The Quran, also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation directly from God (Allah). It is organized in 114 chapters which consist of individual verses. Besides its religious significance, it is widely regarded as the finest work in Arabic literature, and has significantly influenced the Arabic language. It is also the object of a modern field of academic research known as Quranic studies.
The Islamization of Knowledge is a conceptual framework that originates from Islamic philosophy, advocating for the integration of Islamic teachings with modern academic disciplines, such as the social sciences, management sciences, humanities, sciences, engineering, and technology. This model posits that all knowledge and science should be consistent with the principles of Islam, aiming to foster a holistic understanding of the world through an Islamic worldview.
Christianity and Islam are the two largest religions in the world, with approximately 2.8 billion and 1.9 billion adherents, respectively. Both religions are Abrahamic and monotheistic, having originated in the Middle East.
Islamic–Jewish relations comprise the human and diplomatic relations between Jewish people and Muslims in the Arabian Peninsula, Northern Africa, the Middle East, and their surrounding regions. Jewish–Islamic relations may also refer to the shared and disputed ideals between Judaism and Islam, which began roughly in the 7th century CE with the origin and spread of Islam in the Arabian peninsula. The two religions share similar values, guidelines, and principles. Islam also incorporates Jewish history as a part of its own. Muslims regard the Children of Israel as an important religious concept in Islam. Moses, the most important prophet of Judaism, is also considered a prophet and messenger in Islam. Moses is mentioned in the Quran more than any other individual, and his life is narrated and recounted more than that of any other prophet. There are approximately 43 references to the Israelites in the Quran, and many in the Hadith. Later rabbinic authorities and Jewish scholars such as Maimonides discussed the relationship between Islam and Jewish law. Maimonides himself, it has been argued, was influenced by Islamic legal thought.
Ummah is an Arabic word meaning "nation". It is distinguished from shaʻb, which means a nation with common ancestry or geography. Thus, Ummah can be said to be a supra-national polity with a common history.
Liberalism and progressivism within Islam involve professed Muslims who have created a considerable body of progressive thought about Islamic understanding and practice. Their work is sometimes characterized as "progressive Islam". Some scholars, such as Omid Safi, differentiate between "Progressive Muslims" versus "Liberal advocates of Islam".
Lois Lamya al-Faruqi was an American scholar and expert on Islamic art and music. She made contributions to the field of ethnomusicology, particularly in the study of Islamic musical culture, and co-authored the work The Cultural Atlas of Islam with her husband, Ismail al-Faruqi.
Constantin Zurayk was a prominent Syrian Arab intellectual who was one of the first to pioneer and express the importance of Arab nationalism. He stressed the urgent need to transform stagnant Arab society by means of rational thought and radical modification of the methods of thinking and acting. Some of his ideas, such as the "Arab mission" and "national philosophy" became key concepts for Arab nationalist thinkers. He was a strong proponent of the intellectual reformation of Arab society, emphasizing the need for rationalism and an ethical revolution.
Phoenicianism is a political viewpoint and identity in Lebanon that sees the ancient Phoenician civilization as the primary ethnic and cultural foundation of the modern Lebanese people, as opposed to later Arab immigration. This perspective opposes Pan-Arabism and resists Syrian influences in Lebanon's political and cultural spheres.
Contemporary Islamic philosophy revives some of the trends of medieval Islamic philosophy, notably the tension between Mutazilite and Asharite views of ethics in science and law, and the duty of Muslims and role of Islam in the sociology of knowledge and in forming ethical codes and legal codes, especially the fiqh and rules of jihad.
Khaleel Mohammed was a Guyanese-born professor of Religion at San Diego State University (SDSU), in San Diego, California, a member of Homeland Security Master's Program, and, as of January 2021, Director of SDSU's Center for Islamic and Arabic Studies.
