10.17192/mjr.1999.4.3763 Lukens-Bull, Ronald A. Ronald A. Lukens-Bull Between Text and Practice: Considerations in the Anthropological Study of Islam Marburg Journal of Religion : Vol 4 No 2 (1999) Philipps-Universität Marburg 1999 Institute for Comparative Cultural Research - Study of Religions and Anthropology 2015-08-25 2015-08-25 en JournalArticle https://journals.uni-marburg.de/0004/1999/127/3763 urn:nbn:de:hebis:04-0004-1999-127-37634 https://doi.org/10.17192/mjr.1999.4.2 https://journals.uni-marburg.de/0004/1999/127/3763/3763.png 1612-2941 application/pdf The anthropological study of Islam is one that has been plagued by problems of definition. What exactly are we studying? Local practices, universal texts and standards of practice, or something else entirely. At the heart of the question is how anthropologists define Islam. This paper1 reviews the major trends in the anthropological study of Islam and then suggests plausible theoretical directions for the future. It touches on issues surrounding Orientalism, the "Great- and LittleTraditions " paradigm. It move between theoretical considerations and "on the ground", lived, examples. 1612-2941 Marburg Journal of Religion Vol 4 No 2 (1999)