Muslim Memory on German-Language Instagram. Actors, Topics, Questions

As part of the research colloquium organised by the Institute for Studies in Culture and Religion of Islam (Institut für Studien der Kultur und Religion des Islam) at Goethe University Frankfurt, Lale Diklitaş from the Frankfurt sub-project spoke about historical narratives spread by Muslim influencers on Instagram. Her presentation ‘Muslim Memory on German-Language Instagram. Actors, Topics, Questions’ focused on the role of Muslims as a diverse minority in Germany and the importance of constructing an image of history that differs from majority discourse for positive identity formation. In particular, she addressed Muslim influencers using early Islamic history to fight back against misogyny and racism. Examples included stories about the Prophet Muḥammad’s wives to promote women’s rights in work and education. Black companions of the Prophet, most notably the Ethiopian-descent freed slave and first muezzin of Islam, Bilāl b. Rabāḥ, serve as examples for the Islamic ideal of treating people of different skin colour, origin and social status equally.