In the years immediately following the end of the decade known as the Cultural Revolution (1966- 1976), the Muslims of China lost no time in rebuilding their devastated communities. After ten years... Show moreIn the years immediately following the end of the decade known as the Cultural Revolution (1966- 1976), the Muslims of China lost no time in rebuilding their devastated communities. After ten years of intensive and often violent persecution by government forces in which all forms of religious expression were outlawed and hundreds of religious leaders were imprisoned, Muslim communities throughout China began slowly to restore their religious institutions and revive their religious activities. The re-establishment of educational institutions plays a vital role in this still ongoing process. Show less
The collapse of the Soeharto regime has undermined the three legitimatory pillars of the Indonesian state: the much acclaimed economic development of the country is thwarted; the alleged... Show moreThe collapse of the Soeharto regime has undermined the three legitimatory pillars of the Indonesian state: the much acclaimed economic development of the country is thwarted; the alleged preoccupation of the Indonesian government with economic and political equity has been recognized as the rhetorical decorum of 'crony-capitalism'; and the lauded socio-political stability has finally erupted in social unrest and perturbation, gradually dissolving the 'social glue' provided by Indonesia's 'civil religion', the pancasil a philosophy. The repressed ghosts of nationalist imagination - political Islam and the disruption of centre-periphery relations - walk again. Apart from gender, 'religion' became an issue in the run for presidency. Show less
On 15 May 1998, Dr J.G.J. Ter Haar (1941) delivered his inaugural speech as Professor of Persian Language and Literature and the Cultural History of Iran. The speech was entitled: In De Stilte Van... Show moreOn 15 May 1998, Dr J.G.J. Ter Haar (1941) delivered his inaugural speech as Professor of Persian Language and Literature and the Cultural History of Iran. The speech was entitled: In De Stilte Van De Sharia, Een debat over de islam in het moderne Iran (In the Silence of the Sharia; a debate on Islam in Modern Iran). The following is part of his conclusion. The entire speech has been published by the Research School CNWS, Leiden. Show less
Middle Eastern religion is seldom mentioned in the same breath with modernism, at least in the West. However, the Baha'i faith, which originated in nineteenth century Iran, poses key conundrums to... Show moreMiddle Eastern religion is seldom mentioned in the same breath with modernism, at least in the West. However, the Baha'i faith, which originated in nineteenth century Iran, poses key conundrums to our understanding of the relationship between modernity and religion in the global South. Show less
For centuries Islam has provided a set of cultural norms, principles of social organization, legal prescriptions and often instruments of political mobilization for many urban communities. It has... Show moreFor centuries Islam has provided a set of cultural norms, principles of social organization, legal prescriptions and often instruments of political mobilization for many urban communities. It has therefore contributed substantially to the articulation of urban environments. However, Islam has not shaped clearly identifiable urban systems, at least in the sense suggested by the notion of the 'Islamic' city which has fuelled much academic debate in the past decades. As this notion is representative of an ideal type, it clearly implies the existence of a somewhat 'monolithic' Islam. In reality Islam has been extremely diverse both in time and space. Furthermore, it is essential to recognize that there is a striking variety of political, social and cultural systems within which its different manifestations have operated as forces of urban development. Show less
The Second International Malaysian Studies Conference was held at the University of Malaya from 2-4 August 1999. It was attended by local participants from Malaysia, as well as many from such... Show moreThe Second International Malaysian Studies Conference was held at the University of Malaya from 2-4 August 1999. It was attended by local participants from Malaysia, as well as many from such countries as the UK, Germany, Denmark, Japan, and the US. The papers addressed issues relating to Malaysia, particularly with regard to economics, politics, education, culture, technology, and religion, especially Islam. The following pertains to the sessions which made most reference to Islam. The Conference as a whole, however, was not confined to Islam. Show less
The revival of Islam in Al-Andalus, the Spain of today, has been a cherished ideal of many Muslims. After the fall of Granada in 1492, the brutal persecution, forced conversion and expulsion of the... Show moreThe revival of Islam in Al-Andalus, the Spain of today, has been a cherished ideal of many Muslims. After the fall of Granada in 1492, the brutal persecution, forced conversion and expulsion of the Andalusian Muslims (and Jews) by the Spanish Catholic Church and royal court obliterated a famed multicultural society. Today, Islam - and with it Islamic learning - is making a comeback. Show less
