Martino Diez | Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Catholic University of the Sacred Heart) (original) (raw)
Papers by Martino Diez
Oasis, 2020
Nella sua celebre Autocritica dopo la sconfitta, il filosofo siriano Sādiq al-‘Azm traccia una di... more Nella sua celebre Autocritica dopo la sconfitta, il filosofo siriano Sādiq al-‘Azm traccia una diagnosi impietosa dei mali che hanno decretato il fallimento dei regimi arabi progressisti, condannando i popoli del Nord Africa e del Medio Oriente a una crisi profonda e ancora irrisolta.
Quaderni di studi arabi, 2021
Pre-modern history writing in Arabic is a remarkable genre not only for the sheer amount of works... more Pre-modern history writing in Arabic is a remarkable genre not only for the sheer amount of works which have been preserved, but also for their sustained circulation among different religious communities. In spite of this, it remains under-researched in terms of critical editions, channels of transmission, centers of learning and scholarly networks.
This issue of Quaderni di Studi Arabi sets out to address this gap by adopting a fresh perspective, focusing on inter-confessional and inter-cultural processes of circulation, reception, appropriation, adaptation and change. While history is often perceived as—and sometimes actually is—a divisive matter, especially in modern Middle East, this issue shows that it also operated as a common ground, a way to make sense of our shared experience as “beings-in-time.”
Discover here the table of contents.
For more info on the journal: https://brill.com/view/journals/qsa/qsa-overview.xml
Oasis, 2018
Traditional and neo-traditional ulama, Salafis, Islamists, and neo-liberals against the backgroun... more Traditional and neo-traditional ulama, Salafis, Islamists, and neo-liberals against the background of the unresolved issue of jihadism: the pieces of the Sunni puzzle are all on the table. But how to put them together into one harmonious composition? The answer has to be sought in the present rather than "rediscovered" in a more or less remote past.
Leader of Oasis n# 27. The full issue is available here for free: https://www.oasiscenter.eu/en/sunni-islam-new-religious-identity
Oasis, 2017
'Cherchez la sacralité' (Look after the sacredness) - rather than 'la femme' and her hotly discus... more 'Cherchez la sacralité' (Look after the sacredness) - rather than 'la femme' and her hotly discussed veil - is the empirical, but non empiricist, criterion for solving the enigma of "who speaks for Muslims".
Leader of Oasis n# 25. The full issue is available here for free: https://www.oasiscenter.eu/en/who-speaks-muslims
Religioni e potere. L'opportunità che diviene tentazione, 2018
The only legitimate source of authority in Islam is God. How was this principle translated into p... more The only legitimate source of authority in Islam is God. How was this principle translated into practice after Muhammad's death and the end of prophecy? The chapter discusses, in two separate parts, the Sunni construction of a diarchy between military rulers and ulama (M. Brignone), and the Shi'a emphasis on the figure of a divinely guided Imam--by arguing that the Shia doctrine is an archaism and not a late doctrinal development--as well as its gradual replacement by a hierarchical clergy (M. Diez).
Oasis, 2018
Nella terza parte dell'autobiografia "I Giorni", il grande intellettuale egiziano Taha Hussein (1... more Nella terza parte dell'autobiografia "I Giorni", il grande intellettuale egiziano Taha Hussein (1889-1973) racconta gli anni della formazione universitaria. Nonostante gli enormi ostacoli legati a cecità e povertà e allo scoppio della prima guerra mondiale, l'ex-studente dell'Azhar riesce a conseguire il dottorato alla Sorbona. Non solo, ma durante il suo soggiorno francese conosce e sposa Suzanne Bresseau, "la donna che è diventata i miei occhi".
La vicenda di Taha, che al ritorno in Egitto assumerà importanti ruoli pubblici, è un esempio particolarmente felice di connubio tra formazione islamica tradizionale e cultura europea.
www.oasiscenter.eu, 2018
Contrariamente a quello che si pensa, nell’Islam esistono numerose autorità religiose. Esse sono ... more Contrariamente a quello che si pensa, nell’Islam esistono numerose autorità religiose. Esse sono però scarsamente istituzionalizzate e gerarchizzate, soprattutto nel mondo sunnita. La scheda che segue vuole aiutare a comprendere chi sono gli ulema, ripercorrendone la storia e mostrandone l’importanza per il presente. Questi esperti religiosi infatti sono tuttora molto ascoltati, sia nei Paesi islamici, sia nelle comunità musulmane presenti in Europa. Mentre molti ne pronosticavano la fine, hanno saputo adattarsi ai radicali cambiamenti introdotti dalla tecnologia e sono oggi al centro di un progetto di re-istituzionalizzazione dell’Islam perseguito attivamente da diversi Stati.
