Islamic Diversity

Andrea Perez Alix Soliman Madeleine Bentley

Islam and the Muslim Community (Denny 1987)

• Five Pillars in Islam
• Shahada
• Salat
• Zakat
• Sawm
• Hajj

What is problematic about this recipe?

Denny’s main argument

“The knowledge of Islam’s structures of faith and practice, scripture and tradition, law and spirituality is in itself insufficient for gaining a rounded appreciation of the quality of Muslim life” (p. 77)

On Scriptural Essentialism and Ritual Variation: Muslim Sacrifice in Sumatra and Morocco

John R. Bowen (1992)

Main Themes

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• The traditional model of religious diversity

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• Orientalism, with regards to synecdoche and hyperbole

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• Modernism and Traditionalism�

Traditional Model of Religious Diversity

Big Tradition Little Tradition

1. Universal Local
2. Text Practice
3. Men Women
4. Public Private
5. Urban Rural�

Orientalism: Synecdoche and Hyperbole

Synecdoche: a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole v

• What Bowen challenges

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Hyperbole: an exaggeration or overstatement for the sake of emphasis

• What Bowen may be unintentionally guilty of

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Scripture

Sacrifice

Morocco

The Patriarchy

Islam

The Middle East

Modernism, Traditionalism and the Trouble with Dichotomies

“In their public behavior, residents of the main highlands town of Takengen tend to follow modernist prescriptions, while in many, perhaps most, Gayo villages, men and women carry out ritual practices of long standing and often identify themselves as of the ‘old group’. . . Some Gayo, usually of modernist leanings, seek to emphasize the scriptural commandments regarding sacrifice and to downplay local traditions” (660).

Big Tradition Little Tradition

• Universal Local
• Text Practice
• Men Women
• Public Private
• Urban Rural�

The Political Economy of Religious Commodities in Cairo (Starrett 1995)

Figure1: http://cdn1.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/gallery_landscape_1296x730/2015/04/Turtles_Cartoon_1987.jpg

Figure 2: http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-55466754130796_2272_317416574

Figure 3: Starrett 1995

Main Argument:

“I would like to argue that the change from craft production to mass production of religious commodities has been accompanied by a further series of cultural changes that have altered Egyptian attitudes toward the public display of sacred writings” (Starrett 1995, 52).

Breakdown of Argument:

• When? “Seasons of Demand”
• Where? “Positions”
• To whom?

Small Group Discussion Questions

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Directions: In your groups, discuss the questions and then elect 2 people to embody the perspectives of specific actors (can be authors or members of the community). Then, create a short dialogue/debate to present to the big group that answers one (or both) of the questions.

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Denny:

1. How does Denny juxtapose Starrett by identifying the prohibition of material venerations?
2. In what ways does Denny exemplify (or not) the concept of “Islamic Diversity”?

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Bowen:

1. Identify Bowen’s critique of Denny and Combs-Shilling. How does scriptural essentialism contribute to orientalism?
2. Compare and contrast the roles of women in different Islamic communities during the Feast of Sacrifice. How do “the patriarchy” and/or the traditional model of Islamic diversity constrain them or not?

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Starrett:

1. In what ways are the relationship between ideology and material evident in Starrett’s piece? In what ways is it not?
2. How do the varying views on commodification of Islamic goods within Cairo’s community add to our understanding of the Middle East as dynamic?�

Group Discussion

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1. What does Islamic diversity mean to the authors, and how is the term being used or not used?

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• How does Orientalism manifest itself in these articles? Do these articles epitomize the Middle East as Islam?

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• How have the Dynamic or Static views of Islam been represented or contested in the articles this week?

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Thank You

Themes and Arguments

• Denny’s Argument:
• Five Pillars of Islam and broad overview
• Bowen’s Argument:
• Descriptions like Denny’s generalize ritual and result a one-story (single story narrative) that unintentionally creates a synecdoche of religious ritual.
• Starrett’s Argument:
• The opinion of commodification of religious goods is contested (whether it is blasphemous or abides by the will of God). There is variance in how people understand and use religious products.
• Shared themes/connections
• Public vs. Private (Fernea and Deeb)
• Commercialism (Mitchell vs. Starrett)
• Dynamic vs. Static view of Islam (Commodities)
• Dyadic Social Relationships (Starrett and Combs-Shilling)

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Timing:

• 10-15mins our presentation
• 10-15mins small group discussion
• 5-7min dialogue/debate presentation
• Remainder of time for big group discussion