Author: Nassef Manabilang Adiong

Nassef is the founder of Co-IRIS (International Relations and Islamic Studies Research Cohort), PHISO (Philippine International Studies Organization), DSRN (Decolonial Studies Research Network), and BRLN (Bangsamoro Research and Legal Network). He works on interdisciplinary research between Islam and International Relations and explores the Bangsamoro society as he heads the Policy Research and Legal Services (PRLS) of the Bangsamoro Parliament. Visit https://nassef.info/ for more details.

CFP: Islam in a Multicultural World

Call for Papers
Kazan Federal University
Institute of Oriental Studies and International Relations
Department of Regional and Islamic Studies
holds
2nd Kazan International Scientific Forum
“Islam in a Multicultural World”
on 29-31st of October 2012 in Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan, Russia
The following topics are going to be examined and discussed at the Forum sessions:
·           Topical issues of  the Islamic Studies in Russia and in the world
·           Islamic source studies: texts, translations, commentaries
·           Cultural and religious influence of Islam on the civilizations
·           The theory and practice of Sufism
·           Islamic Law culture
·           Arabic and Islamic Philosophy
·           Islam in the Volga-Ural region
·           Islam and the contemporary social economic development of the Muslim countries
·           Muslim socio-political thought in XXI century
·           Muslim communities in the Western countries
·           Islam and the Intercultural Dialogue
·           Present-day problems of the Inner-Islamic Dialogue
·           The Art of the Islamic world
·           Muslim Law
There also will be discussion panel on the following topic:
·           Muslim education in Russia and abroad: problems and solutions.
An application for participation including personal information and the abstract of the paper is required. See application form below. The application deadline is 15th of June 2012.
After the documents are received and discussed by the expert commission, the program of the Forum (work of the plenary and topical sessions) and list of participants will be finalized no later than15thof July 2012. Further information about the organization of the Forum will be given in the informational letter. Organizational committee intends to publish the abstracts of the papers before Forum starts.
Organizational committee doesn’t provide financial support for travelling and accommodation. Meals (coffee breaks, lunches and dinners) and excursion program will be provided by the Organizer.
Forum official languages: Russian and English.
The Forum Organizational Committee contacts:
420111, Russia, Republic of Tatarstan, Kazan, Pushkina street, 1/55
Department of Regional and Islamic Studies, Institute of Oriental Studies and International Relations, Kazan Federal University.
Tel.: +7 843 292 85 27
Fax: +7 843 292 07 78
E-mail: islamKFU@gmail.com
You can see the 1st Forum program at http://islamoved.ru/qr/83 (English version at the bottom).
Application form for the participation in
2nd Kazan International Scientific Forum
“Islam in a Multicultural World”

  1.  
Name

  1.  
Education/Academic rank

  1.  
Job position

  1.  
Organization

  1.  
City, country

  1.  
The name of the preferred topic (from the list in the letter above, optional)

  1.  
Title of the paper

  1.  
E-mail (for publication in the digest)

  1.  
Post address (with ZIP/index)

  1.  
Telephone number

  1.  
Is there need for presentation equipment?

  1.  
Do you need official invitation?

  1.  
Do you want us to help you with hotel booking?

  1.  
Point out the period of stay in Kazan (for non-residents)

  1.  
If you are not resident of Russia, please attach a scanned copy of your passport to your letter (it’s required for the international department of KFU)
16. Abstract of the paper
Between 1000 and 3600 symbols, max. 2 typewritten pages with space bars. Font – Times New Roman, point size – 14, line pitch – 1,5.
The example of  footnotes (automatic footnotes, under the text).
1. Ван ден Берг Л.В.С. Основные начала мусульманского права согласно учению имамов Абу Ханифы и Шафии. – М.: Наталис, 2005. – С.83.
2. Otto Rudolf. The idea of the holy: An enquiry into the non-rational factor in the idea of the divine and its relation to the rational; translated by John W.Harvey.  – London: Oxford UniversityPress, 1923. – P.10.

