- “Jizya: Toward a more Quranically based Understanding of a Historically Problematic Term,” (original) (raw)
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The Necessity of Inter-Religious Dialogue and Its Philosophical and Dogmatic Obstacles
Religious Inquiries , 2017
In this paper, the need for interfaith dialogue in the contemporary world has been emphasized in the light of the rise of ISIS and other takfiri movements. This necessity has been understood both by political and religious authorities in the Shiite world and by Christian religious authorities. It will be shown that the central message of all Abrahamic religions is theism; that is, the worship of God and justice as opposed to egotism or self-worship. Then, it will be explained how, in the context of interreligious dialogue, relativism as opposed to realism is a main philosophical barrier, and exclusivism as opposed to inclusivism tends to be a major dogmatic barrier.
Emerging Trends in the Study of Religion: An Interfaith Perspective
Emerging trends in religion are challenging the prevailing attitude about the religious phenomenon. Contemporary polycentric world is compelling different faiths to interact with new knowledge. Advanced means of communications especially information technology are providing desirable space for different faiths to have faster interaction with each other. Secondly, the process of globalization provides various options and varieties. Due to this, human beings are becoming more and more open to acquire new information, but on the other side, they seem to get puzzled towards their own as well as other faiths. Thirdly, after the end of modernity, the rebirth or revival of religion is becoming a part of discussion and new forms of religion especially new religious movements are catching the attention of the world. However, the crisis of religious identity is rising as a serious challenge and clashes among the religions are increasing on the globe. Consequently, the present world is observing contradictory and opposite trends in the field of religion. In interfaith studies, the major issue is to examine the nature of dialogue among the religious communities. In this course, the key problem is how different faith traditions approach their own as well as other faiths. In fact, dialogue among the faiths is an important feature of interfaith perspective. In this paper we are trying to understand some emerging trends in the the study of religion in the reference of interfaith understandings. INTRODUCTION: Present world is getting the experiences of rapid changes; consequently, several faith traditions are receiving new knowledge. Scholars from different faith traditions are applying multiple approaches to understand their own faith tradition as well as other faiths. Now interfaith perspectives are taking central position in religious studies. Mainly two issues are Page : 225 Ultimate Reality. Second, is practical: how people deal with the other faith traditions. Are they accommodative to the people of other faiths to live together in present polycentric world?
Despite the numerous academic attempts in the last centuries, trying to clarify some basic issues concerning Islam, particularly current complex phenomena as the so-called terrorism or islamophobia, the discussion seems to be very far away from a final evaluation. The diversity of the related religious, political, social and cultural dimensions reveals the need to benefit from the efforts of different disciplines in this regard. The establishment of Islamic Theology as a field of study in some Western and European countries is certainly a critically significant event, which is inextricably connected to the whole debate about Islam in the last years. Based on this socio-religious context in the era of Globalisation, this work aims to examine the following questions: How is the Islamic reception of dialogue particularly in Qur῾ān? Could Islamic Theology, especially as a socio-cultural and academic issue, represent a chance for dialogue? Does this discipline have any impact or arguable responses in the challenge of/confrontation with destructive phenomena such as religious radicalism, Islamophobia etc.? In other words, how can this discipline contribute to a better understanding of Islam and Muslims around the World? What would be the academic, socio-cultural and religious impact of this issue on the young Muslim generation(s) living in European or " Western " socio-cultural context? While approaching this phenomenon, it seems unavoidable to deal with many related issues as well, that are also certainly relevant in this context. That is why it is a rewarding task for modern researchers to analyse the possible interconnectivity between Studying Islam and understanding it. Based on the example German example, where this field of study has already become a recognized sector within five universities, this Paper tries to give some thoughts about the aforementioned questions as a contribution from an Islamic-theological perspective, putting particularly the light on the Islamic conception of dialogue and further related subject matters.
A Comparative Analysis Between Islamic Theism and Atheism
International Journal of Philosophy , 2024
The world can be divided between atheism and theism, a division that also fuels its social conflicts, moral outlook, and social evolution. If not for the question of why God did not create everything in peace, harmony, and reconciliation, we might not have seen this division. Atheism thrives and lives on the consideration of a merciful God allowing suffering, hardship, and punishment while theism on the belief in divine tests practiced through higher values. However, the arguments for theism and atheism are still ongoing while affecting humanity at large. Even though theism is not as strong globally as it was at some time in the past, it still has a considerable influence in many major areas of the world. Islamic theism is a major influence driving the politics and addressing social conflicts in the Middle East and many other parts of the world. This discussion analyses both Islamic theism and atheism comparatively arguing for Islamic theism and against atheism. As atheism has no authoritative sources like Islamic theism has in the Quran and Hadith the atheistic perspectives are largely dependent upon its leading proponents and history. The discussion finds atheism is great for those who have wealth, resources, and influence while theism is best suited to make positive changes for humanity as a whole. Atheism is then a luxury while theism is a necessity. The reader is strongly urged to consider the footnotes for greater understanding.