Articolo pubblicato su https://www.oasiscenter.eu/it/ulema-chi-sono, 31 agosto 2018
Oasis, 2018
In his 'Even-handed Exposition of the Causes of Disagreement', the 18-century Indian thinker Shah... more In his 'Even-handed Exposition of the Causes of Disagreement', the 18-century Indian thinker Shah Wali Allah al-Dihwlawi retraces the main phases in Islamic intellectual history. He explains how Muhammad's unitary experience gave birth to multiple law schools, all called to mutual recognition.
A synthetic presentation of how Sunnism works, in the words of one of its leading figures.
www.oasiscenter.eu, 2018
Contrairement à ce que l'on pense, il y a dans l'Islam de nombreuses autorités religieuses. Mais ... more Contrairement à ce que l'on pense, il y a dans l'Islam de nombreuses autorités religieuses. Mais elles sont peu institutionnalisées et hiérarchisées, surtout dans le monde sunnite. Le dossier que nous présentons a pour but d'aider à comprendre ce que sont les oulémas, en retraçant leur histoire et en montrant leur importance pour le présent. Ces experts en religion sont en effet bien écoutés, tant dans les pays islamiques que dans les communautés musulmanes présentes en Europe. Alors que beaucoup d'observateurs en annonçaient la fin, ils ont su s'adapter aux changements radicaux introduits par la technologie et sont aujourd'hui au centre d'un projet de ré-institutionnalisation de l'Islam poursuivi activement par plusieurs États.
Article publié sur https://www.oasiscenter.eu/fr/qui-sont-les-oulmas, 13 novembre 2018
www.oasiscenter.eu, 2018
Contrary to popular belief, there are many forms of religious authority within Islam. However, th... more Contrary to popular belief, there are many forms of religious authority within Islam. However, they are scarcely institutionalized and hierarchized, especially in the Sunni world. This article aims at clarifying the role and function of ulama, by retracing their history and showing their significance for the present. In fact, their voice is still influential both in Islamic countries and among European Muslims. While many predicted their end, they were able to adapt to the radical changes induced by technology and today they are at the center of a project of re-institutionalization of Islam actively pursued by several states.
Published on https://www.oasiscenter.eu/en/ulama-who-they-are, Nov. 7, 2018.
Oasis, 2017
The principle of unification is an essential criterion for Arabic-Islamic civilization to decide ... more The principle of unification is an essential criterion for Arabic-Islamic civilization to decide what to accept and what to reject when interacting with other cultures. And yet, this ideal is hardly achieved. The solution has historically been to search for the concordance of opposites. But dialectical modernity has thrown this solution into crisis.
A translation of Muhammad Jabir al-Ansari, al-Fikr al-'arabi wa sira' al-addad [Arabic Thought and the Struggle of Opposites], al-Mu'assasa al-'arabiyya li-l-dirasat wa-l-nashr, Bayrut 1999, chap. 12, pp. 589-600 passim.
L'Islam classique a-t-il traité de la liberté? La réponse est, sans conteste, oui. Mais pas dans ... more L'Islam classique a-t-il traité de la liberté? La réponse est, sans conteste, oui. Mais pas dans les disciplines à qui l'on songerait instinctivement.
[Introduction à la traduction de l'épitre de Hasan al-Basri à 'Abd al-Malik (disponibile sur cette page Academia), suivie, dans la version papier de la revue Oasis, par des extraits de Théodore Abu Qurrah et al-Kawakibi]
Oasis, 2017
Hasan al-Basri écrit au calife omeyyade 'Abd al-Malik (r. 685-705) pour défendre la doctrine du l... more Hasan al-Basri écrit au calife omeyyade 'Abd al-Malik (r. 685-705) pour défendre la doctrine du libre arbitre à partir du Coran. Ce fameux traité pseudo-épigraphe fut probablement composé dans des milieux mu'tazilites vers l'an 1000. Traduction intégrale de la recension brève. Pour une introduction voir (dans cette page Academia): 'Quand l'Islam discute de la liberté". Pour une étude ultérieure : Suleiman Mourad, Early Islam between myth and history. Al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī (d. 110H/728CE) and the Formation of His Legacy in Classical Islamic Scholarship, Brill, Leiden 2006.
al-Maqasid, 2018
Three (modest) paths for the future of Islamic-Christian dialogue: 1) More integration between... more Three (modest) paths for the future of Islamic-Christian dialogue:
- More integration between Western and Arabic scientific production;
- A Bible-Qur'an Thematic Concordance;
- A focus on human freedom, especially in its theological and anthropological dimension.