The Travelers in the Middle East Archive

The Travelers in the Middle East Archive (TIMEA) is a digital archive that focuses on Western interactions with the Middle East, particularly travels to Egypt during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. TIMEA offers electronic texts such as travel guides, museum catalogs, and travel narratives, photographic and hand-drawn images of Egypt, historical maps, and interactive GIS (Geographic Information Systems) maps of Egypt and Cyprus.

In addition, TIMEA provides educational modules that set the materials in context and explore how to conduct historical research.
Subject Gateway:
art and artifacts
Art & Artifacts		 daily life and customs
Daily Life & Customs 		 history and politics
History & Politics		 More>>
TIMEA gratefully acknowledges the support of the Institute of Museum and Library Services and K2I.
About TIMEA
The Travelers in the Middle East Archive (TIMEA) is a digital archive that focuses on Western interactions with the Middle East, particularly travels to Egypt during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. TIMEA brings together:

Learn More About TIMEA

CFP: Discourse on the Search for a Renewed Identity of Muhammadiyah for its Post-Centennial Era

International Conference on Muhammadiyah (ICM) 2012

Date: 29 November – 2 December   2012.
Place: University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM), Malang, East Java, Indonesia.
Language: English only for written and oral presentation and discussion.
 
Description

Over the past 100 years, the progressive Muslim social movement Muhammadiyah has made significant contributions to the nation building of the Republic of Indonesia, mainly in the field of education, philanthropy, and social welfare. More than that, its contributions to the enhancement of the people’s sovereignty, national unity, social justice, and the uplifting of public morality for the nation have been countless. In spite of all this, some people have perceived that Muhammadiyah’s presence in the Indonesian public seems to be somewhat waning recently. Many factors seemed to have caused this. 

Muhammadiyah has been contested externally by the emergence of a number of Islamist movements since the fall of the New Order — many of them with trans-national connections. Even more directly, Muhammadiyah has faced with the threat of infiltration by some Islamist forces, among others, by the PKS (Partai Keadilan Sejahtera, Prosperous Justice Party). Internally, too, Muhammadiyah has experienced unprecedented conflicts because of the development of three contrasting orientations: The revival of ‘Salafist’ trend, the well-established mainstream, taking a moderate centralist position, and a more recent trend of ‘liberals’.
 
All in all, an image of Muhammadiyah in recent years has been less dynamic, less innovative, and less progressive compared to its fresh forward looking stance shown decades before. Thus, Muhammadiyah at the entrance of its second century is facing a number of serious challenges. The most essential among them seems to be the “rediscovery” or “reformulation” of its own identity.  Recent rapid, global grand-scale changes are demanding Muhammadiyah to seriously re-examine the meanings of its modernity, progressiveness and reformism in the post-modern contexts.
 
The ICM intends to survey and discuss the Muhammadiyah movement in search of new identity and direction. Can and will Muhammadiyah continue and even advance to be an organization of progressive Islamic social and religious movement well into its post-centennial era? How is it revitalizing the élan vital of the movement? These questions seem to require serious inquiries not only by Muhammadiyah activists themselves but also by those scholars who have been observing Muhammadiyah for many years.
 
Themes to Consider:
  1. History: Modern History of Islam in Indonesia with Emphasis on the Early Period of Muhammadiyah Development
  2. Ethnography: Realities of the Muhammadiyah Movement in Local Context
  3. Education: Challenges of Globalization, Multi-Culturalism and Universalism
  4. Philanthropy/Social Welfare/Social Business:  The working of LAZISMU, PKU, BMT, etc.
  5. Reformism Revisited: The Working of Majelis Tarjih/Tajdid and Interpretation/ Application of Syari’ah
  6. Women and Gender Equality
  7. Youth and Radicalism
  8. Domestic and International Politics: Democratization, the Challenge of Islamism, and World-wide Cooperation of Moderate Muslims
  9. Conflict Resolution and the Enhancement of Intra/Inter-Faith Solidarity
  10. The State of Art in Muhammadiyah Studies
 
