Islamophobia has been a recurrent socio-political narrative for some time now, and it has been exacerbated since the aftermath of 9/11. Despite the plethora of studies on the subject, little is known about Muslim scholars’ perception of this phenomenon. This is due primarily to the language barrier since the Arabic language is the code for their discourse. It is essential to consider both Islamic and Western perspectives to understand the problem thoroughly and suggest solutions, as relying on one approach is both biased and uncompromising. Accordingly, the purpose of this paper is threefold: first, it explains how Islamophobia should be defined contextually. It frames its arguments within three contexts: a historical setting (Meccan and Madinah period), Islam in the Arab world, and Islam in the West. Second, the paper demonstrates how a Muslim’s perspective contrasts with the Western narrative. It critically challenges some of the arguments put forward in social sciences and intellectual discourses and adopts an unapologetic and non-defensive approach in the treatment of Islamophobia. Third, the paper discusses the variables that affect Islamophobia, such as Western media and terrorism (including state terrorism). Finally, the paper proposes some approaches to mitigating the situation.
{"title":"Towards Demystifying Islamophobia","authors":"Zouhir Gabsi","doi":"10.55831/ajis.v4i3.227","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55831/ajis.v4i3.227","url":null,"abstract":"Islamophobia has been a recurrent socio-political narrative for some time now, and it has been exacerbated since the aftermath of 9/11. Despite the plethora of studies on the subject, little is known about Muslim scholars’ perception of this phenomenon. This is due primarily to the language barrier since the Arabic language is the code for their discourse. It is essential to consider both Islamic and Western perspectives to understand the problem thoroughly and suggest solutions, as relying on one approach is both biased and uncompromising. Accordingly, the purpose of this paper is threefold: first, it explains how Islamophobia should be defined contextually. It frames its arguments within three contexts: a historical setting (Meccan and Madinah period), Islam in the Arab world, and Islam in the West. Second, the paper demonstrates how a Muslim’s perspective contrasts with the Western narrative. It critically challenges some of the arguments put forward in social sciences and intellectual discourses and adopts an unapologetic and non-defensive approach in the treatment of Islamophobia. Third, the paper discusses the variables that affect Islamophobia, such as Western media and terrorism (including state terrorism). Finally, the paper proposes some approaches to mitigating the situation.","PeriodicalId":178428,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Islamic Studies","volume":"16 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"117100258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Religious moral teaching has a deep relationship with environmental ethics. Cobb and Nasr attempt to bring religious moral foundation in the discourses of environmental issues. Cobb tries to address the ecological crisis in connection with Christian faith while Nasr attempts to deal the issue from Islamic understanding of nature. Now, a general question follows: Are their eco-theological thoughts complementary to the present formation of environmental ethics or not? This paper attempts to make a comparative analysis of their eco-theological views of the environment and their suggestions for ecological sustainability. In so doing, the paper aims to show why their eco-theological thoughts are important in environmental ethics and how their suggestions can motivate humans for protection of the natural environment.
