DOCSLIB.ORG

On the Idea of European Islam Voices of Perpetual Modernity

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
On the Idea of European Islam Voices of Perpetual Modernity On the Idea of European Islam Voices of Perpetual Modernity By Mohammed Hashas A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy to Political Theory Programme in the Faculty of Political Science, LUISS University of Rome, Italy LUISS Advisors: External Advisor: Professor Sebastiano Maffetone Doctor Jan Jaap de Ruiter Professor Francesca Corrao Tilburg University, the Netherlands March 2013 This page is intentionally left blank ii Abstract This work raises and deals with the following question: is European Islam possible? Following the methodology adopted in studying the selected texts, I argue that it is possible, theologically and politically. To corroborate my argument, I assist myself with three sub-questions that correspond to three cognitive and methodological stages of work. In the descriptive stage, I tackle this question: what is European Islam? I select four projects that advocate what I refer to as the “idea of European Islam.” These projects are advanced by Bassam Tibi, Tariq Ramadan, Tareq Oubrou, and Abdennour Bidar. Despite their differing approaches, I use textual analysis approach in reading the main aspects and concepts of their projects, which I later use for comparative purposes and conceptualization of the idea of European Islam. Subsequently, I enter the comparative stage so as to better understand what European Islam brings new. This stage deals with the following question: what is new in European Islam? Here, I revisit three scholarly generations from the Islamic tradition as a way of finding out what they share, or not, with European Islam. I refer to the Muʻtazila rationalist theological tradition, with major reference to the example of Qadi Abd Aljabbar. I then refer to some iconic figures of the “early reformists” of the Arab-Islamic Renaissance (naḥḍa), and “late reformists” or contemporaries. The third and final stage is evaluative. It deals with this question: is European Islam a “reasonable comprehensive doctrine”? This analytical stage uses two philosophical frameworks, one theological and the other political, one “Islamic” and the other “Western” to use common differentiating markers: Taha Abdurrahmane’s framework of theological renewal for innovative modernity, based on his The Spirit of Modernity (2006), with reference to “humanization-historicization-rationalization” innovative plans, and John Rawls’ “idea of overlapping consensus,” based on his Political Liberalism (1996). The “idea of European Islam” as I conceptualize it is “revisionist-reformist,” or “traditional-modern,” in the sense that it embraces modernity values and legitimizes them theologically-politically. It “sacralizes” man, “divinizes” modern values, and “perpetuates” modernity. It does not deny the divine but works with it as the ultimate source of ethics and meaning. The “Muslim Prometheus” as an heir of the universe does not antagonize with God. Man becomes a “co-worker” with God. In summarizing statements that correspond to “world-society-individual” comprehensive framework I adopt in this project, I argue that European Islam 1) “humanizes the world through divinely willed inheritance for cosmic wellbeing,” 2) “historicizes revelation through fiqhology (or practical fiqh) for social wellbeing,” and 3) “rationalizes individual faith through the principle of ethical liberty for individual wellbeing.” This makes it confidently “inlandish” in liberal constitutional democracies, as those of Western Europe. iii Preface Transliteration Arabic terms are transliterated according to the International Journal of Middle East Studies (IJMES) transliteration system. Frequently used words such as Muslim, Muhammad (the Prophet), Quran, Sunna, Sharia, Shahada, hadith, fiqh, kalam, falsafa madhab, umma, ijtihad and jihad, appear without diacriticals; they also appear unitalicized, and in the upper or lower case as just listed. They are not italicised either. Transliterations, especially those with diacriticals, are italicised. An apostrophe is used for the letter hamzah. A superscript comma is used for the ‘ayn letter instead of cayn. The exceptions in the transliterations that occur in this work are due to the different styles the studied scholars and citations use, which I cannot change. For example, “Sharia” will be found written in four forms: “Sharia” (in upper case), “sharia” (in lower case), “Shari‘ah” and “shari’a” (either in upper or lower case, besides the apostrophe of the Arabic letter ‘ayn). “Shahada” will be found also written as “Ash-Shahada.” “Jamal Eddine al- Afghani” will be found also referred to as “Jamal Ed-dine Afghani” or simply “Afghani.” Titles of books and sentences in Arabic do not start in upper case, except for terms like kalam, falsafa and fiqh that occur as titles of (sub-)sections. Translation All the translations from Arabic and French are mine, unless otherwise indicated. Referencing notes and titles of books are either in English, or in French, after their original titles are provided. Arabic original titles are provided in brackets when they are first referred to, and the subsequent citations from these titles are to the English translation, for ease of reference. The bibliography also provides the non-English titles translated and transliterated, instead of providing the Arabic scripts or listing the Arabic titles in a different category. “Primary sources” in the bibliography refers to the major texts studied in this work, and is not limited only to texts on “the” European