This Thesis sets out to demonstrate the usefulness of Sufi philosophy, as articulated by Jalaluddin Rumi and Abd al-Salam Yassine, for the discussion of a politics of wellbeing which has entered...Show moreThis Thesis sets out to demonstrate the usefulness of Sufi philosophy, as articulated by Jalaluddin Rumi and Abd al-Salam Yassine, for the discussion of a politics of wellbeing which has entered politics and academia in the resent decades.Show less
In this paper we construe a renovative dialogue by placing the conception of morality that follows from Imam Abu Hamid al- Ghazali’s metaphysics in conversation with equivalent ideas from Friedrich...Show moreIn this paper we construe a renovative dialogue by placing the conception of morality that follows from Imam Abu Hamid al- Ghazali’s metaphysics in conversation with equivalent ideas from Friedrich Nietzsche and Michel Foucault, who are both defining thinkers of the Postmodern current. The dialogue primarily serves to clarify how exactly ideas from the traditional religio- philosophical system of the reviver of the Islamic faith may contribute to the expansion of the Postmodern horizon, whilst keeping an eye on its invaluable insights which promise to advance and enrich traditional thought. The central proposition of this paper is that Imam al- Ghazali’s epistemology is expansive to Postmodern thought in providing the philosophical ground for positive and fruitful deliberations on moral truth by synthesizing the faculty of reason with immediate experience (dhawq) with reference to the spiritual heart (qalb) of humans, which is an epistemic faculty of immediate insight into the nature of reality. We argue that traditional Islamic thought is relevant in the context of Secularism, because it answers to the Western surrender of Metaphysics, offering an experientiably verifiable method by means of which to engage in valid metaphysical and moral inquiry. To achieve this end we give a detailed exposition of Imam al- Ghazali’s multi- faceted, life- oriented ethics, critically examine some of the central propositions of Postmodern thought in relation to morality and place them into a dynamic dialogue with the Imam’s religio- philosophical system. Furthermore we present personal considerations supported by and harmonious with the Imam’s writings which question the validity of the nihilistic claims of its interlocutor. It is the purpose of the present endeavor to capture and deliberate about sensitive ideas which shape contemporary secular ideology in a rigorous manner, whilst opening pathways to the consideration that there might be more to reality than matter and ideology.Show less
Packaged as an investigation into the phenomenon of causation, the paper serves as an introduction to a metaphysics of existence that, while not directly engaging with current debates in Western...Show morePackaged as an investigation into the phenomenon of causation, the paper serves as an introduction to a metaphysics of existence that, while not directly engaging with current debates in Western philosophy and the natural sciences, provides the contemporary framework for how existence (‘wujūd’) should be conceptualized outside the tradition of Islamic philosophy. Though tackling difficult and sometimes incomprehensible subjects, namely primitive ontology, time and the modulation of Being, the content aims to be accessible to the Western reader.Show less
The dynamics between Sufism and politics in Morocco go back hundreds of years in history, yet they are still seen as relevant to this day. Studying these dynamics can offer invaluable insights into...Show moreThe dynamics between Sufism and politics in Morocco go back hundreds of years in history, yet they are still seen as relevant to this day. Studying these dynamics can offer invaluable insights into the relationship between power and religion in Moroccan society. In this thesis I will examine the development of the Moroccan State’s discourse on Sufism in the 21st century, by analyzing the State’s utterances in the realm of Sufism within the country. In order to present an in-depth analysis, this thesis studies recent scholarly literature on this topic, as well as actual utterances of the Moroccan State in speeches and policy. Moreover, by taking into account the sociohistorical complexities of Sufism and politics in Morocco, I aim at presenting a discourse analysis that is not merely focusing on the present, but also considering the possible connections with the ‘old’ system. Drawing on Foucault’s notion of power and discourse, this thesis also aims at linking the Moroccan State’s powerful position to the discourse on Sufism. I argue that in the 21st century, the Moroccan State’s discourse on Sufism, or sainthood, has become more versatile and complex, due to it is entanglement with political challenges of the 21st century, and its employment under the realm of larger discourses.Show less
The personality of Akbar has caught the fascination of historians and poets. The legend of his openness and tolerance towards the other religions of the Indian subcontinent has been both lauded and...Show moreThe personality of Akbar has caught the fascination of historians and poets. The legend of his openness and tolerance towards the other religions of the Indian subcontinent has been both lauded and disputed. Whereas most historians saw his progressive policies of tolerance as a form of Enlightenment in the East, others have reduced the Emperor's tolerance to nothing more than a thought through political strategy which only served the material interests of the Mughal state. This paper will evaluate these differing views on Akbar and the role religion played in his reign, in order to see that both personal and political interests were served in Akbar's career.Show less
This thesis seeks to add to our conception of the role of commentaries and the workings within the networks of medieval Muslim intellectuals, by analysing the way in which the Persian mystic Sayyid...Show moreThis thesis seeks to add to our conception of the role of commentaries and the workings within the networks of medieval Muslim intellectuals, by analysing the way in which the Persian mystic Sayyid ʿAli Hamadani treats and defines the mystical symbolism of the Egyptian mystic Ibn al-Farid's Khamriyya. The translation and analysis of Hamadani's commentary (Masharib al-Adhwaq) supports the view that mystical authors often composed commentaries on poetry mainly to present and support their own theosophical system. Hence, the analysis of Masharib al-Adhwaq reveals many of the basic concepts of Islamic mysticism that can be traced back to such eminent scholars as Ibn ʿArabi or al-Ghazali. This thesis also seeks to contribute to our understandings of the way Persian authors employed prosimetry (i.e. the mixing of prose and verse). The analysis of the interactions between Ibn al-Farid's verses and Hamadani's prose and verse explanations suggests a dialectic between the prose and poetry passages that reflects both the explicit and the implicit intention behind writing a mystical commentary.Show less
