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A Muslim Televangelist Preaches Science: Zakir Naik Constructs Authority through Science
Abstract
Muslim media resounds with a plethora of voices interpreting scripture to “revitalize” Islam and facilitate its engagement with diverse groups. These media and the well-known figures who employ them incorporate discursive threads that at times emphasize constructions of “science”, debunking or accepting science that is often also constructed as “Western” or “Qurʾānic”, or even both. Muslim televangelists such as Zakir Naik present these discourses, utilizing them to augment traditional scriptures in order to gain additional fame. This renown then is constructed as providing them with an authority to speak for and to Muslims globally. For some, this process is part of the democratization of Qurʾānic interpretation, often connected to Salafi belief systems, although it is not only found among them. Although terms like “televangelism” suggest satellite television, these media are increasingly found in online videos, on YouTube and other platforms, where they are consumed on cell phones and computers alike, expanding access well beyond home-based television. The spreadability of these materials, through re-editing and spoofing as well as copying to new platforms or channels or embedding them in other social media, suggests that both the media and the discourses enclosed in them do offer extensions to traditional sources of authority. This paper examines the scientific discourses used by Zakir Naik in online videos that were collected as a part of our research into videos on science and Islam. Zakir Naik was presented in more videos in our catalogue—three times as many as the next closest figure—making his use of this discourse an important element in Muslim cultures worldwide. Several prior scholars have noted use of Zakir Naik’s materials in Ethiopia, Bangladesh, and Norway. The recurring use of his “Qurʾān and Modern Science: Compatible or Incompatible?” in venues around the world demonstrates interest in the topic. This includes leading with science-related ideas in a Oxford Union appearance (UK) in 2011, demonstrating at least Naik’s belief in its continuing relevance culturally. Naik’s presentation of the same material in Dubai during Ramadan of 2013/1434 also demonstrates his popularity in the central Islamic lands as well. We argue that his material both incorporates and rejects “Western” ideas in order to both build his own brand and develop ways for Muslims in non-majority geographic regions to understand Islam as scientifically proven.
Discipline
Media Arts
Geographic Area
None
Sub Area
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