bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Special Features of the Contemporary Biogens Runoff Formation in the Central Part of the Russian Plain
Authors:   S.V. Dolgov, N.I. Koronkevich, E.A. Barabanova
Published: April 2020

An attempt to evaluate the diffuse removal of mineral nitrogen and phosphorus from river catchments in the central part of the Russian Plain has been made. A rough esti-mate of the annual water-biogenic balance for the Linda and Kudma river catchments, which are the tributaries of the Cheboksary reservoir, and river catchments of the Kursk region is presented. It is shown that the diffuse removal of biogens from river catchments exceeds their removal into water bodies with wastewater, and in recent years (2008–2018) it reached 75–95 %. Along with the surface component of the runoff, the contribution of underground runoff and precipitation to this process is estimated. It is found that on the catchment area of the lateral tributary of the Cheboksary reservoir, the natural component in the diffuse removal of nutrients predominates comprising 55–75 % and more their total removal. Due to the intensive anthropogenic load in the Kursk region, the natural supply of biogens to the river catchments (30% nitrogen and 5% phosphorus) is much less than their anthropogenic input. The livestock business, poultry farming, urban areas (including the road network) and fertilization are the most significant sources of anthropogenic nutrient input. Resent chang-ers in nitrogen and phosphorus removal from river catchments are assessed. They have oc-curred mainly due to climatic changes in the water balance – due to decrease in the surface slope runoff and due to increase in the runoff of infiltration origin (underground runoff and vekhovodka). Annual biogens export from the Linda and Kudma river catchments has in-creased significantly (by 20–30 %). At the same time in the Kursk region, due to a reduction in the annual river flow (by 30–40 %), nutrient removal has decreased.
The Anthropogenic and Natural Factors’ Impact on Water Quality in Cooling Pools (the Lake Gusinoye as a Study Case)
Authors:   A.N. Lukyanova, O.N. Lukyanova, L.E. Yefimova, V.A. Yefimov
Published: April 2020

The materials of the expedition of the Faculty of Geography of Moscow State University on Lake Gusinoye in August 2019 made it possible to assess the hydrological structure of the lake, the distribution of the flow of the main tributaries and wastewater from the Gusinoozerskaya state district power station. An analysis of the distribution of the chemical components and nutrients showed that dynamic mixing plays a significant role in the lake regime. The increase in the content of nutrients and mineralization components is insignificant and is determined by the flow of municipal sewage from settlements, from former quarries and mines, and mineralized groundwater.
Regularities and Factors of Formation of Winter Hydro/chemical Regime of the Uglich Reservoir
Authors:   I.L.  Grigoryeva
Published: April 2020

The article presents the results of the study of the winter hydro/chemical regime of the Uglich reservoir which is the second stage of the Volga-Kama cascade of reservoirs. In winter period the main influence on the formation of the hydrochemical regime of the Uglich reservoir is exerted by water coming from the Ivankovsk reservoir which located upstream. It was found that water in the reservoir is hydrocarbonate, mineralization varies from 243 to 351 mg per liter, calcium and magnesium concentrations reach 60.9 and 17.5 mg per liter. Concentrations of mineral phosphorus in the reservoir are 0.043–0.076 mg per liter, total gross phosphorus in the upper relief of the Uglich HPP reach 0.138 mg per liter, nitrate concentrations are 0.14–0.84 mg per liter.The main indicators of hydro/chemical regime of the Uglich reservoir have spatio-temporal variability. Its change from year to year, as well as from target to target. Global climate changes have not yet had a significant impact on the winter hydro/chemical regime of the reservoir.
Landscape/ecological Modeling of Water Balance of the Western Siberia Southeast
Authors:   A.O. Eliseyev, S.G. Kopysov
Published: April 2020