Islam examined here; it also includes the supportive texts I have used, as my “methodological concerns” in the main introduction explain. Abbreviations Abbreviations in the acronym format are not used. Instead, shortened titles are opted for, to avoid the confusions titles bearing similar words may invoke. For example, Tibi’s Islam’s Predicament with Modernity: Religious Reform and Cultural Change is abbreviated as Islam’s Predicament in the repeated references to the same work. iv Bibliography and Index The “secondary sources” category in the bibliography lists some classic titles that are “primary” like al-Ghazali’s and Ibn Khaldun’s, or contemporary titles like al- Qaradawi’s. But since I refer to them just in passing or in a note, they appear in “secondary sources” list. Al-Attar’s Islamic Ethics, on the other hand, appears “primary” because I have used it substantially for the scholar it treats: Qadi Abd Aljabbar. I also provide an index for a detailed table of contents that lists sub-sections and entries that the introductory table of contents does not. Key Words Islam in Europe, European Islam, Euro-Islam, European Islamic Thought, European Muslims, Contemporary Islamic Thought, Arab-Islamic Renaissance, Reform, Kalam, Muʻtazila, Reason, Islamic Ethics, Sharia Law, Sharia Objectives, Social Justice, Islamic Modernity, Spiritual Modernity, Perpetual Modernity, Revelation, Political- Theology, Theosophy, Heir of God, Reasonable Comprehensive Doctrine, Overlapping Consensus, Reasonable Pluralism, Political Liberalism. © Submitted to LUISS University on 29 March 2013. v Acknowledgments This project is a beginning in my intellectual journey. I could not have pursued it without the support of many people that I unfortunately cannot all name here. They know who they are. For this particular work, I am very grateful to LUISS PhD programme in Political Theory for having supported this research with a scholarship for three years (XXV Cycle, 2010-2013). I especially express my sincere gratitude to my supervisors Professor Sebastiano Maffetone, head of the PhD programme and dean of the Faculty of Political Science, and Professor Francesca Corrao, chair of Arabic Studies and main mentor of this work, for their support of this work on numerous levels. Discussing this work with them in various stages of its development, and receiving their feedback was very inspiring and encouraging to me. I equally thank very much Prof Giovanni Orsina, head of the Master in European Studies (MES), Dr Christian Blasberg, Dr Daniele Santoro, and Prof Giuliano Amato, for having also encouraged me to work on this topic when I drafted it as a proposal few years ago. Thanks go also to all LUISS PhD team with which I often had inspiring discussions on religion, politics and part of this work. I especially name the ones who read some chapters of this work and sent valuable remarks: Dr Aakash Singh, Dr Domenico Melidoro, Dr Valentine Gentile, and Federica Liveriero. As to outside-LUISS contributors to this work, I first thank a lot Dr Jan Jaap de Ruiter, my external mentor, with whom I first worked on the idea of European Islam at the University of Tilburg in the Netherlands in summer 2010. A part of my fieldwork on Tariq Ramadan and Young Moroccan-Dutch Muslims is co-authored with him, which is referred to in the last section of this dissertation. I also thank Babylon Center for Multicultural Studies in Tilburg for some funding I received in conducting the fieldwork, which many other people around the Netherlands assisted me in during my questionnaire distribution and interviewing. Special thanks go also to Professor Jorgen Nielsen, head of the Center of European Islamic Thought (CEIT) at the University of Copenhagen, for having hosted me for a whole academic year (Sept. 2011 - Jun. 2012), and for having recently edited my article on Abdennour Bidar, which is originally a part of this dissertation, for The Journal of Muslims in Europe (JOME). I thank JOME anonymous editors for their fruitful comments
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Beginners Guides to the Religions and Beliefs Islam
    Beginners guides to the religions and beliefs Islam Teachers need subject knowledge to teach RE well. There is no substitute for this, and it is part of our professional responsibility. Any RE subject leader might use this set of support materials to help class teachers who are not expert in a religion they are going to teach. The guides to each religion here are very brief – just four or five pages usually, and carefully focused on what a teacher need to be reminded about. They are in danger of being trite or superficial, but perhaps are better than nothing. There is on every religion a wide introductory literature, and all teachers of RE will do their work better if they improve their knowledge by wider reading than is offered here. But perhaps it is worth giving these starting points to busy teachers. Note that no primary teacher needs to know about 6 religions – if you teach one year group, then two or three religions will be part of the syllabus for that year. In general terms, the following guidance points apply to teaching about any religion: 1. Respect. Speak with respect about the faith: any religion with tens of millions of followers is being studied because the people within the faith deserve our respect. 2. Diversity. Talk about ‘some / many /most’ believers, but not about ‘All believers’. Diversity is part of every religion. 3. Neutrality. Leave ‘insider language’ to insiders. A Sikh visitor can say ‘We believe...’ but teachers will do best to say ‘Many Sikhs believe’ or ‘many Christians believe...’ 4.