Submission Details
If you want to give a presentation, please submit your proposal (around 250-300 words) and curriculum vitae to Mitsuo Nakamura (mitsuon@za.tnc.ne.jp) and Azyumardi Azra (azyumardiazra1@gmail.com) by 15 June 2012. Papers that have been selected will be notified by 15 July 2012. If accepted, the full paper must be submitted by 15 September 2012.
 
If you are planning to attend, please send an email to Soeparto (partoumm@yahoo.com) for preliminary registration at your earliest convenience.

International Initiative for Islamic Integral Professorial Chairs

Announcing the Integral Chairs Initiative
انقر هنا لقراءة المادة باللغة العربية

Accepting Applications for the Initial Two Integral Chairs

Learn about the International Initiative for Islamic Integral Professorial Chairs and the first two Integral Chairs

The Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought (Amman, Jordan – website) invites applications for the following two endowed Chairs:
  1. The King Abdullah II ibn Al-Hussein Waqf for the Integral Chair for the Study of Imam Al-Ghazali’s Work
  2. The King Abdullah II ibn Al-Hussein Waqf for the Integral Chair for the Study of Imam Fakhr Al-Din Al-Razi’s Work

Below you’ll find out more about this monumental project, requirements for application, and links to further information.

The Major Challenge

The sciences of traditional Islamic knowledge are very poorly understood in the Islamic World, and taught only in selective, abbreviated versions. Ignorance has spread in the mosques while secular academic methodologies rule the institutes of learning in the Islamic World. Even in the West, though Muslims have donated hundreds of millions of dollars to create professorial chairs and academic centres in leading western universities, these chairs and centres are invariably run or occupied by non-Muslims (or secular Muslims), and so the centres and chairs – funded by Muslims! – wind up being hostile, or at least unhelpful, to traditional Islam. This situation is leading to intellectual and spiritual impoverishment in the Islamic World, a rise in fundamentalism, and ironically, at the same time, a rise in secularism.

Purpose and Goal

The purpose of this initiative is to restore knowledge and teaching of traditional Islamic orthodox high culture and scholarship in philosophy, theology, mysticism, jurisprudence, Qur’anic exegesis, sociology, history and Arabic language and grammar in the Islamic World in combination with traditional Islamic teaching and preaching methods.
The goal of this initiative is to set up around 50 Integral Chairs in the Islamic World each as a waqf (religious endowment) in mosques and universities combined, occupied by practicing Muslim scholars, and dedicated to the intellectual and spiritual legacy of the greatest Muslim scholars and sages. Thereafter, an international institute to connect and support their activities will be established.
Brochure: Learn more by downloading the brochure about this initiative.

The First Two Chairs

The first two Chairs have been created with complete funding and a waqfestablished for each. We are now accepting applications for both.

Imam Al-Ghazali Chair

Named After: Abu Hamid Muhammad ibn Muhammad Al-Ghazali (450–505 AH / 1058–1111 CE)
Primary Book: Ihya Ulum ad-Din
Chair based in: Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem and Al-Quds University.
Waqf Status: Waqf and complete funding established on 30 January 2012; professor to be appointed.
Summary: The King Abdullah II ibn Al-Hussein Waqf for the Integral Chair for the Study of Imam Al-Ghazali’s Work was established in Jerusalem at the Holy Al-Aqsa Mosque, one of Islam’s three holiest sites, and Al-Quds University. The Chair enjoys full independent administration and is the sole party in charge of selecting students, offering scholarships and awarding the King Abdullah II ibn Al-Hussein Prize for the Study of Imam Al-Ghazali’s Scholarly Legacy.
Brochure: Learn more by downloading the brochure.

