scholarly journals To Open or Close? COVID-19, Mosques and the Role of Religious Authority within the British Muslim Community: A Socio-Legal Analysis

Religions ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 11
Author(s):  
Amin Al-Astewani
Keyword(s):  
Religious Authority ◽  
Religious Leaders ◽  
Legal Analysis ◽  
Muslim Community ◽  
Congregational Worship ◽  
Global Background ◽  
Muslim Communities ◽  
The Uk

A whirlwind of developments have unfolded in the UK since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has subsequently instigated an intensely animated debate among British Muslim religious leaders about the contentious and sensitive topic of mosque closure, producing a rich and sophisticated spectrum of responses. These responses emerged within the dramatic global background of an imminent closure of Islam’s most cherished mosque to international pilgrims, namely the sacred precinct in Mekkah. The stakes were, therefore, high for British Muslim religious leaders considering mosque closure, facing the stark dilemma of compromising the sacrosanct status of the mosque and congregational worship in Islam or putting the lives of British Muslims in their hundreds of thousands at risk. This paper seeks to analyze the role of religious authority within the British Muslim community through the lens of the responses of the community’s religious leaders to the COVID-19 closure of mosques. It builds upon a Special Issue published by this journal on leadership, authority and representation in British Muslim communities. The issue of COVID-19 mosque closure in the UK presented an excellent case study for this paper’s analysis, manifesting as it does the dynamic way in which religious authority in the British Muslim community continues to evolve. This paper thus seeks to use this case-study to further enrich the literature on this topic.

scholarly journals THE EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND OF IMAMS AND ITS CONTRIBUTION TO THEIR RECOGNITION AS RELIGIOUS LEADERS: THE CASE OF INDONESIAN MUSLIM COMMUNITY IN THE NETHERLANDS

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Asep Muhammad Iqbal
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Total Population ◽  
Statistical Data ◽  
Educational Background ◽  
Religious Leaders ◽  
Dutch Population ◽  
Muslim Community ◽  
Muslim Population ◽  
Muslim Communities

The Netherlands is one of European countries whose population with Islamic background has been increasing significantly. Statistical data show that there are around one million Muslims in this country or around six per cent of total population of the Netherlands. Some Muslim communities in this country came from Southeast Asia including Indonesia. The number of Muslim population from Indonesia was estimated to be around 200,000 out of 400,000 Dutch population with Indonesian background. This certainly necessitates the involvement and role of religious leaders who are able to serve the need and interests of Muslim community with Indonesian backrgound in this country. One of the important issues needs attention is the educational background of these religious leaders. Therefore, this paper describes the following: what is the educational background of the imams and how this contributes to their recognition as religious leaders by Muslim community with Indonesian background in the Netherlands. It argues that the different patterns of educational background of imams among Indonesian Muslims in the Netherlands have significantly contributed to their recognition as respected religious leaders by their community. Dalam perkembangan kontemporer, Belanda merupakan salah satu negara Eropa di mana jumlah penduduknya yang berlatar belakang Islam mengalami peningkatan yang tinggi. Data statistik menunjukkan bahwa penduduk dengan latar belakang Islam berjumlah sekitar satu juta orang atau sekitar enam persen dari total populasi Belanda yang berjumlah sekitar tujuh belas juta orang. Penduduk Muslim ini sebagian berasal dari Asia Teggara termasuk Indonesia. Penduduk Muslim asal Indonesia diperkirakan berjumlah sekitar 200.000 orang dari sekitar 400.000 orang yang berlatar belakang Indonesia. Kenyataan ini menuntut keterlibatan dan peran pemimpin agama dalam melayani kebutuhan dan kepentingan umat Muslim asal Indonesia di negeri kincir angin ini. Salah satu hal yang menarik untuk dikaji dari para pemimpin agama ini adalah latar belakang pendidikan dan keilmuan mereka sehubungan dengan tugas-tugas keagamaan mereka. Karena itu, tulisan ini berupaya untuk mendeskripsikan pola latar-belakang pendidikan pemimpin keagamaan masyarakat Muslim asal Indonesia yang mana kemudian bisa dilihat kredibilitas dan kompetensi mereka dalam melayani umat. Artikel ini berargumen bahwa latar belakang pendidikan para imam asal Indonesia secara signifikan mempengaruhi pengakuan mereka sebagai pemimpin agama yang dihormati oleh komunitas Muslim asal Indonesia di Belanda.

