Islam in Diaspora: Moroccan Imams in Europe and the Negotiation of Religious Authority

Abstract

This dissertation explores the religious authority of Islam and imams in Western Europe, with a specific focus on Moroccan-born imams in Belgium and the Netherlands, as well those born in these countries. Moving beyond traditional analyses centered on imam training, the study investigates the knowledge imams generate regarding concepts such as cultural and national identity, gender, faith, politics, and radicalization. The goal is to comprehend how Islam adapts to the European environment. On another level, the research sheds light on the efforts of the homeland to influence the discourse of Moroccan Imams in the European diaspora. Methodologically, the dissertation emplys “a coding process” to uncover underlying patterns within the data. Hence, Michel Pecheux’s concept of “discourses in conflict” is deployed for a deeper examination of the collected data. The study’s findings indicate a diminishing control of “sending” nations over the religious practices of their diasporic communities, due to the diversification of authority in the religious field. Furthermore, the freedom and authority of the imam are shown to be contingent upon that of the mosque committee as well as the general legal and cultural specificities of the European diaspora context. Highlighting the often-overlooked aspects of imamship in Europe, the research underscores the challenges faced by imams, caught between diverse expectations, challenges and competing national interests. The study concludes by emphasizing that the predicaments faced by the religious leader, or their perceived failures, should be contextualized within the broader complex effects of globalization. Imams should be seen as part of the intricate dynamics of globalization rather than posing significant risks to the stability of European governments.