Newsletter — January 2020

A hundred years ago, L’Islam et les fondements du pouvoir by Ali Abdelrazek was published, a landmark work in the history of Islamic political thought. Through a methodical and well-argued approach, the author examined scriptural and historical sources to demonstrate that the caliphate was not a religious necessity but a political construct. His analysis, based on a critical reading of texts, took place at a pivotal moment in contemporary history, as the Muslim world was redefining its institutions following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the abolition of the caliphate by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in 1924. Even today, this book remains an essential reference for those interested in the relationship between religion and power. Revisiting Abdelrazek’s work means returning to the foundations of a debate that transcends the controversies of his time, rigorously and thoughtfully questioning the historical dynamics of governance in Muslim countries. This month, IDEO will have the pleasure of hosting six renowned scholars for a study day dedicated to the scientific analysis of this work and an examination of its impact on contemporary political thought. Scientific communication On March 20, Emmanuel Pisani, OP delivered a presentation titled “Did al-Ghazālī consider himself a Mutakallim?”, as part of the “Thinkers’ View on Theology” conference at the Arabic Classical Philosophy & Philosophy of Sciences Center of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Ben Guerir, organized by Ms. Amal Belkamel and Ms. Lucie Tardy. Research seminar On March 22, Emmanuel Pisani, OP delivered a seminar titled “Contemporary Quranic Hermeneutics and the Question of Violence in the Quran: A Critical Presentation of Jawdat Saʿid’s Thought”, at the Fondazione Accademia, Casa di Popoli, Culture e Religioni in Sassari, as part of the research seminar “Religions and Sacred Texts: Interdisciplinary Analysis and Study – Understanding the Processes Leading to the Theological/Religious Legitimization of Religious Violence”. Islamic studies course From March 21 to 23, Jean Druel, OP led a twelve-hour session on the history of the Arabic language at the Catholic University of the West in Thiès, Senegal, as part of the Domuni Islamic studies certificate Interreligious dialogue On March 15, Jean Jacques Pérennès, OP gave an online lecture for the Dominican Centre for Ethics and Spiritual Life in Montreal, on the topic: “Pierre Claverie, Hope at the Heart of Violence”. On March 22, Emmanuel Pisani, OP took part in a roundtable discussion on the topic: “Live Testimonies of Dialogue”, alongside the Imam of Sassari, Abdellaoui Salaheddine, and Professor Afsaneh Seyed, from the Bahaï community of Sassari. On March 24, Jean Druel, OP gave a lecture at the Saint Dominic University Parish in Dakar on the topic: “Christians and Muslims, Why is it So Difficult to Understand Each Other?”. On March 26, Emmanuel Pisani, OP gave a lecture at IDEO on “The Role of Islamic studies in Interreligious Dialogue in Egypt”, for students from the IHEDN (Institute for Advanced Studies in National Defense). Iftar As part of the Anawati Chair project and on the occasion of the publication of the Arabic translation of the book by Jean Jacques Pérennès, OP titled “Father Georges Anawati: A Life for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue”, we had the pleasure of welcoming Dr. Emil Ameen for a lecture titled “Father Anawati and the Dialogue of Cultures”. The lecture was followed by an Iftar bringing together the partners of the Anawati Chair project. Visit On March 29, we welcomed Mrs. Asma Elzeiny, Director of the Tatweer Center of al-Azhar, and Mr. Jakob Wiren, Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Lund, Sweden, along with 17 students. Scholars’ House During the month of March, we had the pleasure to receive at the Scholars’ House Mr. Francesco Antonini, a PhD student in medieval Arabic and Latin philosophy at the École Pratique des Hautes Études. Upcoming – Activities of the Anawati Chair On May 2 and 3, IDEO, in partnership with the American University in Cairo and as part of the Anawati Chair project, will organize a conference in English titled “The Authority of Silence: Constructing the Figure of the Salafs (7ᵗʰ-15ᵗʰ centuries)”. Registration is required before April 30 at the following email address: inscr-salafs@ideo-cairo.org. The “Religions and Human Sciences” Certificate from the Anawati Chair will focus this year on “Islam and Other Religions”. It will take place over four sessions on Fridays, May 9ᵗʰ, 16ᵗʰ, 23ʳᵈ, and 30ᵗʰ, from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM. As the number of seats is limited, applications must be submitted before April 20 to the following email address: certificate.anawati-2025@ideo-cairo.org. For the program and application details, please visit the IDEO website. Upcoming research workshop On May 6, 7, and 8, Jean Druel, OP will participate in the 5ᵗʰ International Workshop on Manuscript Studies, organized in Fez, Morocco, by the Rawafed Center for Studies and Research, in partnership with the German project Corpus Coranicum and the IDEO.