scholarly journals THE ROLE OF MOSLEM SOCIETIES’S LEADERSHIP IN PERSPECTIVE OF NATIONAL INTEGRATION: A CASE STUDY IN PEGAYAMAN VILLAGE, BULELENG DISTRICT, BALI

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 86
Author(s):  
I Nyoman Mardika
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Identity ◽  
Religious Identity ◽  
Minority Group ◽  
Muslim Community ◽  
National Integration ◽  
Disintegration Process ◽  
Muslim Communities ◽  
The Village

Muslim communities which is located in Pegayaman Village, in Buleleng Regency, have a unique and ambivalent position. Nationally, they are part of the majority Muslim communities in Indonesia. However, since they located at Buleleng regency which is a Hindu majority, the communities certainly becomes a minority group. The Muslim community of Pegayaman can live in harmony and be able to integrate with other community as a minority. In the national integration of the Muslim Pegayaman community is able to blend with other communities without losing their cultural identity. This is inseparable from the system of values, beliefs amd cultural (religious) identity and leadership in the village. The concept was able to bring the Pegayaman Muslim community to maintain national intehration and keep them away from disintegration process.

The Changed Circumstances for the Performance of Religious Authority in a Cape Muslim Community

2004 ◽  
Vol 34 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 39-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sindre Bangstad
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Religious Education ◽  
Cape Town ◽  
Symbolic Capital ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Religious Authority ◽  
Religious Leaders ◽  
Muslim Community ◽  
Muslim Communities

AbstractIn the Muslim communities of Cape Town, South Africa, religious authority is based on processes of designation in local communities. Increased access to higher religious education, and increased exposure to the diversity of local and global Islamic discourses as a result of general societal democratisation and processes of globalisation, leads to increased contestation over religious authority in Cape Muslim communities. As the rights to Muslim discourse are democratised, religious authority becomes more unstable. This article, based on fieldwork in a coloured township south of Cape Town, argues that there has been a shift in the symbolic capital required of Muslim religious leaders from mastery of form to mastery of content, and suggests that the democratisation of Muslim discourse has opened avenues to religious authority for Muslim females.

scholarly journals Engaging with the Muslim Community in Cardiff

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-64
Author(s):  
Imran Awan ◽  
Sara Correia
Keyword(s):  
Unique Contribution ◽  
Muslim Community ◽  
Counter Terrorism ◽  
Ethical Concerns ◽  
Muslim Communities ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Blue Print ◽  
Gain Access

Since the 9/11 attacks in 2001, there have been a number of terrorist suspects arrested in the UK, but ¾ of those people are released without charge (Choudhury & Fenwick 2011). This has led to claims from within these communities that counter-terrorism legislation is both heavy handed and counter-productive. This article presents findings from a pilot research project that examined how best to engage with Muslim communities and to examine perceptions from these communities with regards to counter-terrorism legislation. There were two aims for the pilot study. The first was to provide members of the Muslim community in Cardiff with information about the nature of the study, its objectives and the individuals who would be undertaking the research. The second, following from the first, was to assess the feasibility of different methods of undertaking the research with representatives of Cardiff’s Muslim communities. This in turn would help address issues such as how to gain access to participants; how to obtain informed consent for participation in the research; identifying appropriate methods of data collection; appropriate venues for the fieldwork; identifying ethical concerns arising from the research; and identifying any risks to participants and researchers arising from the research, as well as the strategies needed to overcome these risks. This was a qualitative case study which utilized grounded theory principles to generate a theoretical model and involved interviews with 6 people and a focus group consisting of 3 people. In short, this study offers a blue print for further research into the impact of counter terrorism legislation on Muslim communities in Cardiff and makes a unique contribution to the literature on Muslims in Britain as well as counter terrorism studies as Cardiff’s Muslim communities remain under-researched.

