The Interface Between Religion and Politics: The Case of The Muslim Students Association of South Africa

Authors

Keywords:

Islamic Movement, secularisation, apartheid, Islamic State

Abstract

The interface between religion and politics continues to elicit debate and discussion in academic circles. Though some social scientists predicted that religion would eventually become obsolete and was marginalised in many regions of the world following the secularisation of State and society, it not only survived but began manifesting itself in diverse forms. In Islam, politics is not viewed as falling outside the purview of religion. This article demonstrates that the Muslim Students Association’s opposition to injustice, oppression and discrimination, as epitomised in the policies of the apartheid government, was influenced by the political ideology of the Islamic Movement.  

References

Ahmad, K. 1989. “Islam: Basic Principles and Characteristics.” World Assembly of Muslim Youth. Accessed August 5, 2022. https://www.iium.edu.my/deed/articles/bpsc.html.

Asad, T. 2003. “Formations of the Secular: Christianity, Islam, Modernity.” Stanford: Stanford University Press. Accessed September 7, 2022. https://www.scirp.org/(S(351jmbntv-nsjt1aadkposzje))/reference/referencespapers.aspx?referenceid=542137.

Asyraf H. A. R., W.A. Ibrahim and A. Nooraihan. 2012. “Islamic Concept of Social Justice in the Twentieth Century.” Advances in Natural and Applied Sciences 6(8): 1423–1427. Accessed September 12, 2022. http://www.aensiweb.com/old/anas/2012/. 1423–1427.pdf.

Backelie, J. 2011. “Religion and Politics: A Valid Divide: Confessionality in Politics and Higher Education. Goteborg Universitet.” Accessed September 7, 2022. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/16330053.pdf.

Berger, P. A. 2001. “The Desecularisation of the World: An Overview.” The Desecularisation of the World: Resurgent Religion & World Politics, edited by Berger P. L. Grand Rapids: William B. Erdmans. Accessed September 7, 2022. https://www.academia.edu/26144173/The_Desecularization_of_the_World_Resurgent_Religion_and_World_Politics.

Biko, S. 1979. Black Consciousness in South Africa. edited by Millard Arnold. New York: Vintage.https://www.google.co.za/search?tbm=bks&hl=en&q=biko+black+consciousness+vintage+1979.

Casanova, J. 2007. “The Secular, Secularizations, and Secularisms” in Rethinking Secularism, edited by Calhoun C., M. Juergensmeyer and J. VanAntwerpen. New York: Oxford University Press. Accessed September 4, 2022. https://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/publications/the-secular-secularizations-secularisms.

Casanova, J. 1994. Public Religions in the Modern World. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Accessed August 5, 2022. https://www.vhi.st-edmunds.cam.ac.uk/system/files/documents/casanova.pdf.

Dangor, S. 2021. The Muslim Students Association of South Africa 1974-2004. Durban: Digniti.

Esposito, J. 2001. Islamic Fundamentalism in the Middle East and Southwest Asia. Writenet. Accessed September 1, 2022. https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6a6ca4.html.

Esack, F. “Three Islamic Strands in the South African Struggle for Justice.” Third World Quarterly. 10 (2): 473–498. Accessed August 2, 2022. https://www.africabib.org/rec.php?RID=119537559. https://doi.org/10.1080/01436598808420068

Fokas, E. 2011. “Encyclopedia of Global Religion” in Secularisation, edited by M. Juergensmeyer., and W. C. Roof. SAGE. Accessed September 2, 2022. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/312026749_Secularization.

Fox, J. 2018. An Introduction to Religion and Politics: Theory and Practice. Routledge.

Accessed August 8, 2022. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309312274_An_Introduction_to_Religion_and_Politics_Theory_and_Practice. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315183787

Furseth, I. 2017. The Return of Religion in the Public Sphere? The Public Role of Nordic Faith Communities: Views of the Nordic Model. Institutional Change in the Public Sphere 221–240. Accessed September 6, 2022. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316290049. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110546330-012

Habermas, J. 2006. “Religion in the Public Sphere.” European Journal of Philosophy 14 (1): 25. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0378.2006.00241.x

Haynes, J. 2009. Routledge Handbook of Religion and Politics. London and New York, Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203890547

Islam, J. 2019. The Political thought of Abul A’la al-Mawdudi and the limits of the secular. University of British Columbia.

