Agency and Authority Muhammed Haron (University of Botswana) 17-19 May 2015

Muhammed Haron (University of Botswana) 17-19 May 2015

Muslim Minorities and the State

Agency and Authority


An ACLARS Presentation

Religious Freedom, Religious Pluralism


Religion vis-à-vis State

Contemporary Context

Religious Pluralism

Interfaith Religion Dialogue & Cooperation

Religious Freedom

4


Two Key Concepts

Agency Authority


A Definition

AGENCY

self-determination, volition, or free will;

it is the power of individuals/communities/ organizations to act independently of the determining constraints of social structure.

SYMBOL


Religion: Key Stakeholder


Religious Authorities: Varieties


Religious Authority: Question of Appropriation and Interpretation

Brannon Wheeler, Applying the Canon in Islam: The Authorization and Maintenance of Interpretive Reasoning in Hanafi Scholarship (Albany: SUNY, 1996): Religious authority “derives not from closing the canon, or even from ‘fixing’ its contents, but from certain ways of interpreting them.”


Africa’s Muslim-Christian Demographics


Southern Africa’s Muslim minorities

Is there a role for them - as religious minorities – to act as agents of social change in which they partner with others to achieve social justice?

To what extent do they engage with state authorities or civil society groups to work towards ‘common good’ goals for all?

And more specifically what position do Muslim authorities hold to influence socio-legal outcomes in Southern Africa’s secular states and to what degree do they make use of their primary sacred text (i.e. The Quran and Hadith) to harmonize their faith and practices with state policies?


Southern Africa


The Focus: South Africa and Botswana

Whilst the presentation outlines the Muslim minorities’ role as agents of social change, it also brings to the fore the special position that Muslim authorities (i.e. theologians: imams, shaykhs, mawlanas, ayatollahs) hold in relation to state authority;


Authorities and Sources

Muslim authorities draw upon their sacred text(s) to deal with Social, Political, Economic, and Legal issues

Religious

Authorities

Qur’an

Sunnah Other


From Sources to Legal Opinion

SOURCES

The Doctrines according

to Ash-Shafi

THE FATWA


MJC Agent of Religious Change and their Logo


MJC: ‘Cape’ Religious Authority


Stamping Authority, Making Change

ISSUES

Fatwa

Muslims

Personal Law

Islamic Finance: Shariah

Compliant Products

Halal Indust

ry

Other Sectors: Fashion, Music,

etc

DIRECTION


RA: ‘Agents of Change’?

PRESENTATION’S FOCUS

Demonstrate to what extent Muslim minorities are ‘agents of social change’

And nature of ‘Muslims and State’ relations via the role and actions of Religious Authorities

R-S: USA AND GERMANY


A Tripartite Alliance

Secular State

Muslim Society

Religiou

s Authority

Muslim Judicial Council

South African Government

Cape Muslim Community


From Presentation to Print

CONFERENCES BOOKS

Documents

Agency and Authority Muhammed Haron (University of Botswana) 17-19 May 2015