When a Somali woman is about to give birth, older women often arrange a ceremony to call blessings on the mother-to-be, in which they sing sittaat - songs of praise for the leading women of early... Show moreWhen a Somali woman is about to give birth, older women often arrange a ceremony to call blessings on the mother-to-be, in which they sing sittaat - songs of praise for the leading women of early Islam, especially Faduumo (Fatima), daughter of the Prophet. Although there is no doubt that this genre of songs is old - it may even have a relationship to non-Islamic Oromo songs for the goddess of fertility - scholarly references date back only to the late nineteenth century and do not include song texts. Show less
There has been much speculation on the significance of the Tablighi Jama'at, the workings of which remain secretive. The main controversy relates to its stance on political matters. Since its... Show moreThere has been much speculation on the significance of the Tablighi Jama'at, the workings of which remain secretive. The main controversy relates to its stance on political matters. Since its foundation, it has claimed to be completely aloof from politics. However, doubts have been sporadically raised as to the reality of this apolitical position, particularly in Pakistan where some well-known members of the movement were recently involved in the Afghan problem and in internal politics. Show less
Young men and women of Moroccan descent in the Netherlands live in a world of many different social groups. Brought up by their parents to be 'good' Moroccans and Muslims, many have - well into... Show moreYoung men and women of Moroccan descent in the Netherlands live in a world of many different social groups. Brought up by their parents to be 'good' Moroccans and Muslims, many have - well into their teens - lived with the expectation that their family would some day return to Morocco. From their peers in school and at work, they have learned about Dutch culture, which has also become part of them. Together with Moroccan and other Muslim friends, they seek ways to live in Dutch society with their particular cultural heritage. In the past, these 'second-generation migrants' have often been described as living 'between two cultures'. Analysis of the life stories of highly educated women of Moroccan descent, however, demonstrates that these women are able to creatively construct and combine their multiple social identifications, although their drawing upon multicultural capital to create new strategies of living is not without constraints. Show less
Human Rights Watch (HRW), an independent non-governmental organization based in New York, investigates and reports on human rights abuses in some seventy countries, including the United States. HRW... Show moreHuman Rights Watch (HRW), an independent non-governmental organization based in New York, investigates and reports on human rights abuses in some seventy countries, including the United States. HRW’s purpose is to hold governments accountable for violations of internationally recognized human rights and humanitarian law, and to generate pressure from other governments, international organizations, and civil societies to end such abuses. We address the practices of governments without regard to ideological or geopolitical orientation, and of all ethnic and religious persuasions. The organization also responds to abuses committed by armed insurgent groups. Among the major concerns of the organization are freedom of thought and expression, due process and equal protection of the law, torture, arbitrary imprisonment, and disappearances. HRW recognizes the indivisibility of human rights, including economic, social, and cultural rights, although its main work focuses on civil and political rights, including the right of workers to exercise freedom of association and to engage in collective bargaining. Show less
Is there a specifically Islamic vision of the body? Given the nuanced nature of cultural understandings of the body and Islam's own variable expressions, this question is probably unanswerable, and... Show moreIs there a specifically Islamic vision of the body? Given the nuanced nature of cultural understandings of the body and Islam's own variable expressions, this question is probably unanswerable, and indeed poorly phrased. Phrased another way, however, the question of the relationship between Islam and the body becomes more interesting: how do bodily practices in different Muslim societies articulate with different versions of lived Islam? My research among Arabs in remote northwestern Niger on the aesthetic of corpulent female bodies, and the practice of forcefeeding young girls to achieve it, speaks to this issue. Show less
There has been considerable attention for the working and significance of the Tablighi Jama'at, established in 1927, but little has been done to study the origin and rapid expansion of the more... Show moreThere has been considerable attention for the working and significance of the Tablighi Jama'at, established in 1927, but little has been done to study the origin and rapid expansion of the more recently formed Da'wat-i Islami (Invitation to Islam), whose motto is 'love for the Prophet and Medinah'. The Da'wat-i Islami was launched by Mawlana Muhammad Ilyas Qadiri in 1981.* Today, the spate of green turbans, its trademark, can be seen not only in the rural areas of Pakistan, but also in its metropolitan cities. Show less
