A New Domain for Co-Workers of God

Accessing Khutbahs on the Internet

Authors

  • Steven Fink University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/arsr.v23i3.301

Keywords:

Religion and the Internet, Islamic Preaching, American Islam, Muhammad Iqbal

Abstract

Offering a seemingly endless array of options, the Internet has expanded the realm of Islamic belief and practice. This article adds to scholarly conversation on this topic, focusing on American Muslim use of Friday khutbahs, or sermons, on the Internet. A major goal of the article is to present data, gathered through Internet searching and through correspondence with American Muslims, regarding the prevalence and use of khutbahs on the Internet. The other major goal is to provide a conceptual framework from within the Islamic tradition to reflect on the data. Drawing upon the thought of Muhammad Iqbal, the argument will be made that Muslims who access khutbahs on the Internet instantiate their status as co-workers of God by taking control of sequential time for the sake of improving humankind.

Author Biography

  • Steven Fink, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
    Steven Fink is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy & Religious Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire. He received a doctoral degree from the Department of Religious Studies, in the program of Modern Religious Thought, at The University of Iowa. He authored ‘Preaching as Reimagining: Post-9/11 Khutbahs in the United States and Canada’ (Comparative Islamic Studies 3[2]), and his research focuses on American Islam, especially regarding the topics of preaching, the Internet, music, and hermeneutics.

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Published

2011-01-28

How to Cite

Fink, S. (2011). A New Domain for Co-Workers of God: Accessing Khutbahs on the Internet. Journal for the Academic Study of Religion, 23(3), 301-324. https://doi.org/10.1558/arsr.v23i3.301