It is often claimed that Islam is not only a religion but a culture and a civilization. 'The Islamic world' and 'Islamic history' are commonly used terms, both in popular public discourse and in... Show moreIt is often claimed that Islam is not only a religion but a culture and a civilization. 'The Islamic world' and 'Islamic history' are commonly used terms, both in popular public discourse and in academic writing, suggesting some kind of coherent unity. At the same time, writers point to the diversity of Muslim countries from Morocco to Indonesia, from Nigeria to Turkey. Is there a unity behind the diversity, at least in the 'heartlands' of Islam in the Middle East and North Africa, as Ernest Gellner and others have claimed? Show less
There is no doubt that what is called Islamic fundamentalism is one among many facets of the Islamic world which in itself represents a public phenomenon with many divergences. Just like... Show moreThere is no doubt that what is called Islamic fundamentalism is one among many facets of the Islamic world which in itself represents a public phenomenon with many divergences. Just like colonialism and folk religion, this religious fundamentalism does not represent a monolithic system of cultural expression. Rather it is an outcome of colonial encroachment, as well as a negation or rejection of both folk-religious tradition and colonialism. This recent Muslim self-concept goes back to the evolution of an Islamic ideology that was only developed in the 1930s and arose out of the need to distance and distinguish its adherents from the politically dominant colonial sector as well as from the handeddown Muslim tradition. This new Muslim identity expresses the relationship of tension between what may be called colonial and indigenous life worlds. It is part of the multi-layered social relationships within modern Muslim society. I will try to explain the genesis and dynamics of this fundamentalist identity. Show less
In the 1960s labour migration from Morocco and Turkey to Western Europe started to take place. This labour migration was incited by the shortage of manpower in the European market. Initially these... Show moreIn the 1960s labour migration from Morocco and Turkey to Western Europe started to take place. This labour migration was incited by the shortage of manpower in the European market. Initially these labourers had a shortterm goal in mind, to earn money and return to their countries of origin. This option of return soon changed into a myth. Spouses and children joined the working men and soon their children were born in Europe. Show less
Situated halfway between Aden and Oman, the Yemeni province of Hadhramaut is considered by most fleeting visitors a backwater, notable only for the highrise mudbrick houses of the former trading... Show moreSituated halfway between Aden and Oman, the Yemeni province of Hadhramaut is considered by most fleeting visitors a backwater, notable only for the highrise mudbrick houses of the former trading centre of Shibam and the extravagant but decaying palaces of neighbouring Say'un and Tarim. Little is known, however, about the people who built these remarkable constructions, and about their far-reaching connections in the areas bordering on the Indian Ocean. However, their story, if recovered, sheds light on a number of questions pertinent to current interests in Middle Eastern and Islamic history. Let us consider the biography of one such trader, whose cosmopolitanism in entrepreneurial, political, and intellectual terms is quite typical for a wider group of Hadhramis, as well as probably for members of other such groups in the Indian Ocean and beyond. Show less
Indonesia, with a population of more than 200 million, of which perhaps 80 percent is Muslim, is frequently portrayed in popular presses as 'the world's largest Islamic nation.' Typically, this... Show moreIndonesia, with a population of more than 200 million, of which perhaps 80 percent is Muslim, is frequently portrayed in popular presses as 'the world's largest Islamic nation.' Typically, this statement is then immediately qualified. But, portrayals often continue, 'the' Islam practised by Indonesians is different than that practised in the countries of the Middle and Near East. It is more tempered or syncretic, less dogmatic, doctrinal, or fundamentalist. If proof of this more 'relaxed' attitude to the strict observance of Islam is offered, more often than not it is not through what Indonesian scholars of Islamic law have written (which tends to be rather conservative) nor by attendance figures at Friday mosque services or the number of women who are wearing jilbab head covers (both of which are escalating at remarkable rates). Rather, commentators characteristically turn to the continuing popularity of pre-Islamic cultural forms in contemporary Indonesia Ð Java's celebrated shadow puppet theatre or wayang, with its stories based on the characters and situations of the Indic epics of the Mahabharata and Ramayana, above all. Show less
