Transforming Faith By: Sadaf Ahmad

This review first appeared in Dawn on January 10, 2010. There is currently a glut of books in the market that examine the Islamisation of Pakistan. The narrative about religion in this country is dominated by expositions on the anti-Soviet jihad and genesis of the Taliban, the ideological underpinnings of Political Islam, and the international dimensions of terror networks and financing. Such research teases apart the intersection between religion and politics, but does little to further our understanding of the interplay between religion and society. Indeed, little sound research is available on the increasing conservatism of Pakistani society over the past decade. Perhaps this dearth of literature on the Islam-inflected eitgeist can be attributed to the fact that our society is in transition, and few are willing to document what is still in flux. There may also be a fear that writing critically about contemporary phenomenon could provoke strong reactions. !hatever the cause, the heightened religiosity of Pakistan"s urban elite and middle-class remains a largely unexplored phenomenon. In this context, Sadaf #hmad"s book, $Transforming %aith& The Story of #l-'uda and Islamic (evivalism among )rban Pakistani !omen," is a welcome addition. #n assistant professor in the social sciences department at *)+S, #hmad has managed to write with academic ob,ectivity about an institution that has had urban Pakistanis in a ti y since the late -../s. Indeed, if there"s one truth about #l-'uda, it"s that it defies a middle ground& Pakistanis either love it or hate it. %or some, the institution has been a source of great learning and strength, empowering them to reboot their lives in accordance with Islam. 0thers will always ,okingly refer to it as $#l-1uda," a pointed reference to the fact that many women have been alienated from their husbands and families by their newfound religiosity. #hmad has managed to sidestep this polarisation by delivering a thorough ethnography of #l-'uda"s Islamabad centre, replete with historical and social context, academic literature reviews, and direct 2uotes from #l-'uda students that balance out her own position as an outsider to the institution. #s such, $Transforming %aith" will disappoint Pakistanis looking for a validation of their opinion of #l-'uda. 3ut those who are interested in a nuanced deconstruction of the ways in which #l'uda has drawn in students will be fascinated. In the book"s strongest sections, #hmad explains how the institution attracts students& by offering morning and evening classes in both )rdu and 4nglish, permitting visitors to attend without paying a registration fee, establishing alumni networks, and providing financial assistance. In more insightful moments, #hmad reveals how #l-'uda has packaged its interpretation of Islam as modern and enlightening by using Power Point presentations and audio-visual tools in

the classroom as well as connecting lessons back to the $real," globalised world of fashion, music videos, and advertisements. This image of religion runs counter to students" impressions of maulvis as gauche and misogynistic. #hmad"s analysis of #l-'uda"s classroom dynamics 5 how teachings are subtly reiterated, and how the resistance of mainstream society is pre-emptively deflected 5 also makes for interesting reading. In arguably the most interesting chapter in the book, #hmad compares five types of dars 6religious lessons7 to illustrate the 8heterogeneity of Islam as a set of beliefs and practices.9 0ne dars is conducted by a member of the Tehrik-i-Islam, two by #l-'uda graduates, and two by individuals who are more inclined towards 3arelvi Islam and 8folk9 practices. #hmad minutely compares the tone and content of the lectures, the forms of discussion, women"s reactions to the teachings, their attire, and their relationships with each other to show that Islam is not monolithic. The varying approaches to religio-cultural practices such as dhikr, Shab-e-3arat, milads, chalisvas, and the wearing of hi,ab reveal how religion continues to be negotiated even among the faithful. !hat really makes the chapter riveting, though, is #hmad"s regard for socio-economic context& for example, she points out that the appeal of dars for many women is the fact that it"s the only time they get to themselves, away from their families. %or Pakistanis familiar with the #l-'uda phenomenon, #hmad"s academic ,argon can get frustrating. #t times it seems as if a lot of theoretical groundwork is laid simply to state the obvious. %or instance, in making the point that #l-'uda encourages its students to examine their own behaviour and change it for the better, #hmad launches a %oucauldian analysis of the ethical sub,ect. Similarly, to make the point that Pakistani women are exposed to competing ideologies and ethical codes in everyday life, #hmad offers a discussion on the fallacy of the 8unitary consciousness.9 3ut within the trappings of academia lie brilliant insights into why #l-'uda"s brand of Islam so captivates Pakistani women of a certain class. #hmad argues that 8the novelty at #l-'uda : is space given to rationality,9 and therein lies its success. She shows that the institution propagates traditional, even misogynistic, views 5 the woman belongs in the home 5 but presents them in a 8different manner, so that women come to realise, for instance, that being made responsible for the house is actually a favour #llah has done for them.9 3y pointing out such rhetorical devices, #hmad makes the #l-'uda phenomenon far more explicable. 0ne only wishes she had interrogated the issue further to determine whether #l'uda"s popularity is a manifestation of Pakistani women"s need for respect, and to be taken seriously as thinking individuals.

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Transforming Faith: The Story of Al-Huda and Islamic Revivalism Among Urban Pa istani !omen By Sadaf Ahmad
Transforming Faith: The Story of Al-Huda and Islamic Revivalism among Urban Pa istani !omen By Sadaf Ahmad (Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 2009), 240 ! Price "B #2$!%0! &AN 9'$(0$)%*+2092! )! ,as--da Ban-

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In recent years, there has been a surge in studies examining the emergence of female preachers within the sphere of formal religious authority in Islam, namely the mos2ue and madrasa. There are two primary drivers of this interest. %irst, the study of these movements offers insights into the changing nature of Islamic authority, which has traditionally been invested in male ulema. Second, the femini ation of Islamic authority presents the complexities of modern +uslim societies, which are experiencing growing pressures of !estern modernity at the same time as growth in Islamic revivalist movements. Sadaf #hmad"s book, which presents ethnography of a fast growing women"s educational movement in Pakistan called #l-'uda, approaches this sub,ect primarily from the second perspective. 3ased on a doctoral thesis, the book maps the growth of this movement in fine detail. The seven chapters of the book take us into different dimensions of the movement& the history, the everyday working, the message, and the packaging of that message. In the introductory chapter, #hmad situates herself and the study within the broader context of Pakistani society. She sets the movement in terms of the pu le it poses to $modern" Pakistani women. She notes the mixed response to this movement within Pakistani society, and emphasi es the need to understand the plurality of experiences among +uslim women