Since the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979, many of us in Islamic Studies have found ourselves being asked repeatedly by reporters, students, and even university colleagues to explain and... Show moreSince the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979, many of us in Islamic Studies have found ourselves being asked repeatedly by reporters, students, and even university colleagues to explain and interpret Islamic fundamentalism. Certain assumptions often surface in public discussions of Islam. For example, many reporters (and many of my students and colleagues) believe that Islam is an intrinsically violent religion. Another assumption I often encounter is the view that orthodox Muslims (Sunni and Shici) are medieval, irrational, anti-modern, and dangerously anti-Western intellectually. Show less
The famous Hadith ‘seek knowledge, even in China’ expresses a passion that true scholars will always have, although the ways and means of seeking knowledge have changed greatly over the centuries.... Show moreThe famous Hadith ‘seek knowledge, even in China’ expresses a passion that true scholars will always have, although the ways and means of seeking knowledge have changed greatly over the centuries. The hajj was for centuries an important means for Muslims to learn about the world and Islam beyond the local madrasa. Steamship, rail, and air travel made Western scholarship on Islam and Muslim scholarship in the West far more accessible than when this Hadith first began to circulate. Computers and the Web have added a whole new dimension of accessibility. Among institutions, consortia of scholars and departments of Islamic Studies, such as those associated with ISIM, are creating fields such as Islamic Studies across many universities into single venues of study. Another example of interinstitutional cooperation in Islamic religious studies in the south-eastern United States is the Carolina Duke Emory Institute for the Study of Islam (CDEISI). Show less
