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Critical Thought and the Future of Islam
Ziauddin Sardar explores the development of critical thought throughout Islamic history, from the Prophet's farewell sermon to the works of Ibn Rushd to modern intellectual platforms, including Sardar's new journal, Critical Muslim...Read More
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From the Desk Of
John L. Esposito
Dear Reader:
The rise of Salafist political parties in the wake of the Arab Spring has raised many questions about their ability to function in a democracy. Who are the Salafists, and how significant are their numbers and impact on their societies?... Read full letter
| Full screen mode | Side-by-side view of two Qur'anic texts | Concordance |
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| View each chapter, or jump to any location in the Qur'an. | Compare and contrast two translations of the Qur'an, line by line. | Find the context for almost any word in the Qur'an. |
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What's New
- 31 articles from The Oxford Encyclopedia of Islam and Women
- 16 articles from The Oxford Encyclopedia of Islam and Politics
- 16 primary source documents
- New hyperlinked tables of contents for the major reference works on OISO
- Regional update with 9 articles focusing specifically on West Africa
- Lesson plans on Political Islam and Islam in South Asia
- A new Arab Spring article on Qatar's complex role in the revolutionary movements
- New Focus On discussing critical thought in the history of Islam
- Visit the What's New page for more details
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Feature
The Arab Spring
In this new series of scholarly and journalistic articles, guest contributors explore the major issues surrounding the Arab Spring, from religious discourse to political developments to cultural and artistic expressions. In the latest edition, Allen Fromherz (Georgia State University) discusses the role that tiny Qatar has played in some of the most important developments of this new era of revolution and democratic reform...Read more
An Interview with Zainah Anwar
In the latest of OISO's new interview series, Chrystie Swiney (The College of William and Mary) discusses human rights with Zainah Anwar, a Malaysian feminist and cofounder of the Muslim women's group Sisters in Islam...Read more
Regional Spotlight: West Africa
OISO has expanded its coverage of West Africa with new articles written by renowned scholars and edited by Benjamin Soares and Rüdiger Seesemann, including Islamic Education in Côte d’Ivoire/Ivory Coast (by Marie Nathalie LeBlanc and Issouf Binaté), Islam and Politics in the Gambia (by Marloes Janson), the organization Tablīgh-i Jamāʿat (by Marloes Janson), Islamic judge Abubakar Gumi (by Alexander Thurston), Sharia in Nigeria (by Philip Ostien), the religious leader Yacouba Sylla (by Sean Hanretta), Ahmadiyya (by John H. Hanson), Shiʿi Islam (by Mara A. Leichtman), and the activist Ibrahim El-Zakzaky (by Andrea Brigaglia). View the full list here.
What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam, Second Edition
Here is a fast, centralized path to John Esposito's updated guide to Muslim faith, customs, and political beliefs, based on questions Esposito has been asked by a diverse range of audiences...Read more
What's Inside
Nearly 6000 entries from esteemed Oxford works, including the recently published Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World, and more
Primary Source documents with editorial commentary provide historical context for important events and major figures in the history of Islam.
Learning Resources include thematic guides, lesson plans, bibliographies, a glossary, and other useful tools.
Images and Maps provide visual perspectives on global Islam and its historical development.