(Paper delivered at the Conference for the 40th anniversary of the Institute of Islamic-Christian Studies at the University Saint-Joseph, Beirut, November 10, 2017)
Oasis, 2017
According to the Syrian thinker al-Kawākibī (1855-1902), Islam was born democratic, but was turne... more According to the Syrian thinker al-Kawākibī (1855-1902), Islam was born democratic, but was turned into a tool for absolutism. This drift will continue until Judgement Day, unless Muslims adopt a political style based on consultation. A classic of contemporary Arabic thought, partially inspired by the Italian writer Vittorio Alfieri (1749-1803).
For an introduction see (on this Academia page): 'When Islam discusses Freedom'.
Oasis, 2017
Hasan al-Basri writes to the Omayyad Caliph 'Abd al-Malik (r. 685-705) to defend the belief in fr... more Hasan al-Basri writes to the Omayyad Caliph 'Abd al-Malik (r. 685-705) to defend the belief in free will and human responsibility on the basis of the Qur'an. A famous pseudo-epigraphical treatise, probably composed in Mu'tazili circles around the year 1000. Full translation of the shorter recension of the text.
For an introduction see (on this Academia page): 'When Islam discusses Freedom'.
For further study: Suleiman Mourad, Early Islam between myth and history. Al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī (d. 110H/728CE) and the Formation of His Legacy in Classical Islamic Scholarship, Brill, Leiden 2006.
Oasis, 2017
Did classical Islam talk about freedom? The answer, without a shadow of a doubt, is "Yes". But no... more Did classical Islam talk about freedom? The answer, without a shadow of a doubt, is "Yes". But not in the disciplines that one would instinctively think of.
[Introduction to the translations of Hasan al-Basri's Epistle to 'Abd al-Malik (see on this Academia page), excerpts of Theodore Abu Qurrah (in Lamoreaux' translation, q.v.) and al-Kawakibi (see on this Academia page)]
In his Ghiyathi al-Juwayni (d. 478/1085) discusses the organization of power in the Islamic commu... more In his Ghiyathi al-Juwayni (d. 478/1085) discusses the organization of power in the Islamic community. Proceeding by way of hypothesis, he imagines an Islamic world which is no longer ruled by a caliph or a sultan, where independent jurists have died out and sharia has been eroded to the point that only worship rituals and family law remain in place.
1000 years later, the hypotheses set out by Juwayni have largely come true and he leads the reader all the way down to the crisis of authority in contemporary Sunni world, coming very close to theorizing the legitimate autonomy of worldly realities.
A major thinker obscured by his convoluted style.
Oasis, 2017
A selection of Shiʿi ḥadīṯ on the figure of the Imam, taken from al-Kāfī, the first and the most ... more A selection of Shiʿi ḥadīṯ on the figure of the Imam, taken from al-Kāfī, the first and the most ancient among the "four books" of Twelver tradition, compiled by al-Kulaynī (d. 941).
One of the most authoritative sources on the conception of religious authority in classical Shiʿism.
الواحة. المسيحيّون والمسلمون في عالم معولم, 2017
After the 2011 Revolution, al-Azhar produced a series of documents: On the Future of Egypt (2011)... more After the 2011 Revolution, al-Azhar produced a series of documents: On the Future of Egypt (2011), On the system of fundamental freedoms (2012) and On women’s rights (2013). Edited by a group of intellectuals and ulama, the documents address some of the keenly debated questions of Egyptian society, and outlines a consensus between religious institutions and secular thinkers.
In January 2015, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi vigorously called for the reform of religious discourse. From the end of 2015 on, a group of intellectuals and ulama gathered at al-Azhar to produce a new document devoted to this question. However, despite three re-draftings of the text, the consensus needed for its publication has not yet been reached.
In January 2017, Salah Fadl, an intellectual who had been commissioned to produce the first draft of the document, decided to force the issue, and published the text in a book under the title "The al-Azhar Documents. What was published and what remained hidden".
Oasis, 2020
Nella sua celebre Autocritica dopo la sconfitta, il filosofo siriano Sādiq al-‘Azm traccia una di... more Nella sua celebre Autocritica dopo la sconfitta, il filosofo siriano Sādiq al-‘Azm traccia una diagnosi impietosa dei mali che hanno decretato il fallimento dei regimi arabi progressisti, condannando i popoli del Nord Africa e del Medio Oriente a una crisi profonda e ancora irrisolta.
