Dealing with Death in a Secular Society: The Case of Muslim Burials in Spain
Death is not only a universal biological fact; for the individual it is the “event horizon”. This fact has important symbolic meanings and complex social consequences. Any society, secular or not, must manage this reality. What response is given to the question of religious phenomenon in general, an...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Religions |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/7/825 |
| _version_ | 1797587659920506880 |
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| author | Juan Luis De León Iziar Basterretxea |
| author_facet | Juan Luis De León Iziar Basterretxea |
| author_sort | Juan Luis De León |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Death is not only a universal biological fact; for the individual it is the “event horizon”. This fact has important symbolic meanings and complex social consequences. Any society, secular or not, must manage this reality. What response is given to the question of religious phenomenon in general, and to funerary practices in particular, in a secular society in which individuals with different religious sensibilities coexist? This article aims to analyse the response given by the Spanish state to the questions raised regarding burials by Muslim communities, the most widespread minority group in Spain as a whole. This response, which would be framed within what could be called a ‘cooperation model’, has encountered some difficulties as a result of the territorial organisation of the Spanish state. Despite this, the willingness to cooperate on the part of both the administrations that make up the state and the Islamic communities has made a situation of stable coexistence possible. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:42:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6c09ffa827ef4f24a4f3a95b5bc6da85 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:42:03Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj.art-6c09ffa827ef4f24a4f3a95b5bc6da852023-11-18T21:09:13ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442023-06-0114782510.3390/rel14070825Dealing with Death in a Secular Society: The Case of Muslim Burials in SpainJuan Luis De León0Iziar Basterretxea1Faculty of Theology, University of Deusto, 48007 Bilbao, SpainFaculty of Social and Human Sciences, University of Deusto, 48007 Bilbao, SpainDeath is not only a universal biological fact; for the individual it is the “event horizon”. This fact has important symbolic meanings and complex social consequences. Any society, secular or not, must manage this reality. What response is given to the question of religious phenomenon in general, and to funerary practices in particular, in a secular society in which individuals with different religious sensibilities coexist? This article aims to analyse the response given by the Spanish state to the questions raised regarding burials by Muslim communities, the most widespread minority group in Spain as a whole. This response, which would be framed within what could be called a ‘cooperation model’, has encountered some difficulties as a result of the territorial organisation of the Spanish state. Despite this, the willingness to cooperate on the part of both the administrations that make up the state and the Islamic communities has made a situation of stable coexistence possible.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/7/825secularismfunerary practicesburialsMuslim communitiesSpain |
| spellingShingle | Juan Luis De León Iziar Basterretxea Dealing with Death in a Secular Society: The Case of Muslim Burials in Spain Religions secularism funerary practices burials Muslim communities Spain |
| title | Dealing with Death in a Secular Society: The Case of Muslim Burials in Spain |
| title_full | Dealing with Death in a Secular Society: The Case of Muslim Burials in Spain |
| title_fullStr | Dealing with Death in a Secular Society: The Case of Muslim Burials in Spain |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dealing with Death in a Secular Society: The Case of Muslim Burials in Spain |
| title_short | Dealing with Death in a Secular Society: The Case of Muslim Burials in Spain |
| title_sort | dealing with death in a secular society the case of muslim burials in spain |
| topic | secularism funerary practices burials Muslim communities Spain |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/7/825 |
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