Modern Muslim Societies Research Articles

Internalization of Students’ Scientific Attitudes through Islamic Education in Madrasah Aliyah

Islamic Education becomes an important subject in maintaining moral and character. This study aims to see the extent to which internalization of the students’ scientific attitude in Madrasah Aliyah (Islamic Senior High School) through Islamic Education. The qualitative approach is used in this research. The data was collected through interview, observation, and documentation. The data was then analyzed to see how the process of the internalization of the scientific attitude works. Based on the result of the study, it is found that the process of scientific attitude internalization carried out through scientific approach, especially in the Qur'an Hadith subject, has formed a critical and democratic attitude. The Fiqh subject forms discipline and responsibility. The Islamic cultural history subject forms an open-minded and critical attitude. Meanwhile, learning Aqidah Akhlak forms honesty, discipline, and democratic attitudes. The implication of this research lies in the strengthening the Islamic education teachers’ understanding in shaping the students’ scientific attitude, so that the students can face contemporary religious problems critically, democratically, and responsibly and become part of the solution for modern Muslim societies.

Modern Muslim Subjectivities: Religion and Multiple Modernities within Islam

AbstractThis article presents the overarching theoretical framework and some tentative findings of the Modern Muslim Subjectivities Project (MMSP). It discusses some of its conceptual tools and presents strategies for studying the role of religion in modern Muslim subjectivity formation. The core rationale of this research program is to explore the role of religious traditions in the construction of modern forms of Muslim subjectivity and social order. It investigates the ways in which Muslims have imagined specifically Islamic modernities in combination with non-religious and globally relevant cultural scripts. In criticizing the alleged Western origin and secular nature of modernity, the MMSP aims at making original contributions both to conceptual discussions of modernity in the study of religions and to our knowledge of modern Muslim societies.

Saudi Clerics and Shiʿa Islam

Saudi Clerics and Shiʿa Islam

Models of coexistence: approaches for overcoming the classical legal division between the ‘Land of Islam’ and the ‘Land of War’ by contemporary Islamic scholars

This article aims to present contemporary interpretations of the territorial division between the Abode of Islam and the Abode of War in classical Islamic legal theory, with a focus on perspectives that try to overcome outdated concepts and suggest suitable alternatives. Towards this end, it presents approaches from two modern Muslim scholars – the Swiss intellectual Tariq Ramadan and the Syrian academic Wahbah al-Zuhaili – that offer different perspectives on the notion of the two abodes. They both attempt to mould new models that consider the current circumstances, while trying to develop a vision of coexistence between Muslims and non-Muslims that is firmly based on Islamic law. Finally, there is an evaluation of the two positions and their arguments, so as to conclude which one of them offers objectives that are better suited to the needs of modern Muslim societies.

Hibah (Gift inter vivos) by Parent in Favour of Some Children to the Exclusion of the Others under Islamic Law

This study examines issues arising from gift giving (hibah) by a parent to one or more of his/her children to the exclusion of the others under Islamic law in general and as applied to Muslims in Malaysia in particular. Does a parent have an absolute right to dispose of property to his/her children by means of hibah without concern for fairness to the other children? Is hibah a valid and acceptable practice in a modern Muslim society? Is the core issue one of an individual’s absolute property rights or is it restrained by the principle of fairness in dealing with properties? This study will attempt to provide a right and acceptable guidance with respect to the disposal of property to children by means of hibah.

“One cannot doubt the potential effect of these fatwas on modern Muslim society.”1 Online Accusations of Disbelief and Apostasy: The Internet as an Arena for Sunni and Shia Muslim Conflicts

This article focuses on a number of fatwas published on the Sunni website Islamqa that, among many things, present negative understandings of Shia Islam. Before discussing the content of the fatwas, I offer a brief reconsideration of the major lines of conflict that divide Sunni and Shia Muslims both in history and at the present day. I then argue that, although contemporary tensions and hatred between different Muslim individuals and groups can potentially be supported by stereotypical presentations of Shia Muslims on the Internet, in order for an individual or a group to turn to violence, a socio-political context is required that is conducive to violent interpretations of religious views. The fatwas considered here do not contain much that is new, and more or less repeat old theological positions. However, in the context of the current crises in Iraq and Syria, old tensions and conflicts between Sunni and Shia Muslims have gained momentum, making it obvious that theological differences are being used to dehumanize the Other and to legitimate violence against the religious Other.