Management of deradicalisation in the UK: reflections of a clinical psychologist

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Feryad A. Hussain
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Psychologist ◽  
Healthcare Team ◽  
Psychosocial Issues ◽  
Muslim Community ◽  
Home Office ◽  
Terrorist Groups ◽  
Violent Action ◽  
Clinical Counselling ◽  
The Uk

Radicalisation to violent action is not just a problem in foreign lands. Research has identified numerous politico–psychosocial factors to explain why young people from the UK are now joining terrorist groups such as ISIS. Our understanding has been expanded by the accounts of “returnees” who have subsequently either self-deradicalised or joined a government deradicalisation programme in the role of an Intervention Provider (IP). These individuals are now key to the deradicalisation programme. This article presents the reflections of a clinical psychologist who worked within a social healthcare team managing psychosocial issues related to radicalisation, in conjunction with an allocated IP. The project involved individuals from the Muslim community and, as such, issues discussed are specific to this group. It is acknowledged that the process in general is universally applicable to all groups though specifics may vary (under Trust agreement, details may not be discussed). This article also aims to share basic information on the current Home Office deradicalisation programme and raises questions about the current intervention. It also offers reflections on how the work of IPs may be facilitated and supported by clinical/counselling psychologists and psychotherapists.

The Regional Consequences of the Japanese Second Wave: A Case Study

1995 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Max Munday
Keyword(s):  
Local Economy ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Second Wave

Outline This paper examines the Japanese “second wave” sector in the local economy. Following an examination of the development of the second wave Japanese-owned supplier sector in the UK, the paper assesses the role of this sector in the local economy, and questions the policy rationale of attracting this particular type of inward investment.

Hidden speech, private thoughts: a case study in peer conversation and educational choice

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 148-168
Author(s):  
Cherry Canovan ◽  
Rory McDonald ◽  
Naomi Fallon
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Widening Participation ◽  
Educational Choice ◽  
Older Students ◽  
Friendship Group ◽  
Great Relevance ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Peer Conversation

The role of peer and friendship-group conversation in educational and career choices is of great relevance to widening participation (WP) practitioners, but has been little studied in recent years. We interviewed young people and WP practitioners in Carlisle, an isolated city in the UK, to interrogate this subject. We found that young people were clearly discussing their future choices, sometimes overtly and sometimes in 'unacknowledged conversations'. However some topics and ambitions were seen as 'too private' to discuss; all of our young people had a plan for the future, but many believed that some of their friends did not, possibly because of this constraint. We also discuss the role of older students in informing choices, the phenomenon of 'clustering' that can lead to young people funnelli ng into certain options, and the role that geographical isolation might play in exacerbating some effects. Finally we give some recommendations for WP practice based on these findings.

The special measures school and the ‘c’ word: A case study of the role of conformity, compliance chimera, and the power of community and context in a special measures secondary school in northern England

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-113
Author(s):  
Diann Hanson
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Children's Services ◽  
Economic Context ◽  
Economically Deprived ◽  
Children’S Services ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Methods Of Reconstruction

This article explores the relationship between capital and education through the experiences of a British secondary school following a grading by the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills that placed the school into special measures, considering the underlying assumptions and inequalities highlighted and obfuscated by the special measures label. The formulaic and ritualistic manner in which operational and ideological methods of reconstruction were presented as the logical (and only) pathway towards improvement is examined in an effort to disentangle the purpose of the ‘means-to-an-end’ approach within prevailing hegemonic structures, requiring a revisit to contemporary positioning of Gramscian concepts of ideology through the work of Gandin. The decontextualisation of schools from their socio-economic environments is probed in order to expose the paradoxes and fluidity of resistant discourse. The ambiguities between a Catholic ethos, neo-liberal restructuring and the socio-economic context of the school and the greater demands to acquiesce to externally prescribed notions of normativity are considered as a process that conversely created apertures, newly formed sublayers and corrugations where transformation could take root. Unforeseen epiphanies and structures of dissent are identified and will enrich the narrative of existence and survival in a special measures school in an economically deprived northern town in the UK.

scholarly journals PERSEPSI PEMUKA AGAMA TERHADAP BIAS GENDER DITINJAU DARI LATAR BELAKANG SUKU

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dahlia Lubis
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Group ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Gender Studies ◽  
Gender Bias ◽  
Gender Inequality ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Research Data ◽  
Religious Leaders ◽  
Muslim Community

