Islamic Democracy by Numbers

2017 ◽  
pp. 149-164
Author(s):  
Zaheer Kazmi
Keyword(s):  
Religious Violence ◽  
The West ◽  
Islamic History ◽  
Middle Way ◽  
Muslim Scholars

This chapter focuses on the ideological uses of the concept of al wasatiyya, as a means of propagating moderation, by prominent contemporary Muslim scholars engaged in countering extremism. It focuses on the ways in which, through the idea of the “middle way”, a particular theology combines with a majoritarian narrative of Islamic history, politics and civilization to produce a potent synthetic ideology which often serves to exclude, anathematize or marginalize. While it has become a commonplace among liberals to debate the fluid interpretations of Islamic concepts which legitimize violence, less attention, if any, has been given to the equally unstable categories associated with antidotes to religious violence. By deploying the majoritarian dimensions of a concept like “the middle way”, leading scholars today expose the multivalent and volatile nature of theological categories associated with countering extremism. Perhaps, most significantly, it points to some of the limits encountered in searching for correspondence between Islam and the West by way of such categories.

“The sheikh of the translators”

2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-175
Author(s):  
Ghada Osman
Keyword(s):  
Original Writing ◽  
Golden Age ◽  
Educational Institution ◽  
Eighth Century ◽  
Muslim World ◽  
The West ◽  
Islamic History ◽  
Science Philosophy ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Muslim Scholars

With the ascension to power of the Abbasid dynasty in 750 CE and the transfer of the capital of the Muslim Empire to the newly-created city of Baghdad, the middle of the eighth century heralded an era that in Islamic history is referred to as the “Golden Age,” during which period the Muslim world became an unrivaled intellectual center for science, philosophy, medicine, and education. Approximately eighty years after the dynasty’s rise to power, the Abbasid Caliph (ruler) al-Ma’mun (d. 833 CE) established in Baghdad Bayt al-Hikma (the House of Wisdom), an educational institution where Muslim and non-Muslim scholars together sought to gather the world’s knowledge not only via original writing but also through translation. Probably the most well-known and industrious translator of the era was Hunayn ibn Ishaq (d. 873 CE), known in the West by the Latinized name “Joannitius.” Referred to as “the sheikh of the translators,” he is reported to have mastered the four principal languages of his time: Greek, Syriac, Persian, and Arabic. Hunayn is credited with an immense number of translations, ranging from works on medicine, philosophy, astronomy, and mathematics, to magic and oneiromancy. This article looks at Hunayn’s work, briefly places this key figure within the translatorial habitus, discusses his methodology towards translation, as described in his own works, and examines that methodology in light of the sociological and sociolinguistic factors of the time.

PRINSIP AL-TAYSĪR DALAM FIQH AL-AQALLIYĀT YŪSUF AL-QARAḌĀWĪ

EMPIRISMA ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdul Wahab Khalil
Keyword(s):  
Legal Issues ◽  
Limited Time ◽  
The West ◽  
Muslim Scholar ◽  
Islamic Jurisprudence ◽  
Friday Prayer ◽  
Muslim Minorities ◽  
Muslim Scholars

The Muslim minorities in the West who are currently dealing with a multitude of problem receives attention from Muslim scholars. Syaikh Yūsuf al-Qaraḍāwī is the first Muslim scholar who attempted to provide a solution to the problems, especially related to the implementation of religious teachings, as he outlined it in the framework of fiqh al-aqalliyāt. In principle, this is not something new in Islamic jurisprudence, because its legal sources are still the same. Nevertheless, this kind of fiqh is different in the sense that it does not merely talk about legal issues, but also the problems of theology and morals that the Muslim minorities in the West are currently dealing with in their relations with non-Muslims. Fiqh al-aqalliyyāt is also characterized by the use of the principle of al-taysīr as clearly prominent in the fatwās by Syaikh Yūsuf al-Qaraḍāwī, such as on the validity of both performing Friday prayer in the morning due to limited time for religious sermon (khuṭbah) and during ẓuhr time in some countries. This article will explore further this principle of al-taysīr in the Qaraḍāwī’s fiqh al-aqalliyyāt. Keywords: Yūsuf al-Qaraḍāwī, Fiqh al-Aqalliyāt, al-Taysīr

Religion and International Crimes

2019 ◽  
pp. 192-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pieter Nanninga
Keyword(s):  
Religious Studies ◽  
Religious Violence ◽  
Primary Sources ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Primary Role ◽  
Islamic State ◽  
The West ◽  
International Crimes ◽  
The Relationship

This chapter introduces insights from the field of religious studies to research on perpetrators in order to examine the relationship between religion and international crimes. To this end, the chapter focuses on the case of the Islamic State, and particularly its crimes against the Iraqi Yazidi community and its attacks in the West. Based on primary sources, it argues that religion plays a primary role in the perpetrators self-understandings, serving as a significant framework through which they shape, justify, and give meaning to their violence. However, the chapter also demonstrates that religion cannot be consistently distinguished from non-religious or secular aspects of violence. Therefore, it argues, attributing a particular role to religion in explaining international crimes is inconsistent, and distinguishing between ‘religious violence’ and its secular counterpart not very helpful. Based on these observations, the chapter concludes by providing suggestions for future research on the topic.