Modernity, Islamic Traditions, and the Good Life: An Outline of the Modern Muslim Subjectivities Project

AbstractThis article provides a brief overview of the heuristic framework of the Modern Muslim Subjectivities Project that is being conducted at the University of Southern Denmark as of the writing of this article. The project explores ways in which Islamic traditions have played a role in the construction of modern Muslim subjectivities. Applying a problem-driven perspective, it selectively borrows from theories of successive modernities, sociology of religion, and poststructuralist approaches to modern subjectivity formation, introducing a novel heuristic framework to the field of Islamic studies. In posing the question as to the ways in which Muslims have constructed modern selfhoods, the project combines studies on Islamic reform, young Muslims in Egypt and Denmark, (post)modern Sufism, Islamic higher education, and changing notions of intimacy in two Egyptian revolutions. In criticizing the alleged exclusivity of Western modernity, the project wants to make original contributions to both conceptual discussions in the humanities and our knowledge of modern Muslim societies.

Tinjauan Perspektif Intelegensia Muslim terhadap Genealogi Kelas Menengah Muslim di Indonesia

<p>This article aims to analyze genealogies of Muslim middle class in Indonesia. It can be traced from three primary sources such as bourgeoisies, pilgrimage trip (<em>h</em><em>}</em><em>ajj</em><em>)</em> to Mecca and Medina, and education. These three sources have intertwined each other to build up Muslim middle class in social strata system that branch off in two model; bourguoises class and intellectual class. In this section, bourguoises tends to form trade alliance against Chinese domaniance and western traders who had been given privilieges from colonial regime. Meanwhile, intellectual class had focused to form ideal state for <em>umat</em> in Indonesia. Both classes are united altogether to form Islamic state as ultimate goals. High tension of political constellation in post colonial period had resulted in nationalist group as regulator class in Indonesia. Regarding political negotiation from nationalist, Indonesian Muslim middle class focused to establish Muslim society according to Medinan principles. Modern influence based on western style has affected Islamic values in grass roots level, and this resulted in the rise of modern Muslim society that embraced western style of life.</p><strong></strong>

Eklektisisme dalam Taqnîn Hukum Keluarga di Dunia Islam

The Qur’ân was revealed with justice and equality for human beings regardless of their sex, race, social class and ethnicity, as cardinal principles and intrinsic values in Islamic sharî‘a. If this is the case, modern Muslim society with Islamic law is necessarily of equality and justice. However, their family laws which are grounded on assumptions of past centuries and have little bearing on contemporary realities have not reflected gender relations. Inequality that occurs within the context of Muslim family laws is one of the subtle but most pervasive areas of discrimination against women. It has resulted in a different set of dynamics that help create new demands in favor of change of laws. This study explores the reform strategy through legal mobilization in the Muslim family laws around the world. The findings of the study reveal that the substantive and pluralistic legal mobilization is important to Muslims, and the reinterpretation and renewal of laws have been mobilizing debates among both proponents and opponents, framed by orientations to the modernists who advocate reinterpretation of the original sources and the traditionalists who insist on literal adherence to the received doctrinal corpus.

