Studying the Qur'an in the Muslim Academy

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Majid Daneshgar
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Religious Studies ◽  
Cultural Representation ◽  
Traditional Practices ◽  
The West ◽  
Historical Approach ◽  
The World ◽  
Points Of View ◽  
East And West ◽  
Work Done

This book sheds light on how the study of Islam in the Muslim lands become an exercise in politics and pious apologetics. It also displays the way modern critical historical approach to the Qurʾān is under threat across the world. The author shows the combination of traditional practices, sectarian rivalry, prejudice and outdated attitudes—reflexive censorship, mutual systemic exclusion by Sunni and Shi‘i traditions of each other’s points of view along with lack of interest in work done outside the Middle East and a fixation on a narrow and flawed interpretation of Orientalism, Edward W. Said’s classic study of imperialist cultural representation. It discusses the influence of oil-funded conservative inroads into religious studies programs in the West. It provides readers with a powerful case for understanding the sources and dynamics of “Islamic Apologetics” and the threat to critical historical methodologies particularly in the West as an essential first step toward protecting then strengthening modern scholarship, East and West.

The New Islamic State

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farhad Khosrokhavar
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Islamic State ◽  
Imagined Community ◽  
The West ◽  
Patriarchal Family ◽  
The Past ◽  
The World ◽  
The Creation

The creation of the Islamic State in Iraq and Sham (ISIS) changed the nature of jihadism worldwide. For a few years (2014–2017) it exemplified the destructive capacity of jihadism and created a new utopia aimed at restoring the past greatness and glory of the former caliphate. It also attracted tens of thousands of young wannabe combatants of faith (mujahids, those who make jihad) toward Syria and Iraq from more than 100 countries. Its utopia was dual: not only re-creating the caliphate that would spread Islam all over the world but also creating a cohesive, imagined community (the neo-umma) that would restore patriarchal family and put an end to the crisis of modern society through an inflexible interpretation of shari‘a (Islamic laws and commandments). To achieve these goals, ISIS diversified its approach. It focused, in the West, on the rancor of the Muslim migrants’ sons and daughters, on exoticism, and on an imaginary dream world and, in the Middle East, on tribes and the Sunni/Shi‘a divide, particularly in the Iraqi and Syrian societies.

scholarly journals In Praise of Irrationality: Self, "East" and "West" in Greek Teachers' Speeches on National Day Commemorations

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucianna Benincasa
Keyword(s):  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
Social Identity ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
The West ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
The Social ◽  
The World ◽  
Group Members ◽  
Social Creativity ◽  
East And West

In this qualitative study of school discourse on national day commemorations, focus is on the "social creativity strategies" through which group members can improve their social identity. Discourse analysis was carried out on thirty-nine teachers' speeches delivered in Greek schools between 1998 and 2004. The speakers scorn rationality and logic, stereotypically attributed to "the West" (a "West" which is perceived not to include Greece), as cold and not human. The Greeks' successful national struggles are presented instead as the result of irrationality. They claim irrationality to be the most human and thus the most valuable quality, which places Greece first in the world hierarchy. The results are further discussed in terms of their implications for learning and teaching in the classroom, as well as for policy and research.

scholarly journals Au Fond. The Phenomenology of Gerardus van der Leeuw

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 52-69
Author(s):  
Arie L. Molendijk
Keyword(s):  
Basic Structure ◽  
Religious Studies ◽  
Phenomenological Method ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Historical Approach ◽  
The World ◽  
Phenomenology Of Religion

Abstract This article explores Gerardus van der Leeuw’s view of phenomenology of religion. The phenomenological method he defended is basically a hermeneutical approach in which an observer relates personally and even existentially to the “phenomena” (s)he studies in order to determine their essence (Wesensschau). In his anthropology (that reflects on the basic structure of human beings) a similar way of relating to the world is discussed: the “primitive mentality” that is characterized by the “need to participate” (besoin de participation). Both phenomenology and mentalité primitive imply a critique of modern scholarship. This fundamental criticism of the prevailing (historical) approach in the humanities including religious studies explains the growing distance between van der Leeuw and the majority of scholars of religion in the decades after his death in 1950.

