Bastions of the Believers : Madrasas and Islamic Education in India

Descripción

Contents Foreword by Francis Robinson. Preface. Acknowledgements. 1. ILM and Islam the early Islamic scholarly tradition. 2. Madrasas in India historical evolution. 3. Madrasas in independent India. 4. Madrasas and the agenda of reform. 5. Reformed Madrasas and new forms of Islamic education. 6. Madrasas and militancy. Conclusion. Notes. Glossary. Sources. Index. The emergence of radical Islamist movements in various parts of the world the rise and fall of the Taliban in Afghanistan the 9/11 attacks widespread vilification spearheaded by Hindutva Groups all these and more have made madrasas a much talked about institution. Focusing on the madrasas of India Bastions of the Believers seeks to critically interrogate sensationalist and stereotypical images of the madrasas by highlighting their diversity and the complex social roles that they play in the lives of many Muslims. Madrasas as a rule represent a conservative form of theology and jurisprudence that is in many ways ill suited to a modern pluralistic society. Much of what is taught in Madrasas is outdated and unscientific (the Deoband Madrasa for instance still insists that the sun revolves around the earth and it has special seating arrangements for invisible jinns). Yet obscurantism need not necessarily lead to militancy and hostility against others. For instance in the decades leading to India's independence the Deobandis representing an extreme form of religious conservatism insisted on Hindu Muslim amity and a joint struggle for a Free and United India. It is this integrated view of Madrasas and a more liberal and open understanding of Islam and indeed of all faiths which Yoginder Sikand seeks to promote for he believes this is one of the principal duties confronting committed believers if we have to learn to live together despite our differences. Bastions of the Believers covers a wide range of thought provoking issues from the origins and development of the institution to critiques of Madrasa curricula and the alleged links between madrasas and Islamist militancy making this a must read for all those interested in creating and preserving a just social order. 358 pp. N° de ref. del artículo 57052

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