Ever since the legal recognition of Islam in Spain Muslim associations have been increasing in number. The March 11 bombing attacks of 2004 brought to the fore a new group consisting largely of... Show moreEver since the legal recognition of Islam in Spain Muslim associations have been increasing in number. The March 11 bombing attacks of 2004 brought to the fore a new group consisting largely of young Muslims born in Spain who are engaged in social participation through the creation of social and cultural associations. Show less
In the political developments in Turkey over the last months all attention has gone to the Islamists and Kemalists. The struggle between those two seems to have overshadowed the concerns of many... Show moreIn the political developments in Turkey over the last months all attention has gone to the Islamists and Kemalists. The struggle between those two seems to have overshadowed the concerns of many ordinary Turkish citizens. Nevertheless, people who sympathized with neither of the two sides were instrumental in putting up an opposition movement against the AKP government. It remains a question whether they can bring about further democratization in Turkey. Show less
In spite of his undistinguished social background al-Albani became known as the greatest hadith scholar of his generation. His reliance on hadith as the central pillar of law at the expense of the... Show moreIn spite of his undistinguished social background al-Albani became known as the greatest hadith scholar of his generation. His reliance on hadith as the central pillar of law at the expense of the schools of jurisprudence caused him to take up controversial positions. This brought him into conflict with the Saudi religious establishment but also made him popular in Salafi circles. Show less
This article considers the connections between internal religious commitment and social activism through the life stories of Dutch-Moroccan women vigorously promoting gender equality in their... Show moreThis article considers the connections between internal religious commitment and social activism through the life stories of Dutch-Moroccan women vigorously promoting gender equality in their communities. For these women, religious commitment spills outwards from personal conviction into physical demonstrations of religiosity, personal development, and consciousness raising. It is their individual identity as Muslims, and not their Moroccan or Dutch heritage, which determines the ways these women participate in Dutch public life. Show less
In a Dutch-Moroccan community which often casts music as immoral, illicit, or inappropriate, female musicians in particular struggle to legitimize their morality and authenticity as Muslims. This... Show moreIn a Dutch-Moroccan community which often casts music as immoral, illicit, or inappropriate, female musicians in particular struggle to legitimize their morality and authenticity as Muslims. This article explores the divergent strategies through which two female Dutch-Moroccan artists negotiate their identities as Moroccan, Muslim artists, whether by seeking acceptance or by flagrantly transgressing norms. Whatever the case, the private and public lives of the artists are best understood in light of a normative public discourse which disapproves of their work. Show less
Debates on the role of Muslim citizens in Europe question how European liberal democracies should engage with non-liberal ideas. Until now the debate has focused on how Muslim groups and... Show moreDebates on the role of Muslim citizens in Europe question how European liberal democracies should engage with non-liberal ideas. Until now the debate has focused on how Muslim groups and individuals should behave. The author seeks ways to redefine liberal democracy in order to make it more inclusive of those who may hold illiberal views, Muslim or otherwise. Show less
Drawing from the voices of young Muslim women living just south of Paris, this article argues that Muslims are developing a form of Islam shaped by French customs, values, and institutions. The... Show moreDrawing from the voices of young Muslim women living just south of Paris, this article argues that Muslims are developing a form of Islam shaped by French customs, values, and institutions. The development of this form of religiosity is apparent in the way French Muslims negotiate their multiple identities. In this process, space plays a crucial role in the form of the banlieue. Show less
Although resonances of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are unexpected in Nigeria, in various ways political actors in Nigeria borrow tropes from the remote conflict to articulate local politics.... Show moreAlthough resonances of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are unexpected in Nigeria, in various ways political actors in Nigeria borrow tropes from the remote conflict to articulate local politics. Relatively autonomous foreign policies of the regions in the early independence period set the stage for contending orientations toward the Middle East, but imported concepts have more recently been deployed in Muslim and Christian politics. Show less
Muslim life worlds both differ from and overlap with Western modernities. Everyday expressions of Muslim identity and citizenship can give a more reliable picture of existing multiple modernities... Show moreMuslim life worlds both differ from and overlap with Western modernities. Everyday expressions of Muslim identity and citizenship can give a more reliable picture of existing multiple modernities than doctrines or ideologies do. Drawing on examples from cinema, literature, and architecture, this article argues that social visions in the Muslim world are part of modernity. Show less
Pakistan’s democratic and civilian groups face various problems: Issues of national integrity, reduction of violence, the creation of a governing consensus among different provinces and ethnic... Show morePakistan’s democratic and civilian groups face various problems: Issues of national integrity, reduction of violence, the creation of a governing consensus among different provinces and ethnic groups; all of these will have to be tackled by the new parliament. But just as important as the restoration of democracy and the end of military involvement in politics are problems of poverty and economic deprivation. Show less
