Search

The Syrian Muhunder ammad al-&caphunder;abash, member of the religious establishment and recently elected to parliament, is the leading figure in a movement of religious renewal in Syria. The Islamic vision he has articulated sheds light not only on the existence of a dynamic religious and inter-religious debate currently taking place in Syria but also on the potential role of Islam in the development of a civil society in Syria that brooks room in the public arena for both the religious and the secular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper will analyze Muhammad Asad's translation of the Qur'ān, which provides us with the means to explore the 'mythic' language of sacred text. Despite its modernist agenda, it is a coherent translation which brings into sharp focus a particular modernist discourse on the Qur'ān. The outcome of this approach is precisely in its style of picking and choosing meanings and interpretations which best suit the modernist project. The paper provides examples of this from the translation which has extensive footnote explanations. What distinguishes its approach from that of the classical commentators? Does the Qur'ān contain mythical or legendary accounts, and if so, what purpose do they serve? The paper focuses on these and other questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Islam and Christianity have had a mixed relationship over the centuries. Often these two traditions have taken an exclusivist position portraying the other in negative terms. Muslims and Christians have often lived in tension with each other over many issues such as mission and da...wā, political and religious oppression as well as mutual vilification. Increasingly in the last few decades, there have been calls for dialogue from both traditions to be undertaken at the level of scripture, religious leadership and socio-cultural traditions. Christian and Muslim communities have begun to come together in the spirit of pluralism and mutual recognition. It is this spirit that must guide each of us to understand the importance of a new way of reading the sacred texts, one which is cognizant of and responsive to the pluralistic realities of the twenty-first century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction discusses briefly the usage and the meaning(s) of the term 'eschatology', the affirmation of the finality of the revelation granted and the reality of the 'not yet', and the recognition of the interrelatedness of eschatology and ethics. A short survey follows of some regularly recurring topics in Islamic eschatological literature, with a few cross-references to Christian data: barzakh, the coming reign of justice and peace, and the bliss of the Garden. More substantial cross-references are found in the discussion of the relation between individual and collective eschatology, of the anticipation of the ultimate realization of God's intentions for the whole universe, and of the question of how far both traditions postulate a 'final exclusivism'. The essay ends with some remarks on God's justice and mercy, with brief comments on the notion of theodicy and the testimony that 'mercy prevails over wrath'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Part IV. Presents an exegetical inventorial table of the Gospels in the Muslim Discourse of the Ninth to the Fourteenth Centuries. Authors and treatises; Exegetical symbols; Table of Gospel citations.

Can human conscience be a uniting bond between Christians and Muslims, across moral and religious differences? This article discusses the notion of dam&isline;r as employed by the Egyptian Muslim authors 'Abb&asline;s Mahm&usline;d al-'Aqq&asline;d, Kh&asline;lid Muhammad Kh&asline;lid and M. K&asline;mil Husayn. In the 1950s and 1960s, these authors used the notion of dam&isline;r to express the inward dimension of Islamic ethics. As Islamic humanists, they also used it to express what Muhammad and Jesus, Muslims and Christians, may 'know together' in the field of ethics. The modern Egyptian material is related to some observations on the semantic history of dam&isline;r, and a discussion of the conceptual history of conscience in Christian tradition and European philosophy. The article proposes that a constitutive element in the notion of conscience is the tension between 'knowing by oneself' and 'knowing with others'. In a broader perspective, the article discusses conscience as a globalized concept, and its importance for a Christian-Muslim dialogue which respects the difference of the Other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates Muslim opposition to European reforms within the framework of the Macedonian Question as it developed between 1878 and 1908. Reforms granted to the Christian communities in the Macedonian provinces after the Berlin Treaty (1878) did not bring tranquillity but rather contributed to the escalation of the existing turmoil. In addition, the worsening situation and the diminishing role of the Ottoman administration as a result of European interference created concern, but more importantly caused an intensification of religious sentiment among the Muslims. As a result, various classes of Macedonian Muslims, urban and rural, peasants and professionals, joined forces to prevent a further decline in their circumstances by demanding reform to the central administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is published by the World Council of Churches and other partners, including Islamic organizations and specialized journals. Hopefully, it will be widely circulated and used in discussions and educational programs. It is the fruit of a Muslim-Christian meeting held in Amersfoort, Netherlands in November 2000. Convened by the World Council of Churches, it took stock of the various Christian-Muslim dialogue initiatives of this organization since 1991. During the last nine years, Christian and Muslim religious leaders, educators and activists have discussed the thorny and sometimes divisive issues of religion, law and society, human rights, religious freedom, community rights, mission and da'wā and communal tensions. This document draws largely on their questions, reflections and conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article looks at the history of the Pomaks and the development of their identity as it has been and is perceived by themselves, by other Bulgarians and by the state. It identifies the political, economic, social and cultural pressures to which they have been subjected and points to an uncertain future in view of the volatility of the situation and the unpredictability of the interactions that will arise between the various forces at work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strictly speaking any enclosed space or building can qualify as a mosque (masjid) if it satisfies the requirement of cleanliness, but although Muslims can pray almost anywhere, they have often set up mosques as a nucleus for community life, fulfilling social as well as cultural and aesthetic needs. The masjid is both a space and an institution through which Muslims make statements about themselves and about their faith. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Around 15 million Muslims live in Europe today - approximately 30,000 of them in Portugal. During the last few decades, Muslims in modern Europe have demonstrated remarkable community building and institutionalization processes. That is to say, they have adopted certain European customs and standards, while at the same time retaining religious and cultural customs and standards which differ from those of the dominant culture. This is also true of the Muslims in Portugal. In elaborating on some of the factors that affect the relationship between the Muslim minority and the dominant society, this paper will draw a more detailed picture of the New Islamic Presence in Portugal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of Muslims in the West has posed a challenge to the self-assured populations of Europe. This bibliography provides an overview of available scholarship in the English language on the situation of Muslims in Western Europe and in areas of traditional European settlement. It is demonstrable that the conditions they face vary according to established relationships between religion and state in each country, the laws that govern immigration, naturalization and citizenship, the heritage of tolerance, the acceptance of alternative social values and the willingness to allow Muslim participation in the democratic process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents books received on Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations. 'A Vision of the Middle East: An Intellectual Biography of Albert Hourani,' by Abdulaziz Al-Sudairi; 'Heart and Soul for Europe: An Essay on Spiritual Renewal,' by Edy Korthals Altes; 'The 99 Beautiful Names of God for All the People of the Book,' by David Bentley.