    [Show full text]
  • School of Humanities and Social Sciences Al-Ghazali's Integral
    School of Humanities and Social Sciences Al-Ghazali’s Integral Epistemology: A Critical Analysis of The Jewels of the Quran A Thesis Submitted to The Department of Arab and Islamic Civilization in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts by Amani Elshimi 000-88-0001 under the supervision of Dr. Mohamed Serag Professor of Islamic Studies Thesis readers: Dr. Steffen Stelzer Professor of Philosophy, The American University in Cairo Dr. Aliaa Rafea Professor of Sociology, Ain Shams University; Founder of The Human Foundation NGO May 2017 Acknowledgements First and foremost, Alhamdulillah - my gratitude to God for the knowledge, love, light and faith. My deepest thanks go to my supervisor and readers, whose individual passions and critical guidance helped shape my research perspective, sustain my sanity and boost my confidence - Dr. Mohamed Serag, who first initiated me into the scholarship of al- Ghazali and engaged me in eye-opening theological debates, Dr. Steffen Stelzer, whose academic expertise and personal sufi practice inspired my curiosity and touched me in deep spiritual ways, and Dr. Aliaa Rafea, who, through her lectures and practices, emphasized how the depths of meaning in the Quran can contribute to human development in contemporary times. Throughout this adventure, my colleagues and friends have been equally supportive - Soha Helwa and Wafaa Wali, in particular, have joined me in bouncing ideas back and forth to refine perspective and sustain rigor. Sincere appreciation and love goes to my family - my dear husband and children, whose unswerving support all these years has helped me grow in ways I yearned for, and never dreamed possible; and my siblings who constantly engaged me in discussion and critical analysis.
    [Show full text]
  • Hadith and Its Principles in the Early Days of Islam
    HADITH AND ITS PRINCIPLES IN THE EARLY DAYS OF ISLAM A CRITICAL STUDY OF A WESTERN APPROACH FATHIDDIN BEYANOUNI DEPARTMENT OF ARABIC AND ISLAMIC STUDIES UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW Thesis submitted for the degree of Ph.D. in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Glasgow 1994. © Fathiddin Beyanouni, 1994. ProQuest Number: 11007846 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 11007846 Published by ProQuest LLC(2018). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 M t&e name of &Jla&, Most ©racious, Most iKlercifuI “go take to&at tfje iHessenaer aikes you, an& refrain from to&at tie pro&tfuts you. &nO fear gJtati: for aft is strict in ftunis&ment”. ©Ut. It*. 7. CONTENTS Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................4 Abbreviations................................................................................................................ 5 Key to transliteration....................................................................6 A bstract............................................................................................................................7
    [Show full text]
  • Al-Ghazali's Integral Epistemology: a Critical Analysis of the Jewels of the Quran
    American University in Cairo AUC Knowledge Fountain Theses and Dissertations 6-1-2017 Al-Ghazali's integral epistemology: A critical analysis of the jewels of the Quran Amani Mohamed Elshimi Follow this and additional works at: https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds Recommended Citation APA Citation Elshimi, A. (2017).Al-Ghazali's integral epistemology: A critical analysis of the jewels of the Quran [Master’s thesis, the American University in Cairo]. AUC Knowledge Fountain. https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/618 MLA Citation Elshimi, Amani Mohamed. Al-Ghazali's integral epistemology: A critical analysis of the jewels of the Quran. 2017. American University in Cairo, Master's thesis. AUC Knowledge Fountain. https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/618 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by AUC Knowledge Fountain. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of AUC Knowledge Fountain. For more information, please contact [email protected]. School of Humanities and Social Sciences Al-Ghazali’s Integral Epistemology: A Critical Analysis of The Jewels of the Quran A Thesis Submitted to The Department of Arab and Islamic Civilization in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts by Amani Elshimi 000-88-0001 under the supervision of Dr. Mohamed Serag Professor of Islamic Studies Thesis readers: Dr. Steffen Stelzer Professor of Philosophy, The American University in Cairo Dr. Aliaa Rafea Professor of Sociology, Ain Shams University; Founder of The Human Foundation NGO May 2017 Acknowledgements First and foremost, Alhamdulillah - my gratitude to God for the knowledge, love, light and faith.