It is with great joy that we announce the publication in Arabic of the biography of Father Georges Anawati, written by Jean Jacques Pérennès. A founding figure of IDEO, a man of dialogue and intellectual rigor, Father Anawati has left a lasting impact on generations of researchers far beyond the Christian sphere and continues to inspire our work. This masterful translation by our friend Aziz Hilal is also a bridge between cultures, traditions, and sometimes distant sensitivities. Making the life story of a Dominican religious figure engaged in Christian-Muslim dialogue accessible in Arabic is also a pedagogical challenge. How can we convey the vocabulary of a specific tradition, that of the “Catholic tribe”, to readers unfamiliar with it? How can we express in Arabic concepts such as “convent”, “vows”, or “Dominican province”, and how can we convey the uniqueness of a religious commitment in an academic setting in a way that is understandable to an Arabic-speaking Muslim audience? This translation work has been an opportunity for clarification and contextualization. It was not merely about transposing words but about making this “Dominican” universe intelligible—where the scholar, who is also a preacher, found himself immersed for several years in Rome in the whirlwind of a council. May this translation allow new Arabic-speaking readers to discover the richness of a life dedicated to encounter, dialogue, and knowledge! Anawati Chair Sībawayh Seminar On February 28, Professor Abderrahmane Boudraa, a specialist in Arabic linguistics at the University of Tétouan, delivered a lecture titled “Reflections on the method of reading Sībawayh’s Kitāb” as part of the “Sībawayh Seminar”, coordinated by Jean Druel, OP. Talks and lectures On February 10, Mr. Guillaume de Vaulx gave a bilingual lecture at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies on the topic “Facing untranslatability: in Praise of a Multilingual Thinking” On February 13, Mr. Guillaume de Vaulx also participated—through the voice and free interpretation of Frédéric Abécassis—in the event “Animal Condition and Area Studies”, with a presentation entitled “Animalist Issues in Muslim Cosmography”. Board of Directors of the Friends of IDEO On February 13, Emmanuel Pisani, OP remotely participated in the board meeting of the Friends of IDEO association. Networks On February 11, Emmanuel Pisani, OP participated remotely in a meeting of the Scientific Committee of the NCCRM network. On February 19, he also participated remotely in a meeting of the Scientific Committee of the PLURIEL network. Intern Starting February 12, we are welcoming Mr. Hildemar de Cointet for a seven-week internship at the library. His work will focus on authority cataloging and the indexing of old books (published before the 19ᵗʰ century). This internship marks the final stage of his academic program as an archivist paleographer at the École des Chartes. Visits From January 31 to February 4, we welcomed Mr. Bertrand Wallon, Secretary General of the Friends of IDEO association, as well as Mr. Martin de Bartillat and Mr. Guillaume Gorge, board members. On February 4, we received a visit from Shaykh Ibrahim Ibn Rashid al-Marikhi, President of the Islamic court of Bahrain. On February 5, we welcomed Mrs. Mona Sabry, Director of the French Language Teaching Center of al-Azhar. On the same day, we also welcomed Mr. Sadek Beloucif, professor and director of the Advisory Board of the French Foundation « l’Islam de France ». On February 6, we welcomed Mr. Islam Dayeh, a researcher and lecturer in Arabic and Islamic studies at the Department of Languages and Cultures of Ghent University. On February 6, we also received a delegation of major donors from French association Œuvre d’Orient, including: Mr. Philippe Meunier, Vice President of the Rhône-Alpes