Today, few would disagree that interreligious dialogue is an indispensable tool (or medium) for mutual coexistence, acceptance and peace. In recent times, the importance of such dialogue has been highlighted by the revival and the resurgence of religion (de-secularisaton), relevant in variety of contexts – e.g. in the context of democratic politics, the context of political extremism and terrorism, or that of integration or non-integration of immigrants who are often of different faith and/or culture than that of the host communities. At the same time, we should also ask critically whether interreligious dialogue has indeed been as beneficial and useful as the dialogue activists claim it has and as they want it to be. While dialogue between the religions can be understood as a pressing step in the modern development of intercultural relations, it can only work when it is founded on careful investigation of their foundations. At this conference, we want to reconceptualize the question of the importance of an active and well informed interreligious dialogue. The focus will be on in-depth, philosophical-theological conversation between Christians and Muslims. We will explore new ways in which philosophical theories can foster Christian-Muslim understanding. Examples of the questions to be addressed are: • Can Christian and Muslim theologies as equal partners in conversation, and as comparative theologies, help us foster better intercultural understanding? • What are best philosophical models and theories of dialogue for framing the theological conversation between European Christians on one hand and Iranian and other Middle Eastern Muslims on the other? • Is it the Aristotelian, Platonist, one of the modern philosophical foundations (Continental, Analytical, Witgensteinian, Phenomenological, Deconstructivist, Pragmatist, or other), or a combination of these? • How can the experiences and perspectives of the relevant “in-house” minorities (Muslim minorities in Europe, Christian minorities in the Middle East), as well as those of Christians and Muslims in special social and political circumstances (refugees, migrants, displaced persons), inform contemporary philosophical-theological dialogue between Christianity and Islam? • And, how should philosophical and comparative theologies address the contemporary criticisms of interreligious dialogue, which brand it as a failed tool for better understanding between cultures, or as a Western invention and tool for cultural domination, or as a cover-up for power-relations between groups in power, as opposed to empowering those who are ofen voiceless and excluded from interreligious dialogue (“heretical” sects, secularists, women, sexual and other minorities, migrants)? At the conference, we will address these and related questions in carefully prepared lectures, delivered in pairs during thematically ordered 1,5 hour sessions of two speakers, with ample time for responses and discussions. Lecture Titles: Mohsen Javadi: The Primacy of Justice in Islamic Social Ethics: a Solution for Religious and Cultural Conflicts Janez Juhant: Religion, Society and Mystics: The Spiritual Ground(s) of Societal Life Carool Kersten: Of Double Genealogies and West-East Investigations: Resetting The Christian-Muslim Encounter Elmar Kuhn: Is the Clash of Religions the Future of Our World? Saida Mirsadri: Process Islam: Towards a Metaphysical Foundation for Interreligious Dialogue Jafar Morvarid: Language-Games Philosophy as a Philosophical Foundation for Interreligious Dialogue Joshua Ralston: Comparative Political Theology: a Framework for Christian-Muslim Dialogue Rasoul Rasoulipour: Philosophy of Religion: An Existential Approach Mohammad Saeedimehr: Islamic Mysticism and Muslim-Christian Dialogue Klaus von Stosch: Comparative Theology and Christian-Muslim Dialogue: A Relationship of Mutual Foundation Lenart Škof: A New Temporality of Religion: On Political Theology and its Ethical Core Javad Taheri: Possibility of a Comparative Theology According to Allamah Sayyed Muhammad Hossein Tabataba’i’s Philosophy Bojan Žalec: Religious Exclusivism, Dialogue and Coexistence
Reviews in Religion & Theology, 2009
Charles Taylor's new book A Secular Age constitutes a milestone in the study of religious faith and society. He offers an outstanding historical analysis of the process bringing to the present state of religious decline. At the same time the book introduces an original thesis about the dialectics between faith and secular humanism, where both resent of evident limits, and no one can prevail over the other side, without great social and cultural disruptions. The review engages in a critical dialogue with the author to show some shortcomings in the proposed analysis, as secularization requires more than an historical or ideological insight to be better understood, as some of the described plots deserve better reconstruction, and as the proposed symmetry between the religious and the secular side of the advanced societies is not easy to be shared.