Muslims, Minorities and Modernity: The restructuring of heterodoxy in the Middle East and Southeast Asia
Publication date
2000
Authors
Bruinessen, M.M. van
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Document Type
Preprint
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Abstract
Inaugural lecture of Martin van Bruinessen
Utrecht, November 21, 2000.
When you are considered as an expert on the Muslim
world (or at least certain parts of it), people often address
you with questions about Islam. With depressing
monotony, the questions unfailingly define Islam as a
problem. When speaking
of problems with immigrants, it is usually the Muslims
that people have in mind.In the main narrative and in the asides I have mentioned
some of the phenomena that I have done research on in
the past and to which I hope to revert in the future. Just as
Sufism bridges the spheres of shari`a-based Islam and
heterodox folk Islam, the study of Sufi orders and tarikatlike
associations is the trait d’union linking my various
interests. The Department of Oriental Studies of Utrecht
University, with its high concentration of expertise on
Sufism and heterodox Islam, is in that respect an ideal
environment. Sufism will also be a component of my
work at ISIM.