Imam Al-Razi Chair

Named After: Fakhr Al-Din Al-Razi (543–606 AH / 1149–1209 CE)
Primary Book: Al-Tafsir Al-Kabir
Chair based in: King Hussein bin Talal State Mosque, Amman, Jordan, and Jordan University and the World Islamic Sciences and Education (W.I.S.E.) University, Amman, Jordan.
Waqf Status: Waqf and complete funding established on 30 January 2012; professor to be appointed.
Summary: The King Abdullah II ibn Al-Hussein Waqf for the Integral Chair for the Study of Imam Fakhr Al-Din Al-Razi’s Work was established at the King Hussein bin Talal Mosque, the University of Jordan and W.I.S.E. University. The Chair enjoys full independent administration and is the sole party in charge of selecting students, offering scholarships and awarding the King Abdullah II ibn Al-Hussein Prize for the Study of Imam Al-Razi’s Scholarly Legacy.
Brochure: Learn more by downloading the brochure.

Requirements

The professor for each chair has to meet the following conditions:

  • That he be Muslim of the Ahl al-Sunnah (Ash’arite, Maturidi) and committed to following one of the four Madhabs (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi‘i and Hanbali).
  • That he observe prayers and be of fair and reputable character.
  • That he be a hafiz of the Holy Qur’an.
  • That he be specialized and highly qualified in Islamic Sciences with in-depth knowledge of the great scholar that his particular chair focuses on, his work and scholarly legacy.
  • That he be fluent in both Arabic and English; reading, writing, and speaking.
  • That he be a PhD holder and a professor or associate professor at an accredited university or universities.
  • Priority of appointment will be for a local scholar, then those hailing from Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq.
  • If applicants for the Integral Chairs are found to be of equal qualifications, priority will be given to those who are members of the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought.
  • The Board may reduce the condition of the professor being a hafiz of the Holy Qur’an to being a hafiz of six parts (ajza’) of the Qur’an.
  • The Board must recommend to the Board of Trustees to dismiss the professor if he breaches a critical condition of the professorship.

Rights and Privileges of the Professor

  • A monthly stipend of 5,000 Jordanian Dinars (approximately $7,000 US).
  • Suitable accommodation and health insurance for the professor and his/her family.
  • Administrative support and secretarial work.
  • If the professor is not a citizen of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, he will be granted diplomatic status.

Applications should be submitted along with a resume, a recent photograph and a copy of the applicant’s passport. Applicants should also include photocopies of cover pages of any published works, including research papers. The names of three references should also be included and sent to the following address no later than 6th June, 2012:
The World Islamic Sciences and Education University
Amman, Jordan.
Learn more about the Chairs and download application forms by visiting the following pages on W.I.S.E. University’s website:

فتح باب طلبات التوظيف للكراسي الأستاذية المكتملة

اعرف المزيد عن المبادرة الدولية للكراسي الأستاذية المكتملة وكرسي الإمام الغزالي وكرسي الإمام الرازي

تدعوكم مؤسسة آل البيت الملكية للفكر الإسلامي في عَمّان، الأردن (الموقع الإلكتروني) لتقديم طلبات التوظيف للكرسيين الموقوفَين التاليين
  1. ‎وقفية الملك عبد الله الثاني بن الحسين الكرسي المكتمل لدراسة فكر الإمام الغزالي ومنهجه
  2. ‎وقفية الملك عبد الله الثاني بن الحسين الكرسي المكتمل لدراسة فكر الإمام فخر الدين الرازي ومنهجه

فيما يلي شرح لهذا المشروع الضخم ومتطلبات تقديم الطلبات وروابط للمزيد من المعلومات.

