This work explores the spiritual thought and bodily work that has been an integral part of Islamic faith. The discussion in the work aims to examine the Islamic process of spiritual conversion and bodily work that began for the Bangladeshis with migration and human capital investments defined by Arabic power that would provide the basis of identity and social organization.
The discussion asserts the argument that the Islamic faith, through the reproductions of kin networks, as well as the operation of a specific set of social practices and social action suffused with Islamic representations, was reproduced by the Bengali workers, replicated through migration within the predominance of the family to transform the urban space of the London borough Tower Hamlets into an sub-Islamic field with religious citizens with religious agency and identities.
A social constructionist approach was undertaken for the study which aimed to provide an additional insight into a number of keys areas with a distinct focus on faith and how faith as a social lexical marker affected the first and second generation of the Bangladeshi’s experiences and views pertaining to social solidarity and work. The research aimed to explore the mutually constituted relationship of the Bangladeshi people of Tower Hamlets, the social structures, the spheres of Tower Hamlets, the hybrid actors, their networks, their habitus and the reproduction of the distinctly ethnic and islamicized field and capitals in social life.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Past is Prologue: The Historical Significance of Islam in Work for Bengalis
3. The Consecration and Social Utility of Islam for Bengalis
4. Understanding Islam at a Local Context
5. Globalisation and Arab Influence on British Islam
6. Bourdieu, Durkheim and Weber on Islam
7. The significance of Bengali Kinship
8. Kinship networks
9. Summary
Research Objectives and Themes
This work examines the Islamic processes of spiritual conversion and bodily work among British Bangladeshi Muslim workers in Tower Hamlets, analyzing how these practices, mediated by kin networks and cultural reproduction, transform secular urban spaces into ethno-religious multicultural spheres.
- The historical and social significance of Islamic faith and work for the Bengali diaspora.
- Application of Bourdieusian "thinking tools" to understand religious cultural capital.
- The influence of globalization and external Arab Islamic interpretations on local religious practices.
- The role of Bengali kinship and community networks in social and economic organization.
Excerpt from the Book
The Consecration and Social Utility of Islam for Bengalis
Fundamental to this historical process was Arabic trade and commerce in the region, a product of migration, as well as the arrival of a charismatic Yemeni immigrant embodying significant sacred cultural capital, Shah Jalal in 1303 (Siddiq, 2015). Shah Jalal, celebrated by Bangladeshis for both integrating Islam and promulgating a distinctively Bengali Islamic culture and identity into what was then a medieval Sylheti society consisting of largely jungle dwelling Hindu peasant cultivators would go on to define the field. The transformation lead to the creation of a unique social juxtaposition bespoke to the Sylheti Bengalis with Islam and Bengali culture companionably yoked (Eaton, 1993; Uddin, 2006).
For Bengali Hindus in Sylheti society, laying claim to membership of a high caste meant that labouring on land was considered dishonorable. By contrast, those of who gradually converted to the Muslim manifesto where quintessentially emancipated from Hindu metaphysical servitude and unconstrained from its cultural traps that demanded conformity and could readily deploy their labour power and cultivate land. The eclectic blending of Roy (2001) and Halbfass’s (1981:1988) work suggest the resultant temporal conversion of the Bengali Hindus, lead not only to a social reconfiguration of space and place, from what was then an inegalitarian and highly stratified Hindu sphere controlled by an oppressive Hindu caste and kinship system., to a more autonomous public sphere and a more plural society devoid of the culturally constructed social
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Provides an overview of the analytical framework, which uses Bourdieu’s concepts to explore Islamic cultural capital within the Bangladeshi diaspora in Tower Hamlets.
The Past is Prologue: The Historical Significance of Islam in Work for Bengalis: Examines the foundational historical link between Quranic concepts of work and the spiritual and social life of the pre-partition Bengali masses in the Sylhet region.
The Consecration and Social Utility of Islam for Bengalis: Analyzes the historical conversion of Bengali Hindus to Islam and how this shift facilitated a reconfiguration of social hierarchies and economic autonomy.
Understanding Islam at a Local Context: Explores the challenges and importance of studying Islam locally, emphasizing faith as a distinct source of social and cultural capital.
Globalisation and Arab Influence on British Islam: Discusses the historical origins of Wahhabism and the subsequent impact of globalized Arab-centric Islamic interpretations on British mosques.
Bourdieu, Durkheim and Weber on Islam: Compares theoretical perspectives on religion, social action, and capitalism, particularly focusing on how Islam facilitates community cohesion.
The significance of Bengali Kinship: Details how traditional patriarchal clan systems and kinship networks have evolved and adapted within the diaspora in Tower Hamlets.
Kinship networks: Discusses the role of family units and extended kinship as mechanisms for social support and identity formation in both Bangladesh and Britain.
Summary: Concludes by synthesizing how the reproduction of kin networks and Islamic social practices continues to shape the contemporary identity of Bangladeshis in Tower Hamlets.
Keywords
Bourdieu, Bengali, Islam, Muslim, Workers, Agency, Kinship, Tower Hamlets, Cultural Capital, Diaspora, Globalization, Wahhabism, Social Solidarity, Ummah, Migration
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The research explores the intersection of faith, work, and identity among British Bangladeshi Muslim workers in Tower Hamlets, using a sociological lens to understand their social organization.
What are the central themes discussed in this work?
Key themes include the intergenerational reproduction of Islamic culture, the influence of historical and global factors on local faith practices, and the role of kinship networks.
What is the main research objective?
The goal is to examine how the Islamic process of spiritual conversion and bodily work has been adopted and reproduced by the Bengali diaspora to form specific social fields and identities.
Which scientific methodologies are employed?
The study utilizes a two-phase qualitative ethnographic narrative methodology, incorporating participant observation in religious spaces and semi-structured biographical interviews.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The work covers historical shifts in Bengali religious practices, the influence of global movements like Wahhabism, classical sociological theories regarding Islam, and the dynamics of transnational kinship.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Core keywords include Bourdieu, Bengali, Islam, Muslim, Workers, Agency, Kinship, Tower Hamlets, Cultural Capital, and Diaspora.
How does the concept of 'Ummah' relate to the Bangladeshi diaspora?
The 'Ummah' serves as a conceptual framework for spiritual citizenship and global community belonging, providing a sense of identity for diasporic individuals facing social exclusion.
Why is the Sylheti region historically significant to this study?
Sylhet is the historical origin point for many of the Bangladeshi migrants in Tower Hamlets; understanding its social hierarchies and religious transformations is essential for analyzing current diaspora dynamics.
How has the role of remittances changed across generations?
The study notes that remittance flows have significantly dwindled among the second and third generations compared to the first, reflecting changing social conditioning and westernization.
What role does the 'biradari' system play in the community?
The 'biradari' represents extended patrilineal kinship networks that have been vital for maintaining social cohesion and economic support systems within the British Bangladeshi community.
- Quote paper
- Abdul Aziz (Author), 2017, Bourdieu and Bengali Islam. A spatial temporal discussion of the adoption and social utility of Islam for British Sylheti Bangladeshi Muslim Workers in (Tower Hamlets) East London, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/502536
