Construction of Islamic Knowledge in Cyberspace

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Transcript Construction of Islamic Knowledge in Cyberspace

Construction of Islamic Knowledge in
Cyberspace
Vít Šisler
Charles University in Prague
[email protected]
http://uisk.jinonice.cuni.cz/sisler
Construction of Islamic Knowledge in Cyberspace
Islam Online
URL: www.islamonline.net
Operates from: Cairo, Egypt
Registered: Doha, Qatar
Mufti(s): Yusuf al-Qaradawi, European Council for Fatwa
and Research, Fiqh Council of North America, al-Azhar
graduates, etc.
Title of Fatwa:
Date of Reply:
Topic Of Fatwa:
Having a Second Wife in Western Countries
08/May/2005
Polygamy
It is known that polygamy—more correctly, polygyny—is
allowed in Islam. I would like to know the point of view of Islam
if a Muslim living in a Western country, where polygamy is
regarded unlawful, has to have a second wife due to some
reasons.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. All praise and thanks
are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Dear questioner! Thank you for your question and the confidence you
place in our service and we pray to Allah to enable us render this service
purely for His Sake. Islam is a way of life consonant with nature, providing
human solutions to complex situations and avoiding extremes.
The prominent Muslim scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Hulail, imam of Tariq ibn
Ziad Mosque in Frankfurt, Germany, states:
The Muslim who has a second wife has to follow the channels
of law in order to legalize his second marriage in the country
he lives in.
There are some Muslim brothers who did so through the legitimate
channels. They submitted documents to the European countries they
reside in to the effect that they have second wives according to the
Islamic Law and that the first wife agrees to that.
If the attempts to legalize the second marriage fail, the person
could document his (second) marriage in one of the Islamic
centers, yet, his marriage then would not be regarded
legitimate under the law of the country concerned.
There are some flexible European laws concerning registering names of
the children born even from illegitimate relationships.
The prominent Muslim scholar Dr. Jamal Badawi, professor at Saint
Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada and member of the
Fiqh Council of North America, adds:
A Muslim living in a non-Muslim society is obligated to follow
the laws. We cannot say that their laws are contrary to the
Shari`ah, so we have to follow the Shari`ah. Taking a second
wife is not a necessary requirement; there is no mandatory
duty on the Muslim to have a second wife.
If a person has become a resident or a citizen in a European country, it is
a condition for him to abide by its laws. When a Muslim man in a
European country sticks to not having a second wife, it is like giving up a
particular right according to his own Shari`ah.
Allah Almighty knows best.
Construction of Islamic Knowledge in Cyberspace
Fatwa Online
URL: www.fatwa-online.com
Operates from: Saudi Arabia
Registered: Medina, Saudi Arabia
Mufti(s): Saudi Arabian Permanent Committee for
Research and Fatawa
Divorce procedures in non-Muslim countries
Question: If a man living within a Muslim minority community
in a non-Muslim country wants to divorce his wife, should he
follow the divorce procedures of that country, which controls
and enforces its own law or should he follow divorce
proceedings laid down by Islaamic law?
Response: It is not permissible for a Muslim to follow, either in his worship
or in his dealings with others, other than what is laid down in Islaamic law.
It is not permitted for the Muslims to request a legal decision
from anyone who does not judge according to the Book of
Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (sal-Allaahu `alayhe
wa sallam).
Construction of Islamic Knowledge in Cyberspace
Ask the Imam
URL: www.ask-imam.com
Operates from: Campertown, South Africa
Registered: El Segundo, California, US
Mufti: Ebrahim Desai
Construction of Islamic Knowledge in Cyberspace
Al-Azhar
URL: www.alazhar.org
Operates from: Cairo, Egypt
Registered: Cairo, Egypt
Mufti(s): -
Construction of Islamic Knowledge in Cyberspace
Ijtihad
URL: www.ijtihad.org
Operates from: Falls Church, US
Registered: Newark, US
Author: Muqtedar Khan
INTERNET USERS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND IN THE WORLD
MIDDLE
EAST
REGION
Total in
Middle East
Population
( 2006 Est. )
190,084,161
Pop. %
of World
Internet Users,
Latest Data
%
Populat
ion
(Penetr
ation)
2.9 %
18,203,500
9.6 %
2.9 %
454.2 %
Usage %
of World
Use
Growth
(20002005)
Rest of the
World
6,309,612,899
97.1 % 1,003,859,782 15.9 %
98.2 %
180.6 %
WORLD
TOTAL
6,499,697,060
100.0 % 1,022,063,282 15.7 %
100.0 %
183.1 %
NOTES: (1) Internet Usage and Population Statistics for the Middle East were updated on March 31, 2006.
