Copto-Arabic Universal Chronography. Between Antiquity, Judaism, Christianity and Islam The K. al-Tawārīkh of N. al-Khilāfa Abū Shākir Ibn al-Rāhib (655 Heg. / 973 Mart. / 1257 Chr. / 1569 Alex. / 6750 AM)

La obra histórica del erudito y enciclopedista de la edad de oro de la literatura árabe copta, de la cual el Dr. Samuel Moawad (Munster) está preparando una edición, representa en realidad una colección de tres tratados divididos artificialmente en 51 capítulos secuenciales. El núcleo cronológico es precedido por un largo tratado con 47 capítulos sobre cálculos astronómicos y eclesiásticos así como épocas históricas y calendarios de diferentes naciones. La parte histórica propia (ch. 48-50), de los cuales el llamado Chronicon orientale representa una deficiente revisión anónima, trata sucesivamente de historia universal, dinastías islámicas y patriarcas coptos. Un sumario histórico, así como dogmático, de los primeros siete/ocho concilios de la Iglesia cristiana (cap. 51) termina la compilación entera. El conocido historiador al-Makin Ibn al-.Amid hace un gran uso de la labor de su contemporáneo y, al parecer a través de él, los grandes historiadores musulmanes: Ibn Khaldun, Maqrizi o Qalqashandi hacen mención continua de Ibn al-Rahib. Más tarde en el siglo XVI, el K. al-Tawarikh fue traducido en etiópico y tuvo un gran impacto en la literatura histórica y computacional de los etíopes.

Diversity in Knowledge Management : A Cultural Approach

This paper reviews diversity in knowledge management (KM) from a cultural perspective; it argues that culturally embedded theories and practices influence the practice of knowledge management. It further presents and analyses several case studies and in particular a case study of the Islamic culture focusing on its traditional approach to both Islamic knowledge and management. The analysis of this case reveals the cultural challenges that emerge in the process of applying essentially Western management theories within an Islamic culture with particular reference to knowledge management theories. The paper concludes that the concept of knowledge management must take into account the diversity of national culture in which the organization exists and that the concept of knowledge management will benefit from a diversity perspective rather than a universality perspective.

Embracing Sharia-Compliant products through regulatory amendment to achieve parity of treatment

This article recognises the potential importance of Islamic finance products in Australia, along with the current regulatory impediments preventing Australia from becoming a leader in the Asia-Pacific Islamic finance market. Taking into account the potential importance of, and impediments to, Islamic finance, this article highlights, through the historical development and contemporary state of Islamic finance, its economic, social and political benefits to Australia. Once a case for embracing Islamic finance is made, the main current regulatory impediments to Australia becoming a key player in the Islamic finance market within the Asia-Pacific region are highlighted. This article then argues that, rather than requiring any separate regulatory regime, the current regulatory impediments may be overcome through amendments to existing laws to ensure parity of treatment in Australia between the Islamic finance market and the conventional finance market. The Australian income tax regime is utilised as a case study demonstrate how parity of treatment could be achieved via amendment by taking two frequent and separate Islamic finance transactions. This article concludes that the economic, social and political benefits potentially warrant Australia embracing Islamic finance and that, with the right regulatory measures, Australia could lay the foundation to become a leader in the Asia-Pacific Islamic finance market.

Implementation mechanism: Protection against harassment of women at workplace

Pakistan is widely known and appreciated in the world for its history, Islamic culture and norms. Since the creation of Pakistan, it inherited poverty in its roots. There are many reasons for poverty but one lies on the shoulder of women who are 50% of the total population of Pakistan. On the apex of it, women do not take part in the development of Pakistan because when they step out of their homes, they suffer a lot of problems. These problems are a hurdle in their active participation in development .Government has tried to create an environment for those women, who suffer different problems. Harassment of women at work place is one of those problems which discourage women in taking active part in economic and social development of society. Women Activists, from the last decade, were working for the protection of woman’s right at workplace and they succeeded in formulation of Harassment Act 2010. Since law is ineffective without its proper mechanism of implementation, steps should be taken for its proper implementation mechanism. This article aims to provide information about the provisions of law, related to the harassment of women at workplace with an attempt to explore the effectiveness of its implementation. The study was conducted in twin cities of Pakistan, Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Interviews were conducted with the employees and employers of organizations, educational institutions, women activists, NGOs workers, lawyers, judges and some law enforcement officers. Group discussions were also held with teachers, students of Human rights and religious personalities. This report focuses on the implementation mechanism of new legislation in Pakistan. It also highlights some important facts related to its enforcement.

