MUSLIM DIASPORAS : THE COMPLEXITY OF BEING OUTSIDE ‘THE LAND OF ISLAM’ AN EXAMINATION OF FAMILY MATTERS

Ghatas, Ishak 횃불트리니티신학대학원대학교 한국이슬람연구소 2023 Muslim - Christian Encounter Vol.16 No.2

Muslims in their homelands usually have an assumed way of life, which encompasses their families, food, drinks and institutions. Faith-based regulations permit and forbid personal and communal actions. When migrating to non-Muslim majority states, their faith-based assumptions and practices are challenged. They confront issues concerning dietary practices, banking, family traditions, and interaction with non-Muslims. In such a scenario, Muslim jurists (scholars with the power to issue fatwas) attempted to rethink the sources of law in order to ease the difficulties faced by Muslim diasporas in the West. This branch of law is known as ‘minority jurisprudence’, legal rulings relating to Muslims living as minorities. However, in contrast to the help the minority jurisprudence to those who work in mainstream jobs, those who are self-employed in the food industry (restaurants or fast-food shops) often do not receive the same level of religious guidance from official channels. Advice concerning family traditions often remains an issue as juristic decisions are often academic and unhelpful to many Muslims. In this situation, the paper investigates some aspects of family matters reported in my research as problematic because of the social context in which Muslims live. 이슬람 지역에서 살아가는 무슬림들은 가족, 의식주, 제도 등과 관련하여 이슬람 신앙을 기반으로한 생활양식들을 준수하며 살아간다. 그런데 다양한 이유로 비이슬람 지역으로 이주하게 되는 무슬림들은 이러한 생활 양식을 지켜내기 어려운 상황들에 도전을 받게 된다. 구체적으로 식생활, 은행거래, 가족 전통, 그리고 비무슬림 들과의 관계 등에 있어 비이슬람적인 관행들에 맞닥뜨려야하는 것이다. 이렇듯 서구에서 살아가는 이주 무슬림들이 겪게 되는 난관들에 대해 이슬람 법학자들이 이슬람 법의 근원들에 대해 재고하여 적절한 적용을 제안하게 되었다. 이러한 학파를 일컬어 “minority jurisprudence”라고 하는데 비이슬람 권에서 소수 종교인으로 살아가는 무슬림들을 위한 법 적용을 의미하는 것이다. 그러나 이러한 시도도 모든 상황에 있는 무슬림들에게 적용하기는 어려운 측면이 있고 특별히 가족내의 문제들에 대한 법률적 해석이 학문적이고 전문적이어서 무슬림들이 실생활에 적용하는 데 큰 도움이 되지 못하고 있는 것이 현실이다. 따라서 본 논문은 유럽에서 이민자로 살아가는 무슬림들이 가족내의 문제와 관련하여 전통적인 이슬람법을 적용하는데 발생하는 문제점들을 구체적으로 설명하고자 한다. 이는 이러한 상황에 놓여 있는 무슬림들을 이해하고 다가가는데 실제적 이 해를 제공할 것으로 기대한다.

Approaches to Shariʿah Interpretations in daily life Adaptations for Muslim Diasporas

Makram Ghatas Ishak 횃불트리니티신학대학원대학교 한국이슬람연구소 2023 Muslim - Christian Encounter Vol.16 No.1

Shariʿah is important for Muslims. They are obliged to keep its rulings regardless of where they live; in Islamic or secular countries, and whether in minority or majority positions. Several schools of fiqh (jurisprudence) were developed since the dawn of Islam in the context of Muslims being a majority. Each school established a different position of interpretation. Muslims who live in Islamic lands follow one of these positions, often each country chooses one. Muslim diasporas are also obliged to apply the rulings of Shariʿah. However, they are diverse and may use to follow different schools of fiqh depending on the land of origin. In addition, they live in a different context. The current article is considerably based on the PhD awarded by Middlesex University in 2019, through the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies. I have taken the opportunity to extend my work to profit the wider readers. Dr David Singh of the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies, and Dr Mohammad Talib at the Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology, University of Oxford were my two supervisors . The article reviews the notion of Shariʿah, its sources, the scope of rulings, and its branch that has been developed for Muslim diasporas. My sources for this task are based on what scholars teach about Shariʿah. I will explain the minority jurisprudence that was meant to help Muslims in a minority position. I will bring to light the empirical findings reflecting their adaptations in dealing with their struggles, and the nuanced manner in which real everyday life issues are interpreted.

