Brand Islam: The Marketing and Commodification of Piety

by Faegheh Shirazi

Overview

From food products to fashions and cosmetics to children’s toys, a wide range of commodities today are being marketed as “halal” (permitted, lawful) or “Islamic” to Muslim consumers both in the West and in Muslim-majority nations. However, many of these products are not authentically Islamic or halal, and their producers have not necessarily created them to honor religious practice or sentiment. Instead, most “halal” commodities are profit-driven, and they exploit the rise of a new Islamic economic paradigm, “Brand Islam,” as a clever marketing tool.

Brand Islam investigates the rise of this highly lucrative marketing strategy and the resulting growth in consumer loyalty to goods and services identified as Islamic. Faegheh Shirazi explores the reasons why consumers buy Islam-branded products, including conspicuous piety or a longing to identify with a larger Muslim community, especially for those Muslims who live in Western countries, and how this phenomenon is affecting the religious, cultural, and economic lives of Muslim consumers. She demonstrates that Brand Islam has actually enabled a new type of global networking, joining product and service sectors together in a huge conglomerate that some are referring to as the Interland. A timely and original contribution to Muslim cultural studies, Brand Islam reveals how and why the growth of consumerism, global communications, and the Westernization of many Islamic countries are all driving the commercialization of Islam.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781477309469
Publisher:	University of Texas Press
Publication date:	08/02/2016
Pages:	294
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Faegheh Shirazi is a professor in the Department of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. Her previous books include Muslim Women in War and Crisis: From Reality to Representation.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction 1

1 Islamophobia and Western Culture 18

2 Islam and the Halal Food Industry 39

3 Halal Slaughtering of Animals: Perils and Practices 67

4 Marketing Piety: Hijabi Dolls and Other Toys 89

5 Halal Cosmetics and Skin Care: The Islamic Way to Beauty 113

6 Islamic Dress and the Muslim Fashion Industry: Halal Fashion 144

7 Sportswear, Lingerie, and Accessories-the Islamic Way 175

Conclusion 199

Notes 215

Bibliography 251

Index 271

What People are Saying About This

Manochehr Dorraj

In the last four decades, much has been written on the politics of Islam in general and the etiology and the causes of Islamic extremism in particular. What has been overlooked for the most part, however, is the making and remaking of Islamic culture and the production and reproduction of material culture that engulfs the daily lives of Muslims and distinctly influences their perceptions, behavior, and conduct. For these reasons, Brand Islam fills a significant void in the literature on Islam.

Editorial Reviews

Illuminating…[Brand Islam] provides an excellent practical guide that amply answers the basic questions and will surely assist any further inquiries into this compelling unbounded emporium.

Review of Middle East Studies

Brand Islam is an illuminating case study in the relationship between religion and the consumer market.

Journal of Markets and Morality

Plenty of books have addressed the staggering market potential of halal goods from a financial perspective, but Brand Islam stands out for its social focus, in particular on the consumption and marketing of products to Muslims . . . it makes for fascinating reading.

The National

[A] very readable and entertaining mine of information about today's 'halal race,' broadly interpreting the transformations within the frames of theories on cultural identity politics and economic sociology of consumerism.

Religious Studies Review

Shirazi reveals how and why the growth of consumerism, global communications and the Westernization of many Muslim countries are all driving commercialization using Islam.

Islamic Horizons

Brand Islam is a fascinating cultural study of sorts of the new local and global ‘Muslim’ markets in halal goods and services.

Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations

Brand Islam is a fascinating cultural study of sorts of the new local and global 'Muslim' markets in halal goods and services.-- "Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations" (12/20/2019 12:00:00 AM)

Brand Islam is an illuminating case study in the relationship between religion and the consumer market.-- "Journal of Markets and Morality" (1/1/2017 12:00:00 AM)

[Brand Islam] provides a useful exploration of the question of Muslim consumption and contributes to larger discussions surrounding material religion.-- "American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences" (4/1/2018 12:00:00 AM)

[A] very readable and entertaining mine of information about today's 'halal race, ' broadly interpreting the transformations within the frames of theories on cultural identity politics and economic sociology of consumerism.-- "Religious Studies Review" (6/1/2018 12:00:00 AM)

Illuminating...[Brand Islam] provides an excellent practical guide that amply answers the basic questions and will surely assist any further inquiries into this compelling unbounded emporium.-- "Review of Middle East Studies" (11/3/2017 12:00:00 AM)

In her engaging and thoroughly researched examination of all things halal, Middle Eastern Studies professor Faegheh Shirazi analyzes the shrewd commercial strategy underlying the branding of the Islamic culture industry.-- "Middle East Journal" (9/1/2016 12:00:00 AM)

Plenty of books have addressed the staggering market potential of halal goods from a financial perspective, but Brand Islam stands out for its social focus, in particular on the consumption and marketing of products to Muslims . . . it makes for fascinating reading.-- "The National" (8/12/2016 12:00:00 AM)

Shirazi reveals how and why the growth of consumerism, global communications and the Westernization of many Muslim countries are all driving commercialization using Islam.-- "Islamic Horizons" (1/1/2017 12:00:00 AM)

From the Publisher

In her engaging and thoroughly researched examination of all things halal, Middle Eastern Studies professor Faegheh Shirazi analyzes the shrewd commercial strategy underlying the branding of the Islamic culture industry.

Middle East Journal

[Brand Islam] provides a useful exploration of the question of Muslim consumption and contributes to larger discussions surrounding material religion.

American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences