Azzam S. Tamimi
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195140002
- eISBN:
- 9780199834723
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195140001.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, Islam
Islamic society is a civil society, one that has been undermined by the enforced process of secularization, thus impairing its ability to sustain a genuine process of democratization.Like John Keane, ...
More
Islamic society is a civil society, one that has been undermined by the enforced process of secularization, thus impairing its ability to sustain a genuine process of democratization.Like John Keane, El‐Affandi, and others Ghannouchi takes issue with Ernest Gellner in his refusal to include Islamic society within the category of a civil society.Islamic law and faith both play a vital role in civilizing and pacifying individuals.The Islamic concept of taqwa (the fear of God) motivates citizens to be law‐abiding individuals, thus reducing the cost to both state and society.Contrary to the effect of Islam, secularism is seen as a major contributor to much of the brutality that human societies suffer from.Less
Islamic society is a civil society, one that has been undermined by the enforced process of secularization, thus impairing its ability to sustain a genuine process of democratization.
Like John Keane, El‐Affandi, and others Ghannouchi takes issue with Ernest Gellner in his refusal to include Islamic society within the category of a civil society.
Islamic law and faith both play a vital role in civilizing and pacifying individuals.
The Islamic concept of taqwa (the fear of God) motivates citizens to be law‐abiding individuals, thus reducing the cost to both state and society.
Contrary to the effect of Islam, secularism is seen as a major contributor to much of the brutality that human societies suffer from.
Sara Roy
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691159676
- eISBN:
- 9781400848942
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691159676.003.0003
- Subject:
- History, Middle East History
This chapter presents a conceptual framework for ideas about Islamic civil society and explores the meaning of civil society to Islamists themselves. An Islamic civil society does not differ in ...
More
This chapter presents a conceptual framework for ideas about Islamic civil society and explores the meaning of civil society to Islamists themselves. An Islamic civil society does not differ in certain ways from a non-Islamic or secular civil society but embraces some of the same values (e.g., civility, tolerance) and roles (e.g., independent entities compensating for the deficiencies of the state). Another prominent theme is that Islam, both as a religion and as an expression of cultural identity, should not be relegated solely to the private sphere but should also be situated squarely in the public sphere. A third theme stressed compatibility between Islam and civil society, arguing that Islam contains all the requisite elements to form a civil society and that traditional Islamic society was indeed a version of civil society.Less
This chapter presents a conceptual framework for ideas about Islamic civil society and explores the meaning of civil society to Islamists themselves. An Islamic civil society does not differ in certain ways from a non-Islamic or secular civil society but embraces some of the same values (e.g., civility, tolerance) and roles (e.g., independent entities compensating for the deficiencies of the state). Another prominent theme is that Islam, both as a religion and as an expression of cultural identity, should not be relegated solely to the private sphere but should also be situated squarely in the public sphere. A third theme stressed compatibility between Islam and civil society, arguing that Islam contains all the requisite elements to form a civil society and that traditional Islamic society was indeed a version of civil society.
Larbi Sadiki
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- May 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199562985
- eISBN:
- 9780191721182
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199562985.003.0002
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics, Democratization
Stressing an interpretive method, this chapter seeks to rethink democratization in the context of the Arab Middle East. It highlights the fierce contests and counter-contests of Western ...
More
Stressing an interpretive method, this chapter seeks to rethink democratization in the context of the Arab Middle East. It highlights the fierce contests and counter-contests of Western democratization theory. Its interrogation of the ‘transition paradigm’ and ‘third wave’ democratization is based on reference to the key voices in the field. Against this background the chapter looks at the complexity involved in transposing the conventional wisdom and dogmas of such a theory to the Arab context. Interrogation is doubly fierce when ‘word’ (theory) meets ‘world’ (context, practice). A key conclusion is that it is difficult to ‘normativize’ Western democratization theory, suggesting alternative and critical ways of how to treat Western transitology in its ‘travel’ to the Arab context, and noting the ‘open-endedness’ and ‘complexity’ of Arab transitions.Less
Stressing an interpretive method, this chapter seeks to rethink democratization in the context of the Arab Middle East. It highlights the fierce contests and counter-contests of Western democratization theory. Its interrogation of the ‘transition paradigm’ and ‘third wave’ democratization is based on reference to the key voices in the field. Against this background the chapter looks at the complexity involved in transposing the conventional wisdom and dogmas of such a theory to the Arab context. Interrogation is doubly fierce when ‘word’ (theory) meets ‘world’ (context, practice). A key conclusion is that it is difficult to ‘normativize’ Western democratization theory, suggesting alternative and critical ways of how to treat Western transitology in its ‘travel’ to the Arab context, and noting the ‘open-endedness’ and ‘complexity’ of Arab transitions.