The article presents the technique of landscape ecological modeling of water bal-ance for the Southeast of Western Siberia. This technique enables to assess the impact of dif-ferent types of land use on the structure of the water balance. For all elements of the landscape that make up the catchment area, i.e. surface complexes, characterized by their physical and geographical conditions, the main of them are the following: climate, topography, soil and veg-etation. The combination of these conditions determines the features of structure of the water balance and hydrological regime of the territory. Knowledge of the structure of the water bal-ance gives us an idea of the possibilities of using water resources of different geographical zones. In modelling we used the genetic method of flow formation, or the method of hydrolog-ical-climatic calculations (HCC) developed by V. S. Mezentsev implemented on the basis of landscape-hydrological approach in public geographic information system (GIS). The initial data for modeling are the following: digital terrain model, satellite sensing data and climatic characteristics. The system of equations of the HCC method describes the processes of forma-tion of local climatic elementary runoff, changes in soil moisture and evaporation from the surface of catchments with the accuracy, which is sufficient for many practical purposes. In this method, the physical and geographical factors of flow formation are taken into account by the parameter n (reflects the influence of landscape conditions) and r (characterizes the ability of the soil to supply moisture to the evaporating surface and spend it on evaporation).
A Philosophical Critique of Nationalism
Authors: Kausar Zeenath
Published: April 2020

In this paper, I explore Iqbal’s views on nationalism, not only in the context of the Indian subcontinent but also in general terms as well. I contend that Iqbal’s political philosophy is mainly inspired by the Islamic concept of tawhid. His profound reflections on the unity of life, the unity of the Islamic ummah, and the unity of humanity based upon the concept of tawhid strike the root of secularism and nationalism. His philosophy of “self” (khudi) and his conception of the Islamic social order also are discussed briefly in order to elucidate some of his views on humanity and the Islamic mission, which stand in complete contradiction to nationalism.
The Politics of Symbols and the Symbolization of 9/11
Authors: Choudhury Enamul
Published: April 2020

The responses to 9/11 are conferring symbolic meaning on the facts of 9/11. The transformation follows the general pattern of symbolic politics. In the process, Islam is implicated, by default, through three interconnected issues that are driving the discourse of 9/11: global security, the imperatives of modernity, and the reassessment of Islam. Islam is symbolized either in terms of a politics of confrontation or of cooptation. What is left out is the self-understanding of Islam. Contrary to the conventional opinion that Islam as a religion is not at issue, the very meaning of Islam is at stake in the politics of symbols.
Justifying Islamophobia
Authors: Allen Christopher
Published: April 2020

Immediately prior to the events of 9/11, the United Nations (UN) officially recognized the proliferating climate of anti- Muslim and anti-Islamic prejudice, discrimination, and hatred –Islamophobia – as being as equally repellent and unwanted as anti-Semitism and other global discriminatory phenomena. The 9/11 tragedy, however, somewhat overshadowed this recognition, resulting in the continued proliferation of anti-Muslim and anti-Islamic sentiment and expression. This study explores how and why Islamophobia was manifested following 9/11, contextualizes how elite voices across British and European societies have considered Islamophobia to be fair and justified. In considering the wider findings of the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia’s monitoring of Islamophobia, this study explores how “visual identifiers” have underpinned changes in attitude and reactions to Muslims across the fifteen European Union (EU) member nations at a largely pan-European level. The second section develops these ideas, analyzing three of the report’s primary themes – Muslim visuality, political landscapes (incorporating institutional political elites as well as grassroots politics), and the media – each one approached from the perspective of the United Kingdom. This study concludes by suggesting that 9/11 has made Islamophobia more acceptable, which has enabled its expressions, inferences, and manifestations to locate a newer and possibly more prevalent societal resonance and acceptability. Ultimately, this new development goes some way to justifying Islamophobia and negating the UN’s recognition of this problem.
Rituals, Ideals, and Reading the Qur’an
Authors: Sayyid S.
Published: April 2020

This article discusses the role of the Qur’anic text in a Muslim’s life and why it should be viewed as a non-linear text designed to guide humanity, rather than as the foundation for a political order or a set of iron-clad laws for ruling a society.
The Time Value of Money Concept in Islamic Finance
Authors: Ahmad Abu Umar Faruq , Hassan M. Kabir
Published: April 2020

The time value of money is a basic investment concept and a basic element in the conventional theory of finance. The Shari`ah does not rule out this consideration, for it does not prohibit any increment in a loan given to cover the price of a commodity in any sale contract to be paid at a future date. What is prohibited, however, is making money’s time value an element of any lending relationship that considers it to have a predetermined value. Here, the Shari`ah requires that a loan be due in the same currency in which it was given. The value (i.e., purchasing power) of paper currencies varies due to changes in many variables over which the two parties of a loan contract usually have no control. This study examines possible modus operandi of time valuation according to the Shari`ah’s precepts vis-à-vis the concept of money, and whether any value can be attributed to time while considering money’s value. For this purpose, it investigates the juristic views on such relevant issues as the permissibility of difference between a commodity’s cash and credit prices and an increase and reduction of the loan’s amount in return for early repayment.
Comparative Religion in Medieval Muslim Literature
Authors: Latief Hillman
Published: April 2020

