Ebook
Sufis and Salafis in the Contemporary Age explores the dynamics at play between what are usually understood as two very different forms of Islam, namely Sufism and Salafism. Sufism is commonly understood as the peaceful and mystical dimension of Islam whereas Salafism is perceived as strictly pietistic and moralist, and for some it conjures up images of violent manifestations of Islam.
Of course these generalisations require more nuanced investigation, and this book provides a number of case studies from around the Islamic world to unpack the intricate relationship between the two. The diversity of the case studies that focus on Islamic groups in India, Iraq, Egypt, Morocco, Turkey and South East Europe reflect the multiplicity of relationships that exist between the Salafis and Sufis. The specific case studies are framed by an introduction that provides essential historical background and definitions of the terms, and also by general studies of the Sufi–Salafi relationship which enable the reader to focus on the large picture.
This will be the first book to investigate the relationship between Sufism and Salafism in such a wide fashion, and includes chapters on "traditional" Sufis, as well as from those who consider that Sufism and Salafism are not necessarily contradictory.
Investigates the extent of the relationship between Sufism and Salafism in the contemporary era, two interpretations of Islam usually thought to be diametrically opposed.
New research and angle in a popular area of Western Islamic studies (Sufism)
Provides case studies from India, Iraq, Egypt, Morocco, Turkey, and South East Europe
Provides overview of the Sufi-Salafi relationship, which both confirms assumptions and problematizes the generalisations
Introduction, Lloyd Ridgeon (University of Glasgow, UK)
1. Modernity from Within: Islamic Fundamentalism and Sufism, Itzchak Weismann (University of Haifa, Israel)
2. Egyptian Sufism Under the Hammer: A Preliminary Investigation into the Anti-Sufi Polemics of 'Abd al-Rahman al-Wakil (1913-1970), Richard Gauvain (American University of Dubai, UAE)
3. Mapping modern Turkish Sufism and Anti-Sufism, Alberto Fabio Ambrosio (French Institute for Anatolian Studies, Turkey)
4. The Shrines of Shaykh ?Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani in Baghdad and his son in ?Aqra – Current challenges in facing Salafism, Noorah Al-Gailani (University of Glasgow, UK)
5. The Political Participation of Sufi and Salafi Movements in Modern Morocco: Between the “2003 Casablanca Terrorist Attack” and the “Moroccan Spring” Aziz el Kobaiti Idrissi (Fez University, Morocco)
6. Sufis as “Good Muslims”: Sufism in the Battle against Jihadi Salafism, Mark Sedgwick (Aarhus University, Denmark)
7. Mystical Traditions and Voices of Dissent: Experiences from Bengal, Kashshaf Ghani (University of Aliah, Calcutta, India)
8. Representing the Detractors of Sufism in Twentieth-Century Hyderabad, India, Mauro Valdinoci (Independent Researcher)
9. Barelwis: Developments and Dynamics of Conflict with Deobandis, Thomas K. Gugler (University of Munster, Germany)
10. The Contested Milieu of Deoband: “Salafis” or “Sufis”?, Ron Geaves (Liverpool Hope University, UK)
A great read [which] contains gems ... an important resource for those specializing in this area.
Lloyd Ridgeon is Reader in Islamic Studies at the University of Glasgow, UK.