<strong>Abstrak: </strong>keberadaan<strong> </strong>berbagai kajian dan literatur tentang gender tidak serta merta merubah pandangan masyarakat tentang keadilan gender. Sebab, kajian gender tetapi memiliki pendukung dan penentang. Ada pendapat bahwa kajian gender berupaya merubah ajaran agama itu sendiri. Dalam kajian gender selama ini, ditemukan banyak pihak yang ikut berkontribusi bagi muncul dan berkembangnya paham yang bias gender dalam masyarakat Muslim, khususnya di Indonesia. Di antara pihak yang bertanggungjawab terhadap kelestarian paham yang diskriminatif terhadap perempuan adalah para pemuka agama yang diwakili oleh para ustaz dan ustazah dimana mereka memainkan peran sebagai penyampai ajaran agama kepada masyarakat Muslim. Artikel ini mengkaji pandangan para ustaz dan ustazah terhadap ketidakadilan gender yang dilihat dari latar belakang suku masing-masing, sehingga akan terungkap perihal adakah kaitan antara latar belakang suku seorang ustaz dan ustazah terhadap persepsi mereka tentang ketidakadilan gender. Didasari oleh studi lapangan, dimana data penelitian diperoleh dari angket dan wawancara, kajian ini menemukan bahwa masih ditemukannya pemahaman bias gender dalam persepsi ustaz dan ustazah di kota Medan. Kajian ini diharapkan dapat memberikan kontribusi bagi kajian gender di Indonesia.  <strong></strong><br /><strong> </strong><br /><strong>Kata Kunci: </strong>ustaz, ustazah, ketidakadilan, gender, suku<br /><strong> </strong><br /><strong>Abstract: The Perception of Islamic Preachers about Gender Bias Reviewed From Ethnic Group Backgrounds.</strong> The existence of various studies and literature on gender does not automatically change the society's opinion about gender equality. As such, supporters and opponents of the idea are readily found. One opinion goes as far as saying that gender studies try to alter the teachings of religion itself. In the gender studies has been found that many contributed to the emergence and development of gender biased ideology in Muslim societies, especially in Indonesia. Among those responsible to discriminatory preservation of women are religious leaders who are represented by <em>ustaz</em> and <em>ustazah</em> where they play the role of religious teachings to the Muslim community. This article examines the opinions of <em>ustaz</em> and <em>ustazah</em> on gender inequality realized from the background of each ethnic group, so it will be revealed about whether there is a link between ethnic background of an <em>ustaz</em> and <em>ustazah</em> to their perception of gender injustice. Based on field studies, where the research data was obtained from questionnaires and interviews, this study found that there is an understanding of gender bias in <em>ustaz</em> and <em>ustazah</em> perceptions in Medan city. This study is expected to contribute to gender studies in Indonesia.<br /> <br /><strong>Keywords:</strong> ustaz, ustazah, injustice, gender, ethnic group

scholarly journals Influence of immigration Policies on Supply of Ethnic Business Entrepreneurs in Canada

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuguang Wang ◽  
Rebecca Hii
Keyword(s):  
Immigration Policies ◽  
Role Of Government ◽  
Ethnic Business ◽  
Ethnic Entrepreneurs ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Ethnic Businesses ◽  
Group Characteristics ◽  
Business Sectors

Traditional theories deal with ethnic business mainly from the perspectives of structural opportunities and ethnic group characteristics. While they explain very well why some ethnic groups have higher rates of business formation and ownership than others, much less attention has been paid to the role of government policies in regulating the inflow of business immigrants and channelling ethnic entrepreneurs and related resources into different business sectors. Using Canada as a case study, this paper examines how changes in immigration policies have influenced business immigrant flows and ethnic business development (since most ethnic businesses are initiated and run by immigrants). This study found that the recent changes in Canada’s immigration programs have resulted in substantial decrease in the inflow of business immigrants, and may turn many resourceful business immigrants to the competing countries of the U.S., Australia and the UK, which all have more affordable and less restrictive investment requirements. The paper suggests that future studies of ethnic business should be expanded to include immigration policies as an explicit facilitating or restricting factor.

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