The Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS) aims at promoting scholarship and learning on Islam in the context of civilizational studies in general. Utilizing all relevant modern disciplines, it... Show moreThe Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS) aims at promoting scholarship and learning on Islam in the context of civilizational studies in general. Utilizing all relevant modern disciplines, it encourages research into Islamic history, with particular reference to its significance for the Muslim societies in contemporary times. While the IIS' interests encompass the Muslim world as a whole, it pays particular attention to Shi'ism and to Ismailism due to the relative neglect of these fields in modern Islamic scholarship. Show less
Nearly seven million Muslims live in Western Europe, their presence being the unforeseen consequence of migration flows towards the continent at the beginning of the 1960s. Later, during the 1972-4... Show moreNearly seven million Muslims live in Western Europe, their presence being the unforeseen consequence of migration flows towards the continent at the beginning of the 1960s. Later, during the 1972-4 recession, European immigration policy drastically changed: Governments halted labour immigration yet allowed for family reunification. From the 1970s, religious and cultural dimensions did become important issues in relations between Muslim communities and European societies since the contact surface had been greatly expanded. Islam is a major aspect of this settlement process in terms of the increasing need for mosques, halal butcheries, Koranic schools or Muslim cemeteries. Show less
At first glance, the arrival of the year 2000 AD seems unlikely to provoke any great reaction -much less spiritual anxiety- among most Muslims. Any Western 'centurial mysticism' surrounding the... Show moreAt first glance, the arrival of the year 2000 AD seems unlikely to provoke any great reaction -much less spiritual anxiety- among most Muslims. Any Western 'centurial mysticism' surrounding the date 1 January 2000 AD vanishes, after all, in the Hijri calendar equivalent of Ramadan 24, 1420. But despite the outward irrelevance of the Gregorian 2000 to most of the ummah, one Islamic mystical brotherhood -the Naqshbandi-Haqqani order- finds the advent of the year 2000 one of several powerful symbolic events in which traditional Sunni ideas of the 'Last Day"" intersect with the millennial expectations of a new generation of European and American converts to Islam. Show less
Divorce Iranian Style is a documentary film directed by Kim Longinotto and Ziba Mir-Hosseini. It is set in a small courtroom in central Tehran, and follows a number of women who come before a non... Show moreDivorce Iranian Style is a documentary film directed by Kim Longinotto and Ziba Mir-Hosseini. It is set in a small courtroom in central Tehran, and follows a number of women who come before a non-plussed judge and by turn use whatever they can - reason, argument, charm, outrage, pleas for sympathy, patience, and wit - to get what they each need. There are four main characters: Massy, who wants to divorce her inadequate husband; Ziba, an outspoken 16-year-old who proudly stands up to her 38-year-old husband and his family; Jamileh, who brings her husband to court to teach him a lesson; and Maryam, remarried and desperate to regain custody of her two daughters. Show less
Among scholars of Islam and some Muslims today, a curious misperception dominates: that only the Shica believe in the coming the awaited Mahdi. Sunni Arab views of the Mahdi since the Six Days War... Show moreAmong scholars of Islam and some Muslims today, a curious misperception dominates: that only the Shica believe in the coming the awaited Mahdi. Sunni Arab views of the Mahdi since the Six Days War of 1967 have reached heretofore unplumbed depths of eschatological belief and the vigorous debate among the Arab intelligentsia concerning these beliefs, as well as the degree to which they impact the Muslim social and political realms, have followed suit. Show less
The Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding: History and International Affairs (CMCU) was established in 1993 by Georgetown University and the Fondation pour l'Entente entre Chretiens et... Show moreThe Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding: History and International Affairs (CMCU) was established in 1993 by Georgetown University and the Fondation pour l'Entente entre Chretiens et Musulmans, Geneva, to foster the study of Muslim-Christian relations and to promote dialogue between the two great religions. The Center focuses on the historical, theological, political and cultural encounter of Islam and Christianity, the Muslim world and the West. Located in the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, the Center combines teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels, research and public affairs activities. Show less
Western missionaries are credited with introducing many changes to Middle Eastern societies in the 19th century. Their influence on the Ottoman state is less well known. Competing with Protestant... Show moreWestern missionaries are credited with introducing many changes to Middle Eastern societies in the 19th century. Their influence on the Ottoman state is less well known. Competing with Protestant and Catholic missionaries for the minds, souls, and bodies of its Arab subjects, the Ottomans adopted Christian missionary methods to beat them at their own game. Show less