تحليل:

تعاني علوم المعرفة الإسلامية التقليدية من افتقار شديد في الفهم في العالم الإسلامي، ويقتصر تعليمها على صيغ منتقاة ومختصرة. وتسيطر الأصولية على نحو متزايد على المساجد وتهيمن المنهجيات الأكاديمية العلمانية على معاهد التحصيل العلمي في العالم الإسلامي. وحتى في الغرب، على الرغم من قيام المسلمين بالتبرع بمئات الملايين من الدولارات لإنشاء كراسي أستاذية ومراكز أكاديمية في كبرى الجامعات الغربية، فإن هذه الكراسي والمراكز لا تفتأ يديرها أو يتولى أمرها غير مسلمين (أو مسلمون علمانيون)؛ ولذلك ينتهي الأمر بهذه المراكز والكراسي – التي يمولها مسلمون – إلى أن تكون عدائية أو على الأقل غير مساندة للإسلام الأصيل الموروث. وهذا الوضع يفضي إلى إفقار فكري وروحي في العالم الإسلامي، وإلى صعود الأصولية، وفي الوقت ذاته – على نحو يثير السخرية – إلى صعود العلمانية.

الغاية والهدف:

الغاية من هذه المبادرة إحياء العلم والتعليم للحضارة الإسلامية السامية القويمة الأصيلة ومنهجها الفكري في البحث العلمي في ميادين الفلسفة وعلم الكلام والتصوف والفقه والتفسير وعلم الاجتماع والتاريخ وعلوم اللغة العربية والنحو والصرف في العالم الإسلامي بالترافق مع المناهج الموروثة للتدريس الإسلامي والوعظ الإرشاد. والهدف من هذه المبادرة إنشاء حوالي ٥٠ كرسي أستاذي مكتمل كأوقاف في مساجد وجامعات في العالم الإسلامي يشغلها علماء عاملون مسلمون، ومخصصة لخدمة الإرث الفكري والروحي لأكابر علماء الإسلام. وبعد ذلك سيتم تأسيس معهد دولي لربط أنشطتهم ودعمها.
كتيّب: تعلم المزيد من خلال تحميل الكتيّب عن هذه المبادرة.

الكرسييَن الحالييَن:

لقد تمّ تأسيس ‎وقفية الملك عبد الله الثاني بن الحسين الكرسي المكتمل لدراسة فكر الإمام الغزالي ومنهجه و‎وقفية الملك عبد الله الثاني بن الحسين الكرسي المكتمل لدراسة فكر الإمام فخر الدين الرازي ومنهجه مع كامل التمويل، والمؤسسة مستعدة لتقبل طلبات التوظيف الآن.

الكرسي المكتمل لدراسة فكر الإمام الغزالي ومنهجه:

سمي على اسم: أبو حامد محمد بن محمد الغزالي ٥٠٥ – ٤٥٠ هـ / ١١١١ – ١٠٥٨م.
الكتاب الرئيسي: إحياء علوم الدين.
مكان الكرسي: المسجد الأقصى في القدس وفي جامعة القدس.
حالة الوقف: ‎أقيم الوقف وكامل التمويل في ٣٠ ‫/‬ ١ ‫/‬٢٠١٢؛ ومزمع تعيين الأستاذ.
ملخص: تم تأسيس الكرسي المكتمل لدراسة فكر الإمام الغزالي ومنهجه في القدس في المسجد الأقصى الشريف وجامعة القدس. ويتمتع الكرسي باستقلالية تامة وهو الطرف الوحيد الذي سيتولى أمر اختيار الطلبة وتقديم المِنَح ومَنْح جائزة الملك عبد الله الثاني بن الحسين لدراسات التراث العلمي للإمام الغزالي.
كتيّب: تعلم المزيد من خلال تحميل الكتيّب.