Michael W. Dols
- Published in print:
- 1992
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198202219
- eISBN:
- 9780191675218
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198202219.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, World Medieval History, History of Science, Technology, and Medicine
This is a study of madness in the medieval Islamic world. Using a wide variety of sources from history, literature, and art, the book explores beliefs about madness in Islamic society and examines ...
More
This is a study of madness in the medieval Islamic world. Using a wide variety of sources from history, literature, and art, the book explores beliefs about madness in Islamic society and examines attitudes towards individuals afflicted by mental illness or disability. The book demonstrates the links between Christian and Muslim medical beliefs and practices, and traces the influence of certain Christian beliefs, such as miracle working, on Islamic practices. It analyses the notions of the romantic fool, the wise fool, and the holy fool in medieval Islam within the framework of perceptions of mental illness, and shows that the madman was not regarded as a pariah, an outcast, or a scapegoat. This book's examination of magic, medicine, and religion helps to open up our understanding of medieval Islamic society.Less
This is a study of madness in the medieval Islamic world. Using a wide variety of sources from history, literature, and art, the book explores beliefs about madness in Islamic society and examines attitudes towards individuals afflicted by mental illness or disability. The book demonstrates the links between Christian and Muslim medical beliefs and practices, and traces the influence of certain Christian beliefs, such as miracle working, on Islamic practices. It analyses the notions of the romantic fool, the wise fool, and the holy fool in medieval Islam within the framework of perceptions of mental illness, and shows that the madman was not regarded as a pariah, an outcast, or a scapegoat. This book's examination of magic, medicine, and religion helps to open up our understanding of medieval Islamic society.
Michael W. Dols and Diana E. Immisch
- Published in print:
- 1992
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198202219
- eISBN:
- 9780191675218
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198202219.003.0016
- Subject:
- History, World Medieval History, History of Science, Technology, and Medicine
This chapter examines the legal status of Islamic state in dealing with the menace of insanity. From the point of view of social welfare, the most striking fact about medieval Islamic societies was ...
More
This chapter examines the legal status of Islamic state in dealing with the menace of insanity. From the point of view of social welfare, the most striking fact about medieval Islamic societies was the lack of public institutions and services for the poor and disabled. It lacked the basic juridical/political concepts of the state, municipality, and publicness. The term dawla in the medieval period did not have the modern meaning of a ‘state’ but rather a ‘dynasty’ or it referred to the Islamic world in general. Secondly, the city had no legal status, nor did the concept of a corporation exist in the medieval period that could define an urban collectivity or any association within it. In the absence of government responsibility for public welfare, direct personal charity was crucial, especially for the chronically sick such as the insane.Less
This chapter examines the legal status of Islamic state in dealing with the menace of insanity. From the point of view of social welfare, the most striking fact about medieval Islamic societies was the lack of public institutions and services for the poor and disabled. It lacked the basic juridical/political concepts of the state, municipality, and publicness. The term dawla in the medieval period did not have the modern meaning of a ‘state’ but rather a ‘dynasty’ or it referred to the Islamic world in general. Secondly, the city had no legal status, nor did the concept of a corporation exist in the medieval period that could define an urban collectivity or any association within it. In the absence of government responsibility for public welfare, direct personal charity was crucial, especially for the chronically sick such as the insane.
Michael W. Dols and Diana E. Immisch
- Published in print:
- 1992
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198202219
- eISBN:
- 9780191675218
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198202219.003.0001
- Subject:
- History, World Medieval History, History of Science, Technology, and Medicine
Whether madness is treatable or transcendental, tragic or trivial, it evokes much interest among scholars because the insane challenge the everyday assumptions about reason and normality and test the ...
