Dar al-Cyber Islam: Women, domestic violence, and the Islamic reformation on the World Wide Web

Abstract

This paper explores evidence of change in Islamic thought via the Internet through an exploration of the role and potential impact that Islamic websites are providing in Dar al-Cyber Islam. I will argue that the Internet has helped to form new concepts of the ummah, ulema and ijtihad (community, scholars and interpretation) specifically for Muslims living in the West, contributing to a trend in Islamic reformation. I will show that the unique position of Muslims living in North America has been integral to the reforming process in Islamic thought. In the second half of this paper I will analyse several Islamic websites, looking to their content on and for women with regards to domestic violence. My case study of websites will show concrete evidence of how new ijtihad on the Internet highlights reforming trends in Qur'anic interpretation and how this can help lead to the further empowerment of Muslim women.The question here is whether the Internet and cyberspace and the third industrial revolution will do to Islam what the first industrial revolution did for Christianity.

Usage d’Internet et exposition aux autres médias : représentation de la communauté de résidence chez les élèves du nord-est de l’Ontario

“…Mais on sait désormais qu'Internet est moins une cause d'injustice sociale que le prolongement des déséquilibres déjà institués, qu'il est erroné de le dépeindre comme un outil antidémocratique en soi, comme un facteur d'isolement social, et qu'il est dangereux d'examiner son usage par les acteurs sociaux comme s'il représentait un moyen de communication sans rapport avec les autres médias (Bernier et Laflamme, 2005;DiMaggio et ai, 2001;Lafortune et Laflamme, 2006). En outre, des travaux récents montrent bien qu'Internet rend possible, même sous un régime comme celui de la Chine, l'émergence de nouveaux discours politiques (Yu, 2006), qu'il autorise des variantes dans l'interprétation de la pensée islamique (Kort, 2005), qu'il peut contribuer à assurer une certaine équité aux personnes qui se situent à la marge des sociétés (Mehra, Merkel et Peterson Bishop, 2004) et qu'il peut favoriser l'établissement de liens entre les populations locales et leur communauté plus étendue (Micallef, 2004). Bien sûr, Internet ne peut constituer une source suffisante de changement social, positivement ou négativement; mais, en décentralisant l'émission de discours idéologiques, il en favorise très certainement la pluralité; en médiatisant des informations de tous ordres, il favorise aussi une certaine équité.…”

ICTs and the Computerised Hijab: Women's Experiences of ICT in the UAE

“…As women are perceived to be an integral part of observing Islam (Kort, 2005), the relationship between these three categories is unmistakable. A major part of ensuring that the UAE society does not transform into a Western society as opposed to a Modern society is ensuring that their culture is maintained especially in the way that ICTs are used.…”

“…In the UAE and other Arab countries, access to the Internet is tightly controlled and censored by the government in an effort to control the exposure of certain thoughts and ideas (Al-Saqaf, 2014 (Kort, 2005). Furthermore, the Internet also opens up dialogue between generations; fast communication is now possible between the old, traditional intellectual elite and the new, young intellectual Muslims from around the globe.…”

“…Furthermore, the Internet also opens up dialogue between generations; fast communication is now possible between the old, traditional intellectual elite and the new, young intellectual Muslims from around the globe. This adds to the reconceptualization of ummah and ulema simultaneously (Kort, 2005).…”

The Power of Radical Islamist Ideas in Fragile States in Parts of Sub-Saharan Africa

“…Several studies have argued that Islamic movements in general have benefited enormously from alternative media, particularly information and communication technologies (ICTs), in their efforts to advance their causes and intervene in local and global public spheres (Anderson, 2003;Bunt, 2003;Hoff, 2005;Ibahrine, 2007;and Kort, 2005). Through analysing websites belonging to Islamist organisations, these studies have explored the impact of online communication and networks on the public sphere and religious discourse.…”