1. The document discusses three topics related to constructing Muslim identities: disciplining the body through internalizing scriptural norms, simplifying the corpus of Islamic knowledge, and reconstructing the religious community. 2. It focuses on how emphasizing sexual morality and internalizing those norms contributes to the 'moralization' of what Islam means. 3. The final topic discusses reconstructing the religious community by emphasizing certain interpretations of scripture over local contexts.

1. Reconstituting
Bodies of Knowledge
• Disciplining the body
• Simplifying the corpus
• Reconstructing the community
albrecht.hofheinz@ikos.uio.no

2. Identities ʁ constructed

3. körper
corpus
körperschaft

4. bOdIeS
mINds
gRoUpS

5. constructed

6. Muslim identities ᴙ constructed

8. 1. Disciplining the body
Internalizing (scriptural) norms
=> (Super)Ego becomes instance of control

9. !!quot;#$%&'(quot;)*&$+,-
SHAYKH MU˘AMMAD MAJDHÜB
SCRIPTURAL ISLAM AND LOCAL CONTEXT
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10. 1. Disciplining the body
Internalizing (scriptural) norms
=> (Super)Ego becomes instance of control

11. 1. Disciplining the body
Paradigm of sexual morality
Emphasis on morality [over spirituality & external law]
=> ‘Moralization’ of what Islam ‘means’

12. @ internalization

13. ‫اﻹﺣﺴﺎن :‬
‫اﻋﺒﺪ اﷲ ﻛﺄﻧﻚ ﺗﺮاه .. ﻓﺈن ﻟﻢ ﺗﻜﻦ ﺗﺮاه ﻓﺈﻧﻪ ﻳﺮاك ..‬

14. ‫ﺷﻴﺨﻚ ﻳﺮاك‬
‫اﻋﺒﺪ اﷲ ﻛﺄﻧﻚ ﺗﺮاه .. ﻓﺈن ﻟﻢ ﺗﻜﻦ ﺗﺮاه ﻓﺈﻧﻪ ﻳﺮاك ..‬

15. ‫ﻓﺎﻧﻚ ﺗﺮاك‬ ‫ﺷﻴﺨﻚﺗﺮاك‬
‫ﻳﺮاك‬
‫اﻧﻚ‬
‫اﻋﺒﺪ اﷲ ﻛﺄﻧﻚ ﺗﺮاه .. ﻓﺈن ﻟﻢ ﺗﻜﻦ ﺗﺮاه ﻓﺈﻧﻪ ﻳﺮاك ..‬