More
Whether madness is treatable or transcendental, tragic or trivial, it evokes much interest among scholars because the insane challenge the everyday assumptions about reason and normality and test the bonds of social organization. This chapter deals with the historical investigation of insanity in medieval Islamic society and discusses the three major reasons behind this challenge. Briefly, there are three principal interpretations of mental illness, which have been adopted as the framework for this study. The traditional disease model is the most familiar and widespread; it regards mental illness as a pathological condition, specifically as a dysfunction of the brain. This chapter also presents in brief the theme and purpose of each of the subsequent chapters in this book.Less
Whether madness is treatable or transcendental, tragic or trivial, it evokes much interest among scholars because the insane challenge the everyday assumptions about reason and normality and test the bonds of social organization. This chapter deals with the historical investigation of insanity in medieval Islamic society and discusses the three major reasons behind this challenge. Briefly, there are three principal interpretations of mental illness, which have been adopted as the framework for this study. The traditional disease model is the most familiar and widespread; it regards mental illness as a pathological condition, specifically as a dysfunction of the brain. This chapter also presents in brief the theme and purpose of each of the subsequent chapters in this book.
Adrian Gully
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780748633739
- eISBN:
- 9780748653133
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Edinburgh University Press
- DOI:
- 10.3366/edinburgh/9780748633739.001.0001
- Subject:
- Society and Culture, Middle Eastern Studies
Writing letters was an important component of intellectual life in the Middle Islamic period, telling us much about the cultural history of pre-modern Islamic society. This book offers an analysis of ...
More
Writing letters was an important component of intellectual life in the Middle Islamic period, telling us much about the cultural history of pre-modern Islamic society. This book offers an analysis of letter-writing, focusing on the notion of the power of the pen. The author looks at the wider context of epistolography, relating it to the power structures of Islamic society in that period, and also attempts to identify some of the similarities and differences between Muslim modes of letter-writing and those of western cultures. One of the strengths of the book is that it is based on a wide range of primary Arabic sources, thus reflecting the broader epistemological importance of letter-writing in Islamic society. The book evaluates the background to letter-writing as the principal representation of state documents and communication; takes a close look at the literary principles employed in that process; considers the important social and intellectual role of the secretary and how he fitted into the power structure of Islamic society during this period; argues that the voluminous collections of letters, written mainly in artistic prose, can be classified as an epistolary genre in their own right; and shows that Islamic letter-writing was very culture specific.Less
Writing letters was an important component of intellectual life in the Middle Islamic period, telling us much about the cultural history of pre-modern Islamic society. This book offers an analysis of letter-writing, focusing on the notion of the power of the pen. The author looks at the wider context of epistolography, relating it to the power structures of Islamic society in that period, and also attempts to identify some of the similarities and differences between Muslim modes of letter-writing and those of western cultures. One of the strengths of the book is that it is based on a wide range of primary Arabic sources, thus reflecting the broader epistemological importance of letter-writing in Islamic society. The book evaluates the background to letter-writing as the principal representation of state documents and communication; takes a close look at the literary principles employed in that process; considers the important social and intellectual role of the secretary and how he fitted into the power structure of Islamic society during this period; argues that the voluminous collections of letters, written mainly in artistic prose, can be classified as an epistolary genre in their own right; and shows that Islamic letter-writing was very culture specific.
Adil Hussain Khan
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- January 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780748696888
- eISBN:
- 9781474412230
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Edinburgh University Press
- DOI:
- 10.3366/edinburgh/9780748696888.003.0004
- Subject:
- Sociology, Sociology of Religion
This chapter discusses the first Muslim organisations and mosque communities established in Ireland before mass immigration began in the mid-1990s. Starting with the first Muslim organisation, the ...
More
This chapter discusses the first Muslim organisations and mosque communities established in Ireland before mass immigration began in the mid-1990s. Starting with the first Muslim organisation, the Dublin Islamic Society, established by South African students in 1959, the chapter illustrates how an initially local initiative was increasingly connected to transnational networks such as the Muslim Brotherhood in order to secure funding for the expansion of their activities and the purchase of adequate mosque space. The Dublin Islamic Society, renamed to the Islamic Foundation of Ireland in 1990 in order to demonstrate its role as representative Muslim umbrella organisation, also acts as patron of the two Muslim primary schools in Dublin, the first of which was established in 1990s and the second in 2001.Less
This chapter discusses the first Muslim organisations and mosque communities established in Ireland before mass immigration began in the mid-1990s. Starting with the first Muslim organisation, the Dublin Islamic Society, established by South African students in 1959, the chapter illustrates how an initially local initiative was increasingly connected to transnational networks such as the Muslim Brotherhood in order to secure funding for the expansion of their activities and the purchase of adequate mosque space. The Dublin Islamic Society, renamed to the Islamic Foundation of Ireland in 1990 in order to demonstrate its role as representative Muslim umbrella organisation, also acts as patron of the two Muslim primary schools in Dublin, the first of which was established in 1990s and the second in 2001.