Kunkler, M. and J. Madeley. 2015. “A Secular Age beyond the West: Forms of Differentiation in and Around the Religious Field.” Soft Power, July 2015. Accessed August 7, 2022. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/297592607_A_Secular_Age_beyond_the_West_Forms_of_Differentiation_in_and_around_the_Religious_Field

Larsson, T. 2017. “The Islamist Ideology of Hassan al-Banna and Sayyid Qutb: A Comparative Analysis.” Master’s Thesis, University of Oslo. Accessed August 6, 2022. https://www.duo.uio.no/bitstream/handle/10852/60197/Tommy-Larsson-MA-Thesis.pdf?sequence=1.

Martínez-Torrón, J. and W. Cole Durham JR. 2015. Religion and the Secular State: Interim National Reports. Provo, Utah: The International Center for Law and Religion Studies, Brigham Young University. Accessed August 11, 2022. https://classic.iclrs.org/content/blurb/files/1.%20Forematter%207.73.pdf

Mawdudi, A.A. 1960. Towards Understanding Islam. Karachi. U.K.I.M, Dawah Centre.

Meral, Z. 2020. “Religion, Identity and Politics in the 21st Century.” Foreign Policy Research Institute, November 30, 2020. Accessed August 20, 2022. https://www.fpri.org/article/2020/11/religion-identity-and-politics-in-the-21st-century/

Mutelo, I. 2019. “Muslim Organisations and Politics: A Critical Study of the Political Involvement of Islam in the New South Africa.” unpublished PhD thesis, University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Qutb, S. 2006. Milestones. Birmingham: Maktabah Publications.

Roussos, S. 2020. “Introduction: Issues and Debates on Religion and International Relations in the Middle East.” Religions 11 (5): 1, 21. Accessed August 15, 2022. https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/11/5/263. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel11050263. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel11050263

Roznai, Y. 2017. “Negotiating the Eternal: The Paradox of Entrenching Secularism in Constitutions.” Michigan State Law Review 253. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2982275

Sharma, R. 2012. “Should Politics and Religion be kept separate?” International Relations, June 14, 2012. Accessed August 7, 2022. https://www.e-ir.info/2012/06/14/should-politics-and-religion-be-kept-separate/.

Social Review, Issue 19/20, October 1982. Accessed June 15, 2022. www.historicalpapers.wits.ac.za/inventories/inv_pdfo/AK2117/AK2117-J3-15-APR-001-jpeg.pdf 10-21.

South African History Online. Accessed June 10, 2022. https://www.sahistory.org.za/archive/82-presidents-council. Accessed September 17, 2019.

Spies, C. 2002. “South Africa’s National Peace Accord: Its Structures and Functions.” Accessed December 15, 2022. https://www.c-r.org/accord/public-participation/south-africas-national-peace-accord-its-structures-and-functions.

Vahed, G. 2012. Muslim Portraits: The Anti–Apartheid Struggle. Madiba Publishers.

Magazines

Inqilaab 1975, 2 (1): 6.

Inqilaab September 1976, 4, 19.

Inqilaab 1981, 8.

Inqilaab March 1982, 2 (1): 7.

Inqilaab June 1982, 12.

Inqilaab July 1983, 8-9, 14–15.

Inqilaab June 1984, 5, 8, 25, 28–30.

Inqilaab June 1985, 25, 31.

Inqilaab 1986, 29.

Inqilaab July 1988, 13, 20.

Newsletters

The Muslim Student January 1980, 2 (2): 3.

The Muslim Student February/March 1980, 2 (3): 2.

The Muslim Student May 1981, 3 (2): 1.

The Muslim Student March/April 1982, 5 (1): 7.

The Muslim Student April/May 1980, 2 (3): 2

The Muslim Students Association of South Africa August 1980, 2–5.

The Muslim Students Association of South Africa April 1980, 2 (3): 2.

Voice of the Youth, n.d., 2 (4): 2.

Voice of the Youth, n.d., 2 (6): 2.

Voice of the Youth, n.d., 3 (1).

At-Talmiz, September/October 1983, 1 (1) 3.

At-Talmiz, June 1984, 1 (4): 1–2.

Al-Mizaan, March 1982, 2 (1): 7.

Al-Mizaan, June 1983 2 (3): 1–7.

Al-Mizaan, April 1985, 3 (3): 1, 4–5.

Al-Mizaan, November 1991, 1.

Hisaf, June 1982, 2 (3): 3.

World View, June/July 1981, 2.

Ahmed, S. “Mindless Violence?” Inqilaab, June 1985, 31.