Quaderni di studi arabi, 2021
Pre-modern history writing in Arabic is a remarkable genre not only for the sheer amount of works... more Pre-modern history writing in Arabic is a remarkable genre not only for the sheer amount of works which have been preserved, but also for their sustained circulation among different religious communities. In spite of this, it remains under-researched in terms of critical editions, channels of transmission, centers of learning and scholarly networks.
This issue of Quaderni di Studi Arabi sets out to address this gap by adopting a fresh perspective, focusing on inter-confessional and inter-cultural processes of circulation, reception, appropriation, adaptation and change. While history is often perceived as—and sometimes actually is—a divisive matter, especially in modern Middle East, this issue shows that it also operated as a common ground, a way to make sense of our shared experience as “beings-in-time.”
Discover here the table of contents.
For more info on the journal: https://brill.com/view/journals/qsa/qsa-overview.xml
Oasis, 2018
Traditional and neo-traditional ulama, Salafis, Islamists, and neo-liberals against the backgroun... more Traditional and neo-traditional ulama, Salafis, Islamists, and neo-liberals against the background of the unresolved issue of jihadism: the pieces of the Sunni puzzle are all on the table. But how to put them together into one harmonious composition? The answer has to be sought in the present rather than "rediscovered" in a more or less remote past.
Leader of Oasis n# 27. The full issue is available here for free: https://www.oasiscenter.eu/en/sunni-islam-new-religious-identity
Oasis, 2017
'Cherchez la sacralité' (Look after the sacredness) - rather than 'la femme' and her hotly discus... more 'Cherchez la sacralité' (Look after the sacredness) - rather than 'la femme' and her hotly discussed veil - is the empirical, but non empiricist, criterion for solving the enigma of "who speaks for Muslims".
Leader of Oasis n# 25. The full issue is available here for free: https://www.oasiscenter.eu/en/who-speaks-muslims
Religioni e potere. L'opportunità che diviene tentazione, 2018
The only legitimate source of authority in Islam is God. How was this principle translated into p... more The only legitimate source of authority in Islam is God. How was this principle translated into practice after Muhammad's death and the end of prophecy? The chapter discusses, in two separate parts, the Sunni construction of a diarchy between military rulers and ulama (M. Brignone), and the Shi'a emphasis on the figure of a divinely guided Imam--by arguing that the Shia doctrine is an archaism and not a late doctrinal development--as well as its gradual replacement by a hierarchical clergy (M. Diez).
Oasis, 2018
Nella terza parte dell'autobiografia "I Giorni", il grande intellettuale egiziano Taha Hussein (1... more Nella terza parte dell'autobiografia "I Giorni", il grande intellettuale egiziano Taha Hussein (1889-1973) racconta gli anni della formazione universitaria. Nonostante gli enormi ostacoli legati a cecità e povertà e allo scoppio della prima guerra mondiale, l'ex-studente dell'Azhar riesce a conseguire il dottorato alla Sorbona. Non solo, ma durante il suo soggiorno francese conosce e sposa Suzanne Bresseau, "la donna che è diventata i miei occhi".
La vicenda di Taha, che al ritorno in Egitto assumerà importanti ruoli pubblici, è un esempio particolarmente felice di connubio tra formazione islamica tradizionale e cultura europea.
www.oasiscenter.eu, 2018
Contrariamente a quello che si pensa, nell’Islam esistono numerose autorità religiose. Esse sono ... more Contrariamente a quello che si pensa, nell’Islam esistono numerose autorità religiose. Esse sono però scarsamente istituzionalizzate e gerarchizzate, soprattutto nel mondo sunnita. La scheda che segue vuole aiutare a comprendere chi sono gli ulema, ripercorrendone la storia e mostrandone l’importanza per il presente. Questi esperti religiosi infatti sono tuttora molto ascoltati, sia nei Paesi islamici, sia nelle comunità musulmane presenti in Europa. Mentre molti ne pronosticavano la fine, hanno saputo adattarsi ai radicali cambiamenti introdotti dalla tecnologia e sono oggi al centro di un progetto di re-istituzionalizzazione dell’Islam perseguito attivamente da diversi Stati.
Articolo pubblicato su https://www.oasiscenter.eu/it/ulema-chi-sono, 31 agosto 2018
Oasis, 2018
In his 'Even-handed Exposition of the Causes of Disagreement', the 18-century Indian thinker Shah... more In his 'Even-handed Exposition of the Causes of Disagreement', the 18-century Indian thinker Shah Wali Allah al-Dihwlawi retraces the main phases in Islamic intellectual history. He explains how Muhammad's unitary experience gave birth to multiple law schools, all called to mutual recognition.