Region, Mr. Bruno Chiaverini, Director of International Relations, Ms. Christiane Grosjean Cervantes, Mission Officer. Mr. Fabrice Balanche, Lecturer in Geography at Lyon II On February 16, we welcomed Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline and Patriarch Ibrahim Ishaq, Head of the Coptic Catholic Church. Scholars’ House During the month of February, we had the pleasure to receive at the Scholars’ House: Mr. Flavio Canuzzi, beneficiary of the MEAE scholarship in Islamic Studies; Ms. Chloé Bordewich, PhD in History and Middle Eastern Studies from Harvard University. Publications Dominique Avon, « Auteurs sunnites syro-libanais face à la problématique de la modernité européenne », Annuaire de l’École Pratique des Hautes Études, 2024, t. 131 (2022-2023), p. 637-654. Jean-Jacques Pérennès, al-Ab Ǧurǧ Qanawātī. Ḥayāt min aǧl ḥiwār al-diyānāt wa al-ṯaqāfāt, al-Qāhira, Dār al-Akwīnī, 2025, 195 p. Upcoming activities From March 17 to 21, Matthieu Palayret, OP will participate in the Spring School “Comparative Analysis of Religious Metaphor”, at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, organized by Dr. Nikita Artemov and Dr. Vicky Ziegler. Learn more…

“In the beginning was the Word”: this is the topic of the 56ᵗʰ edition of the Cairo International Book Fair, which this year honored the Sultanate of Oman. As every year, our teams gathered with enthusiasm. By 6 a.m., the cataloguers were hard at work recording the titles and authors of the books acquired the previous day. At 9:30 a.m., under the direction of Brother Mateus, accompanied by Mr. Magdi Azab, reference cataloguers, and storeroom staff, a team embarked on the methodical exploration of the aisles, scrutinizing the new publications from each publishing house. This year, the Fair brought together 80 countries, 1,345 publishing houses, and over 6,150 exhibitors. Brother Mateus, more than in previous years, selected numerous studies that will enrich our documentary collection. Among the pleasant discoveries, we found an old edition of the Rasāʾil Iḫwān al-ṣafā by ʿĀrif Tāmer. This acquisition complements our collection dedicated to this philosophical encyclopedia, the importance of which for the transmission of knowledge in Islamic intellectual history continues to be confirmed. We also purchased Arabic translations of Turkish and Iranian texts and studies of remarkable quality. All these works will gradually be integrated into Diamond throughout the year, and the first integrations are already available for consultation on our website. Anawati Chair Sībawayh Seminar On January 25ᵗʰ, Jean Druel, OP inaugurated the first session of the “Sībawayh Seminar” by inviting Professor Ramzi Baalbaki from the American University of Beirut to present his latest book, Muqawwimāt al-naẓariyya al-luġawiyya al-ʿarabiyya (“Foundations of Arabic Linguistic Theory”, AUB Press, 2025). The aim of this monthly seminar is to invite researchers from the Arab world and occidental world to present their research on Sībawayh (d. ca. 180/796) and his grammar treatise. The seminar was held in partnership with the Institute for the Study of Islam and Societies of the Muslim World (IISMM). Read the report of this session… Seminar al-Azhar Center for French Language Teaching (CEF) On January 30ᵗʰ, we welcomed about thirty students and faculty members from al-Azhar in the seminar room at IDEO, who came to attend a seminar led by Mr. Grégory Vandamme, postdoctoral researcher at the University of Chester and beneficiary of the IFI-IDEO-IFAO research scholarship. His talk was on the following topic: “Current Western Studies on Ibn ʿArabī: What Topics, What Methods, What Debates?”