The 11 September attacks on the United States created an opportunity for the denizens of neo-conservative and Israel-oriented think-tanks to exploit the legitimate fears of the American people and... Show moreThe 11 September attacks on the United States created an opportunity for the denizens of neo-conservative and Israel-oriented think-tanks to exploit the legitimate fears of the American people and launch a campaign aimed at imposing a new orthodoxy on what may be thought and said about the Middle East, especially on university campuses. So far, this campaign has had only a limited impact. But students and scholars with dissident opinions, especially those of Middle Eastern origins, are feeling some pressure to lower their profiles and conform. Show less
When on 10 May 1925, the appellate sharica court of Biba annulled the marriages of three Upper Egyptian Baha'is to their Muslim wives, declaring that the Baha'i faith was not part of Islam and... Show moreWhen on 10 May 1925, the appellate sharica court of Biba annulled the marriages of three Upper Egyptian Baha'is to their Muslim wives, declaring that the Baha'i faith was not part of Islam and therefore Muslims embracing it were to be considered apostates, this verdict was, paradoxically, hailed by the international Baha'i community as 'the first Charter of the emancipation of the Cause of Baha'u'llah from the fetters of Islamic orthodoxy'. The National Spiritual Assembly (NSA) of the Baha'is of Egypt and the Sudan, one of the first NSAs to be founded worldwide, felt inspired by the verdict that finally made the Egyptian public aware of the existence of an active Baha'i community in their country. It was clear to everyone now that the Baha'i faith could no longer be regarded as an Islamic reform movement, as had been the case before World War I, when Abd'ul'baha's visits to Alexandria had caused a first wave of interest in the new religion. Show less
Although Russia is widely associated with Orthodox Christianity, it accommodates almost 15 million Muslims in its federally organized state. The major Islamic enclaves of the Russian Federation are... Show moreAlthough Russia is widely associated with Orthodox Christianity, it accommodates almost 15 million Muslims in its federally organized state. The major Islamic enclaves of the Russian Federation are situated in the Volga-Urals and the North Caucasus. Following the fall of Communism Russia's Islamic regions have experienced a revival of Islam, enhanced by ideological voids, centrifugal political processes and the shifting sands of civil society. The autonomous republics of Tatarstan in the Volga-Urals and Dagestan in the North Caucasus exemplify two distinctive models of a relationship between Islam and power in the post-Communist umma. The following draws on the findings of a three-year research project funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (UK) entitled 'Islam, Ethnicity and Nationalism in Post-Soviet Tatarstan and Dagestan'. Show less
As a joint effort of the ISIM, the Felix Meritis foundation in Amsterdam, and the International Institute for Asian Studies (IIAS), a workshop on madrasas, or Islamic religious seminaries, was held... Show moreAs a joint effort of the ISIM, the Felix Meritis foundation in Amsterdam, and the International Institute for Asian Studies (IIAS), a workshop on madrasas, or Islamic religious seminaries, was held on 16 May 2002 in Amsterdam. Following the attacks in the United States and the ensuing war in Afghanistan, the perception of the madrasa as a training camp for jihad regained strength and was linked to the debate on the position of Islamic education in the West. The workshop presented a bird's-eye view of the history and role of madrasas in Pakistan, Indonesia and Europe, and addressed a number of related current issues. Show less
Since independence there is widespread grievance among Kenyan Muslims who feel that the mainly Christian regime treats them as second-class citizens and discriminates against them economically and... Show moreSince independence there is widespread grievance among Kenyan Muslims who feel that the mainly Christian regime treats them as second-class citizens and discriminates against them economically and politically. The government, for its part, has fears that the influence of some foreign and local radical Muslims could disrupt peace and security in Kenya. The 1992-1994 Muslim disturbances along the coast, the twin bombings of the US embassies in Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam in 1998, and the recent bombing of a tourist hotel in Mombasa for which al-Qacida has claimed responsibility intensify these fears. Nevertheless the vast majority of Kenyan Muslims are moderate, reject violent extremism, and work to achieve equal rights by peaceful means. Show less
In Damascus there are a number of different places where women are active, when they jointly occupy part of their normal day, where they communicate intensely with one another, and where they... Show moreIn Damascus there are a number of different places where women are active, when they jointly occupy part of their normal day, where they communicate intensely with one another, and where they attempt to cope together with their problems. Temporary exclusive women's domains exist within the women's public domain and form one element of women's culture in Syria. Access to these social areas is permitted exclusively to women. Only female staff are employed in such establishments. Show less