Modesty is fashionable. Long black gowns called abayas over many women from head to toe, and the hijab or scarf covers the head and is draped over the shoulders. Since it is generally difficult to... Show moreModesty is fashionable. Long black gowns called abayas over many women from head to toe, and the hijab or scarf covers the head and is draped over the shoulders. Since it is generally difficult to say whether religion or culture dictates this sartorial choice, it remains a debated issue, both within and outside academia. Contests about the position and place of women are a continuing feature of Muslim (and perhaps all) societies. Critiques about the 'Western style' of modernization have increasingly become centred around the question of women's chastity, modesty and sexuality. As is almost always the case, it is on the figure of the woman that the responsibility of maintaining tradition and upholding family values becomes centred. Show less
Years ago, I had the occasion to sit in the audience at two Christian-Muslim dialogues in Chicago and to attend a pair of similar sessions at the 'Parliament of World Religions.' The sponsors on... Show moreYears ago, I had the occasion to sit in the audience at two Christian-Muslim dialogues in Chicago and to attend a pair of similar sessions at the 'Parliament of World Religions.' The sponsors on each occasion were different, as were the speakers; but what was said was alarmingly similar. Show less
The legislative elections of June 1997 have enabled an apparently new political map to be drawn up. From these elections emerged a coalition government composed of ministers representing the RND,... Show moreThe legislative elections of June 1997 have enabled an apparently new political map to be drawn up. From these elections emerged a coalition government composed of ministers representing the RND, the FLN and the MSP (Mouvement de la Socit pour la Paix [Movement of Society for Peace], formerly Hamas, the moderate Islamic political tendency described in more detail below). These three parties constitute the current majority in the Assembly Ð a majority which gives President Zeroual a degree of room to manoeuvre. Show less
It is not easy to say exactly when Islam first established itself in our region. On the other hand, one can be sure that this religion infiltrated progressively from the central valley of Senegal... Show moreIt is not easy to say exactly when Islam first established itself in our region. On the other hand, one can be sure that this religion infiltrated progressively from the central valley of Senegal or, to be precise, from the kingdom of Tkrour. To understand the influence of Islam in Senegambian societies, one must first trace its complete history from the conversion of War Jabi, the 11th century king of Tkrour, via the colonial conquests to the present day. Between these dates, social movements inspired by Islam took various forms according to the moment, the regions, and the ethnic groups, favouring always transactions between the influences and modifications provoked by Islam and the Senegambian cultures. Show less
This initiative stems from a series of individual meetings held in 1995-96 between the Director of the Humanities Research Institute (HRI), Dr Patricia O'Brien, and members of the humanities and... Show moreThis initiative stems from a series of individual meetings held in 1995-96 between the Director of the Humanities Research Institute (HRI), Dr Patricia O'Brien, and members of the humanities and social sciences faculties of the nine universities of the University of California system. Professors in different departments often expressed the need for time in which to examine issues that have risen out of movements associated with Islam and with Muslim communities which have taken place during the twentieth century, especially in recent decades. Faculty acknowledged the large body of work that has been done on these topics, but stressed the need for specialists in the different fields intersecting them to examine the given issues together, in a research setting, for an extended period. Show less
Taslima Nasrin, the writer from Bangladesh, shot into international fame and limelight with the publication of her novel 'Lajja' (Shame) which criticized Muslims for attacking minority Hindus in... Show moreTaslima Nasrin, the writer from Bangladesh, shot into international fame and limelight with the publication of her novel 'Lajja' (Shame) which criticized Muslims for attacking minority Hindus in Bangladesh following the 1992 destruction of a mosque by Hindu zealots in neighbouring India. Nasrin's writing so angered Muslim sentiments in Bangladesh that Khaleda Zia's government ordered her arrest in 1994 on charges of blasphemy. After a year in hiding, Nasrin fled Bangladesh for four years of exile in Europe. Several Muslim religious leaders demanded her immediate arrest and trial. They warned the government of serious consequences if she is not put on trial for suggesting that the Qur'an should be rewritten. Nasrin has denied making the comments. However, it was finally confirmed that the 36-year old author should indeed stand trial. Nasrin has appealed to the international community for help. Show less
The International Institute for the Study of Islam in the Modern world (ISIM) promotes interdisciplinary scholarship on social and intellectual trends and movements in contemporary Muslim societies... Show moreThe International Institute for the Study of Islam in the Modern world (ISIM) promotes interdisciplinary scholarship on social and intellectual trends and movements in contemporary Muslim societies and communities. It will coordinate and carry out research on Muslim responses to the various challenges and opportunities associated with modernity, modernization, and processes of globalization. The Institute recognizes the relevance of traditional scholarship on Islam (Arabic philology, textual studies of the Qur'an, hadith and other texts, religious studies, etc.) to the understanding of contemporary processes, and will make optimal use of the available expertise in these fields. Show less