Mysticism versus Philosophy in earlier Islamic History: The Al–Tūsi, Al–Qūnawi correspondence

1981 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
William C. Chittick
Keyword(s):  
The West ◽  
Islamic History ◽  
Islamic Civilization

To say ‘mysticism versus philosophy’ in the context of Islamic civilization means something far different from what it has come to signify in the West, where many philosophers have looked upon mysticism as the abandonment of any attempt to reconcile religious data with intelligent thought. Certainly the Muslim mystics and philosophers sometimes display a certain mutual opposition and antagonism, but never does their relationship even approach incompatibility.

scholarly journals Contributions of early Muslim scholars to originality of bookkeeping-system

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 543-560 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sherif El-Halaby ◽  
Khaled Hussainey
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Transfer ◽  
The West ◽  
System A ◽  
Historical Literature ◽  
Three Stages ◽  
East And West ◽  
Muslim Scholars

We explored the early Muslim scholars’ contributions to the originality of the Bookkeeping system by comparing the contributions of Western academics with those of Muslim scholars. We investigated, also, the knowledge transfer between East and West and how the early Muslims scholars’ contributions were part of the fundamentals of the Bookkeeping System. A surveying most of essays that concentrating on developments in the historical bookkeeping literature as well as reviewing historical literature about transfer knowledge between East and West. We found that Muslim scholars’ contributions to the originality of the Bookkeeping system could be divided into three stages. Firstly, it began with the foundation of Islam in 610; this sets up the basics of the Bookkeeping System. Secondly, Al-Khwarizmi sets up a comprehensive Bookkeeping System in 976. Thirdly, during the period 1332 to 1418, Al-Nuwayri and Al-Qalqashandi completed the structure of the Bookkeeping System. We found, also, that, from the 8th to the 15th centuries, Muslim scholars represented a knowledge bridge for the West suggesting that Luca Pacioli’s work was the outcomes of the Muslim scholars’ contributions. It is the first study that links the originality of Bookkeeping system with transfer knowledge between East and West. It is the first research that compare between East and West’ contributions towards Bookkeeping’ pyramid

Iqbal: An Analysis on his Life, Works and Mission

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 365-381
Author(s):  
Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak
Keyword(s):  
The West ◽  
Philosophical Approach ◽  
Islamic World ◽  
Muslim Scholars

The Islamic world has witnessed the emergence of great number of Muslim scholars. The names of those who made positive contributions are mentioned till to these days. The poet-philosopher Allama Muhammad Iqbal is one of those great scholars who have left a legacy behind to be followed by other scholars particularly in the area of how to deal with the West. His own reconciliatory approach in dealing between the West and the Islamic world should be an interesting one. Within the confines of this paper, the researcher would like to explore and analyze the life, works and mission of Iqbal, focusing on his philosophical approach to Muslim ummah. 

Struggling for Equality, Freedom, and Peace, 1966–1979

2021 ◽  
pp. 93-110
Author(s):  
R. Keith Schoppa
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Identity ◽  
Mexico City ◽  
Central Africa ◽  
Religious Violence ◽  
The West ◽  
East Central ◽  
The Revolution

The title of this chapter points to three objectives fought for in this period: equality, freedom, and peace. Among those seeking equality were women and those whose sexual identity was LGBTQ. As the Mexico City meeting showed, women were not of one mind about what issues they should focus on. Those seeking peace were the big “losers.” The 1970s was the context for three genocides. In 1971, the West Pakistan military put East Pakistanis under the gun. Killed by West Pakistani Muslims were 300,000 to 3 million East Pakistanis (many Hindus). The genocide’s basis was nationalism and religious violence. Those raped totaled 200,000 to 300,000. In an ethnic struggle in east-central Africa in 1972, the ethnic Tutsis killed 80,000 to 210,000 Hutus. Then in Cambodia (renamed Kampuchea) from 1975 to 1979, Cambodians slaughtered 2 million of their fellow Cambodians (25% of the population). The slaughtered had followed Western ways and culture before the revolution.

Niger

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marius Schneider ◽  
Vanessa Ferguson
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Written Language ◽  
West African ◽  
Religious Violence ◽  
Land Area ◽  
The West ◽  
State Collapse ◽  
The Republic ◽  
National Languages

The Republic of Niger is a landlocked country found in West Africa. It is bordered by Libya, Chad, Nigeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Algeria. Its location places it in a turbulent region rife with political and religious violence, separatist and armed movements, intercommunal violence, and state collapse. Niger is over 1 million square kilometres (km) making it the largest country in West Africa and sixth largest in Africa. Its population in 2017 was estimated to be 21.5 million. Over 80 per cent of the land area lies in the Sahara Desert. Most people, around three-quarters of the population, live in the southern part of the country (around 12 per cent of the land area) where agriculture is possible. The capital and largest city, Niamey, has over 1 million inhabitants. Other important cities are: Agadez, Arlit, Tillabéry, Dosso, Tahoua, Maradi, Zinder, and Diffa. The population is, however, mainly rural with only 18 per cent of the population living in urban areas. The currency used is the West African franc (CFA). The official language is French and there are ten national languages. Before the courts, French is the admissible written language. Sentences are rendered in French.

THE FUTURE OF ISLAM, 1672–1924

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 961-991
Author(s):  
FARIDAH ZAMAN
Keyword(s):  
Islamic History ◽  
Political Debates ◽  
Modern Politics ◽  
Early Islam ◽  
The Future ◽  
Muslim Scholars

This article examines the ways in which defining the character of early Islam has been instrumental to contemporary political debates at distinct moments in time. It looks in particular at Restoration-era England and the last decades of the Ottoman Caliphate. In the latter period, European and Muslim scholars alike reappraised Islamic history in the context of the often polemical discourse surrounding pan-Islamism and the future of Islam. Indian Muslim writers especially moved into new and inventive historical territory. They took up the vocabulary of modern politics in their histories and in doing so pluralized the heritage of certain ideas and concepts, including democracy, constitutionalism, republicanism, and socialism. The result was the articulation of a usable, progressive Islamic past.

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