Academic freedom in the United States is facing its most important threat since the McCarthy era of the 1950s. In the aftermath of 11 September 2001, government agencies and private organizations... Show moreAcademic freedom in the United States is facing its most important threat since the McCarthy era of the 1950s. In the aftermath of 11 September 2001, government agencies and private organizations have been subjecting universities to an increasingly sophisticated infrastructure of surveillance, intervention, and control. In the name of the war against terrorism, civil liberties have been seriously eroded, open debate limited, and dissent stifled. Show less
The recent controversy over the Ahmadiyya movement in Indonesia pitted supporters and critics of the movement against each other. This article shows how both sides present their own definition of... Show moreThe recent controversy over the Ahmadiyya movement in Indonesia pitted supporters and critics of the movement against each other. This article shows how both sides present their own definition of religious freedom and how they push forcefully their views on the Indonesian government. The author argues that what is at stake is not only the destiny of a religious orientation, but also thexstate’s power in religious matters. 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
In the past decade Pakistan has witnessed the emergence of Al-Huda, an institute offering religious education to women. Its popularity is greeted with hostile scepticism by many in Pakistan. Male... Show moreIn the past decade Pakistan has witnessed the emergence of Al-Huda, an institute offering religious education to women. Its popularity is greeted with hostile scepticism by many in Pakistan. Male religious scholars, feminists, and the mainstream media are amongst those who disagree with the practices of these women and their vision of moral reform. The author argues that by introducing women in new roles Al-Huda disrupts traditional structures for transmitting religious learning. Show less
Since the end of the 1990s Moroccan-Dutch youth increasingly identify themselves as Muslim and are categorized as such. Regardless of the way they practice their faith, reference to a “pure” Islam... Show moreSince the end of the 1990s Moroccan-Dutch youth increasingly identify themselves as Muslim and are categorized as such. Regardless of the way they practice their faith, reference to a “pure” Islam and to being Muslim as being one's “true” self are the most important constituting elements in their identity politics. While some scholars and politicians see young Muslims’ distinguishing between religion and culture as a sign of radicalization or lack of integration, the author argues that Muslim youth’s reflections on their Islam and their practices and experiences are a cultural construction grounded in a contemporary local and global context. Show less
The collection “Anatolian Civilizations” reflects Erol Albayrak’s desire to examine the concept of fashion as transmitted by inhabitants of Anatolia. Albayrak envisions his collection as a passage... Show moreThe collection “Anatolian Civilizations” reflects Erol Albayrak’s desire to examine the concept of fashion as transmitted by inhabitants of Anatolia. Albayrak envisions his collection as a passage through time: rooted in the kingdom of Hittites, influenced by ideas of beauty in Urartu, reflecting the sorrow of Troya, and drenched in the passions and mysteries of the Ottomans. These styles are being re-imagined in a “modern” or novel spirit. Show less
Supposed anti-evolutionist convictions among Muslim students in Amsterdam have been widely discussed in Dutch media. These discussions are often undergirded by the assumption that religious... Show moreSupposed anti-evolutionist convictions among Muslim students in Amsterdam have been widely discussed in Dutch media. These discussions are often undergirded by the assumption that religious attitudes have concrete socio-political relevance, more specifically, that anti-evolutionism fosters disintegration and radicalism. However, research data show that most Muslim students creatively combine ideas about evolution and faith, thus prompting questions about the stereotypes that surface in public debates on integration in the Netherlands.1 Show less
A French fatwa condemning the 2005 riots in Islamic terms gave rise to a controversy around the legitimacy of this particular Muslim technology in a secular polity. To seize the significance of the... Show moreA French fatwa condemning the 2005 riots in Islamic terms gave rise to a controversy around the legitimacy of this particular Muslim technology in a secular polity. To seize the significance of the text one must place it in the tradition of the Salafiyya, where Islamic forms of reasoning acquired a distinctively public dimension, and map out the recent—and contested—discursive shifts in French laïcité. Show less
In Malaysia, legal definitions of the religious category “Muslim” and ethnic category “Malay” imply each other. Consequently, Muslims who have renounced Islam find themselves in an abyssal legal... Show moreIn Malaysia, legal definitions of the religious category “Muslim” and ethnic category “Malay” imply each other. Consequently, Muslims who have renounced Islam find themselves in an abyssal legal zone. The legal intricacies and the media representations surrounding apostasy reveal tensions between “the secular” and “the religious,” thereby providing insight into the imbalanced and bifurcated nature of civil society in Malaysia. Show less
The intellectual history of the modernizing Islamic world remains relatively isolated from research in related fields, and from theoretical debates elsewhere. In consequence, it remains dominated... Show moreThe intellectual history of the modernizing Islamic world remains relatively isolated from research in related fields, and from theoretical debates elsewhere. In consequence, it remains dominated by modernization-theoretical, nationalist, and secularist assumptions, whether in the guise of liberal or of Marxist-inspired approaches. Alternatively, a genealogical perspective is outlined, which places the rise of the secular nation state in a broader perspective of changing ways of governing, taking neither Western economic or cultural dominance as all-determining, nor individual agency as given. Rather, it systematically focuses on changing relations of power as constitutive of new states, new actors, and new forms of knowledge. Show less
This article discusses the remigration of Arab families formerly living in Germany, as well as the possible causes and effects of remigration. For several families, especially those with daughters,... Show moreThis article discusses the remigration of Arab families formerly living in Germany, as well as the possible causes and effects of remigration. For several families, especially those with daughters, social and cultural reasons turn out to be the most important motivation for leaving Germany. Concerned that they will be unable to protect the family honour within a German setting, these families decided to move back to an Arab country where they hope to find a social environment that shares their moral concerns. Show less