Kenneth E. Bailey: An Ambassador Serving the Middle East and the West

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 152-159
Author(s):  
Gary M. Burge
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
New Testament ◽  
Cultural Anthropology ◽  
Biblical Exegesis ◽  
The West ◽  
Arab Culture ◽  
The World ◽  
The New Testament ◽  
The Church ◽  
The Way

Kenneth E. Bailey (1930–2016) was an internationally acclaimed New Testament scholar who grew up in Egypt and devoted his life to the church of the Middle East. He also was an ambassador of Arab culture to the West, explaining through his many books on the New Testament how the context of the Middle East shapes the world of the New Testament. He wed cultural anthropology to biblical exegesis and shaped the way scholars view the Gospels today.

scholarly journals INTERWENCJA FEDERACJI ROSYJSKIEJ W SYRII – STUDIUM PRZYPADKU ROSYJSKIEJ POLITYKI NA BLISKIM WSCHODZIE

2019 ◽  
pp. 51-64
Author(s):  
Dariusz Brążkiewicz
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Russian Federation ◽  
Dominant Role ◽  
The West ◽  
International Environment ◽  
The World ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Russian Federation

Abstrakt: Współczesna polityka Federacji Rosyjskiej na Bliskim Wschodzie jest elementem szerokiej strategii ukierunkowanej na cele w środowisku międzynarodowym oraz na cele wewnątrzpaństwowe. Polityka ta jest konfrontacyjna na płaszczyźnie Rosja – Zachód i stanowi koło zamachowe w dążeniu kraju do odzyskania dominującej roli w świecie. Zaangażowanie Federacji Rosyjskiej w konflikt w Syrii jest konsekwencją jej mocarstwowej polityki w zmieniającym się środowisku międzynarodowym. Głównym celem było wyeliminowanie rozwiązań USA i innych państw Zachodu w zakresie interwencji humanitarnej w Syrii. Poza tym utrzymując reżim Baszara al-Asada Federacja Rosyjska podjęła realizację własnego ładu na Bliskim Wschodzie, gdzie chce odgrywać kluczową rolę. Pomagają jej w tym Iran – wieloletni oponent USA oraz Turcja – nowy koalicjant, które mają też swoje partykularne cele w regionie. W przypadku polityki wewnętrznej, rosyjskie elity polityczne chcą utrwalić władzę populistyczną, oferując narodowi drogę dokonań państwa, szczególnie w wymiarze międzynarodowym – wskazując siłę militarną i wyższość polityczną, jako podstawowe elementy odbudowy mocarstwowej roli Federacji Rosyjskiej w świecie. Te kierunki polityki zewnętrznej i wewnętrznej dają obraz konsekwentnych, a jednocześnie zaskakujących działań Federacji Rosyjskiej na Bliskim Wschodzie. Abstract: Contemporary policy of the Russian Federation in the Middle East is an element of a broad strategy focused on international and internal purposes. This policy is confrontational at the level of Russia - the West and constitutes a flywheel in the pursuit of the country to regain its dominant role in the world. The involvement of the Russian Federation in the conflict in Syria is a consequence of its superpower policy in the changing international environment. The main goal was to eliminate the solutions of the USA and other Western countries in the field of humanitarian intervention in Syria. What is more, maintaining the regime of Bashar al-Assad, the Russian Federation has embarked on the implementation of its own order in the Middle East, where it wants to play a key role. Iran, a long-term opponent of the USA, and Turkey, a new coalition partner that also has its particular goals in the region, are the countries which help Russia in this area. In the case of domestic policy, Russia’s power elites want to consolidate populist power by presenting the nation country’s accomplishments, especially in the international dimension, indicating military strength and political superiority as the basic elements of rebuilding the superpower role of the Russian Federation in the world. These external and internal policies give a picture of the consistent and also surprising actions of the Russian Federation in the Middle East

scholarly journals The Arabs in the First Communication Revolution: The Development of the Arabic Script

2001 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Issam S. Mousa
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Communication Theory ◽  
Compelling Evidence ◽  
The West ◽  
The Past ◽  
The World ◽  
Arabic Script

Abstract: Scholars unanimously agree that the development of the alphabet is a cornerstone of civilization and that Greece played a central role in the spread of this medium in the West. Both Latin and Arabic scripts were derived from the Phoenician, which represents a shared cultural heritage between the Middle East and the West. However, the question of the development of the second most used alphabet in the world, Arabic, is riddled with uncertainty for scholars. They disagree on the origin of this significant medium, which has been used by Arabs, Persians, and other nations for the past 15 centuries. This paper examines how critical communication theory may help solve this enduring mystery and finds compelling evidence to suggest that the Arabic script evolved from the Nabataean rather than the Syriac. Résumé : Les spécialistes sont tous d'accord que le développement de l'alphabet a été une pierre angulaire de la civilisation et que la Grèce a joué un rôle primordial dans la diffusion de l'alphabet à travers l'Occident. Les textes latins et arabes sont tous les deux originaires du phénicien, représentant un héritage culturel partagé entre le Moyen Orient et l'Occident. Cependant, la question du développement de l'alphabet arabe, le deuxième plus répandu au monde, est entourée d'incertitude pour les spécialistes. Ceux-ci sont en désaccord sur les origines de ce mode de transmission important, que les Arabes, les Perses et d'autres nations utilisent depuis quinze siècles. Cet article examine comment la théorie critique en communication peut aider à résoudre ce mystère persistant et découvre des indices importants suggérant que l'écriure arabe a évolué du nabatéen plutôt que du syriaque.