    [Show full text]
  • Complete Dissertation
    VU Research Portal Abraham in Narrative Worldviews: Doing Comparative Theology through Christian- Muslim Dialogue in Turkey Bristow, G.F.V. 2015 document version Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Link to publication in VU Research Portal citation for published version (APA) Bristow, G. F. V. (2015). Abraham in Narrative Worldviews: Doing Comparative Theology through Christian- Muslim Dialogue in Turkey. General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. E-mail address: [email protected] Download date: 03. Oct. 2021 VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT Abraham in Narrative Worldviews: Doing Comparative Theology through Christian-Muslim Dialogue in Turkey ACADEMISCH PROEFSCHRIFT ter verkrijging van de graad Doctor aan de Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, op gezag van de rector magnificus prof.dr. F.A. van der Duyn Schouten, in het openbaar te verdedigen ten overstaan van de promotiecommissie van de Faculteit der Godgeleerdheid op donderdag 28 mei, 2015 om 11.45 uur in de aula van de universiteit, De Boelelaan 1105 door George Farquhar Vance Bristow Jr geboren te Pennsylvania, Verenigde Staten promotoren: prof.dr.
    [Show full text]
  • The Public Sphere During the Later Abbasid Caliphate (1000- 1258 CE): the Role of Sufism
    The Public Sphere during the Later Abbasid Caliphate (1000- 1258 CE): The Role of Sufism Atta Muhammad Submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of Leeds School of Languages, Cultures, and Societies February 2020 2 The candidate confirms that the work submitted is his/her own and that appropriate credit has been given where reference has been made to the work of others. This copy has been supplied on the understanding that it is copyright material and that no quotation from the thesis may be published without proper acknowledgement. The right of Atta Muhammad to be identified as Author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. © 2019 The University of Leeds and Atta Muhammad 3 Acknowledgements I am thankful to Allah the Merciful for His Blessings, which helped me to complete this thesis. My heartfelt thanks go to my respected supervisor Dr. Fozia Bora for her persistent guidance and invaluable feedback. She has been a guiding star in every step of my research journey. Without her kind guidance and extra support and care, I would not have completed my research. My learning from her was not confined to her comments on my work but drew much inspiration from her many points of general wisdom. I am thankful to Dr. Hendrik Kraetzschmar, for his useful comments on my chapter which I presented for my transfer viva. I am also thankful to Dr. Mustapha Sheikh and Dr. Tajul Islam as they encouraged me at every step, and I had useful discussions with them.
    [Show full text]
  • The Muslim 500 2011
    The Muslim 500 � 2011 The Muslim The 500 The Muslim 500 � 2011 The Muslim The 500 The Muslim 500The The Muslim � 2011 500———————�——————— THE 500 MOST INFLUENTIAL MUSLIMS ———————�——————— � 2 011 � � THE 500 MOST � INFLUENTIAL MUSLIMS · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · All rights reserved. No part of this book may be repro- The Muslim 500: The 500 Most Influential Muslims duced or utilised in any form or by any means, electronic 2011 (First Edition) or mechanic, inclding photocopying or recording or by any ISBN: 978-9975-428-37-2 information storage and retrieval system, without the prior · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · written permission of the publisher. Views expressed in The Muslim 500 do not necessarily re- Chief Editor: Prof. S. Abdallah Schleifer flect those of RISSC or its advisory board. Researchers: Aftab Ahmed, Samir Ahmed, Zeinab Asfour, Photo of Abdul Hakim Murad provided courtesy of Aiysha Besim Bruncaj, Sulmaan Hanif, Lamya Al-Khraisha, and Malik. Mai Al-Khraisha Image Copyrights: #29 Bazuki Muhammad / Reuters (Page Designed & typeset by: Besim Bruncaj 75); #47 Wang zhou bj / AP (Page 84) Technical consultant: Simon Hart Calligraphy and ornaments throughout the book used courtesy of Irada (http://www.IradaArts.com). Special thanks to: Dr Joseph Lumbard, Amer Hamid, Sun- dus Kelani, Mohammad Husni Naghawai, and Basim Salim. English set in Garamond Premiere
