1st Edition
Knowledge, Authority, and Islamic Education in the West Reconfiguring Tradition
Drawing on immersive fieldwork in the United States, Canada, and Turkey, this ethnographic exploration illuminates the transformative experiences of emerging adult Muslims on their quest for religious knowledge. This book unravels the significance of four residential learning settings, revealing their role as catalysts for reshaping Islamic tradition. Delving into the interplay between technology’s pervasive influence and the decentralized nature of Islamic interpretation, Zainab Kabba unveils a vibrant tapestry of knowledge producers vying to shape religious understanding and practice among Western Muslims. At the heart of this narrative lies the delicate balance between teachers and students, continuously communicating and recalibrating components that bring religious authority to life. Kabba dissects this relationship, highlighting the emergence of a complex landscape that she terms the ‘Muslim Education Industrial Complex’, where religious knowledge has become a commodity. This study offers profound insights into the challenges of intra-Muslim dialogue and the adaptive resilience of American Sunni-Muslim communities. Amidst a digital age and the complexities of global geopolitics surrounding Islam, it showcases how these communities reinterpret classical Islamic narratives, navigating tradition to steer their path forward. This book invites readers to ponder the evolution of Islamic learning, the dynamics of authority, and the enduring quest for knowledge amidst the currents of a rapidly changing world.
Introduction; 1. Knowledge and Authority; 2. Islamic and Muslim Learning in the United States; 3. The Spirit’s Action; 4. The Journey; 5. Pressure Makes Diamonds; 6. Living the Dream; 7. Negotiating Boundaries of Muslim Practice; 8. The Seekers’ Seekers
Biography
Zainab Kabba is an independent scholar, educator, researcher, and strategist. She has spent over 20 years working in and with institutions to build learning architectures that deliver actionable insights, cultivate community, and create social impact. She is the Founder and CEO of Quotidian Strategies, a boutique consultancy company that provides bespoke research, evaluation, and learning partnership services. She holds a B.S. in Information Systems from Stony Brook University, an M.A. in Computing in Education from Teachers College, Columbia University and a DPhil in Education from the University of Oxford, UK.
