Many of the people who have been arrested around the world during the past two years suspected of being members of al-Qa'ida or affiliated organizations, have taken pride in belonging to the so... Show moreMany of the people who have been arrested around the world during the past two years suspected of being members of al-Qa'ida or affiliated organizations, have taken pride in belonging to the so-called Salafi movement. The designation may cause some confusion in view of the fact that the term 'Salafi' is also known, in older academic parlance, to denote aschool of thought associated with 'modernist' reformers such as Jamal al-Din al-Afghani (1838-1897) and Muhammad Abduh (1849-1905). These reformers, if ever mentioned at all, are likely to be shunned by the contemporary Salafist. Today, 'Salafism' is more often used in reference to a quite different brand of Islamic thought and practice, a brand that is practically identical to what has otherwise been known as 'Wahhabism', i.e. the form of Sunni Islam that constitutes the 'state religion' of Saudi Arabia. Show less
In the first issue of the ISIM Newsletter (pg.14) , Jay Willoughby reported on some recent developments in the small and little-known community of the Cham of Vietnam. Five years later, he gives an... Show moreIn the first issue of the ISIM Newsletter (pg.14) , Jay Willoughby reported on some recent developments in the small and little-known community of the Cham of Vietnam. Five years later, he gives an update, in particular on the progress in education as illustrated by the Cham Student Programme. Show less
As a coalition partner in the ruling coalition, Jama'at-e-Islami (JI) occupies an important place in Bangladeshi politics. The party has come a long way since its opposition to the liberation of... Show moreAs a coalition partner in the ruling coalition, Jama'at-e-Islami (JI) occupies an important place in Bangladeshi politics. The party has come a long way since its opposition to the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971, and has gradually established itself as a key player in national politics. Over the years, it has adopted moderate right wing positions, focused itself on social welfare activities, consolidated its political base through skillful manoeuvres, and forged successful electoral alliances. In so doing, it has expanded its influence and emerged as a key player in determining the ruling composition in Bangladeshi politics. Show less
Asef Bayat joins the ISIM as Academic Director and the ISIM Chair at Leiden University from the American University in Cairo, Egypt, where he worked as professor of sociology and Middle East... Show moreAsef Bayat joins the ISIM as Academic Director and the ISIM Chair at Leiden University from the American University in Cairo, Egypt, where he worked as professor of sociology and Middle East Studies. He brings to the ISIM and Leiden his vast experience in the study of contemporary Muslim societies from sociohistorical and political perspectives, with social movements and social change as his central focus. Bayat's own life trajectories, educational background, professional experience, research interests, and international connections complement the scholarly areas, approach, and objectives that the ISIM pursues. Show less
The conference 'Sufism and the 'Modern' in Islam' was held in Bogor, Indonesia, on 4-6 September 2003 and was a collaborative effort of the ISIM, Griffith University (Brisbane, Australia) and the... Show moreThe conference 'Sufism and the 'Modern' in Islam' was held in Bogor, Indonesia, on 4-6 September 2003 and was a collaborative effort of the ISIM, Griffith University (Brisbane, Australia) and the Centre for the Study of Islam and Society (PPIM) of Jakarta's State Islamic University. The aim of the conference was to explore current developments in Sufism and related movements over the globe. Show less
The imposition of often extreme restrictions and the daily use of violence have severely affected Palestinian society. Numerous curfews and roadblocks prevent people from visiting relatives and... Show moreThe imposition of often extreme restrictions and the daily use of violence have severely affected Palestinian society. Numerous curfews and roadblocks prevent people from visiting relatives and friends, and from travelling for work or education. As a result of the 'real' disruption of their lives, an increasing number of Palestinians compensate their loss of freedom by 'virtual' mobility on the Internet. In doing so, they reconstruct the notion of a transnational Palestinian community and identity. Show less
In the debates on the issue of secularism and Islam the Turkish Republic is often mentioned as an example of how a Muslim society can be governed by secular principles. Secularism implies the... Show moreIn the debates on the issue of secularism and Islam the Turkish Republic is often mentioned as an example of how a Muslim society can be governed by secular principles. Secularism implies the separation of religion and state. A careful reading of textbooks used in universal religious education reveal that Turkish secularism does not only entail state control over the meaning of religion, but that religion is also used to promote nationalism, militarism, and the existing economic order. Show less