O olho ocidental e o gosto: uma leitura sociológica do processo de legitimação do grafite como expressão artística no Brasil

A Tese a seguir, apresentada ao IESP/UERJ como pré-requisito para obtenção do grau de Doutor em Sociologia, demonstra a forma como o estilo pictórico grafite teve sua percepção social subvertida a partir da assimilação de sua estética pelas instituições ditas oficiais do mundo das artes visuais no Brasil, leia-se mercado e locais de culto às obras de arte (galerias e museus, respectivamente), no início do século XXI. A partir da categoria mundo artístico em Becker (1982)1, o trabalho busca dar contornos ao mundo do grafite carioca e a seus pontos de contato com estabelecimentos e sujeitos próprios do mundo oficial das artes plásticas. A hipótese da pesquisa - investigada através de trabalho de campo microssociológico em conformidade com o paradigma de pesquisa social qualitativo inerente à Escola de Chicago (Coulon, 1995)2 - é que desta intercessão ou desses pontos de contato, estreitados nas últimas duas décadas, emergiu um subjetivo processo de legitimação do grafite como atividade artística no Brasil, promovendo o deslocamento de sua ampla percepção social, situada primariamente numa atmosfera que o classificava como poluente (Douglas, 1976) 3 e desviante (Becker, 2009)4, para uma atmosfera de valorização e conseqüente assimilação de sua estética por nichos como a moda, a publicidade, a decoração de ambientes e as políticas públicas de combate à delinqüência e ócio juvenis.

Reflexões sobre a Islamofobia nos Estados Unidos após onze de setembro de 2001: a construção discursiva da ameaça islâmica e o processo decisório em política externa

A dissertação objetiva analisar a influência da Islamofobia no processo decisório em política externa nos Estados Unidos após a data de 11 de setembro de 2001 por meio de sua apropriação por atores sociais considerados como potencialmente influentes no referido processo. A Islamofobia será conceituada a partir de um medo cultural que converte as culturas islâmicas em uma fonte de ameaça. Alinhando-se a uma perspectiva teórica que aponta para a força criativa dos discursos, se procederá à análise de alguns discursos ilustrativos para se sugerir a construção da ideia de ameça islâmica, bem como as formas através das quais o medo inspirado por tal concepção de uma ameaça islâmica alcançou as instâncias decisórias em política externa nos Estados Unidos. Por intermédio de uma análise de conteúdo que se utilizará de uma bibliografia de apoio multidisciplinar, serão abordados temas relativos à problemática de se representar as culturas, à dimensão social do medo, e às diretrizes gerais da política externa dos Estados Unidos após os Atentados Terroristas de 11 de Setembro, considerando que o desenvolvimento de tais questões subsidiará o alcance do objetivo principal do trabalho. Trata-se, em última instância, de um estudo que busca conjugar considerações sobre a política externa dos Estados Unidos com uma análise antropológica acerca da problemática das culturas, expressa a partir da conversão de uma cultura determinada em uma fonte de ameaça. Nesse sentido, a dissertação pode ser caracterizada como de natureza exploratória, uma vez que busca situar um tema pouco explorado no horizonte teórico, sobretudo em estudos sobre política externa.

74 Front Street (for solo cello)

74 Front Street is intended as a musical response to the work of American sculptor Fred Sandback (1943-2003), in particular his string sculptures which are intentionally uncomplicated, minimal and strikingly beautiful. The relationship between these string works and music is rather distinct; indeed, before formally studying sculpture Sandback made a number of string instruments. He has said that his string works evolved from a desire to rid art of excessive decoration and, while there are instances of activity in 74 Front Street, much of the piece aims to reflect the simplicity of Sandback’s work.

No Muslims Allowed? An analysis of the State of Pluralism in the West

Dissertação de Mestrado apresentada à Universidade Fernando Pessoa como parte dos requisitos para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Relações Internacionais com o Mundo Árabe e Islâmico.

