SESSION 2

Our Textual religiosity by Husnul Amin

 All Islamic social forces are looking towards Turkey and its Justice and Development party to
replicate its workable model of democratization. Tunisia and Egypt have positively revised their
strategies taking inspirations from the Turkish model but Pakistan hasn’t adopted the model yet.
 Culture : (Para 3) The most interesting part of the recent Turkish surge is not restricted to its
economic development and the strengthening of democratization but mainly achieving a
balance between Islam an needs of pluralist and open society.
 Turkey will set up the framework of modern society because it achieves the balance. (Para 4)
 (Para 5 & 6) The Islamic set up in Pakistan v/s Turkey.
 (Para 7, 8,9) A Turkish Friend Osman. A devout Muslim. Apart from his inward religiosity and
spirituality, Osman had the ability to openness of mind to accommodate the religious and
cultural diversity around him.
On the topic of dress-code Osman replied “this was the domain of personal freedom and that
any use of force by vigilante groups is counter-productive.”
Three major problems of Islamic countries: Iftiraq (internal divisions), faqr(Poverty), Jahala
(illiteracy). Declined to accept immodesty as a major problem.
 (Para 10) How would you reconcile the inner religiosity with the public manifestations?
 (Para 11) Conclusion
Neal Robinson: Islam – A Concise Introduction
The Arabic Language and Islamic Names: (174-179)
Arabic in Transliteration: (174-176)

1. The Arabic alphabet comprises 28 consonants.

2. And has 6 vowels.
3. These 34 sounds are divided into 8 groups.
a. 15 consonants almost exactly same as in English.
b. 3 consonants closely similar to English.
c. 4 emphatic consonants.
d. 5 guttural sounds.
e. the sign ‘
f. 3 short vowels.
g. 3 long vowels.
4. System of transliteration in The Encyclopedia of Islam is different from the above.
5. Transliteration in the books of India and Pakistan is influenced by the Urdu pronunciation.
6. Books translated from French and German.

Some Hints about the Arabic Language: (176-177)

1. The Definite article (the) is represented by al-

2. Masculine noun and feminine nouns. Feminine nouns end –ah (h is always not pronounced). H
is pronounced t when feminine noun is followed by a vowel.
3. Plurals: masculine noun  -um
feminine noun  -at
Broken plurals  undergo internal changes.
4. Most Arabic words are derived from trilateral roots.

Islamic Names: (177-179)

Abu, Ibn or Abd are used for Father, Slave and Son respectively. They aren’t names.

Islamic names have 5-6 components.

1. Kunya or agnomen  which designates the person as the father or mother of his or her eldest
son.
2. Ism or personal name  often someone’s name that is mentioned in Quran.
3. The Ism may be enlarged by a laqab with ad-din.
 4. Nasab or lineage  indicates the persons relation with his forefathers.
5. Nisba or relation  refers to place of birth or residence.
6. Laqab or nickname.

The Islamic Calendar and Festivals: (180-184)

The Principle Of Lunar Calendar: (180-181)

1. Three points to draw a lunar calendar.

2. Pre-Islamic Arabs operated with a calendar of 12 months.
3. Disadvantage of the lunar calendar.

The Muslim year and Festivals: (181-182)

1. Two Islamic festivals: eid-ul-adha, eid ul-fitr

2. Highlights of the Muslim year (page 182)

The era of the Hijra: How to convert dates: (183)

Select Biography: (185)

R. Stephen Humphreys: Islamic History: A Framework of Inquiry
A Criterion of Authenticity: (89-91)

 How can we decide whether or not this 8 th century framework is valid for the earlier period?
If we assert something still assertion is also based on texts we try to evaluate.
 Some texts meet both linguistic and substantive criteria for authenticity.
 Few historical text can be rigorously authenticated. Early theological discourse would seem an
ideal choice. (para 2, pg 90)

Early Islamic Poetry: (para 3-4, pg 90)

 Main function of poetry is in the Jahalliya and early Islam was the boasting of one’s
own group and the vilification of others.
 Poetry has come in two forms (1)diwans (2)in citations sometimes very extensive.

How did the culture affect the historical narration? (last para page 90)

Traditional Texts and Contemporary Concepts: (91)

 We aren’t dealing with raw material but with a shaped literary tradition that has constructed its
body of historical facts according to its own aims.
 Muslim historians were concerned with political legitimacy, nature of right government,
whether the redemptive promise of Muhammad had been fulfilled or betrayed by the course of
events.
 We can define limits an acceptable answer may fall.
 We can restate the questions of Muslims historians in our own terms.

Two cases from the early history of Islam (91)

 First will deal with a document of almost unchallenged authenticity.

 Other will deal with the body of obviously very tendentious narratives.

The Constitution of Medina: (92-98)

(pg 92) Ibn-Ishaq  book: “Sirat Rasul Allah”  remarkable both in content and language.
His assessments were based on following points.

 A forgery would reflect an outlook of a later period

  Linguistically, the grammar and vocabulary are very archaic.
 The text is full of unexplained allusions.
 The text reflects the ancient tribal laws far more than the Islamic practices.
 Study it contains

(pg 93)

 Studies of the constitutions. Different works.

 Fundamental problem for students of the constitutions is whether it is infact one document or
several.
 Watt’s views on constitutions.

(pg 94-95)

 Serjeant carries watt’s conclusion much further.

Constitution:

1. This is a writing 9kitab) from Muhaamad the Prophet…..

2. They are a single community (umma wahida)…..
3. Any Jews who follow us have support and parity……
4. The Jews of banu’ Awf are a community (umma)….

What precisely does “Umma” mean here? (95-96)

Explained by Watt, Wellhausen’s and Serjeant, Gil.

Disagreement between Wellhausen, Watt and Serjeant. (97)

The Reign of ‘Uthma ibn ‘Affan: (98-103)

 Akhbar
 To determine the covert structure and intention of a compilation (1) set questions which a
compiler was trying to address. (2) Discover these questions mainly through a scrutiny of
compiler’s selection and arrangement of akhbar. (3) Why he included this text?

Uthman’s Caliphate given by Ahmad b. Yahya al-Baladhuri. (99)

 He had studied with great biographer Muhammad b. Sa’d and had a close acquaintance with
al-Waqidi.
 He cites the contrasting accounts of abu Mikhnaf, al-Madaini, ibn Shihab al-Zuhri.
 Quotes hadith material.
 He doesn’t provide us sufficient dates.
 18 chapters that fall in following groups (1) ‘uthman genealogy (2)’Uthman elections as
caliph (3) uthman’s conduct in office (40 the rebellion against uthman and his murder.
 Umar’s nomination of six senior Copanions (including Uthman)
 Al-Baladhuri begins with three Akhbars
5 main issues….
 Al-Baladhuri v/s Abu-Mikhnaf’s versions.