(2) Population numbers are based on data contained in world-gazetteer.com (3) The most recent usage stats
come mainly from data published by Nielsen//NetRatings , ITU , Computer Industry Almanac and other
trustworthy sources. (4) Data on this site may be cited, giving due credit and establishing an active link back
to InternetWorldStats.com . ©Copyright 2006, Miniwatts Marketing Group. All rights reserved.
Middle East Internet Usage and Population Statistics
MIDDLE EAST
Bahrain
Population
( 2006 Est. )
Usage, in
Dec/2000
Internet
Usage,
Latest Data
% Population
(Penetration)
(%)
of
M.E.
Use Growth
(2000-2005)
723,039
40,000
152,700
21.1 %
0.8 %
281.8 %
Iran
69,442,905
250,000
7,500,000
10.8 %
41.2
%
2,900.0 %
Iraq
26,628,187
12,500
36,000
0.1 %
0.2 %
188.0 %
Israel
7,109,929
1,270,000
3,200,000
45.0 %
17.6
%
152.0 %
Jordan
5,282,558
127,300
600,000
11.4 %
3.3 %
371.3 %
Kuwait
2,630,775
150,000
600,000
22.8 %
3.3 %
300.0 %
Lebanon
4,509,678
300,000
600,000
13.3 %
3.3 %
100.0 %
Oman
2,424,422
90,000
245,000
10.1 %
1.3 %
172.2 %
Palestine(West Bk.)
3,259,363
35,000
160,000
4.9 %
0.9 %
357.1 %
795,585
30,000
165,000
20.7 %
0.9 %
450.0 %
Saudi Arabia
23,595,634
200,000
2,540,000
10.8 %
14.0
%
1,170.0 %
Syria
19,046,520
30,000
800,000
4.2 %
4.4 %
2,566.7 %
3,870,936
735,000
1,384.800
35.8 %
7.6 %
88.4 %
20,764,630
15,000
220,000
1.1 %
1.2 %
1,366.7 %
190,084,161
3,284,800
18,203,500
9.6 %
Qatar
United Arab
Emirates
Yemen
TOTAL Middle East
100.0
454.2 %
INTERNET USERS AND POPULATION STATISTICS FOR AFRICA
AFRICA
REGION
Total for Africa
Rest of World
WORLD
TOTAL
Population
( 2006 Est. )
Pop.
%
in
World
%
Penetration
Users
(%
in
Population)
World
2.3 %
4
2
3
.
9
%
999,214,307
17.9 % 97.7 %
1
8
0
.
3
%
100.0
1,022,863,307
%
100.0
%
1
8
3
.
4
%
915,210,928 14.1 %
5,584,486,132 85.9 %
6,499,697,060
Internet
Users,
Latest Data
U
s
e
G
r
o
w
t
h
(
2
0
0
0
2
0
0
5
)
23,649,000
2.6 %
15.7 %
INTERNET USAGE STATISTICS FOR AFRICA
1
Population
( 2006 Est.)
Internet
Users
Dec/2000
Internet
Users,
Latest Data
% Population
(Penetration)
(%)
Users
in
Africa
Use
Growth
( 20002005 )
Algeria
33,033,546
50,000
845,000
2.6 %
3.7 %
1,590.0 %
Angola
13,115,606
30,000
172,000
1.3 %
0.8 %
473.3 %
Benin
7,513,946
15,000
100,000
1.3 %
0.4 %
566.7 %
Botswana
1,856,800
15,000
60,000
3.2 %
0.3 %
300.0 %
12,113,523
10,000
53,200
0.4 %
0.2 %
432.0 %
7,909,395
3,000
25,000
0.3 %
0.1 %
733.3 %
17,378,386
20,000
167,000
1.0 %
0.7 %
735.0 %
485,355
8,000
25,000
5.2 %
0.1 %
212.5 %
Central African Rep.