Images of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Opera House, Centre point Tower, and Darling Harbour flank the mosques of Mecca and Medina on this greeting card designed and printed in Australia. This card... Show moreImages of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Opera House, Centre point Tower, and Darling Harbour flank the mosques of Mecca and Medina on this greeting card designed and printed in Australia. This card reflects on the theological and cultural struggles experienced by Australian Muslims since their period of mass migration to Australia in the 1970s, particularly among the most influential of Australia’s Muslims: the migrants and the Australian born and bred generation. The experiences of both these groups may be understood through a remark made in a recent article published in Salam, the official magazine of the Federation of Australian Muslim students and Youth (FAMSY): ‘It is our destiny that we found ourselves here (Australia). However, the rest is a test.’ 1 Destiny is a fundamental pillar of the Islamic faith. However, as with the practice of Islam, the ways in which destiny is perceived differs between particular places, periods, cultures and peoples. How have members of the Australian Muslim population conceptualized their destiny? Where will it lead them? Show less
In the years immediately following the end of the decade known as the Cultural Revolution (1966- 1976), the Muslims of China lost no time in rebuilding their devastated communities. After ten years... Show moreIn the years immediately following the end of the decade known as the Cultural Revolution (1966- 1976), the Muslims of China lost no time in rebuilding their devastated communities. After ten years of intensive and often violent persecution by government forces in which all forms of religious expression were outlawed and hundreds of religious leaders were imprisoned, Muslim communities throughout China began slowly to restore their religious institutions and revive their religious activities. The re-establishment of educational institutions plays a vital role in this still ongoing process. Show less
The collapse of the Soeharto regime has undermined the three legitimatory pillars of the Indonesian state: the much acclaimed economic development of the country is thwarted; the alleged... Show moreThe collapse of the Soeharto regime has undermined the three legitimatory pillars of the Indonesian state: the much acclaimed economic development of the country is thwarted; the alleged preoccupation of the Indonesian government with economic and political equity has been recognized as the rhetorical decorum of 'crony-capitalism'; and the lauded socio-political stability has finally erupted in social unrest and perturbation, gradually dissolving the 'social glue' provided by Indonesia's 'civil religion', the pancasil a philosophy. The repressed ghosts of nationalist imagination - political Islam and the disruption of centre-periphery relations - walk again. Apart from gender, 'religion' became an issue in the run for presidency. Show less
On 15 May 1998, Dr J.G.J. Ter Haar (1941) delivered his inaugural speech as Professor of Persian Language and Literature and the Cultural History of Iran. The speech was entitled: In De Stilte Van... Show moreOn 15 May 1998, Dr J.G.J. Ter Haar (1941) delivered his inaugural speech as Professor of Persian Language and Literature and the Cultural History of Iran. The speech was entitled: In De Stilte Van De Sharia, Een debat over de islam in het moderne Iran (In the Silence of the Sharia; a debate on Islam in Modern Iran). The following is part of his conclusion. The entire speech has been published by the Research School CNWS, Leiden. Show less
Middle Eastern religion is seldom mentioned in the same breath with modernism, at least in the West. However, the Baha'i faith, which originated in nineteenth century Iran, poses key conundrums to... Show moreMiddle Eastern religion is seldom mentioned in the same breath with modernism, at least in the West. However, the Baha'i faith, which originated in nineteenth century Iran, poses key conundrums to our understanding of the relationship between modernity and religion in the global South. Show less
For centuries Islam has provided a set of cultural norms, principles of social organization, legal prescriptions and often instruments of political mobilization for many urban communities. It has... Show moreFor centuries Islam has provided a set of cultural norms, principles of social organization, legal prescriptions and often instruments of political mobilization for many urban communities. It has therefore contributed substantially to the articulation of urban environments. However, Islam has not shaped clearly identifiable urban systems, at least in the sense suggested by the notion of the 'Islamic' city which has fuelled much academic debate in the past decades. As this notion is representative of an ideal type, it clearly implies the existence of a somewhat 'monolithic' Islam. In reality Islam has been extremely diverse both in time and space. Furthermore, it is essential to recognize that there is a striking variety of political, social and cultural systems within which its different manifestations have operated as forces of urban development. Show less
The Second International Malaysian Studies Conference was held at the University of Malaya from 2-4 August 1999. It was attended by local participants from Malaysia, as well as many from such... Show moreThe Second International Malaysian Studies Conference was held at the University of Malaya from 2-4 August 1999. It was attended by local participants from Malaysia, as well as many from such countries as the UK, Germany, Denmark, Japan, and the US. The papers addressed issues relating to Malaysia, particularly with regard to economics, politics, education, culture, technology, and religion, especially Islam. The following pertains to the sessions which made most reference to Islam. The Conference as a whole, however, was not confined to Islam. Show less