A synthetic presentation of how Sunnism works, in the words of one of its leading figures.
www.oasiscenter.eu, 2018
Contrairement à ce que l'on pense, il y a dans l'Islam de nombreuses autorités religieuses. Mais ... more Contrairement à ce que l'on pense, il y a dans l'Islam de nombreuses autorités religieuses. Mais elles sont peu institutionnalisées et hiérarchisées, surtout dans le monde sunnite. Le dossier que nous présentons a pour but d'aider à comprendre ce que sont les oulémas, en retraçant leur histoire et en montrant leur importance pour le présent. Ces experts en religion sont en effet bien écoutés, tant dans les pays islamiques que dans les communautés musulmanes présentes en Europe. Alors que beaucoup d'observateurs en annonçaient la fin, ils ont su s'adapter aux changements radicaux introduits par la technologie et sont aujourd'hui au centre d'un projet de ré-institutionnalisation de l'Islam poursuivi activement par plusieurs États.
Article publié sur https://www.oasiscenter.eu/fr/qui-sont-les-oulmas, 13 novembre 2018
www.oasiscenter.eu, 2018
Contrary to popular belief, there are many forms of religious authority within Islam. However, th... more Contrary to popular belief, there are many forms of religious authority within Islam. However, they are scarcely institutionalized and hierarchized, especially in the Sunni world. This article aims at clarifying the role and function of ulama, by retracing their history and showing their significance for the present. In fact, their voice is still influential both in Islamic countries and among European Muslims. While many predicted their end, they were able to adapt to the radical changes induced by technology and today they are at the center of a project of re-institutionalization of Islam actively pursued by several states.
Published on https://www.oasiscenter.eu/en/ulama-who-they-are, Nov. 7, 2018.
Oasis, 2017
The principle of unification is an essential criterion for Arabic-Islamic civilization to decide ... more The principle of unification is an essential criterion for Arabic-Islamic civilization to decide what to accept and what to reject when interacting with other cultures. And yet, this ideal is hardly achieved. The solution has historically been to search for the concordance of opposites. But dialectical modernity has thrown this solution into crisis.
A translation of Muhammad Jabir al-Ansari, al-Fikr al-'arabi wa sira' al-addad [Arabic Thought and the Struggle of Opposites], al-Mu'assasa al-'arabiyya li-l-dirasat wa-l-nashr, Bayrut 1999, chap. 12, pp. 589-600 passim.
L'Islam classique a-t-il traité de la liberté? La réponse est, sans conteste, oui. Mais pas dans ... more L'Islam classique a-t-il traité de la liberté? La réponse est, sans conteste, oui. Mais pas dans les disciplines à qui l'on songerait instinctivement.
[Introduction à la traduction de l'épitre de Hasan al-Basri à 'Abd al-Malik (disponibile sur cette page Academia), suivie, dans la version papier de la revue Oasis, par des extraits de Théodore Abu Qurrah et al-Kawakibi]
Oasis, 2017
Hasan al-Basri écrit au calife omeyyade 'Abd al-Malik (r. 685-705) pour défendre la doctrine du l... more Hasan al-Basri écrit au calife omeyyade 'Abd al-Malik (r. 685-705) pour défendre la doctrine du libre arbitre à partir du Coran. Ce fameux traité pseudo-épigraphe fut probablement composé dans des milieux mu'tazilites vers l'an 1000. Traduction intégrale de la recension brève. Pour une introduction voir (dans cette page Academia): 'Quand l'Islam discute de la liberté". Pour une étude ultérieure : Suleiman Mourad, Early Islam between myth and history. Al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī (d. 110H/728CE) and the Formation of His Legacy in Classical Islamic Scholarship, Brill, Leiden 2006.
al-Maqasid, 2018
Three (modest) paths for the future of Islamic-Christian dialogue: 1) More integration between... more Three (modest) paths for the future of Islamic-Christian dialogue:
- More integration between Western and Arabic scientific production;
- A Bible-Qur'an Thematic Concordance;
- A focus on human freedom, especially in its theological and anthropological dimension.
(Paper delivered at the Conference for the 40th anniversary of the Institute of Islamic-Christian Studies at the University Saint-Joseph, Beirut, November 10, 2017)
Oasis, 2017
According to the Syrian thinker al-Kawākibī (1855-1902), Islam was born democratic, but was turne... more According to the Syrian thinker al-Kawākibī (1855-1902), Islam was born democratic, but was turned into a tool for absolutism. This drift will continue until Judgement Day, unless Muslims adopt a political style based on consultation. A classic of contemporary Arabic thought, partially inspired by the Italian writer Vittorio Alfieri (1749-1803).