16. @ sexual morality

17. ‫ﻋﻨﻮﺍﻥ ﺍﻟﻜﺘﺎﺏ‬ ‫ﺍﳌﺆﻟﻒ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻘﺮﺍﺀ‬
‫ﺭﺩﻭﺩ ﻭﺗﻌﻘﻴﺒﺎﺕ‬ ‫ﻛﺸﻒ ﺍﳊﻘﺎﺋﻖ ﺍﳋﻔﻴﺔ ﻋﻨﺪ ﻣﺪﻋﻲ ﺍﻟﺴﻠﻔﻴﺔ‬ ‫ﻋﺒﺪﺍﻟﻌﺰﻳﺰ ﺑﻦ ﺳﺮﻳﺎﻥ ﺍﻟﻌﺼﻴﻤﻲ‬ ‫298771‬
‫ﺍﻟﺪﻋﻮﺓ ﻭﺍﻟﺪﻋﺎﺓ‬ ‫ﻣﻮﺍﺭﺩ ﺍﻟﻈﻤﺂﻥ ﻟﺪﺭﻭﺱ ﺍﻟﺰﻣﺎﻥ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺸﻴﺦ ﻋﺒﺪ ﺍﻟﻌﺰﻳﺰ ﺍﻟﺴﻠﻤﺎﻥ‬ ‫945951‬
‫ﺗﻔﺴﻴﺮ ﺍﻟﻘﺮﺁﻥ ﺍﻟﻜﺮﱘ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻘﻮﻝ ﺍﻟﻔﺼﻞ ﻓﻲ ﻗﻀﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﻬﻢ ﺑﲔ ﻳﻮﺳﻒ ﻭﺇﻣﺮﺃﺓ ﺍﻟﻌﺰﻳﺰ‬ ‫ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﺣﺎﻣﺪ ﺇﺑﺮﺍﻫﻴﻢ‬ ‫400751‬
‫ﺍﻟﻘﺼﺺ ﻭﺍﻟﺮﻭﺍﻳﺎﺕ‬ ‫ﺩﻣﻮﻉ ﺍﻟﺴﺠﻴﻨﺎﺕ .. ﻣﺠﻤﻮﻋﺔ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﻘﺼﺺ ﺍﻟﻮﺍﻗﻌﻴﺔ‬ ‫ﺣﻤﺪ ﺑﻦ ﺳﻠﻴﻤﺎﻥ ﺍﻟﻴﺤﻴﻰ‬ ‫994251‬
‫ﺍﻟﺘﺮﺑﻴﺔ ﻭﺍﻟﺴﻠﻮﻙ‬ ‫ﺍﻻﻧﺘﺼﺎﺭ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﺩﺓ ﺍﻟﺴﺮﻳﺔ ﻭﺳﺎﺋﻞ ﻋﻤﻠﻴﺔ ﻟﻠﻮﻗﺎﻳﺔ ﻣﻨﻬﺎ‬ ‫ﺭﺍﻣﻲ ﺧﺎﻟﺪ ﻋﺒﺪ ﺍﷲ ﺍﳋﻀﺮ‬ ‫295631‬
‫ﺍﻟﻔﺮﻕ ﻭﺍﳌﺬﺍﻫﺐ‬ ‫ﺗﺄﻣﻼﺕ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻷﳒﻴﻞ ﻭﺍﻟﻌﻘﻴﺪﺓ‬ ‫ﺩ.ﺑﻬﺎﺀ ﺍﻟﻨﺤﺎﻝ‬ ‫805521‬
‫ﺍﻟﻘﺼﺺ ﻭﺍﻟﺮﻭﺍﻳﺎﺕ‬ ‫ﺻﺮﺧﺔ .. ﻓﻲ ﻣﻄﻌﻢ ﺍﳉﺎﻣﻌﺔ !!‬ ‫ﺩ.ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﺑﻦ ﻋﺒﺪﺍﻟﺮﺣﻤﻦ ﺍﻟﻌﺮﻳﻔﻲ‬ ‫368021‬
‫ﻗﻀﺎﻳﺎ ﻣﻌﺎﺻﺮﺓ‬ ‫ﻣﻮﺳﻮﻋﺔ ﺍﻟﻴﻬﻮﺩ ﻭﺍﻟﻴﻬﻮﺩﻳﺔ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺼﻬﻴﻮﻧﻴﺔ‬ ‫ﺩ.ﻋﺒﺪ ﺍﻟﻮﻫﺎﺏ ﺍﳌﺴﻴﺮﻱ‬ ‫426111‬
