Malek Chebel

Malek Chebel

Malek Chebel in 2014
Born 1953
Philippeville, French Algeria
Died November 12, 2016
Occupation Philosopher

Malek Chebel (1953 – 12 November 2016) was an Algerian philosopher and anthropologist of religions . He studied in Algeria, then later in France at Paris where he also studied psychoanalysis. He was a teacher at many universities worldwide.

Essayist, author of books specialized in Arab world and Islam, he created the expression: “Islam of lights”. He gave conferences in many countries of Europe and Africa; and worked on a large research about Islam in the world.

He is known for his reflections about Islam, its culture, its history, intellectual life, and its erotism. He is also famous for his public positions for a liberal Islam, and for its reform.

Biography

Born in 1953 at Philippeville, now Skikda in Algeria, Chebel pursued his primary and secondary studies there and obtained his baccalaureate in philosophy and Arab letters. He entered the university of Ain El Bay (Constantine) in 1977, then he went to France to pursue his university studies. In 1980, he obtained a first degree in clinical psychopathology and psychoanalysis from Paris 7 University.

Then, in 1982, Chebel obtained his doctorate of anthropology, ethnology and science of religions at Jussieu, and in 1984, he earned a doctorate in political science at the institute of political studies at Paris. He worked at the research direction at the Sorbonne. He worked and gave conferences in Europe, in the Arab world and in America.

His thoughts

The prolific work of Malek Chebel with his triple experience of historian, psychoanalyst and anthropologist is mainly devoted to the defense of freedom in all its forms: political freedom, freedom of thought, freedom to live and love and its place in Islam and Muslim culture. Freedom guides his reflection about the body, desire, love, relations between men and women, but also about tolerance, politic engagement, and giving to others…

He prefaced several books including the translation of Quran made by Edouard Montet. He died of cancer on 12 November 2016.[1]

Islam and Occident

His work "Islam and free will" aims to understand Islam and its relation with the Occident. Understanding the ways of thinking, of living, the sensibilities of the other to go beyond hatred, giving him a place in this world. It is also an interrogation about the place of freedom in Islam, and an invitation for new lecture of Islam and Its traditions.

Chebel also writes to rehabilitate Islam. According to him; in the West, Muslims can inspire hatred, suspicion, and most of all incomprehension. He thinks that if Islam is a source of debate, it is important to know and understand it. According to his analysis, Muslims suffer from this false image of their religion:

“The majority of Muslims are caught between two groups: on the one hand a small group of violent Muslims who want to Islamize the world; and on the other hand the majority of the Western people who don’t understand Islam”.

He reminds us that Islam is plural and alive. He also reminds us that in the past, Islam has been innovative in a lot of aspect of life. He analyzed the evolution and mutations of mentalities in the Muslim world. Chebel affirmed that through the centuries, there was a great periods of peace, creativity and happiness:

“It in the name of these centuries that I work; in the name of many scientists, writers, grammarians, jurists, doctors that I speak."

Works

References

  1. ↑ "Décès de l'anthropologue Malek Chebel, défenseur d'un «islam des Lumières»" (in French). Le Monde. 12 November 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
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