Conceptualization of Islam as a ‘Religion’ and the Possibility of the Secularist/Islamist Binary

The history of the modern Middle East is often narrated as a story of power struggles between competing ideologies. One such set of competing ideologies is Islamism and secularism. The aim of this paper is not to explore these ideologies in the light of Middle Eastern history and argue in favor of either one of the two; instead, this essay will attempt to explore one of the factors that enables this dichotomization in the first place. The conceptualization of Islam as a “religion” creates the possibility of characterizing actors as “Islamists” in opposition to those characterized as secularists. I argue that this “religion-making” is intricately linked to the workings of the modern state which makes “religion” essential to its existence as secular. Continue reading Conceptualization of Islam as a ‘Religion’ and the Possibility of the Secularist/Islamist Binary

近代性という「猛獣」を手懐ける―イスラーム的アプローチ―

ティモシー・ウィンター教授としても知られるアブドゥルハキーム・ムラド師は「虎を乗りこなす」という表現を用いて、近代性から退却するのではなく、敵対的あるいは友好的なアプローチをもって立ち向かうことを論じた。 Continue reading 近代性という「猛獣」を手懐ける―イスラーム的アプローチ―

Dekonstrukcija zapadnih predstava o političkom islamu

Za zapadne posmatrače je nepoželjno postojanje političkog djelovanja sa metafizičkim referencama, jer je upečatljiva karakteristika savremenog doba to što je ono desakralizirano. Budući da je tako, islamsko političko djelovanje se, skoro po klišeu, posmatra u vezi sa bremenitim i analitički beskorisnim terminima kao što su „radikalizam“ i „fundamentalizam“. U najgorem slučaju, u vladajućim predstavama je politički islam – patologija. Paradigmatski primjer za to je teza … Continue reading Dekonstrukcija zapadnih predstava o političkom islamu

Religious Symbols, Liberalism, and Laïcité in Quebec

In December 2021, a Muslim woman in Quebec, Canada lost her teaching position because she refused to remove her hijab in the classroom. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, despite his personal disagreement with the law that cost her a job, would not intervene in this “touchy subject,” as the bill under discussion was voted in democratically. This is the latest from a multi-year saga of the formation of the law aptly titled, An Act respecting the laicity of the State. [1] It is important to challenge the very premise that laïcité is a force for a just and plural society.  Continue reading Religious Symbols, Liberalism, and Laïcité in Quebec

Al-Quran – Stories of Prophets and Emotional Intelligence

In our daily lives, we regularly encounter challenges affecting our emotions: We feel sad and happy, we may express ourselves by crying or laughing, or we may hide our true feelings behind a smile. Our emotions sometimes bring us to tears, yet we find ourselves comforted and serene in their aftermath. Memories of the past that bring joy to one person may bring heartache to … Continue reading Al-Quran – Stories of Prophets and Emotional Intelligence

Islam in a Post-Secular Age

Post-secular theory counters the secularization thesis, which taught that religion would wither away as modernity gets older. A post-secular awareness acknowledges the perseverance of religion in modernity. The post-secular refers to a change in consciousness attributed primarily to three phenomena: citizens’ awareness of their secularity within the global horizon, an awareness of religious influences both globally and locally, and proximity to religious people immigrating from religiously-oriented countries. [1] Continue reading Islam in a Post-Secular Age

The Fine Line: A Film Critique of Doucouré’s “Cuties”

Even before Maïmouna Doucouré’s Cuties, or Mignonnes in French, was released on Netflix, it ignited international debate. The trailer alone provoked huge controversy for the film’s questionable use of minors, representation of minorities, and framing of Islam. Although raw emotion and knee-jerk reactions can be impulsively misleading and hinge on mob mentality, they may also be incredibly revealing. The instinctual response to a film says a lot about how well it conveys its message appropriately. Continue reading The Fine Line: A Film Critique of Doucouré’s “Cuties”