The Ancient and Modern Power of Islamic Sermons in Contemporary Pakistan

Abstract

Despite the Pakistan-Afghan border's importance as the epicentre of regional insurgency, the mechanisms by which Friday sermons may be stimulating Islamic ideology have been understudied. From an analysis of 250 hours of sermons in the local Pashto language, interviews with mullahs and survey work, Robinson argues that sermons are a powerful means by which sectarian tensions and traditional ideologies are propagated. Their influence is derived from an irresistible synergy of both ancient and modern. They gain traction from using a highly credible ancient sermon form -rich in poetics and sparkling oratory -which is multiplied by the use of modern media. The religious ideology they traffic continues to grip the imagination of Pashtuns in ways which shape their society and provides a bulwark against secular intruders.Sermons are one of the most conspicuous means by which religious ideology is communicated in contemporary Pakistani society. Vast numbers of men attend Friday mosque sermons, their prayer mats spilling over into adjacent fields and busy streets. Although attendance is compulsory in areas like the Khyber Agency, their appetite for religion is far more than can be explained by mere coercion. Hundreds of thousands attend rallies showcasing their favourite mullahs. In shops, rickshaws and private homes these same sermons are played on cassette players, listened to on FM radio, downloaded from the Internet and distributed as MP3 and MP4 files on mobile phones.Listening to sermons is also a widespread practice among women. Despite being excluded from public worship, women rely on radio 1 and audio cassette listening, as well as a growing cadre of female preachers who speak to groups of women in their homes. In the troubled Swat valley the public burning of thousands of secular audio cassettes dramatically highlights the way sermons are replacing traditional folk music. 2 Despite this enthusiasm for sermons, their form and content have been little studied. What has been lacking since the British colonists became aware of the mullahs' role in mobilisation has been an understanding of what it is about the construction and spread of sermons that enables them to be so trenchant. Surprisingly, given the access they allow to the voice of 1 Religious programmes are especially popular among women in the Federally Administered Tribal Area, see P.