Such distinctions can be read into sources, but at base the generalizable category "religion" in anything resembling the modern sense does not manifest in the west until the 16th century, and its formation as a category also entails dramatic reformulations of the much older category "magic". I can't speak to Islamic materials, but I would note here that Chinese materials, linguistically or conceptually, do not present anything akin to the western "religion" as category until European missionary activity makes it necessary to generate a term for translation; for example, the modern Mandarin zōngjiaò is clearly an attempt to render Christian missionary terminology. I am not aware of a generalizable "religion"-like category outside the west that did not arise in similar circumstances, though obviously I don't claim comprehensive knowledge.

Useful here are Talal Asad, Genealogies of Religion; J.Z. Smith, "Religion, Religions, Religious," Tomoko Masuzawa, The Invention of World Religions; Guy Stroumsa, A New Science.

Chris Lehrich

Christopher I. Lehrich

Assistant Professor, Boston University

Vice President, North American Association for the Study of Religion