This article investigates medieval Muslim literature on the study of non-Islamic religions through the writings of al-Biruni and al-Shahrastani in their dealing with Hind (India) and the nomenclature of world religions. I focus on their perceptions of monotheism and polytheism. My findings show that they used different approaches, categories, and classification models of world religious traditions in general, and of Hind’s religious traditions in particular. Al-Biruni classifies Indian religions according to the religious outlooks found in Hindu texts or sayings of Hindu philosophers/theologians and in the attitudes of ordinary people in a popular context. Al-Shahrastani categorizes the divisions and subdivisions of Hindu beliefs and practices according to types of “idol worshippers.” This article points out that they dealt with some conceptual issues in their presentations, such as “religious representation,” “intermediaries,” and “anthropomorphism.”
Liberal Islam
Authors: Ali Muhammad Mumtaz
Published: April 2020

In recent years, the focus of research and public perception has been on liberal, moderate, and modernist Islam. Liberal Islam advocates liberal solutions to the problems of religion and society, namely, interpretations of Islam that have a special concern for democracy, women’s rights and empowerment, freedom of thought, and other contemporary issues. Its adherents also forcefully assert that liberal Islam is authentic, not just merely a western creation, and therefore genuinely reflects the true Islamic tradition. In addition, they claim that the ummah (the Muslim world) should think and act in terms of adoption, reconciliation, and accommodation vis-à-vis the West to solve its problem of continuing undevelopment. I contend that the liberal perception and prescription are unrealistic and imaginative, that they contain inherent weaknesses, and that the liberal prescription is irrelevant to the ummah’s development.
The Consolidation and Spread of Islam in South Africa
Authors: Dadoo Yousuf
Published: April 2020

Much has been written about Islam’s advent, entrenchment, and spread in specific regions of South Africa, and other writings cover its advent over the entire country. And yet no sufficient academic scrutiny of factors that have contributed to its consolidation and spread in recent times has been undertaken. By researching this issue, the problems and challenges confronting Islam at present and in the foreseeable future will be better appreciated. After presenting a brief synopsis of Islam’s advent South Africa, I assess how it was consolidated and then tackle its spread while underscoring specific successes and failures. Where necessary, the names of individuals are mentioned. The divergent nature of Islamic faith and practice is constantly stressed. The topic is a fascinating field of study in which sometimes contradictory forces strive for hegemony. Finally, a possible solution to this problem is presented.
Shariacracy and Federal Models in the Era of Globalization
Authors: Mazrui Ali M.
Published: April 2020

Nigeria has Africa’s largest concentration of Muslims and the world’s largest concentration of black Muslims. As the twenty first century began to unfold, more Muslim states in the Nigerian federation adopted some version of Islamic law, although the country as a whole is supposed to be secularist. The Shari`ah in northern Nigeria, which became a passionate protest against the political and economic marginalization of northern Muslims, is also sometimes a form of cultural resistance to western education and the wider forces of globalization. One systemic problem posed by shariacracy as a mode of governance is whether a federal system can accommodate theocracy at the state level and still be a secular state at a federal level. Nigeria has a religious form of asymmetrical federalism that contrasts with the linguistic form of asymmetrical federalism successfully practiced in Switzerland.
Emerging and Challenging Voices in the House of Islam
Authors: Haron Muhammed
Published: April 2020

South African Islam has always been associated with the Cape Malay and Indian communities throughout the twentieth century. As a consequence, Islam as a religious tradition was seldom associated with other ethnic groups. Toward the end of apartheid and during the era of democracy there has been tangible evidence of its growth among African ethnic communities. This essay, which looks at this phenomenon from roughly 1961-2001, reflects upon South African Muslims’ demographics with special focus on the African Muslim communities and analyzes the position of African Muslims alongside their coreligionists by concentrating on randomly selected case studies. I seek to demonstrate how certain representatives from the selected communities, via internal developments and external influences, have had significant input in terms of changing the face of Islam in southern Africa. The essay is prefaced by a theoretical frame designed to assist in understanding the development of an African Muslim identity and the emergence of an African Muslim community.
When Words Collide
Authors: Farouk-Alli Aslam
Published: April 2020

