Ibn al-Qasṭallānī (1287/686) and the reformation of Sufism
Ahmed Gomaa Doctor of al-Azhar University, and manuscript editor icon-calendar April 21, 2015 Dr. Ahmed Gomaa made a presentation on Ibn al-Qastallani (d. 686/1287) and his criticism of the Sufism deviations during his life time. In the very painful context of the destruction of Baghdad by the Mongols in 1258, and fuelled by supportive politics, the […]
Ibn Manẓūr (711/1311): the Lisān al-ʿArab or the genius of compilation
Jean Druel Doctor in Arabic linguistics icon-calendar March 17, 2015 As the classical corpus of the Arabic language was practically closed by the 4th/10th century, the post-Arab lexicographers were then able to practice their art with the exhaustive compilation of the language’s words.
Reflections on Sufism and interreligious dialogue
Giuseppe Scattolin Doctor in Sufism icon-calendar March 10, 2015 Dr. Scattolin presented his new book, Ta’ammulāt fī al-taṣawwuf wa-l-ḥiwār al-dīnī (“Reflections on Sufism and interreligious dialogue”). In particular, he presented on the three levels of reading Sufi texts: 1) contextual, on the meaning of words in the text itself, 2) historical, on the meaning of the words […]
Historiographical discourses on Constantine
Jonathan Stutz PhD student at the University of Basel icon-calendar March 3, 2015 The comparison of Muslims and Christians Arabic narratives of Constantine’s conversion to Christianity allows us to discover very different historical representations of the Emperor. Christian and Muslims writers do not have the same intentions when they write the history of Constantine. Christians seek to present […]
Ibn al-Nafīs: The last creative Arab physician?
Alaa Badawi PhD candidate in history, Cairo University icon-calendar February 19, 2015 After the 8th/14th century, physicians were mostly technicians who no longer received formation in logic or philosophy. Medicine was restricted to a corpus of knowledge and to some surgical techniques without any innovation.
The theory of vision in the work of Šihāb al-Din al-Suhrawardī
Mateus Domingues da Silva PhD candidate, Brazil icon-calendar December 18, 2014 Šihāb al-Din al-Suhrawardī (d. 587/1191), philosopher and mystic, has developed a theory of knowledge by simple direct, visionary, and intuitive presence. This theory is rooted in a theory of the physical vision.
al-Fārābī between the religion’s politics and philosophy
Aziz Hilal Doctor of Philosophy icon-calendar November 27, 2014 For al-Fārābī, philosophy is the eminent way to reach the knowledge of God and the source of religion. Religion itself is only a way to teach the “masses”.
Translation and Arab Christian literature
András Mércz PhD student, Avicenna Institute, Budapest icon-calendar October 30, 2014 The Arab Christians and their endeavor in translating texts into Arabic have been twice, in the 8th and 17th centuries, the forerunners of a fruitful period for Arabic literature in general.
Islam and the ideology of power: The Mongol case
Īhāb Nabīl Rifāʿī PhD student in History, ʿAyn Shams University, Cairo icon-calendar October 15, 2014 Īhāb Nabīl Rifāʿī studies the ambiguous relationships that the Mongols maintained with 13th-century Islam, both Sunnite and Shiite, between sincere conversion and the political use of religion for their expansionist politics.
Non-Muslims as seen by al- Ghazālī
Emmanuel Pisani Member of IDEO, PhD student at the University of Lyon III icon-calendar November 12, 2013 For Abū Ḥāmid al-Ghazālī, the non-Muslim is not outside the boundaries of humanity, as it has sometimes been hastily claimed. They still are inhabited by the divine breath and maintain an incomparable dignity, even if it is only by […]