The Aesthetics of Motion in Musics for the Mevlana Celal ed-Din Rumi

This dissertation investigates the concept of motion as a fundamental aesthetic element in the devotional music, dance, and rituals performed in honor of the celebrated thirteenth-century Persian mystic poet and saint, the Mevlana Celal ed-Din Muhammad Rumi. The main focus of the study is threefold. First, it investigates the prevalence of the notion of movement in Islamic music and culture, specifically within the Sufi communities of Turkey, in order to arrive at a broader understanding of the relationship between music, aesthetics, and worldview. Secondly, it explores how musical performance functions as a form of devotion or religious worship by focusing on the musical repertories performed in honor of a single holy figure, the Mevlana Rumi. Finally, it provides an ethnographic account of contemporary developments in Sufi musical culture in Turkey and across the world by describing the recent activities of the Mevlana's devotees, which includes members of the Mevlevi Order of Islamic mystics as well as adherents of other Sufi brotherhoods and followers of so-called New Religions or New Age. The primary research for this study involved two short one-month field trips to Turkey and India in 2002 and 2003, respectively, and a longer one year expedition to Turkey in 2004 and 2005, which also included shorter stays in Cyprus, Syria, and Egypt. Additionally, the dissertation draws directly from critical theories advanced in the fields of ethnomusicology, cultural anthropology, and ethnochoreology and focuses on the kinesthetic parameters of music, dance, trance, and ritual as well as on broader forms of socio-cultural movement including pilgrimage, cultural tourism, and globalization. These forms of movement are analyzed in four broad categories of music used in worship, including classical Mevlevi music, music of the zikr ceremony, popular musics, and non-Turkish musics.

The Oud Across Arabic Culture

This study is a compilation and compendium of information on the oud, the most important instrument in Arabic classical music. It has grown out of my own long-time involvement in studying and playing the oud, and in particular out of my interest in the lack of sources and knowledge available to the vast majority of oud players and researchers, as well as for the readers. My own path started from an intensive study of the oud, which included exposure to several treaties; some housed in museums around the globe, and some only available in the Arabic language. The study combines archival research (including Arabic poetry and pre-Islamic Era and medieval treaties), symbolism, new archaeological discoveries, field interviews, and analysis of existing scholarship, and draws on my professional performance experience for detailed stylistic analysis of the oud's performance practice and its historical development. The study consists of participant observation, personal performance, and interviews conducted in person, via telephone, and/or via e-mail, according to the choice of the performers. The performers have been selected from networks of musicians who perform regularly at lounges, concert halls, and private events. These performers have been chosen according to their musical knowledge, technical skill, experience, and activity in Arabic music and oud performance. Chapter one deals with the purpose of this study and the methods of investigation, as well as giving a brief overview of the history of the oud. In addition, there will be an introduction to the Arabic musical system (mâqâm), which is primarily based on the mechanics and sound production of the oud. Chapter two deals with the oud in Arabic sources: the first source is Arabic poetry in the pre-Islamic Era. The second source is Arabic poetry in the medieval era, in which I found a significant number of poets who allude to the oud, providing accurate descriptions of the player, singers, and the scenes within the contexts of oud performance. The third source is the Arab scholars' intensive treatises with meticulous accounts of the instrument's apparatii, including descriptions and measurements of the parts, strings, and tuning. While chapter three deals with the classification, the development of the oud, chapter four deals with topics such as: the symbolism of the oud and its relation to cosmology, astronomy, mathematics and anatomy. In most of the pertinent Arabic writings, philosophers mention a significant correlation between the oud and the other sciences. Chapter five deals with recreating the performance practice of the oud. A case study of the oud performers focuses on their style, technique, training, and personal experiences. Topics such as improvisation and ornamentation, the oud in the Arabic musical ensemble, the social uses and functions, and gender in musical performance practices will be included in detailed analysis. Other important topics will be analyzed such as traditional vs. modern technique, and the repertoire of the oud. Specifically, in regard to technique, the study outline the style of the music, the role of the oud in Arabic ensembles, the function of the oud in music composition, and the form of the ensembles in Arabic performance and practice.

Order without law? An anatomy of Hamas security: The Executive Force (Tanfithya)

In the struggle to assert and consolidate its power, the Hamas movement of the Palestinian territories has devised several strategies for control. In recognition that control of security remains a key goal for any power-seeker, following its election victory in January 2006, Hamas entered into a fierce and ultimately successful conflict with Fatah for control of the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Interior and Palestinian Security Forces (PSF) in the Gaza Strip. One way in which Hamas was able to achieve this objective was through the creation of its own internal ‘police’ force called the Tanfithya (Executive Force or EF). This article details an anatomy of the EF and the implications of this force in terms of Hamas' confrontation with opponents and its attempts at governance. It also examines the extent to which the EF can be considered to be a model of Islamic policing and its impact on secular rivals in the Gaza Strip.