From 26 to 28 October 2001, the ISIM, in collaboration with the University of Amsterdam and Cornell University, held an international conference in Leiden on the 'Application of Islamic Law in... Show moreFrom 26 to 28 October 2001, the ISIM, in collaboration with the University of Amsterdam and Cornell University, held an international conference in Leiden on the 'Application of Islamic Law in Courts'. The conference conveners, Muhammad Khalid Masud, Rudolph Peters and David Powers, invited historians, lawyers, anthropologists and sociologists to come to Leiden to engage in a discussion on the manner in which Islamic legal doctrine (fiqh) has manifested itself in daily practice as reflected in the activity of the qadi, or Muslim judge. Show less
Media coverage of the current Israeli-Palestinian confrontation has tended to emphasize its most violent and spectacular aspects. While these are hardly to be discounted and have devastated... Show moreMedia coverage of the current Israeli-Palestinian confrontation has tended to emphasize its most violent and spectacular aspects. While these are hardly to be discounted and have devastated numerous lives, it is noteworthy that during almost two years of conflict the cumulative death toll on both sides stands at approximately 2,000, a figure which compares rather favourably with the horrific statistics produced in Beirut or more recently the Balkans. Show less
The Literacy Corps (sepah-e danesh) was implemented in Iran in the framework of the White Revolution (1963-1979) during the reign of Muhammad Reza Pahlavi (1941-1979). Suggested by the Kennedy... Show moreThe Literacy Corps (sepah-e danesh) was implemented in Iran in the framework of the White Revolution (1963-1979) during the reign of Muhammad Reza Pahlavi (1941-1979). Suggested by the Kennedy administration as an alternative to red revolutions and as a condition to US aid, the White Revolution aimed at propelling Iran onto the level of the most modernized countries. However, since about 40% of the labour force was illiterate and, thus, could not foster productivity, the government realized that action had to be taken in the field of education. Show less
Assaults on Muslims in Australia in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks have brought the vexed issue of identity in a multicultural society to the fore. Being Muslim in Australia has not... Show moreAssaults on Muslims in Australia in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks have brought the vexed issue of identity in a multicultural society to the fore. Being Muslim in Australia has not been easy, but before the recent events there was a sense among Australian Muslims that the two objects of loyalty could stand side by side. This was clearly evident among a growing number of Australian-born Muslims who knew no other homeland than Australia. That belief is now placed under enormous strain as racist attacks on Mosques and Islamic schools question the 'Australianness' of Muslims. Show less
Love mysticism, long viewed as the finest expression of religious experience in Islam, has been displaced in the past two decades with 'frontline/hate mysticism'. This militarized spirituality was... Show moreLove mysticism, long viewed as the finest expression of religious experience in Islam, has been displaced in the past two decades with 'frontline/hate mysticism'. This militarized spirituality was nurtured in the 1980s by Iranian theologues, who during the war with Iraq promised prospective teenage martyrs 'ascendance' to heaven. Soon adopted by Islamist activists in other parts of the world, this vengeful modality of piety was an extension of a politicized spirituality that emerged in the aftermath of World War I by redefining the East as spiritual. Show less
Take a stroll in the 'exotic' district of Grønland in 'east-end' Oslo, and read the signs at the entrances of anonymous apartment buildings or old warehouses. You are bound to discover that within... Show moreTake a stroll in the 'exotic' district of Grønland in 'east-end' Oslo, and read the signs at the entrances of anonymous apartment buildings or old warehouses. You are bound to discover that within their premises several of these places accommodate mosques. What makes these places mosques is not their actual shape, but their interior design and decoration. Show less
Runaway, a documentary film directed by Kim Longinotto and Ziba Mir-Hosseini, was shot in late 2000 in Tehran, and is set in Rayhaneh House, a shelter for runaway girls. Like their earlier Divorce... Show moreRunaway, a documentary film directed by Kim Longinotto and Ziba Mir-Hosseini, was shot in late 2000 in Tehran, and is set in Rayhaneh House, a shelter for runaway girls. Like their earlier Divorce Iranian Style, Runaway shows how Iranian women are learning to challenge the old rules, and how rapidly their country is changing. The film follows the stories of five teenagers, exploring their longing for freedom, their hopes for a brighter future, and their experiences of society's double rules and standards when it comes to gender rights. The shelter is run by the dynamic and charismatic Mrs Shirazi and her team of counsellors, who protect the girls from their families and help to renegotiate their relationships. Show less