For an introduction see (on this Academia page): 'When Islam discusses Freedom'.
Oasis, 2017
Hasan al-Basri writes to the Omayyad Caliph 'Abd al-Malik (r. 685-705) to defend the belief in fr... more Hasan al-Basri writes to the Omayyad Caliph 'Abd al-Malik (r. 685-705) to defend the belief in free will and human responsibility on the basis of the Qur'an. A famous pseudo-epigraphical treatise, probably composed in Mu'tazili circles around the year 1000. Full translation of the shorter recension of the text.
For an introduction see (on this Academia page): 'When Islam discusses Freedom'.
For further study: Suleiman Mourad, Early Islam between myth and history. Al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī (d. 110H/728CE) and the Formation of His Legacy in Classical Islamic Scholarship, Brill, Leiden 2006.
Oasis, 2017
Did classical Islam talk about freedom? The answer, without a shadow of a doubt, is "Yes". But no... more Did classical Islam talk about freedom? The answer, without a shadow of a doubt, is "Yes". But not in the disciplines that one would instinctively think of.
[Introduction to the translations of Hasan al-Basri's Epistle to 'Abd al-Malik (see on this Academia page), excerpts of Theodore Abu Qurrah (in Lamoreaux' translation, q.v.) and al-Kawakibi (see on this Academia page)]
In his Ghiyathi al-Juwayni (d. 478/1085) discusses the organization of power in the Islamic commu... more In his Ghiyathi al-Juwayni (d. 478/1085) discusses the organization of power in the Islamic community. Proceeding by way of hypothesis, he imagines an Islamic world which is no longer ruled by a caliph or a sultan, where independent jurists have died out and sharia has been eroded to the point that only worship rituals and family law remain in place.
1000 years later, the hypotheses set out by Juwayni have largely come true and he leads the reader all the way down to the crisis of authority in contemporary Sunni world, coming very close to theorizing the legitimate autonomy of worldly realities.
A major thinker obscured by his convoluted style.
Oasis, 2017
A selection of Shiʿi ḥadīṯ on the figure of the Imam, taken from al-Kāfī, the first and the most ... more A selection of Shiʿi ḥadīṯ on the figure of the Imam, taken from al-Kāfī, the first and the most ancient among the "four books" of Twelver tradition, compiled by al-Kulaynī (d. 941).
One of the most authoritative sources on the conception of religious authority in classical Shiʿism.
الواحة. المسيحيّون والمسلمون في عالم معولم, 2017
After the 2011 Revolution, al-Azhar produced a series of documents: On the Future of Egypt (2011)... more After the 2011 Revolution, al-Azhar produced a series of documents: On the Future of Egypt (2011), On the system of fundamental freedoms (2012) and On women’s rights (2013). Edited by a group of intellectuals and ulama, the documents address some of the keenly debated questions of Egyptian society, and outlines a consensus between religious institutions and secular thinkers.
In January 2015, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi vigorously called for the reform of religious discourse. From the end of 2015 on, a group of intellectuals and ulama gathered at al-Azhar to produce a new document devoted to this question. However, despite three re-draftings of the text, the consensus needed for its publication has not yet been reached.
In January 2017, Salah Fadl, an intellectual who had been commissioned to produce the first draft of the document, decided to force the issue, and published the text in a book under the title "The al-Azhar Documents. What was published and what remained hidden".
The chronography of al-Makīn Ibn al-ʿAmīd (1206–1293) is a major work in the Copto-Arabic histori... more The chronography of al-Makīn Ibn al-ʿAmīd (1206–1293) is a major work in the Copto-Arabic historiographical tradition. Its importance is twofold: on the one hand, its author, a high-ranking official in the Ayyubid and Mamluk administration, drew from different sources, some of them still close to late antiquity, to present an orderly picture of the events from Creation to his own time. On the other hand, his summary of Biblical, Graeco-Roman, and Islamic history attracted the interest of various readerships. It enjoyed widespread popularity among Oriental Christians, in Arabic-speaking communities but also in Ethiopia. It was consulted and quoted by several Mamluk historians, including Ibn Ḫaldūn and his pupil al-Maqrīzī; and finally, it was translated into Latin as early as 1625 by the Dutch Arabist Erpenius, providing early modern Europe with the first clear exposé of Islamic history. Thus, Ibn al-ʿAmīd’s chronography proved influential upon different audiences in various epochs; at the same time, it also constituted a major instance of Christian-Muslim intellectual interaction in the pre-modern era.