On the occasion of his stepping down as the first Academic Director of ISIM and ISIM Chair at Leiden University, and to mark his resumption of full-time research, Brinkley Messick honours one of... Show moreOn the occasion of his stepping down as the first Academic Director of ISIM and ISIM Chair at Leiden University, and to mark his resumption of full-time research, Brinkley Messick honours one of our leading international scholars of the shari'a, Muhammad Khalid Masud. Messick has been closely involved in Masud's research programme 'Social Construction of Shari'a' , most recently in the workshop 'Anthropologies of Islamic Law' (see pg. 9). Show less
There is a growing interest in the role of converts to Islam in Europe and the United States. However, whereas most converts to Islam appear to be women, this fact has been relatively neglected.... Show moreThere is a growing interest in the role of converts to Islam in Europe and the United States. However, whereas most converts to Islam appear to be women, this fact has been relatively neglected. The ISIM workshop on 'Gender and Conversion to Islam', held from 16 to 17 May 2003 in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, was aimed to readdress this imbalance by focusing on gender and conversion to Islam in the West. Nine scholars from various countries and different disciplines were invited to compare their research material. Show less
A quarter of a century of wars ending in military triumphs - by the Mujahideen against the Red Army and the Communist regimes; by the Taliban and al-Qaeda against the Mujahideen-Northern Alliance... Show moreA quarter of a century of wars ending in military triumphs - by the Mujahideen against the Red Army and the Communist regimes; by the Taliban and al-Qaeda against the Mujahideen-Northern Alliance forces; and most recently by the US-led international coalition against the Taliban and al-Qaeda - have proven that achieving victory in the battlefield is easier than translating that victory into desired political objectives. The persistence of political failures following military victories in Afghanistan calls for a reasoned explanation of this major gap between means and ends, and a way out of the painful cycle of violence in the country. Show less
The ISIM roundtable Veiled Politics (30 October 2003) aimed at rethinking the politics of veiling practices in the Islamic world and in Europe. The roundtable included presentations by Annelies... Show moreThe ISIM roundtable Veiled Politics (30 October 2003) aimed at rethinking the politics of veiling practices in the Islamic world and in Europe. The roundtable included presentations by Annelies Moors (ISIM), Linda Herrera (Population Council, Cairo), Saba Mahmood (University of California, Berkeley and ISIM Visiting Fellow), and Mayanthi Fernando (University o f Chicago). The convenor was Vazira Fazila-Yacoobali (ISIM). Show less
The various understandings of Islam which fall under the rubric of 'progressive' are both continuations of, and radical departures fro m,the hundred and fifty year old tradition of liberal Islam.... Show moreThe various understandings of Islam which fall under the rubric of 'progressive' are both continuations of, and radical departures fro m,the hundred and fifty year old tradition of liberal Islam. Liberal advocates of Islam generally display an uncritical, almost devotional identification with modernity, and often (but do not always) by-pass discussions of colonialism and imperialism. Progressive advocates of Islam, on the other hand, are almost uniformly critical of colonialism, both of its nineteenth century manifestation and its current variety. Progressive Muslims espouse a critical and non-apologetic 'multiple critique' with respect to both Islam and modernity. They are undoubtedly postmodern in the sense of their critical approach to modernity. That double engagement with the varieties of Islam and modernity, plus an emphasis on concrete social action and transformation, is the defining characteristic of progressive Islam today. Show less
For the first time in its history the World Congress of Philosophy met in a Muslim majority country. The meeting venue was more than symbolic for it confirmed philosophy's potential to be a... Show moreFor the first time in its history the World Congress of Philosophy met in a Muslim majority country. The meeting venue was more than symbolic for it confirmed philosophy's potential to be a universal discourse. Similarly, the choice of this year's theme, 'Philosophy Facing World Problems', points to the desire and potential of philosophy to engage in urgent problems o f the world. When analysed carefully, however, neither of these claims can be said to have been realized. Show less