The revival of Islam in Al-Andalus, the Spain of today, has been a cherished ideal of many Muslims. After the fall of Granada in 1492, the brutal persecution, forced conversion and expulsion of the... Show moreThe revival of Islam in Al-Andalus, the Spain of today, has been a cherished ideal of many Muslims. After the fall of Granada in 1492, the brutal persecution, forced conversion and expulsion of the Andalusian Muslims (and Jews) by the Spanish Catholic Church and royal court obliterated a famed multicultural society. Today, Islam - and with it Islamic learning - is making a comeback. Show less
When a Somali woman is about to give birth, older women often arrange a ceremony to call blessings on the mother-to-be, in which they sing sittaat - songs of praise for the leading women of early... Show moreWhen a Somali woman is about to give birth, older women often arrange a ceremony to call blessings on the mother-to-be, in which they sing sittaat - songs of praise for the leading women of early Islam, especially Faduumo (Fatima), daughter of the Prophet. Although there is no doubt that this genre of songs is old - it may even have a relationship to non-Islamic Oromo songs for the goddess of fertility - scholarly references date back only to the late nineteenth century and do not include song texts. Show less
There has been much speculation on the significance of the Tablighi Jama'at, the workings of which remain secretive. The main controversy relates to its stance on political matters. Since its... Show moreThere has been much speculation on the significance of the Tablighi Jama'at, the workings of which remain secretive. The main controversy relates to its stance on political matters. Since its foundation, it has claimed to be completely aloof from politics. However, doubts have been sporadically raised as to the reality of this apolitical position, particularly in Pakistan where some well-known members of the movement were recently involved in the Afghan problem and in internal politics. Show less
Young men and women of Moroccan descent in the Netherlands live in a world of many different social groups. Brought up by their parents to be 'good' Moroccans and Muslims, many have - well into... Show moreYoung men and women of Moroccan descent in the Netherlands live in a world of many different social groups. Brought up by their parents to be 'good' Moroccans and Muslims, many have - well into their teens - lived with the expectation that their family would some day return to Morocco. From their peers in school and at work, they have learned about Dutch culture, which has also become part of them. Together with Moroccan and other Muslim friends, they seek ways to live in Dutch society with their particular cultural heritage. In the past, these 'second-generation migrants' have often been described as living 'between two cultures'. Analysis of the life stories of highly educated women of Moroccan descent, however, demonstrates that these women are able to creatively construct and combine their multiple social identifications, although their drawing upon multicultural capital to create new strategies of living is not without constraints. Show less
Human Rights Watch (HRW), an independent non-governmental organization based in New York, investigates and reports on human rights abuses in some seventy countries, including the United States. HRW... Show moreHuman Rights Watch (HRW), an independent non-governmental organization based in New York, investigates and reports on human rights abuses in some seventy countries, including the United States. HRW’s purpose is to hold governments accountable for violations of internationally recognized human rights and humanitarian law, and to generate pressure from other governments, international organizations, and civil societies to end such abuses. We address the practices of governments without regard to ideological or geopolitical orientation, and of all ethnic and religious persuasions. The organization also responds to abuses committed by armed insurgent groups. Among the major concerns of the organization are freedom of thought and expression, due process and equal protection of the law, torture, arbitrary imprisonment, and disappearances. HRW recognizes the indivisibility of human rights, including economic, social, and cultural rights, although its main work focuses on civil and political rights, including the right of workers to exercise freedom of association and to engage in collective bargaining. Show less
Is there a specifically Islamic vision of the body? Given the nuanced nature of cultural understandings of the body and Islam's own variable expressions, this question is probably unanswerable, and... Show moreIs there a specifically Islamic vision of the body? Given the nuanced nature of cultural understandings of the body and Islam's own variable expressions, this question is probably unanswerable, and indeed poorly phrased. Phrased another way, however, the question of the relationship between Islam and the body becomes more interesting: how do bodily practices in different Muslim societies articulate with different versions of lived Islam? My research among Arabs in remote northwestern Niger on the aesthetic of corpulent female bodies, and the practice of forcefeeding young girls to achieve it, speaks to this issue. Show less
