New Books Network Basit Kareem Iqbal, "The Dread Heights: Tribulation and Refuge after the Syrian Revolution" (Fordham UP, 2025)
Nov 14, 2025
Basit Kareem Iqbal, an associate professor of anthropology at McMaster University, explores the intricate dynamics of faith and survival in his new book, focusing on the aftermath of the Syrian revolution. He discusses how Islamic charities navigate the challenges of secular humanitarianism while addressing the theological implications of suffering. Iqbal shares thought-provoking dialogues that reflect divergent interpretations of tribulation, and he emphasizes the nuanced experiences of refugees caught between despair and hope. His insights offer a compassionate perspective on the intersection of theology and humanitarian efforts.
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Ethnography Through Theological Lenses
- Iqbal frames his work as an ethnography of theology that reads the Syrian war through Islamic theological categories rather than only political or historical ones.
- He centers the asymmetry between the uncreated (God) and creation as the primary lens shaping interlocutors' responses to violence and displacement.
Damascus Year Shaped His Project
- Iqbal recounts living in Damascus, studying Arabic and Islam, and then being unable to return as the revolution and war unfolded.
- That personal history guided his decision to study the war from within Islamic interpretive traditions rather than as an external historian.
God/Creation As The Core Coordinate
- Iqbal identifies a core theological coordinate: the asymmetry between God (uncreated) and creation, which underlies ethics, law, and everyday practices.
- This asymmetry explains why refugees and aid workers interpret suffering, reliance, and action differently than secular humanitarian frames.