Who of you is fasting?', I asked the thirteen students who took my course 'Introduction to Islam'. One single hand at the back of the classroom was raised. This course was part of an exchange... Show moreWho of you is fasting?', I asked the thirteen students who took my course 'Introduction to Islam'. One single hand at the back of the classroom was raised. This course was part of an exchange programme that sends European teachers to post-Soviet republics, and I had come to Kyrgyzstan's capital, Bishkek, in order to teach some courses in social anthropology for one semester. This particular course was attended by students of sociology, political science, and ethnology, who referred to themselves as Muslims. And yet, their formal knowledge of Islam was minimal. I suppose nobody can blame them for this, as they have grown up in a society that has previously been declared 'atheist' and is nowadays considered to be secular. For me, as their teacher - from Europe and a Christian - realizing that I knew a lot more about 'their' religion than they did was extremely awkward. Show less
From 1993 until 1998, Marina de Regt was employed as an anthropologist in what has been regarded as one of the most successful Dutch-financed projects in Yemen: the Hodeida Urban Primary Health... Show moreFrom 1993 until 1998, Marina de Regt was employed as an anthropologist in what has been regarded as one of the most successful Dutch-financed projects in Yemen: the Hodeida Urban Primary Health Care Project in the port city of Hodeida. Working together with a group of young women who were trained as health educators (murshidat sihhiyat), she was impressed by their strength and motivation to bring about social change. Yet, gradually she also gained insight into the more ambiguous elements of their work, as their training and employment had ushered i n new forms of social control. Were the murshidat pioneers, successfully transgressing gender boundaries in Yemen, or were they pawns, deployed to realize the agendas of the Dutch donor and the Yemeni state? Show less
The appearance of a small number of students wearing the face-veil or niqab at two unrelated universities, The American University in Cairo and Leiden University, led to official bans on face... Show moreThe appearance of a small number of students wearing the face-veil or niqab at two unrelated universities, The American University in Cairo and Leiden University, led to official bans on face covering. The bans were justified on remarkably similar grounds, at the core of which were arguments that face covering is inherently incompatible with principles and practices of liberal education. Yet the prohibition of face veiling speaks t o issues far larger than pedagogy in liberal educational settings; it gets to the core of critical issues relating to integration, liberalism and the possibly uneasy place of Islam in it all. Show less
Over the last years Dale Eickelman has been in close contact with Muhammad Khalid Masud while at the ISIM. Often, while travelling the globe and changing flights at Amsterdam's international... Show moreOver the last years Dale Eickelman has been in close contact with Muhammad Khalid Masud while at the ISIM. Often, while travelling the globe and changing flights at Amsterdam's international airport, the two would meet over lunch or breakfast. Eickelman paid frequent visits to the ISIM office, also in his capacity as member of the ISIM Academic Committee, and participated in several of its workshops. T h e friendship between the two scholars dates back to the 1980s. On the occasion of Masud's retirement, the anthropologist reflects on his career and their mutual interests. Show less
In recent years, fiqh al-aqalliyat, or Islamic law for Muslim minorities, has incited a great deal of interest among Muslim scholars. The growth of fiqh al-aqalliyat as a topic of debate is a... Show moreIn recent years, fiqh al-aqalliyat, or Islamic law for Muslim minorities, has incited a great deal of interest among Muslim scholars. The growth of fiqh al-aqalliyat as a topic of debate is a recognition of the relevance of Islamic law for a considerable number of Muslims living in non-Muslim countries, in particular in the West. It has revealed the complexities that Muslims face in reconstructing such laws in the context of migration and post-migration. Traditional Islamic law lacks provisions for Muslims living permanently in non-Muslim countries. Fiqh al-aqalliyat is an attempt to fill this gap and to reconstruct an Islamic legal theory to deal with questions of Islamic law for Muslims living under non-Islamic legal systems. Show less
Academic studies increasingly examine the relationship between the social organization of space, gender and sexuality in contemporary Muslim societies. Such studies tend to consider historical,... Show moreAcademic studies increasingly examine the relationship between the social organization of space, gender and sexuality in contemporary Muslim societies. Such studies tend to consider historical, socio-political and religious notions associated with the veil, or chador, as it is traditionally known in Iran. Whether bound up with the concept of male/female spatial binaries or closely involved with aspects of space that create visual and physical control, studies rarely deal with the veil as an entity that can be understood as a secondary space, or a 'habitat' which clinches women's bodies in public. Show less