‫ﺍﻟﻘﺼﺺ ﻭﺍﻟﺮﻭﺍﻳﺎﺕ‬ ‫ﻗﺼﺺ ﻣﺆﺛﺮﺓ ﻟﻠﻔﺘﻴﺎﺕ‬ ‫ﺃﺣﻤﺪ ﺳﺎﻟﻢ ﺑﺎﺩﻭﻳﻼﻥ‬ ‫504901‬
‫ﺍﻟﻔﺘﺎﻭﻯ ﺍﻟﺸﺮﻋﻴﺔ‬ ‫ﺍﳌﻮﺳﻮﻋﺔ ﺍﻟﻔﻘﻬﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﻜﻮﻳﺘﻴﺔ 1-52‬ ‫ﻭﺯﺍﺭﺓ ﺍﻷﻭﻗﺎﻑ ﺍﻟﻜﻮﻳﺘﻴﺔ‬ ‫61239‬
‫ﻋﻠﻮﻡ ﺍﻟﻘﺮﺁﻥ ﺍﻟﻜﺮﱘ‬ ‫ﻛﻴﻒ ﲢﻔﻆ ﺍﻟﻘﺮﺁﻥ‬ ‫ﻋﻠﻲ ﺑﻦ ﻋﻤﺮ ﺑﺎﺩﺣﺪﺡ‬ ‫01618‬
‫ﺍﻟﻘﺼﺺ ﻭﺍﻟﺮﻭﺍﻳﺎﺕ‬ ‫ﺑﻨﺎﺕ ﺍﳌﻤﻠﻜﺔ - ﻗﺼﺺ ﻭﺍﻗﻌﻴﺔ‬ ‫ﺧﺎﻟﺪ ﺍﻟﺼﻘﻌﺒﻲ‬ ‫99308‬
‫ﺍﻟﺒﺮﺍﻣﺞ ﻭﺍﻟﻜﺐ ﺍﻹﻟﻜﺘﺮﻭﻧﻴﺔ‬ ‫ﺑﺮﻧﺎﻣﺞ ﺃﺣﻜﺎﻡ ﺍﻟﺘﺠﻮﻳﺪ‬ ‫ﻣﻄﻮﺭ‬ ‫96977‬
‫ﺍﳌﺮﺃﺓ ﻭﺍﻷﺳﺮﺓ ﺍﳌﺴﻠﻤﺔ‬ ‫ﻧﺴﺎﺅﻧﺎ ... ﻭﺃﺩﻭﺍﺕ ﺍﻟﺘﺠﻤﻴﻞ‬ ‫ﻋﺎﺩﻝ ﺑﻦ ﻋﺒﺪﺍﷲ ﺍﻟﻌﺒﺪ ﺍﳉﺒﺎﺭ‬ ‫31967‬
‫ﺍﻟﺘﺮﺑﻴﺔ ﻭﺍﻟﺴﻠﻮﻙ‬ ‫ﻭﻫﻢ ﺍﳊﺐ‬ ‫ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﺑﻦ ﻋﺒﺪ ﺍﻟﻌﺰﻳﺰ ﺍﳌﺴﻨﺪ‬ ‫76957‬
‫ﺍﻋﺮﻑ ﻧﺒﻴﻚ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺮﺣﻴﻖ ﺍﳌﺨﺘﻮﻡ‬ ‫ﺻﻔﻲ ﺍﻟﺮﺣﻤﻦ ﺍﳌﺒﺎﺭﻛﻔﻮﺭﻱ‬ ‫55047‬
‫ﺍﻋﺮﻑ ﻧﺒﻴﻚ‬ ‫ﺯﺍﺩ ﺍﳌﻌﺎﺩ ﻓﻲ ﻫﺪﻱ ﺧﻴﺮ ﺍﻟﻌﺒﺎﺩ‬ ‫ﺍﺑﻦ ﻗﻴﻢ ﺍﳉﻮﺯﻳﺔ‬ ‫42007‬
‫ﺍﻟﻔﺘﺎﻭﻯ ﺍﻟﺸﺮﻋﻴﺔ‬ ‫ﻣﺠﻤﻮﻉ ﻓﺘﺎﻭﻯ ﺍﺑﻦ ﺗﻴﻤﻴﺔ‬ ‫ﺷﻴﺦ ﺍﻹﺳﻼﻡ ﺍﺑﻦ ﺗﻴﻤﻴﺔ‬ ‫60196‬
‫ﺗﻔﺴﻴﺮ ﺍﻟﻘﺮﺁﻥ ﺍﻟﻜﺮﱘ‬ ‫quot;ﺃﻋﻮﺫ ﺑﺎﷲ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﺸﻴﻄﺎﻥ ﺍﻟﺮﺟﻴﻢquot; ﻣﻌﺎﻥ ، ﻭﻓﻮﺍﺋﺪ ، ﻭﺃﺣﻜﺎﻡ‬ ‫ﺇﺳﻼﻡ ﻣﻨﺼﻮﺭ ﻋﺒﺪ ﺍﳊﻤﻴﺪ‬ ‫55686‬
‫ﺍﻟﺒﺮﺍﻣﺞ ﻭﺍﻟﻜﺐ ﺍﻹﻟﻜﺘﺮﻭﻧﻴﺔ‬ ‫quot; ﻗﺎﺋﻤﺔ ﺍﻟﻜﺘﺐ ﺍﻟﻌﻠﻤﻴﺔ quot; ﲢﺪﻳﺚ ﺭﻗﻢ 51 ، ﺷﻌﺒﺎﻥ 9241 ﻫﺠﺮﻱ‬ ‫ﻣﺎﺟﺪ ﺑﻦ ﺳﻠﻴﻤﺎﻥ ﺍﻟﺮﺳﻲ‬ ‫05686‬