Joel Mokyr
- Published in print:
- 1992
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195074772
- eISBN:
- 9780199854981
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195074772.003.0003
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Development, Growth, and Environmental
This chapter discusses the medieval Western technology that drew from classical antiquity, Islamic and Asian societies, and its own original creativity. It observes that diffusion of new technology ...
More
This chapter discusses the medieval Western technology that drew from classical antiquity, Islamic and Asian societies, and its own original creativity. It observes that diffusion of new technology was usually slow, and that the old techniques often stubbornly survived and coexisted with the new for decades and even centuries. The chapter notes that in terms of direct contribution to aggregate output, changes in agricultural technology were particularly important, as the bulk of the population was engaged in farming. It also discusses energy utilization as the second area in which early medieval Europe was successful. The chapter notes that wind power had been used in sailing ships, but had not been harnessed in the West in other ways until the first windmills were built there in the twelfth century. In waterpower, radical improvements came early, and during the Merovingian and Carolingan eras, better and bigger waterwheels spread through Europe.Less
This chapter discusses the medieval Western technology that drew from classical antiquity, Islamic and Asian societies, and its own original creativity. It observes that diffusion of new technology was usually slow, and that the old techniques often stubbornly survived and coexisted with the new for decades and even centuries. The chapter notes that in terms of direct contribution to aggregate output, changes in agricultural technology were particularly important, as the bulk of the population was engaged in farming. It also discusses energy utilization as the second area in which early medieval Europe was successful. The chapter notes that wind power had been used in sailing ships, but had not been harnessed in the West in other ways until the first windmills were built there in the twelfth century. In waterpower, radical improvements came early, and during the Merovingian and Carolingan eras, better and bigger waterwheels spread through Europe.
Jocelyne Dakhlia
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- May 2019
- ISBN:
- 9780226584645
- eISBN:
- 9780226584812
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226584812.003.0008
- Subject:
- History, Historiography
Nowhere was Hodgson’s thought so dazzling as in Venture of Islam of gender and sexuality in Islamic societies. So concludes Jocelyne Dakhlia in her surprising consideration of Hodgson’s approach. ...
More
Nowhere was Hodgson’s thought so dazzling as in Venture of Islam of gender and sexuality in Islamic societies. So concludes Jocelyne Dakhlia in her surprising consideration of Hodgson’s approach. Given the dominant essentialist mode under which gender and sexuality in Islam is most often viewed, all ahistorical binaries and patriarchal nudgings, this is surprising in more than one respect. As with many topics in VOI, Hodgson's thought was both original and deep. To start with, Dakhlia introduces us to Hodgson’s distinction between what he calls the hierarchical basis of the Western household, and the egalitarian and contractual basis of the Muslim one. Dakhlia suggests that the systematic character of Hodgson’s thought pushed him to develop his views on all aspects of Islamic belief and practice more deeply than others. As a result, his thought continues to have a resonance with present day feminist theory. Otherwise Hodgson in other respects subject the governing strictures that render opaque certain aspects of the thought of previous generations, it remains surprisingly current in others. In its exploration of Hodgson’s views on gender and sexuality, Dakhlia’s chapter is one of the most challenging in this book.Less
Nowhere was Hodgson’s thought so dazzling as in Venture of Islam of gender and sexuality in Islamic societies. So concludes Jocelyne Dakhlia in her surprising consideration of Hodgson’s approach. Given the dominant essentialist mode under which gender and sexuality in Islam is most often viewed, all ahistorical binaries and patriarchal nudgings, this is surprising in more than one respect. As with many topics in VOI, Hodgson's thought was both original and deep. To start with, Dakhlia introduces us to Hodgson’s distinction between what he calls the hierarchical basis of the Western household, and the egalitarian and contractual basis of the Muslim one. Dakhlia suggests that the systematic character of Hodgson’s thought pushed him to develop his views on all aspects of Islamic belief and practice more deeply than others. As a result, his thought continues to have a resonance with present day feminist theory. Otherwise Hodgson in other respects subject the governing strictures that render opaque certain aspects of the thought of previous generations, it remains surprisingly current in others. In its exploration of Hodgson’s views on gender and sexuality, Dakhlia’s chapter is one of the most challenging in this book.
