The story of Islam is not one story, but many stories involving peoples of different races, ethnicities, and cultures. Every religious tradition is marked by internal diversity, manifested through its various communities of interpretation. Islam likewise is multifaceted, as are Muslim life and faith. Living Islam invites readers to appreciate ways in which Muslims from diverse backgrounds and traditions interpret and experience their faith. Adopting a cultural studies approach, Ali Asani begins by posing questions such as ‘Which Islam?’ and ‘Whose Islam?’, and he considers different conceptions of being Muslim. He then illustrates multidimensional ways in which Muslims relate to the Prophet Muhammad, including as messenger, model, intercessor, and beloved. Drawing on Muslim devotional practices and exploring the Islamic ‘artscape’, he showcases how the beauty of the transcendent can be experienced through sonic, visual, and poetic arts.
Note on the Text
Introduction
- Who is a Muslim?
- Following God’s Beloved: Muhammad as the Ideal Muslim
- Multisensory Religion: Rethinking Islam
Conclusion
Glossary
Notes
Further Reading
List of Illustrations
Index
‘A beautifully written and theoretically rich study that reframes Islam through the senses, art, and everyday life. This book transforms how we think, teach, and feel religion. An essential text for anyone seeking to understand Islam beyond doctrine and law.’
– Shenila Khoja-Moolji, Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani Endowed Chair of Muslim Societies, Georgetown University, DC
‘In presenting Islam as it has been experienced by Muslims, and presenting it in an accessible and sympathetic way, Ali Asani has produced a book that will not only be useful to students embarking on the study of Islam, but will also help foster interreligious understanding.’
– Fitzroy Morrissey, Associate Professor of Islamic Studies and Law, University of Oxford.
‘Prof. Asani is one of our key scholars of Islam. In this marvelous book, he gets to the heart of what it means to be a Muslim in the world today.’
– Amir Hussain, Professor of Theological Studies, Loyola Marymount University, CA
Ali S. Asani is Murray A. Albertson Professor of Middle Eastern Studies and Professor of Indo-Muslim and Islamic Religion and Cultures at Harvard University. He is the author of many publications including Celebrating Muhammad (1995), The Harvard Collection of Ismaili Literatures in Indic Languages (1992), and Ecstasy and Enlightenment (2002).