Themes 13003

Existing Political Vessels Cannot Contain the Reform Movement.

Interview with Sai’id Hajjarian. Introdution: Sai’id Hajjarian, a leading theorist of the democratic Islamist New Left, is one of President Khatami’s closest political advisers. In 1998 he ran for the Tehran City Council, receiving the second largest number of votes. Hajjarian is also the official permit holder for the daily Sobh-e Emrooz and serves on […].

Intellectual Autobiography.

Interview with Abdolkarim Soroush. Sadri: I would like to ask you for an account of your intellectual development. I am certainly interested in whether you distinguish any turning points, watersheds, or distinct periods in the evolution of your thought. Soroush: In the name of God the compassionate, the merciful, thank you for giving me this opportunity […].

“Universal form of Islam”.

Interview with Chandra Muzaffar *. This interview took place on Oct. 10, 2001 How has the practice of Islam changed or the influence on Islam changed over the last 20, 30 years in Malaysia ? As in a number of other post-colonial societies, Muslims in Malaysia have become very conscious of their Islamic identity. And they have sought and expressed that […].

“The Rise of Militant Islam”

Conversation with Ahmed Rashid. Institute of International Studies, UC Berkeley. 3/26/02 1-Background Welcome to Berkeley. Thanks a lot. Where were you born and raised? I was born in Ravapindi in Northern Pakistan. After the Second World War, my family was based some of the time in Pakistan and some of the time in London. So I grew up in both places […].

Inside the Jihad.

Interview with Ahmed Rashid. Few governments are as shrouded in secrecy as the ruling Taliban in Afghanistan. Ever since these mysterious bearded clerics emerged from obscurity in 1994 to overrun almost the entire country — imposing a radical version of Islamic law that forbids women from employment and education, bans entertainment such as card-pl […].

The Real Islam.

Conversation with Stephen Schwartz. In The Two Faces of Islam the journalist Stephen Schwartz argues that in order to appreciate the pluralist, tolerant side of Islam, we must confront its ugly, extremist side. In the mid-1700s a new strain of Muslim extremism began to flourish in a small village in the Arabian desert—a strain that would have a profound […].

Travel.

Interview with Abdolkarim Soroush. April 1997 – Following his return to UK from the United States and shortly before he left London for Tehran to end a twelve-month absence from the country, Dr Soroush spoke to SERAJ in an exclusive interview. Here is a summarised translation of this conversation. Dr. Soroush, over the last few months, you have travelle […].

Tune into the “new conscience of Islam”.

Interview with Abdou Filali-Ansary. Interview by Sophie Boukhari, UNESCO Courier journalist. There is a reformist current in Islam, one that takes a critical approach to its origins. For Moroccan philosopher Abdou Filali-Ansary*, if Muslims had more room to freely debate issues, religion and politics might no longer be so closely entwined Since the 19th […].

Hilyatu al Abdal. De Ibn ’Arabi

La parure des Abdal, Par Ibn ’Arabi, Sheikh al Akbar Au nom d’Allah, le Tout Miséricordieux, le Très Miséricordieux ! Louange soit rendue à Allah pour ce qu’Il a inspiré et “parce qu’Il nous a enseigné ce que nous ne savions pas ! Il nous a accordé ainsi une faveur magnifique” ! (Coran, 4, 113) Et qu’Allah prie sur le Chef le plus auguste, le Prophète […].

Qisat al ghurba al gharbiya. S.Y. Sohrawardi

Le récit de l’exil occidental Sohrawardi, sheikh al Ishraq Prélude Lorsque j’eus pris connaissance du “Récit de Hayy ibn Yaqzân”, malgré les admirables sentences spirituelles et les suggestions profondes qu’il contient, je le trouvai dépourvu de mises en lumière relatives à l’expérience suprême qui est le Grand Ebranlement (Coran 79/34), gardé en trésor […].