الكرسي المكتمل لدراسة فكر الإمام الرازي ومنهجه

سمي على اسم: فخر الدين الرازي ٦٠٦ – ٥٤٣ هـ / ١٢٠٩- ١١٤٩م.
الكتاب الرئيسي: التفسير الكبير.
مكان الكرسي: مسجد الملك حسين بن طلال في عَمّان وفي الجامعة الأردنية وجامعة العلوم الإسلامية العالمية، في عمّان بالأردن.
حالة الوقف: ‎أقيم الوقف وكامل التمويل في ٣٠ ‫/‬ ١ ‫/‬٢٠١٢؛ ومزمع تعيين الأستاذ.
ملخص: تم تأسيس وقفية الملك عبد الله الثاني بن الحسين الكرسي المكتمل لدراسة فكر الإمام فخر الدين الرازي في مسجد الملك الحسين بن طلال طيّب الله ثراه والجامعة الأردنية وجامعة العلوم الإسلامية العالمية. ويتمتع الكرسي باستقلالية تامة وهو الطرف الوحيد الذي سيتولى أمر اختيار الطلبة وتقديم المِنَح ومَنْح جائزة الملك عبد الله الثاني بن الحسين لدراسات التراث العلمي للإمام الرازي.
كتيّب: تعلم المزيد من خلال تحميل الكتيّب.

شروط أستاذ الكرسي:

يشترط فيمن يتولى كرسي الأستاذية:

  1. أن يكون مسلماً من أهل السنة والجماعة (الأشاعرة/الماثريدية) وأن يلتزم باتباع المذاهب الأربعة (الحنفي والمالكي والشافعي والحنبلي).
  2. أن يكون مقيماً للصلاة، عدلاً، حسن السيرة.
  3. أن يكون من حفاظ القرآن الكريم.
  4. أن يكون متخصصاً ذا كفاءة عالية في العلوم الإسلامية وله عناية كبيرة بفكر الإمام المعني ومنهجه وآثاره العلمية والدعوية والفكرية.
  5. أن يتقن اللغة العربية والانجليزية قراءة وكتابة ومحادثة.
  6. أن يكون حاصلاً على درجة الدكتوراة وأستاذاً أو أستاذاً مشاركاً من جامعة أو جامعات معترف بها.
  7. تكون الأولوية في التعيين لأبناء المملكة الأردنية الهاشمية ثم لأبناء فلسطين وسورية ولبنان والعراق.
  8. إذا تساوى المتقدمون لشغل الكرسي في الشروط السابقة ذكرها تكون الأولوية للمنتسبين لمؤسسة آل البيت الملكية للفكر الإسلامي.
  9. لمجلس الكرسي أن يخفض شرط حفظ القرآن إلى ستة أجزاء.
  10. على المجلس التوصية لمجلس الأمناء بإقالة أستاذ الكرسي إذا أخل بشرط جوهري من شروط أستاذ الكرسي.

حقوق وامتيازات أستاذ الكرسي:

  • الراتب الشهري لأستاذ ‎الكرسي ( 5000 ) خمسة آلاف دينار أردني (حوالي 7000 دولار).
  • سكن وتأمين صحي للأستاذ ولعائلته.
  • تقديم الدعم الإداري وأعمال السكرتارية.
  • إذا لم يكن الأستاذ من أبناء المملكة الأردنية الهاشمية يمنح الصفة الدبلوماسية.

تقدم الطلبات مشفوعة بالسيرة الذاتية وصورة حديثة مع صورة من جواز السفر مع صورة غلاف المؤلفات والأبحاث للمتقدم لشغل الكرسي مع ثلاثة أسماء معرفين وترسل إلى العنوان الآتي، وذلك في موعد اقصاه 6/6/2012.
لمعرفة المزيد عن الكراسي المكتملة قم بتحميل طلب التوظيف من خلال زيارة الصفحات الإلكترونية التالية في موقع جامعة العلوم الإسلامية العالمية:
 
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Society for Qur’anic Studies