The conflict between Islam and the West is rooted in contrasting worldviews that are informed by alternative moral underpinnings and differing existential implications. Furthermore, engagement between the Islamic and western paradigms is defined by imbalanced power relations in which the subaltern Islamic paradigm is pressured into conformance by the dominant western modernist paradigm. Using the issue of freedom of expression as an entry point, this article examines the contrasting cultural conduits that define each community by outlining the main tropes of their worldviews. It therefore attempts to suggest an alternative engagement between Islam and the West, one that emphasizes convergence over conflict.
Asserting Religious Text in the Modern World
Authors: Hashem Mazen
Published: April 2020

The khutbah delivered each Friday in mosques represents an important facet of the Muslims’ religious imagination. Islam, being an ultra-scriptural religion, requires that those who deliver this sermon, the khatib, engage in a wide range of creative handling of texts. The khutbah stands as concentric circles of belonging to a text-rooted religion and to the continuous realignment of those texts when addressing social reality; the khatib stands as an interpreter of lived experiences as well as a maker and shaper of such experiences. The quest of relevance in the khutbah is counterbalanced by the quest for authenticity. This discourse analysis study, which analyzes two years’ worth of khutbahs delivered in Southern California, focuses on three interrelated dimensions of khutbahs: how certain texts assert their authority, the different approaches to contextualizing the text, and how texts are reinterpreted in the face of the challenges of modernity.
Ibn Taymiyya’s Criticism of Aristotelian Definition
Authors: Rayan Sobhi
Published: April 2020

Aristotle wrote of two “points of definition”: one posited in negative and the other in positive terms. The negative formulation argues that concepts can be comprehended only through definition, while the positive point stresses the consequences of definition by focusing on the benefits to the sciences achieved through those “concepts.” Ibn Taymiyya criticizes these ideas on the grounds that definition neither necessarily leads to the revelation of the facts and truths of things and their quiddities, nor does it necessarily help in developing the sciences. We notice that his main criticism is directed at specific metaphysical elements of definition, such as genus, species, differences (differentia/ divisions), quiddity, and universality. He argues that these elements are purely mental and do not necessarily correspond to existence. Ibn Taymiyya differentiates between metaphysics and the concrete physical world for, in his opinion, not all that comes to mind necessarily corresponds to existing objects in the concrete physical world. Therefore, human knowledge should be established on concrete rules subject to experiment. He therefore refutes the logic of quiddity, which depends upon pure intellect, and calls for an experimental logic devoid of metaphysics.
Islamization of Knowledge
Authors: Siddiqi Mohammad Nejatullah
Published: April 2020

The assumptions on which the Islamization of knowledge project was linked to the movement for restoration of Islam to a position of leadership and dominance in contemporary society may not have all been correct. Knowledge creation and beneficial use of new knowledge are two distinct though complementary processes. Each has its own requirement. Morality rooted in spirituality is decisive in ensuring that new knowledge is used beneficially. But creation of new knowledge requires freedoms of thought and discussion, encouragement of creativity and innovation, and toleration of dissent and diversity. It requires a mindset that can entertain ambiguity, one that does not hasten to discard potential spoilers of legacies long established as sacred ‒ requirements which the sponsors of the Islamization of knowledge project might have failed to give due weight. The project can be revived only by recognizing the primacy of expanding knowledge over the necessity of ensuring proper use of knowledge. It is in the nature of the first, expansion of knowledge (by creating new knowledge) that is universal. Differences of faith or moral vision, so important in the context of the second stage (putting knowledge to good use) need not stand in the way of cooperation and collaboration in the first stage. Have the sponsors of the Islamization project neglected this truth? What could be worse: have they abdicated the first step in their eagerness to do justice to the second? This paper concludes by inviting Islamization enthusiasts to join the rest of humanity in expanding knowledge, while simultaneously working for creating universal awareness of what makes use of knowledge beneficial and prevents the fatal error of allowing laissez-faire in the use of knowledge. I also argue that conceiving of knowledge as a tool for power and hegemony can be frustrating if not outright destructive. Last but not the least, we cannot know all that needs be known and, no less important, not everything is known with the same degree of certainty. Humility requires we recognize our limits. Ambiguity and a degree of uncertainty is built into the human situation. It cannot be wished away. Having adopted a humble stance, the way forward is to share the quest of knowledge and its proper use with all and everyone.
Issues in Muslim Liberal and Islamic Revivalist Thought
Authors: Ali Muhammad Mumtaz
Published: April 2020

