CSI Monday Majlis

Islamic Discourses in a Local Context: A Traditional Ritual in Eastern Sulawesi, Indonesia

Register please on this link

Abstract

The fundamental texts of Islamic law and doctrine establish a normative framework for Muslims’ beliefs and practices that is not always readily compatible with deep-rooted local traditions, a discrepancy that is often thought to lead to tension, conflict and calls for religious reform. However, normative texts are in fact equally often used to reinterpret local tradition and provide religious justification for its continuance. This majlis will discuss the way in which such creative reinterpretations have affected a colourful ritual of Sulawesi Island in Indonesia

Bio

Zoltán Szombathy (PhD 2001) is Professor of Arabic and Islamic studies and Head of the Department of Semitic and Arabic Studies at Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest. He has previously been a visiting scholar at several research institutions in Cairo, Princeton, Edinburgh, Madrid and Oxford. In addition to the study of various aspects of social and cultural history and folk religion in the premodern Middle East, his fields of interest include Muslim culture in Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. He is author of nearly a hundred publications, including Mujūn: Libertinism in Mediaeval Muslim Society and Culture (Oxford: Gibb Memorial Trust – Oxbow Books, 2013), The History of Bidyini and Kaabu. Two Chronicles in Arabic from Guinea-Bissau (Piliscsaba: The Avicenna Institute of Middle Eastern Studies, 2007) and The Roots of Arabic Genealogy. A Study in Historical Anthropology (Piliscsaba: The Avicenna Institute of Middle Eastern Studies, 2003).

In the spirit of the label ‘Majlis’ and also to make the talks even more interesting, our speakers present the topic discussed as embedded in their own journey. You can watch the previous Majlises here, but we don’t record the Q&A in order to keep the discussion free. Please come and enjoy the talks and the discussions : ) If you’d like to be included in the CSI (Centre for the Study of Islam (Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter) mailing list, please contact the CSI Manager: Sarah Wood (s.a.wood2@exeter.ac.uk).

We’ll be happy to welcome you! István T Kristó-Nagy