Women's Rights: The Qur'anic Ideals and Contemporary Realities

This article is a study of the rights of women in Islam in comparison with the status of women in the contemporary Muslim world. Men and women in Islam, regardless of their age, social class and education, are equal as citizens and individuals, but not identical, in their rights and responsibilities. It suggests that, in the early age of Islam, women were given full confidence, trust and high responsibilities in leadership, educational guidance and decision-making. But this Islamic empowerment of women bears little relation to the real condition of women in modern Muslim societies. Women suffer the most in the MENA and other conflict-ridden regions from insecurity, domestic abuse, low access to education and medical care. The absence of good governance also results in gender inequality and violation of the rights of women. Without good governance, the status of women is not likely to improve. Muslim women have a potential to play a fundamental role in curbing corruption, social ills, violence and crime in the Muslim world. Therefore, in order to achieve stability and prosperity, the government must ensure a platform for women to participate in decision-making and benefit from the rights they are accorded in Islam.

Women’s Rights : The Qur’anic Ideals and Contemporary Realities

This article is a study of the rights of women in Islam in comparison with the status of women in the contemporary Muslim world. Men and women in Islam, regardless of their age, social class and education, are equal as citizens and individuals, but not identical, in their rights and responsibilities. It suggests that, in the early age of Islam, women were given full confidence, trust and high responsibilities in leadership, educational guidance and decision-making. But this Islamic empowerment of women bears little relation to the real condition of women in modern Muslim societies. Women suffer the most in the MENA and other conflict-ridden regions from insecurity, domestic abuse, low access to education and medical care. The absence of good governance also results in gender inequality and violation of the rights of women. Without good governance, the status of women is not likely to improve. Muslim women have a potential to play a fundamental role in curbing corruption, social ills, violence and crime in the Muslim world. Therefore, in order to achieve stability and prosperity, the government must ensure a platform for women to participate in decision-making and benefit from the rights they are accorded in Islam.

The Co-Evolution of Sacred and Secular: Islamic Law and Family Planning in Indonesia

While scholars of the Islamic revival have devoted attention to the increased prominence of Islamic law [the shari'a] in the once-secular public sphere, less attention has been paid to a countervailing trend. By mapping the evolution of Islamic law over the twentieth century, the author demonstrates that the shari'a is a product of decades of negotiations between Islamic institutions and more secular authorities including government ministers, doctors and social movements. This evolution suggests that secular authority and secular forms of knowledge have influenced but not displaced religious authority and religious forms of knowledge. The opposite is also true. This finding raises questions about the binary distinction between secular and sacred authority and suggests the co-evolution of religion and secularism in modern Muslim societies.

Beyond Beliefs: Deconstructing the Dominant Narratives of the Islamization of Pakistan's Law

The discourse on the 'Islamization' of laws in the legal systems of post-colonial Muslim states is dominated by two conflicting narratives. The dominant Western narrative views the Islamization of laws as the reincarnation of narrow and archaic laws embodied in discriminatory statutes. In contrast, the dominant narrative of political Islam deems it as the cure-all for a range of social, political and economic ills afflicting that particular Muslim state. This Paper presents a deeper insight into the Islamization of Pakistan's law. Pakistan has three decades of experience with incorporating shari'a law into its Common Law system, an experience which has been characterized by a constant struggle between the dominant Western and Islamist narratives. Pakistan's experience helps us deconstruct the narratives and discourses surrounding Islamization and understand that the project of incorporating Islamic laws in a modern Muslim society must be based upon indigenous demands and undertaken in accordance with the organically evolving norms of recognition, interpretation, modification and enforcement in that society. Furthermore, substantive law cannot be understood or enforced outside of a legal system, its legal culture(s) and professional discourse(s), and of the broader socio-political dialectics that give context and relevance to it. Therefore, we need to shift focus to the systemic problems deeply ingrained in Pakistan's legal system that allow law and legal processes to be used to prolong disputes and cause harassment. Islamic legality can, in fact, play a significant role in breaking down the resistance that vested interests may offer to such a restructuring of the legal system along more egalitarian lines.

