Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Waikato, 2008. / Title from PDF cover (viewed October 1, 2008) Includes bibliographical references (p. 108-118)

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Revision of thesis / (Ph. D.)--L'Universite de Paris, 1913.

This dissertation is primarily a study of the idea of temporary Hell-fire punishment for the grave sinners of the Muslim community. The doctrine is taught by Islamic orthodoxy, both Sunni and Shi'i, but its historical development has not been examined by modern scholars. The present study is offered as a preliminary investigation of this concept. Probably under influence from the Judaeo-Christian tradition, the concept of temporary Hell-fire punishment found its way into the nascent Muslim theology of the early second century A.H. But at the time of its emergence (c. 700-750 A.D.), and for many decades afterwards, the idea faced resistance from 'scripturalists' within Muslim society who found no explicit support for it in the Qur'an. Muslim traditionalists sought to reconcile it with the text of the Qur'an, and eventually adopted it as a theological solution to the divisive and long-standing question of the fate of the Muslim grave sinner in the next world. Within the early Muslim community, however, there also existed the belief, first attested on a Dome of the Rock inscription (c. 691-2 AD), of the eschatological intercession (shafa'a) of the Prophet. The Qur'an had not explicitly granted the Prophet such a privilege, but given the 'monotheistic' precedent of prophets and holy men as intercessors, and a widely-held esteem among pre-Islamic Arabs for the figure of the 'intercessor' (shafi'), it was not long before Muhammad was acknowledged as the intercessor par excellence on the Day of Resurrection. For the first 150 years, there were almost no discussions about the Prophet's shafdca, but sometime between the second and third century A.H., the issue, according to the our Iraqi historical sources, became a point of controversy. This was probably because Muslim scripturalists, who had opposed the idea of temporary Hell-fire, were now resisting the traditionalist doctrine that the Prophet's shafa'a would help grave sinners exit from Hell.

Although research on attachment theory has grown exponentially in the field of psychology, few studies exist that examine this theory among young Muslim-American adults, despite the fact that Muslim-Americans represent a significant and growing segment of the U.S. population. The first goal of the current study was to replicate the results of previous studies demonstrating a strong relationship between attachment and the selected wellbeing indicators of psychological symptoms and life satisfaction. The second goal of the proposed study was to examine the relationships among maternal attachment, Islamic religiosity, and psychological wellbeing. Findings provided partial support to the direct effects of attachment and religiosity variables on particular outcome variables but did not support the moderating effect of religiosity. High maternal Control was found to be predictive of less psychological distress, whereas both maternal control and care were found to be negatively associated with an interpersonal behaviors aspect of religiosity. In addition, those who endorsed practicing Islamic rituals were found to report less life satisfaction, and individuals who viewed the world through an Islamic lens reported higher psychological distress. Discussion on the findings, limitations of the study, future research directions, and counseling implications are addressed.

Muslim women in France are at the center of public debates about religion in the public sphere, gender politics and immigration. The hijab or Islamic headscarf has become emblematic of these issues. Based on ethnographic research in Petit Nanterre, a suburb 15 kilometres northwest of Paris, this dissertation examines various actors who seek to compartmentalize or shape Muslim women's identities. I begin with academic anthropological approaches to Islam and women, and with changing legal and popular definitions in France of laicite (French secularism) and its relationship to Islam. I then argue that the continued marriage-partner preference for "traditional" North African women expressed by male North African immigrants constrains the identity politics of local women, while a "cultural freezing" phenomena instils greater social pressure to enact and renegotiate certain cultural and religious mores in the banlieue. These cultural preferences are fortified by local gossip focused on women's religious and sexual propriety and by the Panopticonlike architecture of the housing projects. French feminist organizations like Femmes Solidaires ("Women in Solidarity") of ten hold neo-Orientalist positions, seeking to "save" Muslim women in the banlieue, and ultimately reinforcing negative stereotypes about the headscarf and gender politics in Muslim communities. I conclude that the women of Petit Nanterre themselves move within and without these categories as postcolonial "hybrids". While French social scientists and journalists have focused on the adaptational difficulties Muslims face in a nation legally and philosophically committed to secularism, there have been few academic studies undertaken from an ethnographic perspective focused on first-generation Muslim Maghrebian women living in the banlieue. My research emphasizes their voices and migratory experiences. I demonstrate that French Muslim women are key actors in promoting the visibility of Muslims in the West and in contemporary linkages between gender politics and religion in the public sphere. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Thesis advisor: Natana DeLong-Bas / This thesis seeks to investigate female conversion to Islam in the United States, and the role of gender and identity in this process. Utilizing various conversion studies, from four different fields, I will provide the background on conversion in general and will attempt to rationalize the decision for conversion to Islam in an environment, which may not be conducive to these beliefs. By looking at individual conversion narratives, the motivations for conversion, as well as the purposes for the conversion process will be revealed. Ultimately, this research attempts to understand the factors which may drive an individual to convert to Islam, when other religious options are easily accessible. / Thesis (MA) — Boston College, 2017. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Middle Eastern Studies.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Northeastern University, 2008. / Title from title page (viewed Mar. 25, 2009). Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Political Science, Public and International Affairs. Includes bibliographical references (p. 256-266).

Leadership has been a foundational component of any society, religion, culture, and human development. The purpose of this study was six fold: to examine the concept of leadership in Muslim communities in America, to observe the first-generation Muslim Americans’ perception of Muslim leadership in mosques and community centers, to examine the practice and beliefs of Muslims in America, to view the social interaction of American Muslims within their community, to view the mentorship and leadership aspects of first-generation Muslim Americans in their community, and to inspect the marriage and cultural aspects that are practiced by first-generation Muslim Americans. This study was conducted through a qualitative case study of 15 first-generation Muslim American college students and professionals from around the United States. The participants’ responses and the literature suggest that Islamic leadership has failed in America for the first- and second-generation American Muslims. Four themes emerged as relevant to the participants’ identity formation in the Islamic leadership in America: promoting Muslim youth to the leadership positions in Islamic centers, marriages in the Muslim community, mentoring Muslim youth to pursue higher education, and adapting to the new lifestyle of a Muslim American living in the United States.