Davids, M. N. 1976. “The Islamic Struggle in the South African Situation.” Inqilaab, September 1976.

Essop, N. 1984. “The Islamic Movement: A Theoretical View.” Inqilaab, June 8, 1984.

Kamal, Y. 1982. “President’s Council Proposals.” Inqilaab, July 12, 1982.

Laher, H. “Revising Apartheid in the ‘New Deal.” Inqilaab, June 12, 1984.

Manjra, S. “Labour Relations Bill: An Attempt to suppress Trade Unions.” Inqilaab, 11 (20).

Mohammed, M. 1985. “The Role of the Muslim Student.” Inqilaab, June 25, 1985.

Mohammed, Sayed Iqbal. “The Muslim Commitme: Practical Involvement towards Post-Apartheid South Africa.” Inqilaab, July 1988, 11 (22).

Qutb, M. “The Balanced Way.” The Muslim Student April/May 1980, 2 (3), 2.

Salih, M. 1983. “The Constitutional Proposals in Perspective.” Inqilaab, July 1983, 8–9.

Samodien, F. 1983. “Education.” Inqilaab, July 1983.

Seedat, S. 1981. “Equality.” Inqilaab, July/August 1981.

Shaik, G. “Commitment and Involvement of the Muslim Student.” Inqilaab, July 1983, 37–38.

“Call of the Mustad`affin.” Voice of the Youth, n.d., 31.

“Commitment and Involvement of the Muslim Student.” Inqilaab, July 1983, 37–38.

“Editorial: A Time to Reflect.” The Muslim Student, August 1980 2 (5): 1.

“Editorial.” At-Talmiz, June 1984 1 (4): 4.

“Education or Indoctrination.” The Muslim Student, 1982 5 (1):7

“Focus: The New Dispensation.” At-Talmiz, June 1984 1 (4) 6.

“Goal, Objectives and Programme of M.S.A.” Al-Mizaan, February 1983 2 (2): 8.

“Imam Haron.” World View, September/October 1981, 3.

“Islam [Human Consciousness] and Black Consciousness.” The Muslim Students Association, April 1980 II(III), 1.

“Islamization of the Struggle.” Iqra, Islamic Week: Introducing Islam, 3.

“Jihad.” Voice of the Youth, n.d. 2(6): 2.

“June 16, 1976 … Little Has Changed” Al-Mizaan, June 1983 2(3): 5.

“Know the MSA.” Al-Mizaan Rajab 1401/1980 1 (1): 4.

“Message by Hasan al-Banna.” Al-Mizaan, Rajab 1401 1(1): 6.

“Profile of Sayyid Qutb.” Al-Mizaan, 1983 2 (3): 4.

“Revising Apartheid in the ‘New Deal.” Inqilaab, June 1984, 25.

“Some Thoughts on Education.” Inqilaab, June 1986, 29.

“The Muslim Commitment: Practical Involvement towards Post-Apartheid South Africa.” Inqilaab, July 1988, 22.

“The Need for Muslim Students to Organize.” Al-Mizaan, April 30 1985, 4–5).

“The Need to Respond.” At-Talmiz, September/October 1983 1 (1): 3.

“The Unjust South African System.” Al-Mizaan, February 1983 2 (2): 5, 7.

“The 10 Advices of Ash Shaheed IMAM HASAN AL BANNA.” (The Muslim Student, Rajab 1401 4 (1): 8.

“100 Muslims walk out on Du Plessis.” The Natal Mercury 22 April, 1985.

Pamphlets

Equal Education.

Muslims Condemn Republic Celebrations.

Muslims Reject Ethnic Bodies.

Omar, A. n.d. “Muslim-Non-Muslim Relations in a Post-Apartheid South Africa.”

The P.C. Proposals – Reform or Repression?

Wither Oppression.

Book Reviews

“Review of Marxism and other Western Fallacies–An Islamic Critique by Ali Shariati.” Translated by R. Campbell, Mizan Press: World View, March 1982, 8.

“Review of ‘In the Shade of the Quran’ by Sayyid Qutb.” World View, March 1982.

Published

2023-07-04

How to Cite

Dangor, Suleman. 2022. “The Interface Between Religion and Politics: The Case of The Muslim Students Association of South Africa”. Journal for Islamic Studies 40:30 pages. https://unisapressjournals.co.za/index.php/JIS/article/view/13628.

Issue

Section

Articles
Received 2023-05-04
Accepted 2023-05-04
Published 2023-07-04