The Study of Muslim Conflicts

1. The Study of Muslim Conflicts Why? I find myself less and less patient and satisfied with assertions that “Islam teaches us...” This seems to me to be an attempt to bypass the role of Muslims in articulating this thing called Islam. Let me be clear, and perhaps controversial here: “Islam” teaches us nothing. The Prophet Muhammad does. Interpretive communities do. I would argue that God does, through the text of the Qur’an. But in the case of texts, there are human beings who read them, interpret them, and expound their meanings...In all cases, the dissemination of Divine teachings is achieved through human agency. Religion is already mediated. - Omid Safi Who have been your Agents in understanding Islam?

2. The Identity Spectrum • Puritan • Neo-Sufi • Islamist • Modernist • Messianist • Traditional Where do I lie on the spectrum? Which persuasion has most affected my views?

3. The Fall of Tradition • Defiance of the “other” • Domination • Mass literacy and accessibility of the Text • When Engineers became Shaykhs • Absolutism • Literalism • Extreme hostility How have these modern developments affected you?

4. The Spectrum of Practice • Pure Conservatives & Precaution • Pure Liberals & The Halal Principle • Moderates & The Synthesis • Whatever your persuasion, are you pluralist or absolutist in your religious views?

5. Can I be Pluralist? • The Amman Message: • Respecting eight major schools in Islam • Holding Absolutists and Extremists accountable • (a) Refusing animosity due to intellectual differences. • (b) Defining Apostasy (Disbelief) as the conscious rejection of either Testimony and nothing else.

6. Am I an honest seeker of guidance? Am I diligent, comprehensive, and fair? • (a) Legal Theory & Binding Proofs • (b) Logical Fallacies • (c) Integrity in Research: • Respecting historic traditions (with which you disagree), • Providing well-reasoned proofs, (Abstaining from Fallacies). • (c) Accepting Agency & Self-Representation