{"title":"Religions and Environmental Ethics","authors":"M. Sayem","doi":"10.55831/ajis.v4i3.159","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55831/ajis.v4i3.159","url":null,"abstract":"Religious moral teaching has a deep relationship with environmental ethics. Cobb and Nasr attempt to bring religious moral foundation in the discourses of environmental issues. Cobb tries to address the ecological crisis in connection with Christian faith while Nasr attempts to deal the issue from Islamic understanding of nature. Now, a general question follows: Are their eco-theological thoughts complementary to the present formation of environmental ethics or not? This paper attempts to make a comparative analysis of their eco-theological views of the environment and their suggestions for ecological sustainability. In so doing, the paper aims to show why their eco-theological thoughts are important in environmental ethics and how their suggestions can motivate humans for protection of the natural environment.","PeriodicalId":178428,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Islamic Studies","volume":"2 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"129342554","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Violating human rights, committing crimes, and mass killing due to guilt by association is as old as human beings. Most of the genocides in human history are committed because of guilt by association. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is one of the most important steps regarding human rights, however, there is no article which explicitly bans committing crime and killing due to guilt by association. Although guilt by association is considered unlawful in modern day legal systems, it exists in all cultures, among adherents of religions and nations including Muslim countries. Despite the strong objection occurring within the Qur’an, violating human rights due to guilt by association, it has been common, in both the past and present, across the Muslim world. Disregarding such important moral principles has caused great injustice and barbarous acts in the world. In this paper, I will analyse the word haqq, in its sense of meaning “right” in the sacred texts of Islam, focusing on its relation to guilt by association. Secondly, I will examine how the Qur’anic verse “No bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another“[1]bans guilt by association in the exegetical works. This is shown to take on particular significance within Said Nursi’s (1877-1960) renewal approach. Finally, this paper argues that guilt by association is causing great injustice, tyranny, and crime. This study proposes that it must be added to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and banned by the UN. [1] Qur’an, 6:164, 35:18, 53:38
{"title":"Human Rights and Guilt by Association","authors":"Salih Yucel","doi":"10.55831/ajis.v4i3.233","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55831/ajis.v4i3.233","url":null,"abstract":"Violating human rights, committing crimes, and mass killing due to guilt by association is as old as human beings. Most of the genocides in human history are committed because of guilt by association. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is one of the most important steps regarding human rights, however, there is no article which explicitly bans committing crime and killing due to guilt by association. Although guilt by association is considered unlawful in modern day legal systems, it exists in all cultures, among adherents of religions and nations including Muslim countries. Despite the strong objection occurring within the Qur’an, violating human rights due to guilt by association, it has been common, in both the past and present, across the Muslim world. Disregarding such important moral principles has caused great injustice and barbarous acts in the world. \u0000 In this paper, I will analyse the word haqq, in its sense of meaning “right” in the sacred texts of Islam, focusing on its relation to guilt by association. Secondly, I will examine how the Qur’anic verse “No bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another“[1]bans guilt by association in the exegetical works. This is shown to take on particular significance within Said Nursi’s (1877-1960) renewal approach. Finally, this paper argues that guilt by association is causing great injustice, tyranny, and crime. This study proposes that it must be added to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and banned by the UN. \u0000 \u0000[1] Qur’an, 6:164, 35:18, 53:38","PeriodicalId":178428,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Islamic Studies","volume":"35 2","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"120885749","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Islam as Education","authors":"Salih Yucel","doi":"10.55831/ajis.v4i2.239","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55831/ajis.v4i2.239","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":178428,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Islamic Studies","volume":"3 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"129497486","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This article briefly reviews and presents critical analysis of the major theological positions classical Muslim scholars held regarding the role of actions in one’s iman (faith). The intricate relationship that actions commands in the expression of iman has carved its way throughout Islamic history. Dogmatic opposing theological positions, such as actions being an integral part or completely independent of iman, were passionately deliberated and propagated in early Islam. Among the extreme views of the Kharijites and early Murijites, Ash’arism and Maturidism, however, was a more balanced theological construct encompassing actions through the tenets of Islam. Since an individual’s actions in a social construct are the personification of its civic values, it has always been of utmost importance for Muslim scholarship to condemn philosophies that propagate unrestrained freedom of actions or excommunication of a Muslim due to the frivolity of their actions. To foster civilities that typify the very essence of a religion that dignifies human character as its very reason, it is only befitting of its scholarship to continue to relentlessly deliberate and advance the relationship that exists between one’s actions and iman.