Transforming Faith: The Story of Al-Huda and Islamic Revivalism among Urban Pakistani Women * By SADAF AHMAD

In recent years, there has been a surge in studies examining the emergence of female preachers within the sphere of formal religious authority in Islam, namely the mosque and madrasa. There are two primary drivers of this interest. First, the study of these movements offers insights into the changing nature of Islamic authority, which has traditionally been invested in male ulema. Second, the feminization of Islamic authority presents the complexities of modern Muslim societies, which are experiencing growing pressures of Western modernity at the same time as growth in Islamic revivalist movements. Sadaf Ahmad’s book, which presents ethnography of a fast growing women’s educational movement in Pakistan called Al-Huda, approaches this subject primarily from the second perspective. Based on a doctoral thesis, the book maps the growth of this movement in fine detail. The seven chapters of the book take us into different dimensions of the movement: the history, the everyday working, the message, and the packaging of that message. In the introductory chapter, Ahmad situates herself and the study within the broader context of Pakistani society. She sets the movement in terms of the puzzle it poses to ‘modern’ Pakistani women. She notes the mixed response to this movement within Pakistani society, and emphasizes the need to understand the plurality of experiences among Muslim women. Much of the chapter then elaborates the methodological issues posed by a study where the researcher hails from the same society but would ordinarily find herself in the opposite camp to those that are the subject of study. The solution is found in placing emphasis on listening to the voices of those being studied.

Tales of God's friends: Islamic hagiography in translation

This remarkable collection gathers a breathtakingly diverse selection of primary texts from the vast repertoire of Islamic stories about holy men and women - also known as of God - who were exemplary for their piety, intimacy with God, and service to their fellow human beings. Translated from seventeen languages by more than two dozen scholars of Islamic studies, these texts come from the Middle East, North and sub-Saharan Africa, Central and South Asia, and China and Southeast Asia. Historically, they begin with the eighth century and include samples from medieval, early modern, and modern Muslim societies. Expertly edited and introduced by John Renard, Tales of God's Friends serves as a companion volume to Renard's of God: Islamic Images of Piety, Commitment, and Servanthood.

The Reconstruction of Islamic Social Thought in the Modern Period: Nursi’s Approach to Religious Discourse in a Changing Society

AbstractIn this article I will analyse the social aspects of Said Nursi’s thought in the context of late Ottoman and modern Turkish intellectual history within the boundaries of social philosophy and theology. I aim to discuss the outcome of Nursi’s work in formulating a live discourse that corresponds to the needs of modern Muslim society in Turkey and around the world. Nursi’s life and thought comprises interesting evidences to comprehend the transition of Muslims in the traumatic period of the two World Wars in the twentieth century and their resistance to the challenges of a new ‘weltanschauung’ and various philosophical ideas, as well as a new political design that tried to reshape society by pursuing a hard-line modernisation process.

Representations of Women in the Writings of the Intelligentsia in Hashemite Iraq, 1921–1958

This essay examines representations of Iraqi women in the works of poets, novelists, and public intellectuals during the Hashemite period. Defining the functions of women in modern Muslim societies, Iraqi intellectuals sought inspiration in the writings of Egyptian and Turkish writers. I demonstrate, however, that the discourse about women grew more Iraqi-centric in the 1940s and 50s. I also argue that the changes in the representations of women mirrored the radicalization of the Iraqi intelligentsia. While during the interwar period, the conversation about gender roles was mostly conducted among men who debated education, seclusion, and domesticity, after World War II, social democrats, communists, and radical pan-Arabists utilized the mistreatment of women as a way to criticize the Hashemite state. Women affiliated with these groups defined themselves as citizens, rather than national subjects, with equal rights. The discourse also had global aspects, as Iraqi intellectuals appropriated and hybridized colonial perceptions of Muslim women.

The New Arab Mass-Media Vehicles of Democracy?