SOCIETY OF BIBLICAL LITERATURE SUPPORTS EXPLORATION 
OF  QUR’AN SCHOLAR NETWORK 
ATLANTA, May 29, 2012 – The Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) has been awarded a $140,000 grant from the Henry Luce Foundation to support a three-year consultation that will explore the formation of an independent network of Qur’anic scholars. This international consultation will meet to evaluate and frame a vision and mission for a professional organization, namely, a Society for Qur’anic Studies. 
“Considering the enormous cultural importance and global influence of the Qur’an, a pressing need exists for an independent and self-defined association of scholars of the Qur’an to do collaborative research and to enrich and inform courses at colleges and universities,” says John F. Kutsko, executive director of SBL and director of the initiative.  
The goal of the consultation is to give the academic study of the Qur’an the attention it 
deserves, says Kutsko, who is also affiliate professor of biblical studies at the Candler School of Theology, Emory University. “By providing more opportunity for research and by bringing more conversation into the classroom, such an organization will also foster mutual understanding and appreciation in the public square.” 
“The level of interest in the Qur’an and Islam in the West today is unprecedented. Questions surrounding the Qur’an and its teaching on religious, social and political issues are increasingly raised in educational institutions and popular literature,” says Emran El-Badawi, Assistant Professor of Arab Studies at the University of Houston and co-director of the consultation. “A vast and ever-growing number of websites and online forums are devoted to discussions on the meaning and interpretation of the Qur’an, but no learned society dedicated to the study of the Qur’an exists.” 
A Society for Qur’anic Studies (SQS) would play an important role as a meeting place where scholars and students of the Qur’an might present their particular contributions to the study of the Qur’an, while learning from others, says El-Badawi.  
At the same time, an SQS would foster the study of the text for its own sake. “The Qur’an is a work of extraordinary importance, both for its witness to the rise of Islam, and for its central place in Islamic societies through the centuries and still today,” says Gabriel Said Reynolds, Tisch Family Associate Professor of Islamic Studies and Theology at the University of Notre Dame and co-director of the consultation. 
The network will be an academic forum in which scholars from around the world discuss and publish scholarship on the Qur’an. “Participants will be encouraged to share diverse perspectives and cutting edge research on the Qur’an’s language, its dialogue with other scriptures, and the context in which the text arose,” notes Reynolds. “By approaching the Qur’an as an historical, literary and religious text, SQS will demonstrate the extraordinary and wide-ranging scholarly value of the Qur’an.” 
“It cannot be overstated that the agenda of the scholars in this consultation will not be 
determined or directed by SBL,” says Kutsko. He emphasizes that SBL will serve only to provide the logistical support for Qur’anic scholars to foster their work.  
“The guiding principle for the consultation is to ensure that scholars of Qur’anic Studies set their own research and publishing agendas, that our colleagues in this discipline have the resources to determine their own future, and that their impact transcends institutional and international lines,” Kutsko says. 
“The founding of a new society for the study of the Qur’an will provide an institutional forum for Qur’anic Studies equal to the study of other religious texts and traditions,” says Vincent Cornell, chair of the Department of Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies at Emory University. “This establishes a base for Qur’anic Studies that hasn’t existed before, and thereby makes an important intellectual claim.” 
The past two decades have witnessed tremendous growth in scholarship on the Qur’an, says Reynolds. “An annual academic forum on the Qur’an and related publications will allow scholars from a wide range of disciplines a context for collaboration and dialogue. It also will give students and informed members of the public access to a common forum where they will learn from and contribute to this rich discussion.”  
  
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The Society of Biblical Literature, founded in 1880, is the oldest and largest learned society devoted to the critical investigation of the Bible from a variety of academic disciplines. As an international organization, the Society offers its members opportunities for mutual support, intellectual growth and professional development and is a member of the American Council of Learned Societies.  
The Henry Luce Foundation, established in 1936 by Henry R. Luce, seeks to bring important ideas to the center of American life, strengthen international understanding, and foster innovation and leadership in academic, policy, religious and art communities. 
Contact: Elise Addington | eaddington@quranconsultation.com | 404-727-3111