18. (most popular Islamic website)

20. @ moralization
internalization

21. The Ten
Commandments
(al-Banna)

22. “I’m a maker,
not a taker”

24. bOdY
CoRpUs
gRoUpS

25. 2.
Simplifying
the corpus
Simplification (for sake of greater spread)
pamphlets / poetry / vernacular …
“What every Muslim needs to know”

26. 2.
Simplifying
the corpus
Anti-taqlid: Kitab & Sunna !
Flattened hierarchy of access to knowledge
(“even an unlettered bedouin!”)

27. Hierarchical vs individualized
access to knowledge
pÅÜçä~êäó pìÑá jçÇÉêå
dçÇ e~èáè~ dçÇ
EqêìíÜF
nìêÛ~å e~ÇáíÜ náó~ë fàã~Ú pÜ~óâÜ nìêÛ~å=C=pìåå~
EmêçéÜK=qê~ÇáíáçåF E^å~äçÖóF E`çåëÉåëìëF “íÜÉ=pÜ~êáÚ~Ò
“fëä~ãÒ
cáèÜ jìêáÇ Ú^äáã jìÛãáå pÜ~óâÜ
EgìêáëéêìÇÉåÅÉF EpÉÉâÉêF EpÅÜçä~êF E_ÉäáÉîÉêF Ej~ëíÉêF
jìâÜí~ë~ê
E^Äê¨Ö¨F
Úrä~ã~Û
EpÅÜçä~êëF
jìÛãáå
E_ÉäáÉîÉêF

28. 2. Simplifying the corpus
Greater practical importance of Qur’an & Sunna
Growing importance of the Prophet
Erosion of fiqh / madhhab system
Simplification
Individual decision & responsibility
Right to judge teacher by shari‘a
Later: “Islamic reform”, politicization, “Islamic
economy”, “Islamic science”…

29. CoRpUs
gRoUpS

30. 3. Re-
constructing
the comm-
unity
Individual voluntary association
(as opposed to communities into which one is born)
Faith-based supersedes ethnically-based

31. 3. Re-
constructing
communities
New names/types/
self-definitions/
horizons, e.g.:
Tariqa (Muhammadiyya)

32. Muslim

33. Muslim
Life Makers

34. 3. Reconstructing communities
New names/types/self-definitions/horizons, e.g.:
Tariqa (Muhammadiyya)
Ikhwan, Jama’a, Umma, “Muslim”, “Life Makers”, …
Voluntary, individual religious adhesion
rather than ethnic affiliation
Success often first among peripheral groups,
whose weight they strengthen
different educational background
often younger
often from social/geographical peripheries
‘Creolized’, intermediate communities of discourse

35. 3. Reconstructing communities
New names/types/self-definitions/horizons, e.g.:
Tariqa (Muhammadiyya)
Ikhwan, Jama’a, Umma, “Muslim”, “Life Makers”, …
Voluntary, individual religious adhesion
rather than ethnic affiliation
Success often first among peripheral groups,
whose weight they strengthen
different educational background
often younger
often from social/geographical peripheries
‘Creolized’, intermediate communities of discourse

36. 3. Reconstructing communities
New names/types/self-definitions/horizons, e.g.:
Tariqa (Muhammadiyya)
Ikhwan, Jama’a, Umma, “Muslim”, “Life Makers”, …
Voluntary, individual religious adhesion
rather than ethnic affiliation
Success often first among peripheral groups,
whose weight they strengthen
different educational background
often younger
often from social/geographical peripheries
‘Creolized’, intermediate communities of discourse