Spirituality of Society and Spiritual Economy

2021 ◽  
Vol 144 (2) ◽  
pp. 104-113
Author(s):  
Vladimir A. Morozov ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Evaluation Criteria ◽  
The West ◽  
The World ◽  
History Of ◽  
East And West ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Religious Spirituality

The article examines the history of the formation of spirituality in the East and West and examines modern problems of spirituality in society. The compatibility of the values of the West and the East is studied and the composition of the key laws and principles of the main religions of the world in the life of society is integrated. The combination of secular and religious spirituality is studied. The basics and provisions of labor ethics in the countries of the East and West are considered, and the attitude of the main religions to labor, wealth, property, and the economy is compiled. The definition of spiritual economy is proposed, and evaluation criteria are given, as well as an introductory composition of its characteristics is formed.

Rethinking religion and political legitimacy across the Islam–West divide

2014 ◽  
Vol 40 (4-5) ◽  
pp. 439-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nader Hashemi
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Public Life ◽  
Political Legitimacy ◽  
Religion And Politics ◽  
The West ◽  
Political Contention ◽  
The World ◽  
Historical Question ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Religion In Public Life

The relationship between religion and politics is a bone of political contention and a source of deep confusion across the Islam–West divide. When most western liberals cast their gaze on Muslim societies today, what they see is deeply disconcerting. From their perspective there is simply too much religion in public life in the Arab-Islamic world, which raises serious questions for them about the prospects for democracy in this part of the world. This article critically explores the relationship between religion and political legitimacy with a geographical and cultural focus on the Muslim Middle East. The broad historical question that shapes this inquiry is: Why is religion a source of political legitimacy in Muslim societies today while in the West, broadly speaking, religion is a source of disagreement and illegitimacy?

scholarly journals Joseph Needham (1900–95)

1997 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mansel Davies
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
The West ◽  
The World ◽  
East And West ◽  
International Status

With the death of Joseph Needham on 24 March 1995 the world of learning lost one of the greatest scholars in this or any country, of this or any century. For more than thirty years Needham had been the greatest sinologist in the West, having previously achieved an international status as a research biochemist and as a historian. Intellectually a bridge-builder between science, religion and Marxist socialism, and supremely so between East and West, he has been called the Erasmus of the twentieth century. A sober assessment suggests that with the passage of time he will be recognized as a greater figure than the scholar from Rotterdam.

scholarly journals Karakteristik Kajian Islam Kontemporer: Dialektika Barat dan Timur

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-38
Author(s):  
Amirudin Amirudin ◽  
Masayu Mashita Maisarah
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Field ◽  
The West ◽  
Historical Approach ◽  
Islamic Studies ◽  
Religious Teaching ◽  
East And West

Islam is understood in multi-meaning, as a religious teaching and as a scientific field. This matter is still being debated by several groups, especially regarding the issue surrounding studying Islam in the West. The purpose of this paper is to examine the development of Islamic studies from time to time. The issue of using a normative and historical approach in Islamic studies has been widely discussed by experts, both from the West and the East. However, in its development, Islamic studies form a separate 'stronghold' with their respective identities in an effort to understand Islamic teachings, both as an 'observer' and as an 'actor' who has an element of partiality. By using a historical approach, this paper will prove the flexibility of Islamic studies, where each "camp" will have its own method and style in understanding Islamic teachings, both in its development in the East and West. The study of Islam will always be up to date because it attracts attention. This is of course not only among Muslims (insiders), but also among non-Muslims (outsiders) who study Islam from various perspectives. Abstrak Islam dipahami dengan multi-makna, sebagai ajaran keagamaan dan sebagai bidang keilmuan. Hal tersebut hingga kini masih diperdebatkan oleh beberapa kalangan, terutama menyangkut isu seputar mengkaji Islam di Barat. Tujuan tulisan ini ingin mengkaji perkembangan studi Islam dari masa ke masa. Isu penggunaan pendekatan normatif maupun historis dalam kajian Islam telah ramai diperbincangkan oleh para ahli, baik dari Barat maupun Timur. Namun dalam perkembangannya, studi Islam membentuk ‘kubu’ tersendiri dengan identitas masing-masing dalam upaya memahami ajaran Islam, baik sebagai ‘pengamat’ maupun sebagai ‘aktor’ yang memiliki unsur keberpihakan. Dengan menggunakan pendekatan historis, tulisan ini akan membuktikan fleksibilitas kajian Islam, di mana masing-masing ‘kubu’ akan memiliki metode dan corak tersendiri dalam memahami ajaran Islam, baik perkembangannya di Timur dan Barat. Kajian tentang ke-Islaman akan selalu aktual untuk diperbincangkan karena sangat menarik perhatian. Hal ini tentunya tidak hanya dikalangan muslim sendiri (insider), tetapi juga kalangan non-muslim (outsider) yang mempelajari agama Islam dari berbagai sudut pandang.

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