The post-9/11 atmosphere has increased our awareness of the Muslim world, but in what capacity? All of us can easily call to mind instances when we knew that we were being exposed to a highly biased presentation of information, such as on particular news networks. However, even at times when the information we absorbed was accurate, it was still not the whole story.
Beyond the basic five pillars of Islam, almost every aspect of the faith and its practice is subject to debate and interpretation, and this is exactly what happens constantly between different Muslim communities as well as within communities and organizations themselves. Much of the contemporary, ongoing cohesion of the ummah, or the worldwide Muslim nation, is due to doctrinal mechanisms that allow Muslims to agree to disagree. This prevents a schism over lesser details while preserving the unity and brotherhood that is drawn from the essential aspects of Islam and its teachings.
Surely you have already been told repeatedly that Islam is not inherently violent as stereotypes claim, that it is a peaceful religion, and Muslims regularly criticize violent extremists… but do you know the doctrine behind those statements? What is Islamic law and how does it function?
In fact, the breadth of Islamic law and the various interpretative frameworks is overwhelming even to Muslims with experience in theological studies. And when the extrapolated doctrine is mixed with political and social causes, the result is even more complicated. Most analyses of the political and social conditions associated with Islam lack sufficient background in the religion’s doctrine. Doctrine may be left out of the analysis altogether or reduced to a homogenized, universalized version. This failure to incorporate a vital aspect of Muslim thought estranges the analysis from an actual insider perspective.
This week’s lectures are all about incorporating the complex insider perspective that expert scholars of Islam can help us understand. The lectures will address violence, gender, sex, stereotypes, politics, etc., and how those issues affect Islam in contemporary society. Rather than simply representing a selection of past Muslim reactions to those issues (designating a limited number of positions as the voice of Islam), the lectures will explore the full potential of the Muslim response by explaining the theological framework within which Islam has the capacity to accommodate changes occurring in ideas and social structures worldwide. The lectures, plus the film and music events, will capture the diversity that characterizes every aspect of Islam.
Please see flyers posted throughout campus, and look online at: http://www.wesleyan.edu/chaplains/muslim/events.
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