. Researcher Mobility Assistance The scientific council of IDEO granted mobility assistance to researcher Mr. Khaled Mustafa for his work on the historical, economic, and political relations between Sweden and Novgorod during the 13ᵗʰ and 14ᵗʰ centuries. Academic Talks Emmanuel Pisani, OP was invited to participate in the conference entitled “Environmental Challenges in Premodern Eurasian and Mediterranean Narratives”, directed by Ms. Ines Peta, which was held at the University of Bologna on January 14ᵗʰ and 15ᵗʰ. He presented the following lecture: “Sobriety (zuhd) and Hunger (ǧuʿ) as Ethical Responses to Natural Disasters in al-Ġazālī’s (d. 505/1111) Theology of Creation”. On January 22ⁿᵈ, at the invitation of the Faculty of Fiqh at the University of Kufa in Najaf, Amir Jajé, OP gave two lectures: the first, entitled “History of Religions and Its Intersections with the Humanities”, and the second, “The Challenges of Christian-Muslim Dialogue Today”. Islamic-Christian Dialogue On January 13ᵗʰ, Jean Druel, OP participated in an Islamic-Christian meeting organized between the Language Center of al-Azhar, chaired by Mr. Abd al-Dayim Nusseir, and the Woodberry Intercultural Institute, chaired by Mr. Joseph Cumming. The topic of the meeting was al-Azhar’s document on fundamental freedoms. The six speakers, three Muslims and three Christians, discussed the following topics: religious freedom, freedom of scientific research, and freedom of expression. On January 17ᵗʰ, Jean Jacques Pérennès, OP gave a talk in Orsay during the annual session of the diocesan delegates for relations with Muslims of the SNRM on the topic of “Israel-Palestine: Points of Reference and Analytical Elements on the Ongoing Conflict”. Teachings On January 24ᵗʰ, Emmanuel Pisani, OP taught an online session on the topic of “The Coptic Church and Identity Strategy”, as part of the continuing education program of Catholic education in the Diocese of Toulon. On January 30, Emmanuel Pisani, OP, also taught an online session on “Suicide in Islam” as part of the Suicidology Diploma program at the Faculty of Medicine, Paris-Saclay University, under the direction of Professor Fabrice Jollant. MIDEO The 39ᵗʰ issue of MIDEO (2024), entitled “The Cairo Edition of the Qurʾān 1924: Texts, Histories, and challenges”, has been published. This volume was directed by Mrs. Asma Hilali. All the articles in the volume, as well as the Varia, are available on the OpenEdition website. 2025 Research Scholarship The jury, composed of a member from IDEO, IFAO, and IFI, met in January and awarded the research scholarship to Mr. Gheorghe Pașcalău for his project “The Theory of the Soul of Abū Yaʿqūb as-Siǧistānī and Its Roots in the Philosophy of Plotinus”. Ali al-Samman Award On January 30ᵗʰ, Emmanuel Pisani, OP and Jean Druel, OP participated in the presentation of the Ali al-Samman Award at the Anglican Cathedral of All Saints, in the presence of Sheikh ʿAlī Gomʿa, former Grand Mufti of Egypt from 2003 to 2013 and President of the Religious Committee in Parliament. Emmanuel Pisani, OP was part of the jury. The award was given to: Pastor Asaad Talaat, pastor of the Evangelical Church and founder of the al-Safina Center for Culture, Arts, and Psychological Support in Minya. Sameh Nessim, development and training consultant at the Ibrahimia Center for Media, for his project aimed at promoting the culture of acceptance of others in Aswan. The third award was given jointly to the artist Rola, singer and teacher al-Alsun School, for producing the song “Ahl al-Kitab”. She shares this award with Dr. Dalia Ihab Younis, an artist and activist for dialogue and building peace bridges between religious communities, through her project “Sacred Music”. Call for Papers – Córdoba Conference (2026) IDEO, a member of PLURIEL, informs researchers that the call for papers is now open for the conference “Ethics and Aesthetics in Islamic Heritage”, which will take place from February 10ᵗʰ to 14ᵗʰ, 2026. You can access