Fatima Mernissi is considered one of the most original and acute intellectuals the contemporary Arab world, among the best known Europe, trans lated into more than twenty languages and recently into Japanese and Indone sian.1 She was born 1940 in a Fez from a traditional family that, nevertheless, did not prevent her from acquiring a higher education and devot ing herself to study with a remarkable critical tendency. After graduating from the Muhammad V University of Rabat, she improved her academic training at the Sorbonne University Paris and at the Brandeis University the United States with a PhD Sociology, and between the 1970's and the 1980's she started to analyse the complex male-female dynamics a modern Muslim society.2 In her first essay, Beyond the Veil, she undertakes a sociological analysis about the woman's role within the traditional Muslim family and more generally, the Arab-Islamic society, especially through the study of the later interpretations, often marked by ideological manipulations. Her attention is focused on several themes: sexuality Islam, the changes the traditional male/female roles the Arab society and the economical and political reasons that caused them. After a close reading of the main sources of Islam, the Quran and the S nna, Mernissi comes to the conclusion that after the death of the Prophet Muhammad, atti tudes and rules linked to pre-Islamic traditions, responsible of an amnesia of the memory about the equality of the sexes, re-emerged and prevailed. These subjects were studied depth her following essays, Le harem politique? Sultane Oubli es^ and Sherazade goes West, or: The European Harem? where it is shown how the image of the harem has been completely reinterpreted the West.

Marketing Malaysia as a model modern Muslim state: The significance of the 16th Commonwealth Games

Apart from illustrating the way in which the Malaysian government appropriated the Commonwealth Games as a global media spectacle, both to gain international publicity and as an opportunity to celebrate its multicultural national identity and thus 'market' Malaysia as a model modern Muslim society, this article highlights two issues in particular. First, through strategic organisation, Malaysia succeeded in making the Commonwealth Games a much more attractive event, infusing the Games with the kind of prestige usually reserved for major, first order events. Second, Malaysia's underlying political crisis, triggered by the Asian crisis, became more salient precisely because of the media interest generated by the Games. That these events prompted a return to authoritarianism brings into question the expectation that major games create spaces for political liberalisation and reform.

Freedom, Equality and Justice in Islam

Modern Muslim thinkers who try to locate and construct constitutional tenets based on the Islamic tradition face various difficulties, for they have to address a segment of an audience that expects an exposition comparable to the West's in terms of terminologies, institutions, and remedies, as well as to draw from the best practices of Islamic history and modern Muslim societies. It is always fustrating to learn that Islam's constitutional history, despite its richness in individual constitutional tenets, loses some of its utility in modern Muslim societies due to systemic changes caused by glob­ alization and pervasive international institutions, both of which have had far-reaching consequences on domestic sociopolitical settings. Given the contemporary nation-state's overarching authority, one known guarantee of the people's social, legal, or political rights is a con ­stitutional framework under a credible rule of law system. Mohammad Hashim Kamali's Freedom, Equality and Justice in Islam identifies the three themes in the title of his book as the fundamental bases upon which all other constitutional guarantees of human rights depend. The book is divided into three chapters, each dedicated to one of the main themes. The first chapter, which discusses freedom, presents a con­ceptual analysis of the term and how it is expressed in Islam's theological and sociopolitical contexts. However, unlike various guarantees provided for realizing other values, such as justice (discussed in chapter 3), there is little discussion of such practical guarantees for personal liberty and free­dom. The author acknowledges that Muslims have given scant attention to constitutional guarantees of freedom, citing the prevalence of despotic gov­ernments throughout much of Islamic history. Nevertheless, the only way he offers out of this situation is to observe that Muslims should change the language of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) to reflect the challenging times confronting the ummah. This may not be surprising, given the identified problems, as mentioned above, that have to be faced squarely. The second chapter, which analyzes equality, reviews authoritative Islamic sources and argues that although there is conclusive evidence that Islam envisages equality in basic rights and duties among all Muslims, the evidence is somewhat inconclusive on whether all members of the human race enjoy such equality. This inconclusiveness is due to sources that leave room for different interpretations and to prevailing circum­stances during the formative period of Islamic law. Kamali pays particu­lar attention to the duties and rights of women and non-Muslims, for there are different opinions on women's political and family-law rights and on equal opportunity for non-Muslims. He states that even if differential treatments of the two categories are maintained in certain circumstances, such differences do not negate equality, because Islam's positive equality ...