Christian Lange and Maribel Fierro
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780748637317
- eISBN:
- 9780748653164
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Edinburgh University Press
- DOI:
- 10.3366/edinburgh/9780748637317.001.0001
- Subject:
- Society and Culture, Middle Eastern Studies
This exploration of the role of violence in the history of Islamic societies considers the subject particularly in the context of its implementation as a political strategy to claim power over the ...
More
This exploration of the role of violence in the history of Islamic societies considers the subject particularly in the context of its implementation as a political strategy to claim power over the public sphere. Violence, both among Muslims and between Muslims and non-Muslims, has been the object of research in the past, as in the case of jihad, martyrdom, rebellion or criminal law. This book goes beyond these concerns in addressing, in a comprehensive and cross-disciplinary fashion, how violence has functioned as a basic principle of Islamic social and political organization in a variety of historical and geographical contexts. Contributions trace the use of violence by governments in the history of Islam, shed light on legal views of violence, and discuss artistic and religious responses. Authors lay out a spectrum of attitudes rather than trying to define an Islamic doctrine of violence. Bringing together some of the most substantive and innovative scholarship on this important topic to date, this volume contributes to the growing interest, both scholarly and general, in the question of Muslim attitudes toward violence, highlighting the complexity of this topic and the diversity of Muslim attitudes toward violence, and offering an overview of the economy of violence under the various dynasties that shaped the history of Islamic civilization.Less
This exploration of the role of violence in the history of Islamic societies considers the subject particularly in the context of its implementation as a political strategy to claim power over the public sphere. Violence, both among Muslims and between Muslims and non-Muslims, has been the object of research in the past, as in the case of jihad, martyrdom, rebellion or criminal law. This book goes beyond these concerns in addressing, in a comprehensive and cross-disciplinary fashion, how violence has functioned as a basic principle of Islamic social and political organization in a variety of historical and geographical contexts. Contributions trace the use of violence by governments in the history of Islam, shed light on legal views of violence, and discuss artistic and religious responses. Authors lay out a spectrum of attitudes rather than trying to define an Islamic doctrine of violence. Bringing together some of the most substantive and innovative scholarship on this important topic to date, this volume contributes to the growing interest, both scholarly and general, in the question of Muslim attitudes toward violence, highlighting the complexity of this topic and the diversity of Muslim attitudes toward violence, and offering an overview of the economy of violence under the various dynasties that shaped the history of Islamic civilization.
Metin M. CoTgel (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- June 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780804772730
- eISBN:
- 9780804777612
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Stanford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.11126/stanford/9780804772730.003.0008
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Development, Growth, and Environmental
This chapter examines the role played by the legal-religious community and its interaction with state and society in the Islamic world. From the early development of these societies onward, a ...
More
This chapter examines the role played by the legal-religious community and its interaction with state and society in the Islamic world. From the early development of these societies onward, a specialized, cohesive group of interpreters of Islamic law and religion emerged, which held a key position in these societies because of their power of interpretation and adjudication of law. However, the Ottomans added distinct elements to their relation with the legal community by raising its status in the populace while at the same time bringing it under their control by claiming the right to appoint chief judges and chief juries consult to manage the entire legal hierarchy. The convergence and divergence of interests among these agents led to the adoption or nonadoption of certain innovations.Less
This chapter examines the role played by the legal-religious community and its interaction with state and society in the Islamic world. From the early development of these societies onward, a specialized, cohesive group of interpreters of Islamic law and religion emerged, which held a key position in these societies because of their power of interpretation and adjudication of law. However, the Ottomans added distinct elements to their relation with the legal community by raising its status in the populace while at the same time bringing it under their control by claiming the right to appoint chief judges and chief juries consult to manage the entire legal hierarchy. The convergence and divergence of interests among these agents led to the adoption or nonadoption of certain innovations.
LAWRENCE ROSEN
- Published in print:
- 2000
- Published Online:
- January 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780198298854
- eISBN:
- 9780191707452
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198298854.003.0001
- Subject:
- Law, Comparative Law
This chapter outlines the cultural context of Islamic law. It shows that the central feature — the constant negotiation of social ties — is vital to understanding both Islamic law and society. ...
