Abstract
AbstractThe overemphasis in recent anthropological scholarship on self‐cultivation through normative discourses has resulted in largely neglecting explorative discourses that have also been key to the formation of religious subjectivities. The relationship between these discourses has tended to be that of ambiguity, given that various groups have sought to establish clear boundaries regarding what is morally acceptable. In this article, I look at how ambiguity is played out in a small town in Malabar, South India, with the figure of a mad saint whose actions and demeanor embodied such ambiguities. Analyzing anthropological studies of Islam probing such ambiguities in the lives of Muslims, I argue that considering the figure of the majzūb—an eccentric saint—offers key insights for understanding how normative and explorative discourses constitute contemporary religious lives. It also reveals how ambiguity is used to reconcile the tensions between the two discourses in both practice and discourse.
Published Version
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