The Ulama: Challenges, Reforms, and New Patterns of Social Relevance

TY - CHAP

T1 - The Ulama: Challenges, Reforms, and New Patterns of Social Relevance

AU - Skovgaard-Petersen, Jakob

PY - 2017/9/21

Y1 - 2017/9/21

N2 - The scholars of Islamic sciences, the 'ulama', have often been considered a particularly intransigent social group, most notably in works inspired by modernization theory. Yet they have actually managed to survive and even benefit from the major upheavals that have taken place in the Muslim world since the mid-19th century. While they have lost their central position in the legal systems, and have been marginalized in higher education, the 'ulama' have largely maintained their status as the "men of religion." They were thus well positioned to benefit from the religious resurgence that has spread over many Muslim-majority societies since the 1970s. This chapter looks at the fate of the 'ulama': their institutions, their formal and informal links to states and regimes, and their growing role in the media. It argues that, although no longer in a position to monopolize Islamic religious learning, the 'ulama' have managed to uphold their position as those who know how to apply their learning conscientiously in the society of their day.

AB - The scholars of Islamic sciences, the 'ulama', have often been considered a particularly intransigent social group, most notably in works inspired by modernization theory. Yet they have actually managed to survive and even benefit from the major upheavals that have taken place in the Muslim world since the mid-19th century. While they have lost their central position in the legal systems, and have been marginalized in higher education, the 'ulama' have largely maintained their status as the "men of religion." They were thus well positioned to benefit from the religious resurgence that has spread over many Muslim-majority societies since the 1970s. This chapter looks at the fate of the 'ulama': their institutions, their formal and informal links to states and regimes, and their growing role in the media. It argues that, although no longer in a position to monopolize Islamic religious learning, the 'ulama' have managed to uphold their position as those who know how to apply their learning conscientiously in the society of their day.

U2 - 10.1002/9781118527719.ch26

DO - 10.1002/9781118527719.ch26

M3 - Book chapter

SN - 9780470657546

T3 - The Wiley-Blackwell Histories of Religion

SP - 543

EP - 560

BT - The Wiley-Blackwell History of Islam.

A2 - Salvatore, Armando

PB - Wiley

CY - Oxford

ER -