More
This chapter outlines the cultural context of Islamic law. It shows that the central feature — the constant negotiation of social ties — is vital to understanding both Islamic law and society. Specific examples that will be treated in more detail in the succeeding chapters are introduced.Less
This chapter outlines the cultural context of Islamic law. It shows that the central feature — the constant negotiation of social ties — is vital to understanding both Islamic law and society. Specific examples that will be treated in more detail in the succeeding chapters are introduced.
Adrian Gully
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780748633739
- eISBN:
- 9780748653133
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Edinburgh University Press
- DOI:
- 10.3366/edinburgh/9780748633739.003.0004
- Subject:
- Society and Culture, Middle Eastern Studies
This chapter attempts to show how the secretarial profession was viewed in pre-modern Islamic society and how the secretaries have sought to promote their discipline to ensure that it will have an ...
More
This chapter attempts to show how the secretarial profession was viewed in pre-modern Islamic society and how the secretaries have sought to promote their discipline to ensure that it will have an equal footing among other Islamic and humanistic disciplines. It focuses on the influential role of the secretary in the administration of state affairs in accordance with some of the fundamentals of his background and status.Less
This chapter attempts to show how the secretarial profession was viewed in pre-modern Islamic society and how the secretaries have sought to promote their discipline to ensure that it will have an equal footing among other Islamic and humanistic disciplines. It focuses on the influential role of the secretary in the administration of state affairs in accordance with some of the fundamentals of his background and status.
James Toth
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- May 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199790883
- eISBN:
- 9780199332601
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199790883.003.0008
- Subject:
- Religion, Islam
Chapter eight discusses the Islamic society – an ideal abstraction similar to Max Weber’s ideal type – and the Islamic system – a coherent, ordered statement of doctrines. The Islamic society is ...
More
Chapter eight discusses the Islamic society – an ideal abstraction similar to Max Weber’s ideal type – and the Islamic system – a coherent, ordered statement of doctrines. The Islamic society is often called the “umma,” or Islamic community. Its membership is controversial – who constitutes a true Muslim believer and practitioner - especially under the influence of kharijism’s intolerant exclusiveness. Qutb uses the Islamic system didactically as he contrasts Islam against other doctrines such as secularism, modernity, nationalism, capitalism, socialism, communism, and democracy – in order to understand how exactly how these various doctrinal systems fail to match the beauty and perfection of Islam. The Islamic system reflects a definition constructed more by what it is against than what it is for. The key issue becomes a question of loyalty and devotion: those in the Islamic community correctly worship God; those in those communities defined by the other doctrines are erroneously faithful to other (and therefore false) deities.Less
Chapter eight discusses the Islamic society – an ideal abstraction similar to Max Weber’s ideal type – and the Islamic system – a coherent, ordered statement of doctrines. The Islamic society is often called the “umma,” or Islamic community. Its membership is controversial – who constitutes a true Muslim believer and practitioner - especially under the influence of kharijism’s intolerant exclusiveness. Qutb uses the Islamic system didactically as he contrasts Islam against other doctrines such as secularism, modernity, nationalism, capitalism, socialism, communism, and democracy – in order to understand how exactly how these various doctrinal systems fail to match the beauty and perfection of Islam. The Islamic system reflects a definition constructed more by what it is against than what it is for. The key issue becomes a question of loyalty and devotion: those in the Islamic community correctly worship God; those in those communities defined by the other doctrines are erroneously faithful to other (and therefore false) deities.
Jamal J. Elias
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- September 2018
- ISBN:
- 9780520290075
- eISBN:
- 9780520964402
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520290075.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Islam
This book explores the emotional space occupied by children in modern Islamic societies. Focusing on visual representations of children, primarily from modern Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan, it examines ...