Syed Abul Hasan Ali Hasani Nadwi was a leading Islamic scholar, thinker, writer, preacher, reformer and a Muslim public intellectual of 20th century India and the author of numerous books on history, biography, contemporary Islam, and the Muslim community in India, one of the most prominent figure of Deoband School. His teachings covered the entire spectrum of the collective existence of the Muslim Indians as a living community in the national and international context. Due to his command over Arabic, in writings and speeches, he had a wide area of influence extending far beyond the Sub-continent, particularly in the Arab World. During 1950s and 1960s he stringently attacked Arab nationalism and pan-Arabism as a new jahiliyyah and promoted pan-Islamism. He began his academic career in 1934 as a teacher in Nadwatul Ulama, later in 1961; he became Chancellor of Nadwa and in 1985, he was appointed as Chairman of Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies.
Ismail Raji al-Faruqi was a Palestinian-American philosopher who worked extensively in Islamic studies and interfaith dialogue. He spent several years at Al-Azhar University in Cairo and taught at universities in North America, including McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Al-Faruqi was a professor of religion at Temple University, where he founded and chaired the Islamic Studies program. He also founded the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT). Al-Faruqi authored over 100 articles and 25 books, including Christian Ethics: A Historical and Systematic Analysis of Its Dominant Ideas (1967) and Al-Tawhid: Its Implications for Thought and Life (1982).
Ishmael is regarded by Muslims as an Islamic prophet. Born to Abraham and Hagar, he is the namesake of the Ishmaelites, who were descended from him. In Islam, he is associated with Mecca and the construction of the Kaaba within today's Masjid al-Haram, which is the holiest Islamic site. Muslims also consider him to be a direct ancestor to Muhammad. His paternal half-brother was Isaac, the forefather of the Israelites.
Arab identity is the objective or subjective state of perceiving oneself as an Arab and as relating to being Arab. Like other cultural identities, it relies on a common culture, a traditional lineage, the common land in history, shared experiences including underlying conflicts and confrontations. These commonalities are regional and in historical contexts, tribal. Arab identity is defined independently of religious identity, and pre-dates the spread of Islam and before spread of Judaism and Christianity, with historically attested Arab Muslim tribes and Arab Christian tribes and Arab Jewish tribes. Arabs are a diverse group in terms of religious affiliations and practices. Most Arabs are Muslim, with a minority adhering to other faiths, largely Christianity, but also Druze and Baháʼí.
Christian Ethics: A Historical and Systematic Analysis of Its Dominant Ideas (1967) is a scholarly work by Isma'il Raji al-Faruqi, first published in 1967. It explores Christian ethical thought from both historical and systematic perspectives, analyzing its development and key ideas. This work is part of a broader series by al-Faruqi that examines religious and ethical principles across different faiths. The book is noted for its critical stance on the development of Christian theological doctrines and its advocacy for a rational, coherent ethical framework. The publisher emphasized the unique value of this work as the first major Muslim attempt to examine Christian dogma and ethics on their own terms. The book has been reviewed and critiqued by various scholars, including a notable review from a Christian perspective.
Meta-religion is a theoretical framework aimed at understanding and comparing various world religions by identifying common principles and values that transcend individual traditions. This concept seeks to foster a critical and rational examination of religious beliefs and practices, promoting a unified perspective that integrates diverse religious experiences. The idea of meta-religion is particularly significant within Islamic thought, where it is seen as a way to harmonize the various religious experiences of humanity under a single, comprehensive framework.
Al-Tawhid: Its Implications for Thought and Life is a book by Isma'il Raji al-Faruqi, first published in 1982. The work explores the central Islamic concept of Tawhid, the oneness and unity of God, and its implications for various aspects of life and thought.
Islam and the Problem of Israel is a book by Ismail Raji al-Faruqi, first published in 1980 by the Islamic Council of Europe. The book examines the historical and contemporary issues surrounding the state of Israel from an Islamic perspective.
Trialogue of the Abrahamic Faiths is a collection of papers edited by Ismail al-Faruqi. First published in 1982 by the International Institute of Islamic Thought, the book brings together scholars from Islam, Christianity, and Judaism to explore how the three religions understand and engage with one another. The book's focus is on fostering dialogue, respect, and shared values among the Abrahamic faiths.