37. 3. Reconstructing communities
New names/types/self-definitions/horizons, e.g.:
Tariqa (Muhammadiyya)
Ikhwan, Jama’a, Umma, “Muslim”, “Life Makers”, …
Voluntary, individual religious adhesion
rather than ethnic affiliation
Success often first among peripheral groups,
whose weight they strengthen
different educational background
often younger
often from social/geographical peripheries
‘Creolized’, intermediate communities of discourse

42. Live,
Love &
Success MY ISLAM
… with
Islam
MUSLIM MAN IS A STRANG

44. INDIVIDUALS
EN MASSE
BODY internalization of norms into the
super-ego of every individual
CORPUS direct, individual access to what
every Muslim needs to know
COMM- individual, voluntary association to
UNITY faith-based communities

45. Internalization of
scriptural norms
18th/19th c. Sufi preaching: growing role of
individual as instance of behavior & belief
control
Obligation to understand primary normative
sources & act accordingly
Right to judge secondary authorities
(Later:) Obligation to judge others as well

46. Rise of the individual (19th c.)
Internalized norm control
Criticism of shaykh if not conforming to
sharia
Fragmentation of authority with individual to
judge & choose
Voluntary adhesion (to shaykh), not group
affiliation (to faki)

47. Individuality (today)
Ever more urgent & conscious attempt to
break free of authoritarian structures
Pursuit of self-expression, individuality,
rational order, “My Islam”
Chatting & discussion of ‘taboo’ topics (sex,
religion, politics), fatwas & councelling, blogs,
personals, …
Market logic; loss of social self-evidence

48. <examples>

49. MY Islam
“Don’t blame me by saying <I couldn’t believe that one of “us”
would see this the same way>, because I am simply following
the EXACT rules of Islam. The TRUE Islam as in the message by
prophet Mohammad, not the Islam of the Taliban, Khomeini or
the Brotherhood. The DOCUMENTED Hadeeth (7adeeth sa7ee7)
mentioned the prophet saying support your brother when he is
right or wrong. This is the part you are speaking of, but
DISREGARDING that it has a continuation. When he was asked,
he continued that supporting him when wrong is by stopping and
opposing him and preventing him from his evil. Islam NEVER said
that I support a Moslem in his evil doings. At least MY Islam
never said that.”
“Sameh Arab” <s-arab@menanet.net>, Focus on Egypt, 14 Sep 2001

50. MY Islam
“You mentioned Sh. Qardawy’s statement. Who is Sh. Qardawy?
Isn’t he one like many others, since we have no clergy in Islam?”
“Sameh Arab” <s-arab@menanet.net>, Focus on Egypt, 15 Sep 2001

51. THIS IS MY ISLAM !!!
“what is real islam
salah we soom we zakaah?
da2n we gallabeyya we sewak?
dah el zaher bass
lakin min gowwa eeh ???
islam to me is:
- enn beta3 el fool ya3’sel eedo abl ma ya3mil akl lel nas …
- enn el mowazzaf ma ye2olshy ta3ala bokra 3ashan ye2ra
el gornan…
- enn doctor el gam3a yesalla7 wara2 el talameez be nafso
we ma yeddehoosh lel mo3edeen …”
Wael Abbas <waelabbas@hotmail.com>, 25 Feb 2003

52. historical development?

53. New media…
reach new audiences (bodies)
reshape the corpus
create new communities

54. Explosion of writing since 18th c.
Use of vernacular => include periphery
Printing => re-construction of canon
Printed fiction => self-consciousness
Newspapers, radio, cinema, TV, cassettes =>
reshape mass audiences’ culture
Islamic booklets => mass mission
SatTV => erodes state control
Cellphones => independence
Internet => individualization of access

55. Individualization:
Long-term development
with accelerated dynamic
For 250 years at least, “intermediate” cultural
brokers reworked Islamic heritage &
preached it to ever more people
Focus on individual’s responsibility
Media: Acceleration & true mass spread
Synergy
Media & market logic

56. Individualization of understanding
generalization of order
Imitatio Mohammedi = precondition for
individualization of access to & interpretation
of Islamic order
Personalized model of Mohammedan order
Authority subjected to common order
accessible to all

57. albrecht.hofheinz@ikos.uio.no