This paper identifies and makes a comparative analysis of issues in Muslim liberalist and contemporary Islamic revivalist thought as seen and discussed by William Montgomery Watt and Yoginder Sikand. They consider Muslim liberalists thought as creative interpretations, which contribute constructively toward the development of Islamic thought; however, they maintain that Islamic revivalists demonstrate rigidity, idealism, and fundamentalism and cause the development of radical thought. In the first part of this article, a number of criticisms that have been raised by Watt and Sikand on behalf of Muslim liberalists against Islamic revivalists are critically analyzed, and the position of Islamic revivalists is clarified. The criticisms deal with the question of change, the worldview, the role of reason, and the stand of both groups with regard to secularism, nationalism, and religious pluralism, and lastly, the issue of politics and the Islamic state. The second part offers the issues that are seen as pertinent by the Islamic revivalists for the development of the Islamic Ummah for humanity. Finally, it is argued that the thought developed by Muslim liberalists is heavily influenced by liberalism and of guidance for civilizational development. Thus, this thought is rightly termed as Islamic revivalist thought.
Foundations of Islamic Antidrug Abuse Education
Authors: Idid Syed Zahir , Hashi Abdurezak A.
Published: April 2020

Among the basic objectives of the Islamic Shari‘ah is to protect the human life and human intellect ‒ as such, the consumption of mind-altering and intoxicative substances is prohibited in Islam. Furthermore, Islam imposes criminal penalties on those who consume intoxicative substances such as wine. Muslim jurists (fuqahā) have provided descriptive accounts on the foundations of the Islamic antidrug abuse teachings, categories of mind-altering substances, and preventive laws. They also identified three categories of mind-altering substances: al-muskirāt, al-mukhaddirāt, and al-muftiraāt. This paper aims to explore the rationale and jurisprudential foundations of Islamic antidrug abuse education. While highlighting the philosophical background of the Islamic antidrug teachings, the paper presents the jurisprudential foundations of the legal penalties for drug abusers. The Qur’ānic terms and the Prophetic statements related to the subject will be referred to, while the opinions of Muslim jurists and theologians on the subject will be unveiled.
Contemporary Islamic Educational Discourse and the Philosophy of Empowerment
Authors: Rahath Yousef , Hashim Rosnani
Published: April 2020

The central concern of this article is to examine the contemporary Islamic educational discourse from the perspective of the philosophy of empowerment. In line with this view, it proposes a new conceptual framework for empowerment in lieu of the traditional views, which consider empowerment in terms of infrastructural developments or shifting power from the powerful to the powerless. We suggest that empowerment should be viewed as a social process that helps people gain control over their lives by enabling them to act on issues important to them. Considered in this light, education that seeks to empower people must be a process that provides the fundamental freedom and resources to understand the world and grants the ability to change that world. Contemporary Islamic educational discourses are evaluated on this basis to determine to what extent Islamic educators are engaged with the idea of empowerment proposed in this article.
Muslim Women Stereotyped
Authors: Hamdan Amani
Published: April 2020

In this paper, I use global education theories and principles to deconstruct common myths regarding Muslim women and the Islamic treatment of women. This paper demonstrates how global education theory and principles can be used to deconstruct and reframe the myths and misconceptions perpetuated on Muslim women. The three major themes explored – female circumcision, polygamy, and subordination – are embedded in a single case and serve as a rich illustration of the usefulness of applying global education principles. They have been developed over the past thirty years to deconstruct and reframe western myths and misconceptions regarding Muslim women.
The Market Values of Islamic Banks and Ethical Identity
Authors: Rashid Mamunur , Hassan M. Kabir
Published: April 2020

