Abstract This study explores identity negotiation processes among Pakistani Muslim migrant women in Norway, focusing on how they reinterpret pre-migration ideals of womanhood through the concept of authentication, as introduced by Lara Deeb. Building on and expanding Deeb’s work, the research examines the interplay of religious, ethnic, gender and migrant identities using an intersectional approach through semi-structured interviews with nine women. The findings highlight dynamic processes of authentication, where socio-economic backgrounds, education and personal reflections shape re-learning and re-evaluation. The study underscores the agency involved in negotiating religious and gendered identities, demonstrating that migration introduces new dimensions to the authentication process. By extending Deeb’s concept to the specific context of Pakistani notions of gender, nation and religion, this research contributes to the broader literature on Muslim women in Europe, offering specific examples from Norway and emphasising the complex interplay between national identity, cultural norms and religious values in a migratory context.

Abstract Despite the increasing presence of Islamic digital learning in the education landscape of the Commonwealth of Independent States ( CIS ) region, it has largely been ignored in research. This article aims to highlight Online Islamic Education Platforms ( OIEP s) by examining their role in spreading Islamic knowledge in CIS countries. It discusses several OIEP s within the broader context of Islamic education in the region and the global expansion of OIEP s. By analysing the web content and curriculum ideologies of OIEP s I suggest that regional OIEP s tend to reflect locally accepted religious orthodoxies. In contrast, trans-regional OIEP s, which operate outside state-controlled Islamic environments, are more aligned with global trends, whether that involves inter- madhhab Sunnism, Salafism or Islamic reformism. Islamic reformism, which is the primary focus of the article, aims to bridge the gap between religious and secular disciplines, particularly social sciences and humanities, and to promote Islamic education reform in the region.

Abstract The present research, based on the analysis of the Lithuanian language Online Islamic Environments ( OIE s) and in-depth semi-structured interviews with leading figures in local Muslim religious organizations, sought to answer the question of to what extent Lithuania’s Muslim institutional actors have realized the purported potential of the OIE s and have been utilizing them for their own benefit. The research revealed that the Lithuanian Muslim institutional religious actors have only to a very limited extent realized the potential of the OIE s in dispensing of Islamic knowledge and this way attracting new adherents, and also establishing themselves as Islamic authorities. Thus, qualified actors are passive in their engagement with the OIE s, while the most active lack the necessary religious credentials and status. In result, the Lithuanian Muslim religious entities appear, so far, to contribute very little to the Lithuanian OIE s and are totally on the periphery of the global OIE s.

Abstract The article presents the results of research on sermons delivered in mosques belonging to three Polish Muslim organisations: Muslim Religious Union ( MZR ), Muslim League ( LM ), and Sakinah Foundation ( FS ). The analysis focuses on the strategies adopted by Polish Muslim preachers who, in their sermons ( khutba s), try to address issues that are important for the life and identity of the Muslim minority in Poland. Among these issues are: the embedding of Islam in Polish social reality as a fully-fledged part of the Polish cultural context; the relationship of teachings based on the Qur’anic revelation to the challenges of modernity; the links between minoritarian identity and universalism, religion, and science, or the precepts of Islam and the population management practices characteristic of modern societies. The detailed analysis suggests ways of resolving potential dilemmas that may arise for a Muslim from the tensions in these areas.

Abstract This special issue is intended to provide insights into the evolving dynamics in offline and online Islamic religious guidance and practice in Eurasia. The four articles share a common focus on the role of digital and online environments in shaping Islamic religious knowledge transmission and community engagement within Muslim minority contexts in CEE countries (Lithuania, Hungary and Poland) and also the CIS .

Abstract This article examines the evolving landscape of the Hungarian-language Islamic cyberspace, focusing on the shifting roles of state-recognised Muslim organisations and independent Muslim content creators. By applying certain elements of netnography with this help of semi-structured interviews, this study analyses how Islamic institutions as well as Muslim content creators use social media to cultivate parasocial relationships, negotiate religious authority, address socially sensitive issues such as Christmas celebrations and LGBTQ identities, and shape perceptions of Islam within a politically hostile environment. Findings show that while institutional organisations maintain cautious, inward-looking communication, content creators embody a more outward-oriented, dialogical, and often more inclusive approach. The article contributes to the literature by offering the first in-depth exploration of a Central European Muslim online environment and highlights how digital platforms are reshaping religious authority, identity, and community formation among Hungarian- speaking Muslims.

Abstract Public debate on Muslims in Switzerland is characterized to a significant degree by issues of problematisation and securitisation. In this debate, imams have become an increasingly frequent topic, seen for example as those who steer Muslim communities. This article examines how perceptions and ascriptions in public debate affect the self-image of imams and is therefore concerned with the subjectivation of imams. Based on a discourse analysis of mass media and political debates in Switzerland and interviews with male imams, it reconstructs subject positions addressing imams, as well as their self-positionings. Findings indicate that imams are addressed by an anti-subject and an ideal model subject, leaving little space for manoeuvre in the imam’s self-positioning. However, applying the concept of mimicry suggests that there may be more agency for imams than revealed at first glance.