{"title":"Brief Review and Critical Analysis of the Major Theological Positions Classical Muslim Scholars had on Whether Actions are part of Iman","authors":"Amer Ali","doi":"10.55831/ajis.v4i2.235","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55831/ajis.v4i2.235","url":null,"abstract":"This article briefly reviews and presents critical analysis of the major theological positions classical Muslim scholars held regarding the role of actions in one’s iman (faith). The intricate relationship that actions commands in the expression of iman has carved its way throughout Islamic history. Dogmatic opposing theological positions, such as actions being an integral part or completely independent of iman, were passionately deliberated and propagated in early Islam. Among the extreme views of the Kharijites and early Murijites, Ash’arism and Maturidism, however, was a more balanced theological construct encompassing actions through the tenets of Islam. Since an individual’s actions in a social construct are the personification of its civic values, it has always been of utmost importance for Muslim scholarship to condemn philosophies that propagate unrestrained freedom of actions or excommunication of a Muslim due to the frivolity of their actions. To foster civilities that typify the very essence of a religion that dignifies human character as its very reason, it is only befitting of its scholarship to continue to relentlessly deliberate and advance the relationship that exists between one’s actions and iman.","PeriodicalId":178428,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Islamic Studies","volume":"79 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133275073","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper focuses on the muslim modernist exegesis. In the mid-nineteenth century Muslim modernist exegesis emerged under the influence of Western science in various parts of Muslim lands such as India and Egypt. Some main characteristics of this approach in the early Muslim modernism are as follows: A central focus on the Quran as the primary text; a sceptical approach to ḥadīth; emphasis on ijtihad (independent reasoning), emphasis on a new systematic theology (new kalām), a critical approach to classical Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), and interpreting the Qur’an in the light of reason and modern sciences. The current literature describes Muhammad ʿAbduh (d. 1905) as a modernist salafī or intellectual modernism (by Fazlur Rahman). The paper holds the view that because the more emphasis is given to the Qur’an rather ḥadīth in ʿAbduh’s thought, ‘intellectual modernism’ seems the best description for ʿAbduh’s way. It also argues that what ʿAbduh attempts to do is tafsīrisation of other Islamic disciplines through his text-based approach.
{"title":"Qur’an and Interpretation in the Classical Modernism","authors":"Hakan Çoruh","doi":"10.55831/ajis.v4i2.175","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55831/ajis.v4i2.175","url":null,"abstract":"This paper focuses on the muslim modernist exegesis. In the mid-nineteenth century Muslim modernist exegesis emerged under the influence of Western science in various parts of Muslim lands such as India and Egypt. Some main characteristics of this approach in the early Muslim modernism are as follows: A central focus on the Quran as the primary text; a sceptical approach to ḥadīth; emphasis on ijtihad (independent reasoning), emphasis on a new systematic theology (new kalām), a critical approach to classical Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), and interpreting the Qur’an in the light of reason and modern sciences. The current literature describes Muhammad ʿAbduh (d. 1905) as a modernist salafī or intellectual modernism (by Fazlur Rahman). The paper holds the view that because the more emphasis is given to the Qur’an rather ḥadīth in ʿAbduh’s thought, ‘intellectual modernism’ seems the best description for ʿAbduh’s way. It also argues that what ʿAbduh attempts to do is tafsīrisation of other Islamic disciplines through his text-based approach.","PeriodicalId":178428,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Islamic Studies","volume":"47 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128753102","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The titles given to the 114 surahs that constitute the Qur’an have been the spark of a heated debate among stakeholders. There is no unanimous agreement amongst Qur’anic scholars, exegetes and translators with regard to a number of issues pertinent to such a thorny topic. They are, in particular, of varying opinions as to the origin and multiplicity of surahs’ names. This study concerns itself with investigating those opinions. The main objective here is to come up with a number of fruitful insights that may help enhance our understanding of this vital aspect of the Muslims’ Scripture. The study argues that the term ‘surah’ is very Qur’an-specific, which may overlap, in a number of its features, with the scholastic term of ‘chapter’. Yet, it is not necessarily to be considered or translated as such. The article also argues that, traditionally speaking, most Qur’anic surahs have multiple names. However, not all of these names are tawqifī ‘revelational’ nor are all of them ijtihādī ‘derived through reasoning’. That is to say, at least one of the titles given to the surahs with multiple names is tawqifī while the other titles are ijtihādī. The study ends with a comprehensive table showing the names allocated to the 114 Qur’anic surahs along with detailed notes on the origin of their naming. It is hoped that the insights provided in this study will help illuminate the confusion and be of benefit to scholars studying the Qur’an and, by extension, to the Qur’an translators into other languages.
