Review of Religion and Politics Marx - disintegration Durkheim - unification

1. Review of Religion and Politics Marx - disintegration Durkheim - unification Barakat – generally agrees with Marxist approach

2. Din (religion) and Dawla (state) Barakat (Society  Religion) Lewis (Religion  Society) Implications for (in)flexibility of religion

3. Key Issue: Relationship between religion and the state (government) Islam vs. Islamism – Islam is a religion. Islamism is an ideology defining economic and legal systems based on Islam Muslim vs. Islamist – Muslims follow the religion of Islam but is not necessarily an Islamist. Islamist has ideologies following Islamism

4. Distinct Categories of Islamists Takfiri – radical fundamentalist Nationalist Militant – combine Islamist ideology with specific local political demands Institutionalist– seek political role through state institutions Implications for democratic governance?

5. Islam as the basis for law Sami Zubaidareading on the “law state” Taqlid – imitation; following established teachings uncritically Ijtihad – independent judgment of a qualified legal scholar (mujtahid) Madhhab – jurisprudential school of thought

7. Madhab – School of Thought in Islamic Jurisprudence

8. Islam as a Tool (cultural “tool kit”) • Framing –“tools that lend order and sense to an otherwise confusing world by providing language that captures or constructs the meaning of problems.” • Framing in Saudi Arabia in the 1990s • What government activities were the movements challenging? • US Troops in Saudi Arabia • Corruption and decadent behavior of ruling family • Extreme economic disparities • Alternative frames – liberal, Marxist-secular, feminist, Islamic • Islamic frame only one that resonated • Led to Nasiha Petition (“memorandum of advice” from religious scholars demanding change in government behavior)