The Concepts of Sin and Its Solution in Islam

Ishak Ghatas 횃불트리니티신학대학원대학교 한국이슬람연구소 2024 Muslim - Christian Encounter Vol.17 No.1

The subject matter of study is sin and its solution in Islam with a brief comparison with Biblical concepts. Enquiries about sin and its remedy have appeared among humans since the dawn of creation. Religious terms such as sin, salvation, atonement and forgiveness are used to describe Man's spiritual state in relationship to a divine being. However, the universality of these questions should not blind us to the fact that they have been formulated differently by diverse cultures and religions. Commonly, in any religious context, the Deities decree codes and laws to preserve cosmic order, the harmony of human society and the relationship to the divine being(s). They also describe means to take away the consequences of breaking these divine codes. A remedy for sin is always presented to maintain proper relationships. Religions may differ in defining moral codes and laws governing behaviour. Islam is not an exception. Moral laws and codes of conduct are central to its message. It views sin and also sets norms providing forgiveness. The study points to particular terminology used in the texts designating sin and its remedy. Consequently, it defines the human and divine roles concerning the query of remedy for sin. The doctrinal analysis of sin and its related issues in Islam foretold some implications. The study dealt with three main ones: seeking spirituality, seeking solutions for here-and-now troubles, and the search for a satisfactory interpretation of the dualistic nature of Man. I will conclude with a brief comparison of biblical concepts. Doing a comprehensive comparison is beyond the limitations of this paper. I will limit the comparison to biblical notions in the Torah since it sets the foundations for biblical theology. This effort might provide a lens for further study of the larger question of the subject.

ENGAGING WITH MUSLIMS THROUGH DIALOGUE

Ishak Makram Ghatas 횃불트리니티신학대학원대학교 한국이슬람연구소 2022 Muslim - Christian Encounter Vol.15 No.2

종교는 평화와 화해를 위한 힘이 되어야 하지만, 역사는 도리어 종교적인 폭력과 전쟁으로 점철되어 있다. 기독교와 이슬람의 관계 악화의 책임이 전적으로 십자군운동에 있는 것은 아니었지만, 적어도 무슬림들의 입장에서는 기독교 유럽과 이슬람교 사이는 일련의 군사적 충돌로 이어져 왔다고 보여질 수 있다. 이슬람이 다수의 비난을 받는 종교적인 동기에 의한 서방 공격을 일부 작가들은 문명 간의 충돌로 해석하기도 한다. 무지는 불관용을 낳고 갈등은 근본주의와 급진적 신념을 조장할 수 있다. 무슬림들은 더 이상 어딘 가에 사는 사람들이 아니다. 오히려 그들은 세계 거의 모든 곳에 있고 그곳에 서 살아가고 있다. 이렇듯 점점 다원화되고 다종교화 되어가는 사회 속에서 대화가 안정 적인 관계를 시작하는 첫번째 주목할 만한 단계를 만들 수 있을까? 서로 다른 형태의 종교간 대화를 발전시키는 것이 무슬림과 더 나은 관계를 이끌 더 큰 상호 이해를 발전시키는 것을 증진시킬 수 있을까? 이러한 대화에 급진적 경향의 종교인들이 참여할 수 있을까? 본고는 무슬림들과 대화를 통해 교감하는 것에 관한 이러한 질문들에 답하는 것을 목적으로 한다. Religions are supposed to be a force for peace and reconciliation; however, history tells religious violence and war stories. Although crusading was not exclusively responsible for the deterioration of relations between Christianity and Islam, it could be seen, at least by Muslims, as a series of military campaigns fought mainly between Christian Europe and Muslims. The Muslims’ religiously motivated attacks against the West that are condemned by the majority might be interpreted by some writers as a “clash of civilizations.” Ignorance may lead to intolerance, and conflicts that may promote fundamentalism and radical beliefs. Muslims are no longer a people who live somewhere far away; they are almost everywhere in the world and are there to stay. This significant change has led to increasingly pluralistic, multi-faith societies that ought to live together. This paper aims to answer the questions concerning engagement with Muslims through dialogue. It intends to set some guidelines for avoiding two extremes, that is, the claim that one faith (Christianity or Islam) holds the truth and the other needs to listen, and the passive position that both faiths are similar and offer different ways of reaching the same goal.