This critical edition covers the section from Adam to the end of the Achaemenids (ch. 1–91). The text was established on 25 of the 29 known manuscripts and is accompanied by an annotated English translation and an introduction covering the author’s life, the genre of late antique and medieval chronographies, the different recensions in which Ibn al-ʿAmīd’s work has been transmitted, its sources, and its afterlife.
Vita e Pensiero, Milano, 2018
This volume is addressed to students who, having already begun to learn Arabic, wish to get a cle... more This volume is addressed to students who, having already begun to learn Arabic, wish to get a clearer picture of the status and peculiarities of this language. The first edition (2012) being out of stock, this re-edition provided the occasion to significantly enlarge the volume (around +40%) in order to provide a basic introduction to the major areas of research: Arabic script, Arabic among the Semitic languages and its main typological features; pre-Islamic Arabic; Qur'anic Arabic; the development of Classical linguistic thought (grammar and lexicography); Modern Standard Arabic; the Dialects; the present linguistic situation.
Marsilio, Venezia, 2015
Termini come fondamentalismo, jihad e islamismo sono ormai entrati a far parte del vocabolario di... more Termini come fondamentalismo, jihad e islamismo sono ormai entrati a far parte del vocabolario di tutti i giorni. Ma che cosa significano? Da dove originano? Quanto in essi è utopia religiosa e quanto progetto politico? Che posto vi occupa la pratica della violenza?
Il volume, frutto di un lavoro inter-disciplinare in cui s'intrecciano islamologia, scienze politiche, filosofia e sociologia, definisce prima di tutto i termini della questione: violenza politica e convivenza civile; fondamentalismo islamico; jihad.
Nella seconda parte presenta il rapporto che i movimenti islamisti hanno stabilito con lo Stato moderno in Medio Oriente, tra contestazione armata e partecipazione politica, prima e dopo le rivoluzioni arabe del 2011. Infine viene studiata l'evoluzione del jihadismo contemporaneo, da al-Qaida a ISIS, nelle sue dimensioni operazionali e comunicative, con una speciale attenzione al fenomeno in Italia, alle risposte delle comunità islamiche autoctone e a possibili percorsi di de-radicalizzazione.
Ariele, Milano, 2009
The book presents the first complete translation of the Sayfiyyāt, the odes that al-Mutanabbī ded... more The book presents the first complete translation of the Sayfiyyāt, the odes that al-Mutanabbī dedicated to the Ḥamdanid Amīr Sayf ad-Dawla, with historical introduction and notes, based on the commentaries by al-Wāḥidī, Ibn Ǧinnī, al-Maʿarrī and Pseudo al-ʿUkbarī. The Arabic parallel text is provided, in the recension of al-Wāḥidī, preceded by a hypothesis about the history of the transmission of the Dīwān.
Marcianum Press, Venezia, 2010
Georges Anawati was one of the major figures on the Egyptian intellectual scene of the 20th Centu... more Georges Anawati was one of the major figures on the Egyptian intellectual scene of the 20th Century and one of the pioneers of Islamic-Christian dialogue. In a long conversation with Mahmûd ‘Azab and Hodâ Issâ he recalls, in lively colloquial Arabic, his life-long dedication to the causes of science and encounter, while offering a vivid picture of Egypt’s intellectual life. The translation, the first in any Western Language, is accompanied by biographical notes of all the figures cited. A German translation of this conversation was later published in 2014: Hodâ Issa (ed.), "Ich liebe die Muslime, weil sie Gott lieben". Freiburg: Herder, 2014
Vita e Pensiero, Milano, 2012
An introduction to Arabic language. Book contents: the Semitic languages and their main features,... more An introduction to Arabic language. Book contents: the Semitic languages and their main features, pre-Islamic Arabic and the discussion about the language of the Qur’an, the development of linguistic thought in Medieval culture, the encounter with Western modernity, contemporary dialects and their relation to Classical Arabic, alphabet, calligraphies and dictionaries.
Einaudi, Torino, 2011
This book offers a full translation iof the first part of the Epistle of Forgiveness by Abū l-ʿAl... more This book offers a full translation iof the first part of the Epistle of Forgiveness by Abū l-ʿAlāʾ al-Maʿarrī (with the exception of two passages, see paper "I talismani di al-Maʿarrī"). The first part of the Epistle, relating a journey in the afterlife, is the most important satirical text of Classical Arabic Literature, marked at the same time by a distinct theatrical nature. The Epistle is known for its linguistic intricacy: the translation is therefore accompanied by an apparatus of notes, short biographies of the poets and hommes de lettres cited, and it is preceded by an introduction, contextualizing al-Ma‘arrî in his own time and focusing in particular on his ambivalent relations with the Ismaili movement.
