Reflective Sociography

Stereotypes are at times representative of reality as well as misleading at times. In both circumstances, it holds an intimate relationship with the real and serves the purpose of communication. But neither representation nor misperception can encompass the plural aspects of the real. It only leads us to conclude our reading(s) in a very shallow manner. Though stereotypes homogenises multiplicities involved in human beings, e.g. many understand Islam as one, at the same time various other stereotypes that are culturally situated in different locations can be used to defy the overarching hegemonic stereotype about Islam. For example, there is a stereotype in India that Muslims eat beef. Surely, they do just as many others do, including certain castes/sections of Hindu community who eat beef. At the same time, cow is a sacred animal in the country where a specific hegemonic religious ideology opposes beef eating. This opposition can only be relevant if there is a community, whose prese

Wednesday, November 28, 2007 Posted by S. M. Faizan Ahmed at 5:43 AM There can be many meanings of Islam apart from its literal translation. All meanings are interpretations. Hence, Islam is not just one interpretation and each interpretation carries its significant other both within and outside Islamic paradigm. It is through interpretation we access Islam in diverse expressions both at the level of ideas and this-worldly manifestations. Every attempt to read, understand and interpret Islam carries as much opportunities for clarifications as leading us to further obscure trajectories. Yet, such attempts have not stopped, nor do we have any unchallengeable interpretation of Islam. One may ask on this, what is the essence of Islam? Is it the first Kalma, the five basic duties, the Quran, the Hadith, or the followers themselves? The answer is all and none. All because it is through the significance of these that Islam becomes all the more challenging and all the more obscure as e