and it is essentially legitimizing private bias in various context. I will talk a little about employment bias, which my recent paper is about. And third, I think there has been a politicization of counterterrorism such that it is creating a coercive assimilation of these groups, and I want to go into more detail as to how that is happening and some of the troubling consequences that I think all of us should be concerned about because I think it is going to affect all Americans. First, what is this racialization process? First what is the stereotype? It is the terrorist Other; that's the stereotype. So Islam, in my opinion, not just Arabs, Muslims and South Asians anymore, is racialized as terrorist. I used to think it was just these three groups. I think it is Islam that has been raced as terrorism, so anything affiliated with [*91] Islam, whether you are perceived through your profession, faith, the way you look, that you are now raced as a terrorist, and the color of your skin doesn't matter. If you've read any critical race theory or this process of racialization that is happening in America where for example Catholics were raced as non-white and inferior; Japanese were raced as disloyal, suspicious, treasonous; African Americans are raced as criminals, violent, gangsters; Latinos are raced as undocumented, illegal, inassimilable, etc. There [are] a lot of various groups that are raced in a pejorative sense and unfortunately it seems to be a tradition that we have in this country, but I think with every generation we can try to stop that historical trend.Peer reviewe
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