3,268,182
1,500
9,000
0.3 %
0.0 %
500.0 %
Chad
8,720,110
1,000
60,000
0.7 %
0.3 %
5,900.0 %
666,044
1,500
8,000
1.2 %
0.0 %
433.3 %
3,672,441
500
36,000
1.0 %
0.2 %
7,100.0 %
Congo, Dem. Rep.
58,731,656
500
50,000
0.1 %
0.2 %
9,900.0 %
Cote d'Ivoire
19,617,714
40,000
300,000
1.5 %
1.3 %
650.0 %
779,684
1,400
9,000
1.2 %
0.0 %
542.9 %
71,236,631
450,000
5,000,000
7.0 %
21.1 %
1,011.1 %
Equatorial Guinea
1,102,748
500
5,000
0.5 %
0.0 %
900.0 %
Eritrea
4,189,934
5,000
50,000
1.2 %
0.2 %
900.0 %
72,238,014
10,000
113,000
0.2 %
0.5 %
1,030.0 %
Gabon
1,430,453
15,000
40,000
2.8 %
0.2 %
166.7 %
Gambia
1,471,863
4,000
49,000
3.3 %
0.2 %
1,125.0 %
Ghana
21,355,649
30,000
368,000
1.7 %
1.6 %
1,126.7 %
Guinea
8,080,211
8,000
46,000
0.6 %
0.2 %
475.0 %
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Comoros
Congo
Djibouti
Egypt
Ethiopia
Construction of Islamic Knowledge in Cyberspace
Conclusions
• Challenge for the ‘traditional’ authority
• Muslim minorities – non-Islamic legal framework
• Exposing to debate
• Individualization and privatization
• Selective interpretation
• Transcending virtual borders – downloading of Khutbas
• ‘Imam shopping’
• Canonization of information – Digital Islamic Library Project
Construction of Islamic Knowledge in Cyberspace
Resources
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/archive/article/0,4273,4047913,00.html
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Transnational Cultural Identities. Postmodern Culture, University of Maryland,
1997. http://www.bsos.umd.edu/CSS97/papers/anderson.html
BRÜCKNER, M. Der Mufti im Netz. in LOHLKER, R., Islam im Internet, Neue
Formen der Religion im Cyberspace. Hamburg, Deutches Orient-Institut, 2001.
(CD-ROM)
BUNT, Gary R. Islam in the Digital Age: E-jihad, Online Fatwas and Cyber
Islamic Environments. London, Pluto Press, 2003.
BUNT, Gary R. Virtually Islamic. Cardiff, University of Wales Press, 2000.
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Transforming Traditions in the Interplay of Religion and the Media, Jul. 2003.
http://www.sacredmedia.jyu.fi/mainpage.php#caeiro
Construction of Islamic Knowledge in Cyberspace
Resources II
CAEIRO, A. The European Council for Fatwa and Research. Fourth
Mediterranean Social and Political Research Meeting, Florence, 2003.
http://ternisien.blog.lemonde.fr/ternisien/files/Caeiro.pdf
DAWSON, L. Cyberspace and Religious Life: Conceptualizing the Concerns
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GLENN, D. Who Owns Islamic Law? The Chronicle of Higher Education, 25th
Feb. 2005. www.ijtihad.org/who-owns-Islamic-law.htm
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Construction of Islamic Knowledge in Cyberspace
Resources III
KHAN, Muqtedar. The Priority of Politics: The Tyranny of Legalism. 2003.
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Construction of Islamic Knowledge in Cyberspace
Resources IV
TEITELBAUM, J. Dueling for Da’wa: State vs. Society on the Saudi Internet.
The Middle East Journal, 56 (6): Spring 2002: 222-239.
VAN BRUINESSEN, M. Making and unmaking Muslim religious authority in
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Construction of Islamic Knowledge in Cyberspace
Thank you for your attention.
[email protected]
http://uisk.jinonice.cuni.cz/sisler