Studi Maġrebini, 2021
Un’intensa riflessione sui Nomi Bellissimi. Si può leggere anche così il recente lavoro di Ida Zi... more Un’intensa riflessione sui Nomi Bellissimi. Si può leggere anche così il recente lavoro di Ida Zilio-Grandi, che si propone di «illuminare l’elemento morale necessariamente sotteso alla religione islamica». In un contesto in cui ancora una volta l’attenzione è pressoché totalmente catturata dal tema del jihadismo e del fondamentalismo, il volume propone una documentata e partecipata meditazione sui valori etici veicolati dall’esperienza di fede musulmana.
L'Analisi Linguistica e Letteraria, 2019
Coniugando felicemente tradizione grammaticale araba e linguistica moderna, Pierre Larcher offre ... more Coniugando felicemente tradizione grammaticale araba e linguistica moderna, Pierre Larcher offre un'analisi sistematica della sintassi dell'arabo classico, dalla frase minima ai complessi di frasi. Il suo libro, che completa quello sul verbo arabo, è uno strumento indispensabile per chi debba misurarsi con l'arabo classico vero (dei poeti, dei prosatori) e non con le frasi costruite a tavolino dai grammatici.
Oasis, 2018
Book review of: Suleiman Mourad, The Mosaic of Islam. A Conversation with Perry Anderson, Verso, ... more Book review of: Suleiman Mourad, The Mosaic of Islam. A
Conversation with Perry Anderson, Verso, London-Brooklyn (NY),
2016.
Oasis, 2017
Book review of: Stefan Winter. A History of the ‘Alawis. From Medieval Aleppo to the Turkish Repu... more Book review of: Stefan Winter. A History of the ‘Alawis. From Medieval Aleppo to the Turkish Republic. Princeton University Press. Princeton and Oxford: 2016.
Oasis 24 (2015), pp. 136-137
Book review of: Fethi Benslama. Un furieux désir de sacrifice. Le surmusulman. Seuil. Paris: 2016
Book review of: Fred M. Donner, Muhammad and the Believers. At the Origins of Islam
Book review of: Dirk Vandewalle, A History of Modern Libya. Second edition, Cambridge University ... more Book review of: Dirk Vandewalle, A History of Modern Libya. Second edition, Cambridge University Press, 2012
Book review of: Gamâl al-Bannâ, La liberté, la laïcité et Le Crime de la tribu des « Il nous a ét... more Book review of: Gamâl al-Bannâ, La liberté, la laïcité et Le Crime de la tribu des « Il nous a été rapporté », textes présentés par présenté par Dominique Avon et Amin Elias
avec la collaboration d’Adbellatif Idriss
L’Islam, L’Harmattan, Paris 2013
Book review of: Mehdi Azaiez (dir.) en collaboration avec Sabrina Mervin, Le Coran: nouvelles app... more Book review of: Mehdi Azaiez (dir.) en collaboration avec Sabrina Mervin, Le Coran: nouvelles approches, CNRS éditions, Paris 2013
Book review of: Wael Hallaq. The Impossible State. Islam, Politics and Modernity's Moral Predicam... more Book review of: Wael Hallaq. The Impossible State. Islam, Politics and Modernity's Moral Predicament. New York: Columbia University Press, 2013
Annali di Ca' Foscari. Serie orientale, 2015
Journal of Qur'anic Studies, 2014
18 marzo, 2022
Intervento al Festival della lingua araba La lessicografia araba, intreccio di lingue, culture e ... more Intervento al Festival della lingua araba
La lessicografia araba, intreccio di lingue, culture e civiltà
Milano, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 17-19 marzo 2022
The parable of the "Good Zoroastrian", written in tenth-century Basra by the Brethren of Purity, ... more The parable of the "Good Zoroastrian", written in tenth-century Basra by the Brethren of Purity, teaches "to wish good to all people, whether they follow my creed or not". On the practical level, there is nothing to add to this golden rule. Theoretically speaking, however, their attitude holds true not because “all historical religions are relative”, but because the lack of coercion is implied in the dignity every person has received from the Creator.
Paper delivered at the conference “Law, Religious Pluralism and Individual Rights: Perspectives from Iraq”, Baghdad 18-19 December 2016.
Leiden Arabic Humanities Blog, Feb 2, 2024
When the 13th-century Coptic official Ibn al-ʿAmīd was thrown into prison by Sultan Baybars, he ... more When the 13th-century Coptic official Ibn al-ʿAmīd was thrown into prison by Sultan Baybars, he set out to compile a summary of universal history from the creation to his own days. His work was to become one of the major instances of Christian-Muslim intellectual exchange in the pre-modern era.
