Religion as law. An Action-Theoretical Approach to Shari’ah

Gabriele Cappai

doi:10.1515/zfr-2014-0010

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Religion as law. An Action-Theoretical Approach to Shari’ah

Veröffentlicht/Copyright: 24. September 2014

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Aus der Zeitschrift Zeitschrift für Religionswissenschaft Band 22 Heft 2

Abstract

To approach the Shari’ah from the perspective of action theory, as I intend to do in this essay, corresponds to the task of making it an object of analysis along three main dimensions: beliefs, opportunities and interests. In this essay Shari’ah is considered as a system of beliefs that actors internalize through time, participating in the social practice of a specific community, as an ensemble of formal and informal constraints that limit and enable action, and, at the same time, as a phenomenon to which actors refer in order to fulfill their own interests. As any other religious phenomenon interpreted and enacted by people, Shari’ah embraces all these elements. Only when we distinguish these dimensions of action are we able to appreciate their reciprocal influence, without compromising their autonomy. As our analysis shows, there is no reason to see in Shari’ah a coherent law system because indeterminacy, relativity, inadequacy and embeddedness are integral parts of it. Shari’ah means something different for politicians, administrators, Ulamas and Quadis (but also for women and men, the educated and the illiterate). The reason for this difference is that actors occupying different “positions” in society tend to articulate different interests.

Zusammenfassung

In diesem Aufsatz verfolgt der Verfasser das Ziel, Shari’ah in einer handlungstheoretischen Perspektive zu betrachten. Dies entspricht der Aufgabe, das Islamische Gesetz entlang der Handlungsdimensionen Überzeugungen, Interessen und Opportunitäten zu thematisieren. Shari’ah ist zum einen ein System geteilter Überzeugungen, welche Akteure in der Zeit verinnerlichen, indem sie an den sozialen Praktiken einer bestimmten Gemeinschaft partizipieren; Shari’ah ist zum zweiten ein Ensemble von formalen und informalen Regeln, welche Handeln ermöglichen, diesem aber gleichzeitig auch Schranken setzten; Shari’ah ist zum dritten eine Ressource, auf das Akteure rekurrieren, um eigene Interessen zu verwirklichen. Wie auch andere religiöse Phänomene, die interpretiert werden und handlungsleitend sind, umfasst Shari’ah alle diese drei Dimensionen. Nur dadurch, dass wir diese Dimensionen analytisch getrennt voneinander begreifen, wird es möglich, ohne ihre Autonomie zu präjudizieren, gegenseitige Einflüsse festzustellen. Wie die nachstehende Analyse zeigt, gibt es keinen Grund Shari’ah als ein kohärentes Rechtssystem zu begreifen, weil Unbestimmtheit, Relativität, Inadäquanz und kulturelle Einbettung integrale Bestandteile von ihr sind. Shari’ah bedeutet etwas anderes für Politiker und Administratoren, für Ulamas und Qadis. (Aber auch für Frauen und Männer, Gebildete und Ungebildete). Ein Hauptgrund für diese Unterschiede ist, dass Akteure in unterschiedlichen sozialen Positionen unterschiedliche Interessen haben und artikulieren.

Keywords: Shari’ah – interests; beliefs and opportunities as dimensions of action – indeterminacy – relativity – inadequacy – cultural embeddedness – interdependence – autonomy – homogeneity.

Schlüsselwörter: Shari’ah – Interessen; Überzeugungen und Opportunitäten als Handlungsdimensionen – Unbestimmtheit – Relativität – Inadäquanz – kulturelle Einbettung – Interdependenz – Autonomie – Homogenität.

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Note

The origin of this article goes back to the research project “Shari’ah Debates and their Perception by Christians and Muslims in Selected African Countries”. The project took place between 2006 and 2009 and was coordinated and monitored by scientists of different disciplinary affiliations from the University of Bayreuth (Germany). In the year 2013 an invitation at Harvard University through Prof. Jacob Olupona gave me the opportunity to discuss with him and his students many aspects of the present article. I am grateful to both for their precious comments.

Published Online: 2014-9-24

Published in Print: 2014-9-30

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Artikel in diesem Heft

https://doi.org/10.1515/zfr-2014-0010

Schlagwörter für diesen Artikel

Shari’ah – interests; beliefs and opportunities as dimensions of action – indeterminacy – relativity – inadequacy – cultural embeddedness – interdependence – autonomy – homogeneity.