Abstract
This chapter examines the public engagements of five prominent ‘Neo-
traditionalist’ Sufi scholars in the Arab world in the wake of the 2011 Arab revolutions. These scholars’ Sufi affiliation is not necessarily the primary feature of their public identity, and not all Sufis share in the political orientation of the
scholars considered here. These Neo-traditionalist Sui scholars, however, have
become particularly active in Middle Eastern politics after the Arab revolutions,
and as this chapter will argue, their politics is related to their Sufism.
Neo-traditionalist scholars self-identify as Sunnis. However, their ‘denomination’ of Sunnism, which I refer to as ‘Neo-traditionalism’, valorises Sufism more than other Islamic denominations of comparable significance. Neo- traditionalism, broadly speaking, emphasises respect for and adherence to one of the four schools of law, the Ashʿari or Maturidi schools of theology, and any of a number of Sufi orders. All Neo-traditionalists thus valorise Sufism, but not all Sufis necessarily espouse the tripartite Neo-traditionalist understanding of Islam.
traditionalist’ Sufi scholars in the Arab world in the wake of the 2011 Arab revolutions. These scholars’ Sufi affiliation is not necessarily the primary feature of their public identity, and not all Sufis share in the political orientation of the
scholars considered here. These Neo-traditionalist Sui scholars, however, have
become particularly active in Middle Eastern politics after the Arab revolutions,
and as this chapter will argue, their politics is related to their Sufism.
Neo-traditionalist scholars self-identify as Sunnis. However, their ‘denomination’ of Sunnism, which I refer to as ‘Neo-traditionalism’, valorises Sufism more than other Islamic denominations of comparable significance. Neo- traditionalism, broadly speaking, emphasises respect for and adherence to one of the four schools of law, the Ashʿari or Maturidi schools of theology, and any of a number of Sufi orders. All Neo-traditionalists thus valorise Sufism, but not all Sufis necessarily espouse the tripartite Neo-traditionalist understanding of Islam.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Global Sufism: Boundaries, Structures, and Politics |
| Place of Publication | United Kingdom |
| Publisher | Hurst |
| Chapter | 12 |
| Pages | 225-235 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Edition | 1 |
| ISBN (Print) | 978-1787381346 |
| Publication status | Published - Sept 2019 |
| Externally published | Yes |