More
This book explores the emotional space occupied by children in modern Islamic societies. Focusing on visual representations of children, primarily from modern Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan, it examines important concepts ranging from cuteness, innocence, devotion, violence, and sacrifice to emotion, aspiration, virtue, performance, nationhood, community, and gender. It grounds the study of the visual representation of children in a concise treatment of the history of childhood, education, and religion, as well as the national histories of the societies in question. In addition to exploring a topic that has never been studied comparatively before, it extends the boundaries of scholarship on emotion, religion, and visual culture, arguing for the centrality of conceptions of childhood to adult intentionalities at a societal level. It demonstrates the ways in which emotion is enacted in a sociocultural space that one might call an emotional habitus, ecosystem, or an emotional regime. It also uses the concept of an aesthetic social imagination to explain how public emotional acts shape the lives of more than the individual who enacts them. Emotions are kinetic and directional, directed inward at the individual's sense of self at the same time as they are directed at other members of society. This quality allows them to function morally as well as aspirationally.Less
This book explores the emotional space occupied by children in modern Islamic societies. Focusing on visual representations of children, primarily from modern Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan, it examines important concepts ranging from cuteness, innocence, devotion, violence, and sacrifice to emotion, aspiration, virtue, performance, nationhood, community, and gender. It grounds the study of the visual representation of children in a concise treatment of the history of childhood, education, and religion, as well as the national histories of the societies in question. In addition to exploring a topic that has never been studied comparatively before, it extends the boundaries of scholarship on emotion, religion, and visual culture, arguing for the centrality of conceptions of childhood to adult intentionalities at a societal level. It demonstrates the ways in which emotion is enacted in a sociocultural space that one might call an emotional habitus, ecosystem, or an emotional regime. It also uses the concept of an aesthetic social imagination to explain how public emotional acts shape the lives of more than the individual who enacts them. Emotions are kinetic and directional, directed inward at the individual's sense of self at the same time as they are directed at other members of society. This quality allows them to function morally as well as aspirationally.
Teresa Bernheimer
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- May 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780748638475
- eISBN:
- 9780748693894
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Edinburgh University Press
- DOI:
- 10.3366/edinburgh/9780748638475.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Islam
This introductory chapter sets out the book's purpose, which is to provide a social history of the ʻAlids in the crucial five centuries from the ʻAbbāsid Revolution to the Saljūqs (second/eighth to ...
More
This introductory chapter sets out the book's purpose, which is to provide a social history of the ʻAlids in the crucial five centuries from the ʻAbbāsid Revolution to the Saljūqs (second/eighth to sixth/twelfth centuries). Due to the richness of the source material, this study focuses especially on the eastern part of the Islamic world. The chapter then provides definitions of terms used throughout the book; a historical overview of the ʻAlid family; and reviews studies the role of the Prophet's family in Muslim societies. An overview of the subsequent chapters is also presented.Less
This introductory chapter sets out the book's purpose, which is to provide a social history of the ʻAlids in the crucial five centuries from the ʻAbbāsid Revolution to the Saljūqs (second/eighth to sixth/twelfth centuries). Due to the richness of the source material, this study focuses especially on the eastern part of the Islamic world. The chapter then provides definitions of terms used throughout the book; a historical overview of the ʻAlid family; and reviews studies the role of the Prophet's family in Muslim societies. An overview of the subsequent chapters is also presented.
Zoltán Szombathy
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780748637317
- eISBN:
- 9780748653164
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Edinburgh University Press
- DOI:
- 10.3366/edinburgh/9780748637317.003.0005
- Subject:
- Society and Culture, Middle Eastern Studies
This chapter discusses the genre of hijā or invective poetry, a cultural phenomenon characteristic of the pre-Islamic Arabian society. It had a special significance in the context of rivalry and ...
More
This chapter discusses the genre of hijā or invective poetry, a cultural phenomenon characteristic of the pre-Islamic Arabian society. It had a special significance in the context of rivalry and tribal conflicts, and was by no means considered sinful or reprehensible even though it was recognized as a form of aggressive challenge. However, this popular attitude towards hijā changed with the dominance of Islamic values that centred on the brotherhood of all Muslims and condemned unnecessary conflict, malevolence and slander. This change resulted in disapproval of the invective poetry, however there was no clear-cut norm for proper manner of reacting to the challenge of hijā. There were various possibilities of response available for the offended person, ranging from extremely violent retaliation to deliberate inaction. Both of these responses might be approved or disapproved by the public and depended on the circumstances and the various interpretations of the antagonist's motives. In this chapter, the focus is on the types of reaction to lampoons. These include: naqā'id exchanges or counter-invective poems, imprisonment of the author of hijā and murder of the poet. The two normative codes of informing ideals of conduct among medieval Mislim Arab elite are discussed as well. These are: the traditional ‘code’ of honour and the ‘code’ based on the legal and ethical precepts of Islam.Less
This chapter discusses the genre of hijā or invective poetry, a cultural phenomenon characteristic of the pre-Islamic Arabian society. It had a special significance in the context of rivalry and tribal conflicts, and was by no means considered sinful or reprehensible even though it was recognized as a form of aggressive challenge. However, this popular attitude towards hijā changed with the dominance of Islamic values that centred on the brotherhood of all Muslims and condemned unnecessary conflict, malevolence and slander. This change resulted in disapproval of the invective poetry, however there was no clear-cut norm for proper manner of reacting to the challenge of hijā. There were various possibilities of response available for the offended person, ranging from extremely violent retaliation to deliberate inaction. Both of these responses might be approved or disapproved by the public and depended on the circumstances and the various interpretations of the antagonist's motives. In this chapter, the focus is on the types of reaction to lampoons. These include: naqā'id exchanges or counter-invective poems, imprisonment of the author of hijā and murder of the poet. The two normative codes of informing ideals of conduct among medieval Mislim Arab elite are discussed as well. These are: the traditional ‘code’ of honour and the ‘code’ based on the legal and ethical precepts of Islam.