Ethical identity refers to the set of guidelines that promote ethical practices within and by the organization. This concept is embedded in the Islamic teaching. This study examines the ethical identity of Islamic banks in Bangladesh, Malaysia, and the Arab Gulf region under eight distinctive dimensions to explore the difference between ideal and communicated ethical conducts via annual reports. This study’s findings reveal an immediate need to develop ethical identity disclosure requirements for Islamic banks. Other areas of special importance include focused social and developmental goals, putting the Shari‘ah strategically in the mission and vision statements, enhanced employee welfare policy, and effective Shari‘ah monitoring of banking operations.
A Comparative Exploration of the Spiritual Authority of the Awliyā’ in the Shi‘i and Sufi Traditions
Authors: Masterton Rebecca
Published: April 2020

This paper aims to engage in a critical comparison of the spiritual authority of the awliyā’ in the Shi‘i and Sufi traditions in order to examine an area of Islamic belief that remains unclearly defined. Similarities between Shi‘i and Sufi doctrine have long been noted, but little research has been conducted on how and why they developed. Taking a central tenet of both, walāyah, the paper discusses several of its key aspects as they appear recorded in Shi‘i ḥadīth collections and as they appear later in one of the earliest Sunni Sufi treatises. By extention, it seeks to explore the identity of the awliyā’ and their role in relation to the Twelve Imams. It also traces the reabsorption into Shi‘i culture of the Sufi definition of walāyah via two examples: the works of one branch of the Dhahabi order and those of Allamah Tabataba’i, a popular twentieth-century Iranian mystic and scholar.
Hassan al-Turabi’s Religious Discourse on Faith, Renewal, and Ijtihād
Authors: Hassan Gubara Said , Buaben Jabal M.
Published: April 2020

The role of Islamic intellectuals is not confined to elaborating on the religious ideology of Islam. Equally important is their role in setting this religious ideology against other ideologies, sharpening and clarifying their differences, and thereby developing and intensifying one’s commitment to Islam as a distinct, divinely based ideology. Islam, as both a religion and an ideology, simultaneously mobilizes and transforms, legitimizes and preserves. It can be an instrument of power, a source and a guarantee of its legitimacy, as well as a tool to be used in the political struggle among social classes. Islam can also present a challenge to authority whenever the religious movement questions the existing social order during times of crisis and raises a rival power, as the current situation in Sudan vividly demonstrates. Throughout his political career, Hassan al-Turabi has resorted to religious symbolism in his public discourse and/or Islamic rhetoric, which could often be inflammatory and heavily reliant upon the Qur’an. This is, in fact, the embodiment of the Islamic quest for an ideal alternative. Our paper focuses on this charismatic and pragmatic religio-political leader of Sudan and the key concepts of his religious discourse: faith (īmān), renewal (tajdīd), and ijtihād(rational, independent, and legal reasoning).
Islam and Multiculturalism in Europe
Authors: Davids Nuraan
Published: April 2020

Events such as New York’s 9/11, London’s 7/7, and Paris’ Charlie Hebdohave played dramatic roles in redirecting the focus of multiculturalism in liberal European democracies. Against a backdrop of the “failure of multiculturalism” or “multiculturalism in crisis,” liberal democracies continue to struggle and stumble in their efforts to accommodate minority groups, while simultaneously trying to sustain the primary good of the majority. One stumble appears to be the effort to “emancipate” and “democratize” Muslim women by regulating their dress code. In return, liberal democracies are accused of seeking to expunge their multicultural baggage by pursuing a particular orientation of integrationism, one that disregards selfunderstandings of religious and cultural particularities. By focusing upon this issue, this article explores why multiculturalism in Europe might be perceived as failing in its response to Muslims and Islam. In weighing the increasing levels of fear and insecurity among majority groups within a context of growing social marginalization among minority groups, I argue for a reinvocation of multiculturalism as a dialectical encounter. Such an encounter, based on mutual trust and respect, will lead to the equal citizenship necessary to counter the simmering alienation and skepticism that always threaten to undermine any notion of peaceful co-existence between majority and minority groups.
Derrida’s Shadow in the Light of Islamic Studies
Authors: Shafieyan Mahdi
Published: April 2020

