Exploring Muslim Understandings of Islam, forthcoming book by Professor Ali Asani

Professor Asani poses the question, “How do you know what you know about Islam?”  He offers an insightful analysis of the modern-day “clash of ignorances” and briefly discusses the serious consequences of cultural and religious illiteracy for a world that is multicultural, multi-racial, multi-ethnic and multi-religious.

Professor Asani problematizes traditional textual and devotional approaches to studying religion as static and limited.  Instead, he advocates a “contextual approach” to the study of religion that promotes an understanding of Islam and Muslim communities within their particular cultural, socio-political, and economic contexts. Through pointing out the co-existence of diverse conceptions and experiences of Islam worldwide, Professor Asani suggests the importance of asking questions such as, “Which Islam? Whose Islam? In which context?”

Resources for Journalists on Islam and Muslim Communities
Islam/Muslim Community Bootcamp for Journalists
*PDF article Introduction from Professor Ali Asani’s forthcoming book “Infidel of Love: Exploring Muslim understandings of Islam” (forthcoming 2009)