Contemporary Islam is witnessing the advent of new critical discourses from within its own modes of articulation. It confronts a new epistemic and interpretative situation, which is generally felt... Show moreContemporary Islam is witnessing the advent of new critical discourses from within its own modes of articulation. It confronts a new epistemic and interpretative situation, which is generally felt as something of an emergency. This emergency in epistemology and hermeneutics is largely the result of a radical shift of the categories of modern philosophy, science, culture and geography. Given the fact that the exploratory elaboration of law for centuries has been the dominant mode of self-expression in Islam, one of the key themes of contemporary Shici thought is the search for a legal identity. The current debate on the sharica (divine law) in Iran underscores the continued significance of this exploration. In the debate, the radical post-modernist cAbd al-Karim Surush contests the epistemic certainty of eternal knowledge, so common among modernists. Show less
In September 2001, the Greater Amman Municipality started an extensive project for the renovation of downtown Amman, supported by a Japanese loan of $58.8 million. One of the main goals of the... Show moreIn September 2001, the Greater Amman Municipality started an extensive project for the renovation of downtown Amman, supported by a Japanese loan of $58.8 million. One of the main goals of the project is to bolster tourism in the kingdom which has been negatively affected by Al-Aqsa Intifada and the 11 September attacks. Furthermore, Amman is the Cultural Capital of the Arab World 2002 and will thus become an important destination for Arab tourists. The Jordanian economy, always looking for cash money, desperately needs the revenues of a blossoming tourism industry. It is therefore only logical that Jordan tries to meet the expectations of Western and Arab visitors as a means to improve the national balance sheet. Show less
We share the same destiny with the Palestinian Intifada till the liberation of Jerusalem.' With these words Sayyid Hasan Nasrallah, the Hizbullah's Secretary General, opened the Solidarity... Show moreWe share the same destiny with the Palestinian Intifada till the liberation of Jerusalem.' With these words Sayyid Hasan Nasrallah, the Hizbullah's Secretary General, opened the Solidarity Convention for the Support of the Intifada in Beirut on 22 May 2001. Rooted in the successful resistance against the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon, the Hizbullah continues to be very vocal in its support of the Palestinian cause. Show less
Understandably, the 11 September terrorist attacks in the USA have reinforced more than ever Western anxieties over the 'threat' of 'Islamic fundamentalism'. The perpetrators' Islamic identity and... Show moreUnderstandably, the 11 September terrorist attacks in the USA have reinforced more than ever Western anxieties over the 'threat' of 'Islamic fundamentalism'. The perpetrators' Islamic identity and the subsequent mass street protests in the Muslim world during the US bombings of Afghanistan left little doubt that political Islam in the Middle East is here to stay. However, the picture conceals some significant changes that Islamism in the Middle East has been undergoing in recent years. There is a clear shift from the earlier emphasis on Islamist polity to one on personal piety and ethics; from constituencies centred around impoverished middle classes to more fragmented adherents including the privileged groups. Show less
The ISIM workshop on 'Islam, Women's Rights, and Islamic Feminism: Making Connections between Different Perspectives' (9-11 November 2001) took place under the shadow of the looming confrontation... Show moreThe ISIM workshop on 'Islam, Women's Rights, and Islamic Feminism: Making Connections between Different Perspectives' (9-11 November 2001) took place under the shadow of the looming confrontation between the West and the Muslim world, at a time when public interest was focused on the American offensive in Afghanistan and anti-American responses in countries as diverse as Pakistan, Egypt and Indonesia. Most of the participants felt that precisely at this time one should not allow the agenda of intellectual debate to be completely determined by political issues and that the workshop should take place as planned. Show less
Gambian griottes, or female bards, are in a serious predicament. Islamic ethics prescribe that women should behave in a modest way, while conversely the griottes' very profession implies that they... Show moreGambian griottes, or female bards, are in a serious predicament. Islamic ethics prescribe that women should behave in a modest way, while conversely the griottes' very profession implies that they stand out by their behaviour and the way they dress. How do these women reconcile their identity as female performers with Islamic values? The Gambia is an interesting setting in which to explore this question because of its long history with Islam. There was even talk that President Jammeh wanted to impose the sharica in this small West African country. Show less
