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This text explains what religious terrorists and religious peacemakers share in common and what causes them to take different paths in fighting injustice.
‘Knowledge is Power’ – a statement commonly attributed to an eminent English philosopher and scientist in 1597, still highlights today the importance of knowledge in the modern world. Education forms the basis of our knowledge and its development, from our earliest experiences at school through to Higher Education. Individuals use their knowledge in their professional and personal lives, and society as a collective of individuals shapes the world in which we live. Therefore the power of education is one of the keys to developing a successful society and benefits humanity at large. But things have gone very wrong! Society, values and morals are all in decline. How has education lost its...
I.B.Tauris in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies The world's 200 million Shi'i Muslims express their faith in a multiplicity of ways, united by reverence for the ahl al-bayt, the family of the Prophet. In embracing a pluralistic ethic, fourteen centuries of Shi'i Islam have given rise to diverse traditions and practices across varied geographic and cultural landscapes. The Shi'i World is a comprehensive work authored by leading scholars from assorted disciplines, to provide a better understanding of how Shi'i communities view themselves and articulate their teachings. The topics range from Shi'i Islam's historical and conceptual foundations, formative figures and intellectual,...
The Islamic World and the West - perhaps no other topic is currently so often present in the headlines of the international media. This timely volume, which brings together contributions by 14 established Muslim and Western scholars, intends to present a somewhat more positive outlook in the currently rather strained relations between the Islamic world and Europe by drawing on shared values and possibilities of cooperation in various fields, such as reflected in worldview, education, economics, multiculturalism, religious dialogue, politics, as well as security issues, and it shall also contain a historical revaluation of some of those contacts. It is the first project within the framework o...
The Muslim people must become acquainted with the fundamental ordinances of Islam. Ignorance exists on both sides, among the Sunnis and Shias alike, and it is as a result of this ignorance that clashes and enmity have arisen (Imam Khomeini). It is amazing to note that the majority of Muslims are ignorant of why they are either Sunnis or Shias. The issues between these two factions are definitely affecting the world peace today; so much that Muslims and nonMuslims know both factions as staunch antagonists, seriously waging unnecessary wars against each other. Who are the Sunnis? Who are the Shias? Why are the followers of the same prophet turning to staunch antagonists? What is the origin of both factions and their enmity? What have they got in common, and what are their discrepancies? Find out these and many more as you read through the whole book.
Over the past few decades, humanistic inquiry has been problematized and invigorated by the emergence of what is referred to as the digital humanities. Across multiple disciplines, from history to literature, religious studies to philosophy, archaeology to music, scholars are tapping the extraordinary power of digital technologies to preserve, curate, analyze, visualize, and reconstruct their research objects. The study of the Middle East and the broader Islamic world has been no less impacted by this new paradigm. Scholars are making daily use of digital tools and repositories including private and state-sponsored archives of textual sources, digitized manuscript collections, densitometrical imaging, visualization and modeling software, and various forms of data mining and analysis. This collection of essays explores the state of the art in digital scholarship pertaining to Islamic & Middle Eastern studies, addressing areas such as digitization, visualization, text mining, databases, mapping, and e-publication. It is of relevance to any researcher interested in the opportunities and challenges engendered by this changing scholarly ecosystem.
The current political events surrounding the Iranian nuclear crisis, the precarious situation in Lebanon, as well as the still unsettled fate of Iraq have resulted in a renewed interest in the Shi'ite dimension of Islam among political observers. This volume covers the phenomenon of political assertiveness among contemporary Shi'ite Muslims in the Middle East, as well as among converts in Southeast Asia. It argues that Shi'ite identities are often based on local cultural heritage and history and are - contrary to what is usually assumed by the wider public - not to be considered monolithic. Christoph Marcinkowski, award-winning Professor of Islamic Studies and Interreligious Relations at Germany's Catholic University of Eichstatt-Ingolstadt and the author of "Religion and Politics in Iraq," is currently working for Germany's Federal Interior Ministry and CIBEDO (the Christian-Muslim dialogue forum of the German Catholic Bishops' Conference) on a survey of Shi'ite organisations in Germa
Peace on Earth: The Role of Religion in Peace and Conflict Studies provides a critical analysis of faith and religious institutions in peacebuilding practice and pedagogy. The work captures the synergistic relationships among faith traditions and how multiple approaches to conflict transformation and peacebuilding result in a creative process that has the potential to achieve a more detailed view of peace on earth, containing breadth as well as depth. Library and bookstore shelves are filled with critiques of the negative impacts of religion in conflict scenarios. Peace on Earth: The Role of Religion in Peace and Conflict Studies offers an alternate view that suggests religious organizations play a more complex role in conflict than a simply negative one. Faith-based organizations, and their workers, are often found on the frontlines of conflict throughout the world, conducting conflict management and resolution activities as well as advancing peacebuilding initiatives.
This timely work addresses sensitive issues and relations between Muslims and Christians around the world. The book uniquely captures the opportunity for Christians and Muslims to come together and discuss pertinent issues such as pluralism, governance, preaching, Christian missionary efforts, and general misperceptions of Muslim and Christian communities. Joint authorship and discussion within the book is used to offer dialogue and responses between different contributors. This dialogue reveals that Christians and Muslims hold many things in common while having meaningful differences. It also shows the value of honestly sharing convictions while respecting and hearing the beliefs of another.
The question of the People of the Book (Ahl al-Kitāb) has long been of central significance to Islam and later to the study of comparative religion. It becomes more crucial when Abū al-Fath Muhammad ‘Abd al-Karīm al-Shahrastānī (d.548/1153) develops another category known as “Man Lahu Shubhat Kitāb” (those who possess doubtful sacred scrolls) or “Ahl Shubhat Kitāb” (the People of a Dubious Book). The present book thus is of importance as it highlights the nature of the People of the Book and the People of a Dubious Book as understood in the Qur’ān and Islamic religious tradition. The discussion is carried out both by analyzing Islam as the only genuinely revealed religion...