{"title":"Qur’anic Surahs’ Names","authors":"Ali Yunis Aldahesh","doi":"10.55831/ajis.v4i2.181","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55831/ajis.v4i2.181","url":null,"abstract":"The titles given to the 114 surahs that constitute the Qur’an have been the spark of a heated debate among stakeholders. There is no unanimous agreement amongst Qur’anic scholars, exegetes and translators with regard to a number of issues pertinent to such a thorny topic. They are, in particular, of varying opinions as to the origin and multiplicity of surahs’ names. This study concerns itself with investigating those opinions. The main objective here is to come up with a number of fruitful insights that may help enhance our understanding of this vital aspect of the Muslims’ Scripture. The study argues that the term ‘surah’ is very Qur’an-specific, which may overlap, in a number of its features, with the scholastic term of ‘chapter’. Yet, it is not necessarily to be considered or translated as such. The article also argues that, traditionally speaking, most Qur’anic surahs have multiple names. However, not all of these names are tawqifī ‘revelational’ nor are all of them ijtihādī ‘derived through reasoning’. That is to say, at least one of the titles given to the surahs with multiple names is tawqifī while the other titles are ijtihādī. The study ends with a comprehensive table showing the names allocated to the 114 Qur’anic surahs along with detailed notes on the origin of their naming. It is hoped that the insights provided in this study will help illuminate the confusion and be of benefit to scholars studying the Qur’an and, by extension, to the Qur’an translators into other languages. ","PeriodicalId":178428,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Islamic Studies","volume":"50 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131152329","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This article critically investigates the Qur’ānic exegesis and the methodology of Leopold Weiss aka Muhammad Asad (d. 1992), a prominent Muslim scholar of the last century. The exegesis addressing the Western intellectual audience is considered by many to be among the best in the English Language. The work inculcates traditional exegesis as well as traditional hermeneutics producing a contemporary interpretation. His work is controversial – well received by the academia attributed to ingenious scholarship, criticised by conservative Muslims for alleged neo-rationalistic tendencies. The work was labelled ‘unorthodox’ by neo-conservatives while banned by the Saudi Government as ‘heretical’, which led the work to become unpopular. The article examines the criticisms and his produce against mainstream sources. It argues that the exegesis in examination is able to withstand its criticisms, and further, rank among the best of its kind.
{"title":"Qur'ānic Exegesis of Muhammad Asad","authors":"Murie Hassan","doi":"10.55831/ajis.v4i2.193","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55831/ajis.v4i2.193","url":null,"abstract":"This article critically investigates the Qur’ānic exegesis and the methodology of Leopold Weiss aka Muhammad Asad (d. 1992), a prominent Muslim scholar of the last century. The exegesis addressing the Western intellectual audience is considered by many to be among the best in the English Language. The work inculcates traditional exegesis as well as traditional hermeneutics producing a contemporary interpretation. His work is controversial – well received by the academia attributed to ingenious scholarship, criticised by conservative Muslims for alleged neo-rationalistic tendencies. The work was labelled ‘unorthodox’ by neo-conservatives while banned by the Saudi Government as ‘heretical’, which led the work to become unpopular. The article examines the criticisms and his produce against mainstream sources. It argues that the exegesis in examination is able to withstand its criticisms, and further, rank among the best of its kind.","PeriodicalId":178428,"journal":{"name":"Australian Journal of Islamic Studies","volume":"29 19","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"120835613","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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