Jacques Derrida believed that metaphysics in the West has involved installing hierarchies, orders, and binaries in which one party enjoys the presence of a feature that the other party wants. Every succession relies on the idea of originariness, and thus the identity of the latter depends upon the former, for the presence of one element takes priority to its absence. This is how a binary opposition comes to being. Although basing his ideas on Saussure’s philosophy of language, Derrida objected to the latter’s “binary opposition” on the grounds that the interpretations predicated on this thought were called into question because there is no true opposition between a pair of notions. This protest led him to create binary pairs. This article reveals the problems accompanying the conception of the binary pair and offer alternatives. The researcher does not mean to reject the binary pair itself; however, underlining this idea in a way that obstructs other paths will be questioned and some supplementary notions for the binary opposition and binary pair will be proposed.
The Politics of the Two Qiblahs and the Emergence of an Alternative Islamic Monotheism
Authors: Hamid Eltigani Abdelgadir
Published: April 2020

Changing the prayer direction from Makkah to Jerusalem and then back to Makkah was probably one of the first Muslim community’s most contentious incidents. Due to its being highlighted in Q. 2:142-44, it has aroused an unending debate among Muslim exegetes, jurists, and western historians as to why the qiblah was changed. Was it based on a divine command or Muhammad’s independent judgment, a move to dilute the Arabs’ emotional attachment to the Ka‘bah, or a move to win over Madinah’s Jewish community? Might it have been a throwback to the Abrahamic heritage, envisaged by the Prophet as a base for a wider, monolithic Islamic nationalism? This article seeks to closely examine and clarify the “qiblah literature” in an attempt to reveal the Ka‘bah’s role not only as a geographical locale but also as a spiritual magnet, and to find out whether this incident represented a break or a continuation of an earlier strategy of socio-religious change.
Islamic Law and Political Ideology
Authors: Shemer Nesya
Published: April 2020

This article suggests a new way of looking at the preeminent methodological principles informing the oeuvre of Yusuf al-Qaradawi, the greatest Muslim scholar of our generation, specificallywith regard to his rulings for and about Muslims living in Europe.The case study presented here is taken from the field of Muslimprayer law, a field that has to date been subjected to very little research.By comparing the discussions of classical Muslim scholarson the topic with the new interpretations proffered by al-Qaradawi,one can notice the process of change undergone by the Shari‘ahconcerning prayer under extraordinary circumstances from Islam’searly days down to the present. We can also see how his politicaloutlooks have influenced his ruling on this issue and the discussionthereof among Muslims who do not reside in the West.
On the Limitation and Openendedness of the Shari‘ah’s Necessary Universals
Authors: Yusuf AbdulHameed Badmas
Published: April 2020

The claim that the necessary universals (al-kullīyāt al-ḍarūrīyah) of the Shari‘ah are limited to five values (viz., religion, life, intellect, progeny, and property) is a subject of debate. Some scholars argue in favor of it, while others assert that this category should be open-ended. This argument started as early as the classical period and has, in the modern period, continued to elicit more divergentopinions. This study seeks to critically examine the viewpoints of various modern scholars/writers, especially those who oppose this limitation. It shall establish that these five values represent humanity’s basic needs perfectly. As such, other values that have been proposed can only be regarded either as means or as complements in relation to them.
A Pre-Modern Defense of the Hadiths on Sodomy
Authors: Brown Jonathan
Published: April 2020

This article provides an annotated translation of a treatise written by the famous scholar Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti (d. 911/1505) in defense of the hadiths condemning sodomy (liwāṭ). The article situates such a defense within the current discourse on Islam and homosexuality, summarizing the main arguments for and against the prohibition of liwāṭ as well as how the “traditionalist” and "Progressive” camps have constructed their arguments.This article provides an annotated translation of a treatise written by the famous scholar Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti (d. 911/1505) in defense of the hadiths condemning sodomy (liwāṭ). The article situates such a defense within the current discourse on Islam and homosexuality, summarizing the main arguments for and against the prohibition of liwāṭ as well as how the “traditionalist” and "Progressive” camps have constructed their arguments.
Can Islam Accommodate Homosexual Acts? Qur’anic Revisionism and the Case of Scott Kugle
Authors: Vaid Mobeen
Published: April 2020

Reformist authors in the West, most notably Scott Kugle, have called Islam’s prohibition of liwāṭ (sodomy) and other same-sex behavior into question. Kugle’s “Sexuality, Diversity, and Ethics in the Agenda of Progressive Muslims” (Progressive Muslims: 2003) and Homosexuality in Islam(2010) serve as the scholarly center for those who advocate sanctioning same-sex acts. Kugle traces the heritage of the Lot narrative’s exegesis to al-Tabari (d. 310/923), which, he contends, later exegetes came to regard as theologically axiomatic and thus beyond question. This study argues that Kugle’s critical methodological inconsistencies, misreading and misrepresentation of al-Tabari’s and other traditional works, as well as the anachronistic transposition of modern categories onto the classical sources, completely undermine his argument.
A Compassionate Pursuit of Justice: Towards a Religious Ethics of Care in a Time of Securitisation
Authors: Saeidi Shirin
Published: April 2020