A Socio-Legal Analysis of Jihad

Since many offensive and defensive wars or acts of terrorism, such as the atrocities of 11 September in the United States and the July 2005 bombings in London, are committed under the banner of Islam and the duty of jihad, it is important to shed some light upon the Islamic laws of war in general, and the controversial concept of jihad in particular. This article traces the origins of, and rationale for, the use of force within the Islamic tradition, and assesses the meaning and evolution of the contentious concept of jihad within its historical context. Following an analysis of the opposing doctrinal views on the potential implications of jihad, the study argues that the concept of jihad should not be interpreted literally, but be adjusted in accordance with new historical and international conditions, and conducted by peaceful means, rather than by the sword.

The Architecture of Home in Cairo: Socio-Spatial Practice of the Hawari's Everyday Life

The hawari of Cairo - narrow non-straight alleyways - are the basic urban units that have formed the medieval city since its foundation back in 969 AD. Until early in the C20th, they made up the primary urban divisions of the city and were residential in nature. Contemporary hawari, by contrast, are increasingly dominated by commercial and industrial activity. This medieval urban maze of extremely short, broken, zigzag streets and dead ends are defensible territories, powerful institutions, and important social systems. While the hawari have been studied as an exemplar for urban structure of medieval Islamic urbanism, and as individual building typologies, this book is the first to examine in detail the socio-spatial practice of the architecture of home in the city. It investigates how people live, communicate and relate to each other within their houses or shared spaces of the alleys, and in doing so, to uncover several new socio-spatial dimensions and meanings in this architectural form.

In an attempt to re-establish the link between architecture past and present, and to understand the changing social needs of communities, this book uncovers the notion of home as central to understand architecture in such a city with long history as Cairo. It firstly describes the historical development of the domestic spaces (indoor and outdoor), and provides an inclusive analysis of spaces of everyday activities in the hawari of old Cairo. It then broadens its analysis to other parts of the city, highlighting different customs and representations of home in the city at large. Cairo, in the context of this book, is represented as the most sophisticated urban centre in the Middle East with different and sometimes contrasting approaches to the architecture of home, as a practice and spatial system.

In order to analyse the complexity and interconnectedness of the components and elements of the hawari as a 'collective home', it layers its narratives of architectural and social developments as a domestic environment over the past two hundred years, and in doing so, explores the in-depth social meaning and performance of spaces, both private and public.

Terrorismo

This thesis’ goal is to study the relationship between the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda, notably the hypotheses that the Islamic State derives from Al-Qaeda. The topic to be developed in the following pages is based in reliable sources so that we can obtain the most accurate possible conclusions. In preparation of this report, several quotes were used in order to present correct settings and make logical deductions based on documents. It aims to be a modest contribution to a reflection on the theme, which is addressed in a very general way. Concepts of terrorism and Islamic fundamentalism are addressed in the thesis. Al-Qaeda, the Islamic State and the response to terrorism are presented, with the aim of understanding the degree of complexity underlying the Islamic State.

An analysis of Ibn al-'Arabi's al-Insan al-Kamil, the Perfect Individual, with a brief comparison to the thought of Sir Muhammad Iqbal

This thesis analyzes four philosophical questions surrounding Ibn al-'Arabi's concept of the al-iman al-kamil, the Perfect Individual. The Introduction provides a definition of Sufism, and it situates Ibn al-'Arabi's thought within the broader context of the philosophy of perfection. Chapter One discusses the transformative knowledge of the Perfect Individual. It analyzes the relationship between reason, revelation, and intuition, and the different roles they play within Islam, Islamic philosophy, and Sufism. Chapter Two discusses the ontological and metaphysical importance of the Perfect Individual, exploring the importance of perfection within existence by looking at the relationship the Perfect Individual has with God and the world, the eternal and non-eternal. In Chapter Three the physical manifestations of the Perfect Individual and their relationship to the Prophet Muhammad are analyzed. It explores the Perfect Individual's roles as Prophet, Saint, and Seal. The final chapter compares Ibn al-'Arabi's Perfect Individual to Sir Muhammad Iqbal's in order to analyze the different ways perfect action can be conceptualized. It analyzes the relationship between freedom and action.