Marife Turkish Journal of Religious Studies

Abstract

In this work, Bryan S. Turner, a British and Australian sociologist, aims to understand Islam by examining different positions of knowledge from inside and outside. Approaching religion in the context of rationality, Turner discusses the religion of Islam in the context of how religious practices, whch he calls a ‘life-world’, are embodied in Daily life and how they affect lifestyles and cultural values rather than in the context of beliefs, which he expresses as law (sharia) or dogmatic theology. Turner explores key issues including Political Islam, sharia, Orientalism and Islamophobia through discussions with modern philosophy such as pragmatism and postmodernism. Developing some postmodern and pragmatist objections to traditional concepts such as science and objectivity, Turner argues that it is also possible to believe that outsiders can be more objective and recognize aspects of a religion or culture that are ignored or neglected by those insiders. He tries to understand Islam, in particular, through the history of political conflict. Aware of the derogatory use of the term 'Political Islam', Turner emphasizes that the actions of groups such as the Taliban or Al-Qaeda are the exception, reminding the reader that there are many variants of Muslim politics and sociability. In particular, he develops a negative attitude towards Edward Said's thesis of Orientalism and the explicit empirical realities of Islamophobia. Although Turner aims to understand Islam, he also seeks the possibility of an understanding that can emerge through dialogue between Christians and Muslims in many parts of the book. This book, in which Turner, an outsider of Islam, seeks to understand the world of the insiders, provides a comprehensive and important discussion for scholars and general readers studying on the social and political issues of contemporary Muslim societies.