This article discusses the work of two Egyptian artists who are inspired by the urban environment as well as by Sufism. Their art reflects two aspects of Cairene life: the frenetic activity and... Show moreThis article discusses the work of two Egyptian artists who are inspired by the urban environment as well as by Sufism. Their art reflects two aspects of Cairene life: the frenetic activity and density of communication that characterize cosmopolitan centres, and the more contemplative aspects of Sufism. The author argues that Sufi philosophies and practice mediate between the personal nature of spirituality and the realities of urban life in the present day. Show less
Professor Juan Cole delivered the ISIM Annual Lecture on 1 December 2005 at the Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam. He argued that clerically-led Shiism in Iraq is undergoing a sort of reformation, in... Show moreProfessor Juan Cole delivered the ISIM Annual Lecture on 1 December 2005 at the Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam. He argued that clerically-led Shiism in Iraq is undergoing a sort of reformation, in which leading figures are attempting to reconcile the principles of Islam with those of the Enlightenment. The current attempt by ayatollahs to engage with the ideals of Jean-Jacques Rousseau is among the more thoroughgoing and institutionally promising in modern history. This article is an adjusted version of his lecture.1 Show less
Egypt’s Coptic community emerged dramatically onto the public sphere with the release of the film Bahibb Issima in the summer of 2004. The film’s depiction of Copts has created a national... Show moreEgypt’s Coptic community emerged dramatically onto the public sphere with the release of the film Bahibb Issima in the summer of 2004. The film’s depiction of Copts has created a national conversation between Copts and Muslims with the latter realizing not only how little they know about the Copts, but about how strikingly similar the two communities actually are. The film’s realism has been met with contestation from orthodox factions within the Coptic community while the State’s ability to control the representation of Copts in the public sphere has been challenged by the filmmakers themselves. Show less
Public or semi-public places where people meet to chat, communicate, quarrel, sit, and watch may be found in many societies: the Piazza in Italy, the beer-garden in Bavaria, or the majlis in Arabia... Show morePublic or semi-public places where people meet to chat, communicate, quarrel, sit, and watch may be found in many societies: the Piazza in Italy, the beer-garden in Bavaria, or the majlis in Arabia, represent a few such examples. Zanzibar‘s baraza is a place for the negotiation and observation of the ordinary as well as the extraordinary. Sitting in a baraza provides an opportunity to experience every day life at its most local. Show less
Although Bernard Lewis and Samuel Huntington are often lumped together as the twin ideological gurus of the Bush administration, they make diametrically opposite theoretical and political uses of... Show moreAlthough Bernard Lewis and Samuel Huntington are often lumped together as the twin ideological gurus of the Bush administration, they make diametrically opposite theoretical and political uses of their common understanding of Islam. In this contribution Nafissi analyzes these sharply contrasting “clash theses” to critically evaluate the other and to sketch an agenda on the basis of which a more defensible account of Islam in the contemporary world could be based. Show less
In secular France visible religious practice is socially discouraged within public spheres. For pious Muslims, in particular pious Muslim women, who actively participate in these spheres, piety... Show moreIn secular France visible religious practice is socially discouraged within public spheres. For pious Muslims, in particular pious Muslim women, who actively participate in these spheres, piety cannot be lived out without encountering certain problems. The negotiations that these women engage in, favouring at times visibility, at times invisibility, not only allow the living of virtuous lives under often difficult circumstances, but more importantly are part of a process by which ethical Muslim selves are constituted in secular, non-Islamic contexts. Show less
Israeli bombs completely destroyed Beirut’s neighbourhood Haret Hreik in the summer of 2006. Because Hizbullah’s headquarters is located in the neighbourhood, Israeli war planners considered its... Show moreIsraeli bombs completely destroyed Beirut’s neighbourhood Haret Hreik in the summer of 2006. Because Hizbullah’s headquarters is located in the neighbourhood, Israeli war planners considered its destruction of particular symbolic and strategic relevance. For the same reasons, authority of reconstruction carried heightened symbolism and led to contestation between the central government and Hizbullah. In the intersection of these two powerful actors there remains little room for local residents to have a voice in the re-organization of their living spaces. Show less
Violence has severely affected Russian society with the increase of terrorist attacks since 1995. The school massacre in the Ossetian town of Beslan caused shock and awe in all of Russia and beyond... Show moreViolence has severely affected Russian society with the increase of terrorist attacks since 1995. The school massacre in the Ossetian town of Beslan caused shock and awe in all of Russia and beyond. It culminated a series of terrorist attacks whose foundations were laid in the history of the two Chechen wars in which Russian troops brought havoc to Chechen society. Though terrorism is usually regarded as a violation of basic Islamic principles, today Islam is effectively used in Russia by radical nationalist factions to justify their political strategies. Show less
Do Islamic charities empower their beneficiaries or rather induce new forms of paternalism? The author argues that these options are not mutually exclusive. Dissecting the ideals and practices of... Show moreDo Islamic charities empower their beneficiaries or rather induce new forms of paternalism? The author argues that these options are not mutually exclusive. Dissecting the ideals and practices of Islamic charities in Jordan, he shows that empowerment and paternalism should be understood in their socially and ideologically informed contexts. While blind pursuance of self-interest is discouraged, the goals of improving society may have empowering implications. Show less
