Sufism, sufi leadership and 'modernisation' in South Asia since c.1800
Relatively little research has been devoted to the responses of sufism, the Islamic spiritual tradition, to processes of 'modernisation'. I have been concerned to study the responses of Indian sufism to the growth of the colonial state, which established new forms of knowledge and new forms of order, and to the emergence of Muslim movements of revival and reform, which saw, and still see, sufism as inimical to the capacity of Muslims to sustain an Islamic society. It is a context more hostile for sufism than ever experienced before. I have approached the problem by examining the responses of three working spiritual traditions in nineteenth and twentieth century India. The first sufi shrine had an educated, urban following; the second had a largely rural following; the third appealed to all conditions of men and across all religious barriers. Unlike the other two this last tradition was a product of the colonial environment. It was notable in that the charisma of the saint was not 'routinised' through his familial descendants but through the workings of a committee. The responses of each spiritual tradition to the changing social, economic and political context have been examined. The analysis of the doings
Liebeskind, Claudia
Sufism, sufi leadership and 'modernisation' in South Asia since c.1800. Relatively little research has been devoted to the responses of sufism, the Islamic spiritual tradition, to processes of 'modernisation'. I have been concerned to study the responses of Indian sufism to the growth of the colonial state, which established new forms of knowledge and new forms of order, and to the emergence of Muslim movements of revival and reform, which saw, and still see, sufism as inimical to the capacity of Muslims to sustain an Islamic society. It is a context more hostile for sufism than ever experienced before. I have approached the problem by examining the responses of three working spiritual traditions in nineteenth and twentieth century India. The first sufi shrine had an educated, urban following; the second had a largely rural following; the third appealed to all conditions of men and across all religious barriers. Unlike the other two this last tradition was a product of the colonial environment. It was notable in that the charisma of the saint was not 'routinised' through his familial descendants but through the workings of a committee. The responses of each spiritual tradition to the changing social, economic and political context have been examined. The analysis of the doings
sufism sufi leadership modernisation south_asia since relatively_little devoted response sufism islamic spiritual tradition process modernisation concern study response indian sufism growth colonial_state establish_new form knowledge new_form order emergence muslim movement revival reform saw still see sufism capacity muslims sustain islamic society context hostile sufism ever experience before approach_problem examine response work spiritual tradition india first sufi shrine educate urban follow second largely rural following third appeal condition men across religious barrier unlike last tradition product colonial environment notable saint familial descendant working committee response spiritual tradition change social_economic_political context examine analysis doings