For two of the most popular Egyptian television preachers, Amr Khaled and Moez Masoud, art is central to the project of Islamic Revival. For them, art is a special means of bringing people closer... Show moreFor two of the most popular Egyptian television preachers, Amr Khaled and Moez Masoud, art is central to the project of Islamic Revival. For them, art is a special means of bringing people closer to God, making them more cultured, and building the ummah. The author argues that, intriguingly, their focus on art overlaps with that of the Egyptian state’s nation-building and civilizing art projects. Show less
Pressures for religious reform—in any society or religious tradition—may lead to greater orthodoxy and orthopraxy, but can also invite opposition, social polarization, conflict, and violence. In... Show morePressures for religious reform—in any society or religious tradition—may lead to greater orthodoxy and orthopraxy, but can also invite opposition, social polarization, conflict, and violence. In this context the history of the Islamization of the Javanese is particularly interesting and significant. That history reveals periods of conflict and periods of reconciliation, so it may tell us something about what circumstances make religion a source for social harmony and what circumstances make it a cause of conflict. Show less
Examining mosques, their spatial contexts, and the struggles to create, negotiate and improve their spaces in Stuttgart reveals the complex and controversial nature of spatial articulation for... Show moreExamining mosques, their spatial contexts, and the struggles to create, negotiate and improve their spaces in Stuttgart reveals the complex and controversial nature of spatial articulation for Muslim communities in this German city. These processes symbolize the broader struggles of Muslims and Muslim communities for recognition and participation in German cities and society at large. Show less
During the past year, people of the former South Yemen Republic have joined a popular movement demanding fair rule and equal citizenship against which the Yemeni government has taken harsh methods.... Show moreDuring the past year, people of the former South Yemen Republic have joined a popular movement demanding fair rule and equal citizenship against which the Yemeni government has taken harsh methods. While the western world concentrates on Al-Qaida and kidnapped tourists, the movement has taken a visible presence on the Internet, which offers a whole new platform for political protest. Show less
Though the genre of political humour is popular across different societies, it is commonly seen as a product of repressive regimes – a mild substitute for free speech and public critique denied to... Show moreThough the genre of political humour is popular across different societies, it is commonly seen as a product of repressive regimes – a mild substitute for free speech and public critique denied to people therein. Moving away from the binary of totalitarian vs. democratic states, this article reads the recent spurt in Ahmadinejad jokes in Iran as a middle class response to fears of a return to the conservative agenda that Ahmadinejad’s victory symbolized. Show less
Since the early 1990s nasyid music has become widely popular among the Islamic youth of Indonesia and Malaysia. Imported from the Middle East, the verbal art attracts proponents particularly in... Show moreSince the early 1990s nasyid music has become widely popular among the Islamic youth of Indonesia and Malaysia. Imported from the Middle East, the verbal art attracts proponents particularly in universities, above all among student activists. However, the Middle East is not the sole role model; present-day nasyid music reveals the careful and often delicate mix of religion and pop that is currently so much debated throughout the Islamic world. Show less
The current image of Iraq in the media and public discourse is of a country sharply divided by communal boundaries and conflicts of religion, ethnicity, and community. This image goes right against... Show moreThe current image of Iraq in the media and public discourse is of a country sharply divided by communal boundaries and conflicts of religion, ethnicity, and community. This image goes right against any notion of “cosmopolitanism.” Yet, research into the history of the country in the twentieth century would show that, while communal boundaries and conflicts did exist, these were socially permeable, allowing much close interaction between individuals, families, and neighbourhoods across the boundaries. Show less
Islamic feminists are reinterpreting Islamic sources in order to achieve equal rights for women within an Islamic framework. They have challenged traditional interpretations of scripture and... Show moreIslamic feminists are reinterpreting Islamic sources in order to achieve equal rights for women within an Islamic framework. They have challenged traditional interpretations of scripture and received notions of interpretive authority, both in Muslim majority societies as well as in the diasporic Islamic world. With their new interpretations they have contributed to the transformation of the legal, political and social rights of Muslim women. There are, however, also limitations to the feminist interpretations of scripture and their potential to deliver gender equality. Show less
Intercultural dialogue and cosmopolitanism are increasingly becoming a public policy focus. Art festivals, concerts, and a variety of public events explicitly promoting such agenda have been... Show moreIntercultural dialogue and cosmopolitanism are increasingly becoming a public policy focus. Art festivals, concerts, and a variety of public events explicitly promoting such agenda have been flourishing in southern European countries of recent immigration. Drawing on the Italian case, the author explores the performing arts’ cosmopolitan potential, asking how hierarchies are challenged and recreated when majorities request minorities to engage in cosmopolitan dialogue, on and off stage. Show less