Teresa Bernheimer
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- May 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780748638475
- eISBN:
- 9780748693894
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Edinburgh University Press
- DOI:
- 10.3366/edinburgh/9780748638475.003.0003
- Subject:
- Religion, Islam
This chapter discusses the ʻAlids' financial privileges, false claimants to ʻAlid status, and the ʻAlids' marriage patterns. It shows that as they rose to the top of the hierarchy of Muslim society, ...
More
This chapter discusses the ʻAlids' financial privileges, false claimants to ʻAlid status, and the ʻAlids' marriage patterns. It shows that as they rose to the top of the hierarchy of Muslim society, the ʻAlids increasingly married within the family; even though there is little in Shiʻite or Sunni law to restrict explicitly marriage choices, ʻAlid women came overwhelmingly to marry ʻAlid men. Maternal lineage also mattered, much more than is usually accounted for. Cognate relations formed the basis of social and political alliances and could determine and explain the behaviour of a clan. Marriage patterns reveal the internal workings of the ʻAlids more clearly than any other accounts.Less
This chapter discusses the ʻAlids' financial privileges, false claimants to ʻAlid status, and the ʻAlids' marriage patterns. It shows that as they rose to the top of the hierarchy of Muslim society, the ʻAlids increasingly married within the family; even though there is little in Shiʻite or Sunni law to restrict explicitly marriage choices, ʻAlid women came overwhelmingly to marry ʻAlid men. Maternal lineage also mattered, much more than is usually accounted for. Cognate relations formed the basis of social and political alliances and could determine and explain the behaviour of a clan. Marriage patterns reveal the internal workings of the ʻAlids more clearly than any other accounts.
Teresa Bernheimer
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- May 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780748638475
- eISBN:
- 9780748693894
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Edinburgh University Press
- DOI:
- 10.3366/edinburgh/9780748638475.003.0002
- Subject:
- Religion, Islam
This chapter discusses Ṭālibid genealogies as the historiographic footprint of the emergence of the Prophet's descendants as the First Family of Islam. Written mostly by and for the family of the ...
More
This chapter discusses Ṭālibid genealogies as the historiographic footprint of the emergence of the Prophet's descendants as the First Family of Islam. Written mostly by and for the family of the Prophet, these works reflect not only a ‘changing notion of nobility’ but also an increasing concern with defining the boundaries of an elite group. In terms of content, the genealogies are certainly selective regarding whom they include, yet in contrast to many other sources that focus on one or another group of ʻAlids — the historical chronicles focusing mainly on the rebels and some government supporters, the rijāl works on the scholars, and the local histories on the ʻAlids (who are often also scholars) in a particular region — they are inclusive, giving the names, at least, of the Prophet's alleged kin regardless of background. The Ṭālibid genealogies are most comprehensive on the ʻAlids in the eastern part of the Islamic world, because this is where the authors themselves were mostly based.Less
This chapter discusses Ṭālibid genealogies as the historiographic footprint of the emergence of the Prophet's descendants as the First Family of Islam. Written mostly by and for the family of the Prophet, these works reflect not only a ‘changing notion of nobility’ but also an increasing concern with defining the boundaries of an elite group. In terms of content, the genealogies are certainly selective regarding whom they include, yet in contrast to many other sources that focus on one or another group of ʻAlids — the historical chronicles focusing mainly on the rebels and some government supporters, the rijāl works on the scholars, and the local histories on the ʻAlids (who are often also scholars) in a particular region — they are inclusive, giving the names, at least, of the Prophet's alleged kin regardless of background. The Ṭālibid genealogies are most comprehensive on the ʻAlids in the eastern part of the Islamic world, because this is where the authors themselves were mostly based.
