Orthodoxy cedes no exclusionary claim to institutional Islamic authorities

Evidence

There can be no Islam without the Koran; conversely, there can be no Koran without Muslims reading it, interpreting it, attempting to translate it into institutions and social realities. Even when there is a strong orthodoxy of interpretation, as in Sunnite Islam — Sunna itself meaning orthodoxy based on consensus — there can very easily be revolutionary turmoil. The conflict between the Sadat government in Egypt and the various so-called fundamentalist Muslim parties takes place on the very same disputed ground of orthodoxy, Sadat and his Muslim authorities claiming to be the party of Sunna, his opponents making a very strong case that they are the true followers of Sunna. — Edward W. Said, Covering Islam, 195

Categorization

• DEFINE: Explains Sunna as consensus-based orthodoxy and shows why orthodoxy is inherently contested ground, not held by institutional power alone.