There is a new stress on civil society. It has come in the aftermath of the Cold War, and in some sense it still perpetuates the Cold War. Equated with private property, the market, and pluralistic... Show moreThere is a new stress on civil society. It has come in the aftermath of the Cold War, and in some sense it still perpetuates the Cold War. Equated with private property, the market, and pluralistic culture - the familiar teleological mantra of neo-liberalism - civil society is trotted out as the answer to all issues of global competitiveness and national reconstruction. Show less
Today, mentioning Burundi evokes directly the conflicts which opposed Tutsis and Hutus in 1993 and 1995-6, just as in Rwanda. The Muslim community in Burundi does not exceed two to five percent of... Show moreToday, mentioning Burundi evokes directly the conflicts which opposed Tutsis and Hutus in 1993 and 1995-6, just as in Rwanda. The Muslim community in Burundi does not exceed two to five percent of the population, but their history and their behaviour in the last tragic conflicts between Hutus and Tutsis deserve to be analysed. Show less
This past year has witnessed India and Pakistan battling over an area that has known little peace since 1947. While the two states speak of 'nationalism', 'secularism' or 'Muslim unity', and... Show moreThis past year has witnessed India and Pakistan battling over an area that has known little peace since 1947. While the two states speak of 'nationalism', 'secularism' or 'Muslim unity', and various Islamist organizations call for jehad, most Kashmiris speak of 'self-determination' and 'Kashmiri identity'. The idea of self-determination as independence was first formulated in 1947 by the last Hindu Dogra Maharaja, Hari Singh. The concept of a distinct Kashmiri identity (kashmiriyat) evolved in the 1930s with a movement, explicitly involving both Muslim and Hindu intelligentsia, against feudal-cum-colonial rule. The notion of a discrete Kashmiri citizenship goes back to the 1920s, when Kashmiri Hindus, facing competition from Punjabi Hindus, pressed for a formal definition of 'state subjects'. Show less
The Working Group Modernity and Islam is a Berlin based interdisciplinary research network of scholars working at various universities and extra-university institutions on the questions of... Show moreThe Working Group Modernity and Islam is a Berlin based interdisciplinary research network of scholars working at various universities and extra-university institutions on the questions of modernity and Islam. The Working Group, hosted by the Wissenschaftskollegzu Berlin (Institute for Advanced Study, Berlin) is committed to fostering a deeper understanding of Muslim cultures, their histories, and their social structures with the two-fold aim of revealing their complexities and of offering deeper insights into the phenomena of ‘modernity‘ and ‘modernization’. Show less
At all four corners of the earth: the Balkans (Kosovo, Bosnia), Indonesia (Moluccas, East-Timor), Africa (Sudan), as well as the Holy Land (Nazareth), Islam and Christianity seem to be in a... Show moreAt all four corners of the earth: the Balkans (Kosovo, Bosnia), Indonesia (Moluccas, East-Timor), Africa (Sudan), as well as the Holy Land (Nazareth), Islam and Christianity seem to be in a position of mutual rejection. Hence, the representation, which currently prevails over Europe, of a perpetual conflict. However, this vision maintained by events that indeed highlight religious conflicts, remains in a state of partiality and partialness. We thus see Islam reigning undivided over the societies south of the Mediterranean, all the while forgetting that in the Arab world as well as in Turkey, religious uniformity - currently the norm - does not date back to the beginning of time. Between the 7th century, which witnessed the warriors of Islam leaving Arabia, and the preceding century, the relationship between the two religions was not just conflictual. On more than one occasion and in more than one place Christianity would come to know unexpected recoveries. Show less
The Plaza cinema squats on the edge of the Old City of Kano, Nigeria. Outside women sell bean cakes, men hawk cassettes, cigarettes, and oranges. Buses stop and taxis unload, disgorging passengers... Show moreThe Plaza cinema squats on the edge of the Old City of Kano, Nigeria. Outside women sell bean cakes, men hawk cassettes, cigarettes, and oranges. Buses stop and taxis unload, disgorging passengers who hurry on to catch other buses, different taxis. 'Drop me at the Plaza.' 'Meet me at the El Dorado.' These quotidian directions are uttered by urbanites who have little interest in going to the cinema but who have internalized the fact that cinema theatres, along with mosques, the post office, banks, and other institutions of the post-colony, architecturally punctuate the city. Their built forms create an abstract skeletal structure around which the city's nervous system circulates. Show less
Muslim modernism in Central Asia at the turn of the twentieth century remains virtually unknown to scholars of Muslim cultural history. What little we know comes through a thick prism of... Show moreMuslim modernism in Central Asia at the turn of the twentieth century remains virtually unknown to scholars of Muslim cultural history. What little we know comes through a thick prism of nationalist or Soviet historiography that loses the Islamic dimension of the movement. Yet, approaching Jadidism, as this movement is usually called, as a Muslim movement allows us to broaden our understanding of the Muslim world’s encounter with modernity, and to reconsider many of the categories we habitually invoke in studying the Muslim world. Show less
