The Idea
This claim states that local traditions do not take shape in the same way; rather, they differ in what they select and what they compose from their elements. Some inherited elements are chosen and others are left aside, then they are recombined into a distinctive structure. Thus, the difference lies not in the origin of religious affiliation, but in the way that affiliation is constructed within each context.
Condensed Formulation
Local traditions: differ in modes of selection and composition
Its Place in the Book’s Argument
The claim occupies an important place in the argument because it explains how religious expression becomes diversified from within a single frame of reference. The book does not treat tradition as a homogeneous mass, but as a space of varied formulations. This claim therefore serves the idea that religious unity does not prevent historical and cultural variation in forms of reception and composition.
Why It Matters
This claim matters because it dispels the illusion that differences between religious communities are proof that one of them has departed from the original. It allows for a calmer understanding of diversity within the Islamic world and beyond. It also shows that the formation of tradition is not a simple natural process, but an ongoing process of selection and construction.
Brief Evidence Passage
The text states that local traditions do not take shape in the same way, but differ in what they select and what they compose from their elements. Some inherited elements are chosen and others are left aside, then they are recombined into a distinctive structure. In this way, the difference lies in the manner of constructing affiliation within each context, not in the origin of religious affiliation itself.
Reading Questions
- How does the concept of selection and composition change our view of religious tradition?
- Is difference between traditions evidence of weakness or of historical vitality?
Degree of Documentation
High: the claim appears in a clear place in the book’s material.