Since the early 1970s, Western Europeans and North Americans have demonstrated increasing concern over the latest chapter in the Western encounter with Muslims. This concern is focused on the... Show moreSince the early 1970s, Western Europeans and North Americans have demonstrated increasing concern over the latest chapter in the Western encounter with Muslims. This concern is focused on the current trend of human migration from South to North and from East to West, with the potential of altering the ethnic and religious composition of Western nation-states and, what some fear, their democratic and capitalist traditions, as well as liberal social values. To those in the West who believe in the purity of race, civilization, or culture, or in a supersessionist 'Judeo-Christian' worldview this movement of people is a menacing threat to their cherished ideals of a homogeneous Western society. For many, it increasingly represents a significant demographic shift that posits a major cultural challenge whose precise consequences are unpredictable and unforeseen since they require a variety of adjustments by the host countries and by the new immigrants. Show less
The International Institute for the Study of the Islam in the Modern World (ISIM) was founded by the University of Amsterdam, Leiden University and Utrecht University. The Institute is funded, in... Show moreThe International Institute for the Study of the Islam in the Modern World (ISIM) was founded by the University of Amsterdam, Leiden University and Utrecht University. The Institute is funded, in addition to these latter, by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OC&W) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Development Cooperation. The constitutional documents were signed on June 30 of this year. Show less
Up until the early 1970s the academic study of Islamic family law was largely the privileged terrain of those involved in Oriental studies. In their work, they mainly focused on the texts of the... Show moreUp until the early 1970s the academic study of Islamic family law was largely the privileged terrain of those involved in Oriental studies. In their work, they mainly focused on the texts of the leaders of the major schools of Islamic law, on the one hand; and the newly codified and reformed twentieth-century laws, on the other. Considering family relations as the outcome of the provisions of Islamic law, they tended to define the classical Islamic family as monolithic, static and rigidly patriarchal, and saw the promulgation of the twentieth-century legal reforms as signaling the eclipse of this type of family. Show less
In the summer of 1998, the Khartoum government and John Garang of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) signed a temporary ceasefire in order that international aid could reach the war-torn... Show moreIn the summer of 1998, the Khartoum government and John Garang of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) signed a temporary ceasefire in order that international aid could reach the war-torn areas. Some discussion has also taken place regarding the institution of a new constitution, which would include the political clauses of the 1997 Agreement. Although there is no easy solution to the conflict in Sudan, one aspect seems clear: if there is to be peace within the country, a political settlement must be both achievable and sustainable. Show less
On Friday 7 August 1998, the world was horrified by two bomb attacks on the American embassies in Nairobi and Dar Es Salaam. Although 250 Kenyan citizens and about ten Tanzanians were killed in... Show moreOn Friday 7 August 1998, the world was horrified by two bomb attacks on the American embassies in Nairobi and Dar Es Salaam. Although 250 Kenyan citizens and about ten Tanzanians were killed in these attacks, the attention of the world focused mainly on the distress caused by the deaths of twelve Americans. The perpetrators were immediately sought among Muslims in the Middle East. The past of Osama Bin Laden - the suspected mastermind behind the attacks - was dredged up and a possible Dutch connection with international terrorism was explored in depth. Africa seems to have been no more than an accidental setting for these attacks, possibly selected because airport security leaves so much to be desired. Show less
By the year 2000, Islamism will be approximately a quarter of a century old. This movement, though it claimed deep roots, surfaced and flourished with the major social breakdown which took place in... Show moreBy the year 2000, Islamism will be approximately a quarter of a century old. This movement, though it claimed deep roots, surfaced and flourished with the major social breakdown which took place in the mid 1970s in the Muslim world. Twenty-five years later, social sciences - provided they take stock - have the opportunity to make a significant breakthrough in the analyses of what was one of the most puzzling - if unexpected - social phenomena of the contemporary period. Show less