    [Show full text]
  • Significance of Prophet Abraham in World Scriptures of Hebrew, Christian, Muslim and Hindu Religions
    Significance of Prophet Abraham in World Scriptures of Hebrew, Christian, Muslim and Hindu Religions The reader is forewarned that certain parts of this article may be considered as slightly graphic, as those parts explain for clarity, the actual ritualistic practices within paganism, regarding human sacrifice. These are almost unbelievable historical facts of common practice, which happened many thousands of years ago. Many times when any topic under discussion concerns Prophet Abraham, most people immediately relate Prophet Abraham to that incident, when he almost sacrificed his first-born son. Rarely do people analyse the absolute greatness of this prophet, as the Father of Humanity. This article goes deeper in appreciating that Prophet Abraham was the first prophet who pioneered the modern day concept of One God; and to do this he walked out on his sire1 after destroying all the idols, save one the chief idol and placed the axe next to the chief idol; Prophet Abraham wilfully left the chief idol intact to bear witness and to explain who destroyed the colony of idols in the pagan temple. His sire (who was also head priest over the idols)2 told Prophet Abraham not to be stupid, because the chief idol was a man-made, lifeless and powerless cold statue, sculptured out of stone; and that the idol could not see, hear, speak, feel or taste or have the powers of discretion to bear witness. Of course, Prophet Abraham told his sire not to worship such useless, powerless and defenceless idols. Thereafter he fought many skirmishes with so many of the idol worshiping communities, and he was also banished from his town of usual residence.
    [Show full text]
  • Transcendence of God
    TRANSCENDENCE OF GOD A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT AND THE QUR’AN BY STEPHEN MYONGSU KIM A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE PHILOSOPHIAE DOCTOR (PhD) IN BIBLICAL AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES IN THE FACULTY OF HUMANITIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA SUPERVISOR: PROF. DJ HUMAN CO-SUPERVISOR: PROF. PGJ MEIRING JUNE 2009 © University of Pretoria DEDICATION To my love, Miae our children Yein, Stephen, and David and the Peacemakers around the world. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First, I thank God for the opportunity and privilege to study the subject of divinity. Without acknowledging God’s grace, this study would be futile. I would like to thank my family for their outstanding tolerance of my late studies which takes away our family time. Without their support and kind endurance, I could not have completed this prolonged task. I am grateful to the staffs of University of Pretoria who have provided all the essential process of official matter. Without their kind help, my studies would have been difficult. Many thanks go to my fellow teachers in the Nairobi International School of Theology. I thank David and Sarah O’Brien for their painstaking proofreading of my thesis. Furthermore, I appreciate Dr Wayne Johnson and Dr Paul Mumo for their suggestions in my early stage of thesis writing. I also thank my students with whom I discussed and developed many insights of God’s relationship with mankind during the Hebrew Exegesis lectures. I also remember my former teachers from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, especially from the OT Department who have shaped my academic stand and inspired to pursue the subject of this thesis.