The author reflects on Borna Zguric's article entitled "Challenges for democracy in countries affected by the Arab Spring." The author says that Zguric considers the challenges being faced by the Islamist parties for achieving relevance and sustained legitimacy. However, the author says that Zguric details the challenge's scale encountered by the societies which are newly democratized for consolidating democracy in cultural and institutional terms.

The article presents a list of books received by the journal. Included are "A Muslim in Victorian America: The Life of Alexander Russell Webb," by Umar F. Abd-Allah, "Contesting the Saudi State: Islamic Voices from a New Generation," by Madawi Al-Rasheed, and "Muslims in the United States," by Kassim Kone and Ilyas Ba-Yunus.

Presents a list of several books on relations between christians and muslims. 'Understanding Islam: Basic Principles'; 'Controlling Knowledge: Religion, Power and Schooling in a West African Muslim Society,' by Louis Brenner; 'An Interpretation of the Qur'an: English Translation of the Meanings--A Bilingual Edition,' translated by Majid Fakhry.

A list of books about Christian-Islam relations is presented. The books include "The Order of Wounded Hands," by Kenneth Cragg, "Islamic Political Radicalism: A European Perspective," edited by Tahir Abbas and "The Seal of the Prophets and His Message: Lessons on Islamic Doctrine," by Lari Musavi and Sayyid Mujtaba.

A foreword to the Vol. 18, No. 2 issue of the "Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations" is presented.

Presents the changing identities between Muslims and Christians. Categories and classes of Muslims and Christians; Focus in the integration of social identities and self-unification; Developments in the Christian-Muslim relations.

Presents the impact of Muslim-Christian relations. Recognition of the basic spiritual and moral affinity between the monotheistic religions; Differences of theological idiom; Frictions between the respective faiths.

This article explores possible areas for Muslim-Christian cooperation in response to threats and challenges posed by the changing global context in the light of recent calls for the creation of a new world ethic, and the recognition of an ongoing and multi-layered global crisis. A discussion of the prerequisites and nature of a strategic Muslim-Christian partnership for the current century prefaces a suggestion of concrete areas for solidarity and joint action. 'From Egypt to Indonesia, Nigeria to Lebanon, an upsurge in intercommunal violence has already marked the new millennium as one of the worst periods of global conflict between Christianity and Islam for generations' (The Times 4/1/2000). 'It is true that the changing global context poses serious threats which make co-operation imperative, but the same context offers opportunities to help co-operation flourish as never before' (Michael Edwards. Future Positive: international cooperation in the 21st century, Earthscan Publications, London, 1999, 5). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At a significant moment in the calendar of one of the two concerned traditions, as the Christian community enters the second millennium of its history, this article looks back over the history of the relationship between Christians and Muslims and selects some examples of defining moments in the relationship. These examples illustrate the wide variety of attitudes towards and perceptions of the other which are evident in history. The article then attempts to look forward and outline some features which are desirable for the future study of Christian-Muslim relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]