The Ulama in Contemporary Islam: Custodians of Change
English cover
Author
Muhammad Qasim Zaman
Country
United States
Language
English
Series
Princeton Studies in Muslim Politics
Subject
Deobandi movement
Publisher
Princeton University Press
Publication date
2002
Pages
312
ISBN
9780691130705
OCLC
76798271
Website
princeton.edu
The Ulama in Contemporary Islam: Custodians of Change is a book by Muhammad Qasim Zaman, a professor at Princeton University. Published in 2002 by Princeton University Press under the series titled Princeton Studies in Muslim Politics, this academic work examines the ulama of South Asia, with a focus on the Deobandis. Zaman explores their understanding of Islamic tradition, their role as interpreters of Islamic law, their impact on and involvement in political Islam, and their role in sectarian conflicts within the Indian Subcontinent.[1] Widely recognized for its innovative approach, this work marks the first comparative study on Muslim Ulama.[2][3] Zaman's primary lens is on the Deobandi Ulama in Pakistan, with a peripheral look at their counterparts in India during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Inspired by Barbara D. Metcalf's Islamic Revival in British India, where Metcalf navigates the origins of the Deobandi movement, Zaman extends the narrative by exploring their maneuvers, expressions, contested engagements, and defense of religious authority through an array of discursive and non-discursive avenues.[4]
Comprising an introduction, six chapters, and an epilogue, this project aims to illuminate a distinctive influence within contemporary Muslim religio-political movements—the classically trained ulama, diverging notably from both modernist Islam and Islamism.[5] Regardless of alignment with traditional Islamic interpretations, Muslim leaders and the public shape their identities in relation to the tradition, actively engaging with the custodians of that heritage.[6] Zaman explains how the ulama effectively assert this tradition and their role as its custodians, using various tools, including fatwas, scholarly literary genres, and educational reform.[6]
The study examines the repercussions of this involvement on the ulama themselves.[7] Avoiding an exhaustive exploration of the normative function of an 'alim or an itemization of diverse roles in Islamic society, the narrative adopts an international comparative lens, with a particular focus on the discourse surrounding Abul Hasan Ali Hasani Nadwi.[8] Zaman challenges the notion that the ulama constitute a monolithic entity rigidly adhering to antiquated tradition; instead, they exhibit adaptive and nuanced understandings of the modern state and their evolving position within it. The book contends that a profound understanding of the Muslim public sphere necessitates a meticulous examination of the ulama.[9]
^McGregor, Richard (2003). "Review of The Ulama in Contemporary Islam: Custodians of Change". Islamic Studies. 42 (2): 361. ISSN 0578-8072. JSTOR 20837278. Archived from the original on 12 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
^Yom, Sean L. (2004). "Review of The Ulama in Contemporary Islam: Custodians of Change". British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies. 31 (2): 265. ISSN 1353-0194. JSTOR 4145522. Archived from the original on 12 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
^Tareen, Sher Ali (2014). "Deoband Madrasa". Oxford Bibliographies Online. doi:10.1093/OBO/9780195390155-0019. Archived from the original on 28 October 2022. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
^Rahman, Md Anisur (28 January 2021). "Worth A Re-read : A History Of The Ulama In British India". The Daily Star. Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
^Azam, Hina (2004). "Review of The Ulama in Contemporary Islam: Custodians of Change, Zaman, Muhammad Qasim". The Journal of Religion. 84 (3): 493. doi:10.1086/424423. ISSN 0022-4189. JSTOR 10.1086/424423. Archived from the original on 12 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
^ abAzam 2004, p. 493.
^McGregor 2003, p. 361.
^Clawson, Patrick (2004). "Review of The Ulama in Contemporary Islam". Middle East Quarterly. Archived from the original on 13 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
^Yom 2004, p. 268.
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