    [Show full text]
  • Post-Islamism a New Phase Or Ideological
    Post-Islamism A New Phase or Ideological Delusions? 2 Post - Islamism The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan The Deposit Number at The National Library (2018/12/6029) 324.2182 AbuRumman, Mohammad Suliman Post Islamism: A New Phase or Ideological Delusions?/ Mohammad Sulima- nAbuRumman; translated by William Joseph Ward. – Amman: Friedrich- Ebert-Stiftung, 2018 (232) p. Deposit No.: 2018/12/6029 Descriptors: /Religious Parties//Political Parties// Arab Countries/ ﻳﺘﺤﻤﻞ اﳌﺆﻟﻒ ﻛﺎﻣﻞ اﳌﺴﺆﻭﻟﻴﺔ اﻟﻘﺎﻧﻮﻧﻴﺔ ﻋﻦ ﳏﺘﻮ￯ ﻣﺼﻨﻔﻪ ﻭﻻ ﹼﻳﻌﱪ ﻫﺬا اﳌﺼﻨﻒ ﻋﻦ رأﻱ داﺋﺮة اﳌﻜﺘﺒﺔ اﻟﻮﻃﻨﻴﺔ أﻭ أﻱ ﺟﻬﺔ ﺣﻜﻮﻣﻴﺔ أﺧﺮ￯. Published in 2018 by Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Jordan & Iraq FES Jordan & Iraq P.O. Box 941876 Amman11194 Jordan Email:[email protected] Website:www.fes-jordan.org Not for Sale © FES Jordan & Iraq All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the publishers. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are solely those of the original author. They do not necessarily represent those of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung or the editor. Translation: Industry Arabic Cover design: Yousef Saraireh Lay-out: Eman Khattab Printing: Economic Press ISBN: 978-9957-484-91-0 Foreword 3 Post-Islamism A New Phase or Ideological Delusions? Editor: Dr. Mohammed Abu Rumman 4 Post - Islamism Foreword 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword 7 Introduction 9 Chapter 1 — Post-Islamism: Problems of the Term and Concept 21 Study 1: From Islamism to Post-Islamism: An Examination of Concepts and Theses, Hassan Abu Hanieh 23 Study 2: “Post-Islamism”: Lessons from Arab Revolutions, Luz Gómez 57 Study 3: The Failure of Political Islam: Ideological Delusions and Socio- logical Realities, Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • Journal of Religion & Society
    ISSN 1522-5668 Journal of Religion & Society The Kripke Center Volume 14 (2012) “Critical Islam” Debating/Negotiating Modernity Dilyana Mincheva, Trent University Abstract The intellectual discourse of Muslim elites born and educated in a Western environment gives impetus, sometimes not entirely consciously, to the debate on the critical potential of the public sphere. This new Islamic critique suggests that the Western public spheres lose their cohesive force and political thrust and practically dismantle into fragmented, disparate, and alienated discourses under increasing transnational pressures because they have never questioned their normative secular underpinnings. This new critical insight implies new modes of public participation and occasions a transformation of the traditional notion of public sphere as it has been described by prominent Western theoreticians of modernity (such as Jurgen Habermas). The debate between the classical Western approach to “public sphere” and modernity and the “new” Islamic critique of it (via Tariq Ramadan, Fethi Benslama, and Malek Chebel) is at the center of this paper. “Critical Islam” and the Public Sphere: Defining the Limits of Modernity [1] The relationship between reason embodied in contingent historical practices and reason as a universal category, has never ceased to be an important topic in the critical theories of the various disciplines within philosophy and social science. The discussion on the function of religion intensifies the theoretical debates for a number of reasons. On the one hand, reason has been recognized in the West as an internal purpose of all religions ever since the European Enlightenment’s assertion of the Cartesian rationality and the Kantian autonomy. On the other hand, in the modern age, deeply marked by the complex cultural, economic, and political processes of globalization, secularization, and cultural homogenization, religion appears to be the only refuge of difference, the true sanctuary of values and authenticity.
    [Show full text]
  • The Prospects of Political Islam in a Troubled Region Islamists and Post-Arab Spring Challenges
    The Prospects of Political Islam in a Troubled Region Islamists and Post-Arab Spring Challenges Editor Dr. Mohammed Abu Rumman The Prospects of Political Islam in a Troubled Region Islamists and Post-Arab Spring Challenges Editor Dr. Mohammed Abu Rumman 1 The Hashemite Kingdom Of Jordan The Deposit Number at The National Library (2018/2/529) 277 AbuRumman, Mohammad Suliman The Prospects Of Political Islam In A Troubled Region / Moham- mad Suliman Abu Rumman; Translated by William Joseph Ward. – Am- man: Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, 2018 (178) p. Deposit No.: 2018/2/529 Descriptors: /Politics//Islam/ يتحمل المؤلف كامل المسؤولية القانونية عن محتوى مصنفه وﻻ ّيعبر هذا المصنف عن رأي دائرة المكتبة الوطنية أو أي جهة حكومية أخرى. Published in 2018 by Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Jordan & Iraq FES Jordan & Iraq P.O. Box 941876 Amman 11194 Jordan Email: [email protected] Website:www.fes-jordan.org Not for sale © FES Jordan & Iraq All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the publishers. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are solely those of the original author. They do not necessarily represent those of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung or the editor. Translation: William Joseph Ward Cover and Lay-out: Mua’th Al Saied Printing: Economic Press ISBN: 978-9957-484-80-4 2 The Prospects of Political Islam in a Troubled Region Islamists and Post-Arab Spring Challenges Contributed Authors Dr. Mohammed Abu Rumman Dr. Khalil Anani Dr. Neven Bondokji Hassan Abu Hanieh Dr.
    [Show full text]