Fourteenth International Conference on Religion & Spirituality in Society

Abstract

I present the findings of a project which is currently being undertaken: This qualitative research project probes the views about science and religion among Muslim mystics in the Nordic countries. The project team interviewed 12 Sufis or students in Sufi circles in Finland, Denmark and Sweden about how they negotiate or imagine the boundary between science and belief. It also investigates how these views are shaped by the Nordic context, a predominantly Lutheran Christian one where Islam remains a relatively minor numerical yet a prominent public and political presence. Recent tensions around Muslims in the Nordic countries have spilled over into broader cultural debates about Islam and science. Yet, mystical doctrines or teachings remain outside these discussions, tilting them in certain directions. This is a major distortion, given the fact that the mystical dimension of Islam plays such a major role in the tradition. By studying how contemporary Sufis in the Nordics view science and belief, this research project offers one correction to the debate. Moreover, mystical voices have generally been absent in the discussion around science and belief. Given that academic presumptions about how mystics are no longer part of religion have been roundly critiqued, this research may offer innovative solutions to the boundary-making debate.