Feminist theorizations of care have been central to feminist research practices. Nevertheless, this article argues that feminist theorizations of care have not addressed how a feminist committed to breaking down hierarchies between research participants and herself can carefully study ambiguous activism. By illuminating the similarities, overlaps, and differences between feminist and Islamic theorizations and practices of care and justice, this article forges an ethic of Islamic feminist research practice that supports the author’s investigation of a precarious movement—Iran’s Hezbollah. The article places feminist thought in conversation with the study of gender and religion, which is an urgent interdisciplinary task.
In Good Company
Authors: Khan Darakhshan Haroon
Published: April 2020

Women’s participation in the Tablīghī Jamā‘at, an Islamic reform movement launched in the 1920s that emphasizes personal piety, remains underexamined, impeded by the organization’s strict pardāh requirements but also by the popular perception that it is a body of male preachers. While there is no indication that its founder wanted women to play an active role in his movement, women were a part of the Jamāt a few decades later. This paper points to important twentieth-century shifts in the socio-economic configuration in north India that paved the way for women’s inclusion in the Jamāt. The mode of piety that evolved in this period was better suited to handle the stresses of the emerging salaried class, and it upheld the pious wife as an ideal companion for the pious man, underplaying the role of teachers and spiritual masters. This paper argues that the possibility of social and geographic mobility that changed the structure of the household and the texture of local communities also formulated a mode of piety that enabled women to perform da‘wā.
Authority and Identity in Medieval Islamic Historiography: Persian Histories from the Peripheries
Authors: Mancini-Lander Derek J.
Published: April 2020

Mimi Hanaoka’s Authority and Identity in Medieval Islamic Historiography offers an important and productive new perspective on the multifaceted identities and complex mentalities of elites in Persianate urban centers of the Islamic Middle Period. The book conducts a close study of a handful of Persian local histories from key urban localities of various sizes and geographic regions, which the author reads in comparison: Qum, Ṭabaristān, Bukhārā, Bayhaq, and Sīstān. The final chapter compares these with Anatolian histories.
Hadith: Muhammad’s Legacy in the Medieval and Modern World, 2nd ed.
Authors: Zayd Abu
Published: April 2020

The true measure of success for any written work is the attention it receives from its readers; the publication of subsequent editions is one such marker. The first publication of Jonathan Brown’s critically acclaimed textbook on ḥadīth placed the complex domain and vast tradition of Prophetic ḥadīth works, perhaps for the very first time, at the center of lay English readership. At long last, a work existed that bridged the deep gulf between contemporary academic studies and traditional Islamic scholarship, especially considering that nowhere is this rift deeper than in the field of ḥadīth studies. His work was appreciated across a variety of circles across faith and sectarian lines, and now the publication of the second edition bears testimony to the success it truly deserves.
The Arab Spring: The Hope and Reality of the Uprisings, 2nd ed. (Mark L. Haas and David W. Lesch (eds.))
Authors: Wani Nazar Ul Islam
Published: April 2020

The Arab Spring was a series of protests which took place in Arab countries against longstanding dictatorial regimes, because of the latter’s inability or refusal to deliver socio-economic and political justice to the common 99 masses. Protests spread like fire and made an impact not only on the governance of the Arab world but also internationally, by involving big players like Russia and the United States of America. Yet these events were intensely complicated, with multiple actors and layers of history involved in each country. The book under review here is one prodigious effort to understand the Arab Spring, considering causes and effects of the uprisings. Structurally, the book is divided into two parts. The first part, consisting of seven chapters, deals with the uprisings in Arab countries; part two, consisting of six chapters, discusses the impact of the Arab Spring on the non-Arab world and their core interests related to the uprisings.
The Muslim Brotherhood
Authors: Sofi Mohammad Dawood
Published: April 2020

The Muslim Brotherhood is considered to be the most significant and effective Islamic revivalist organization; or, in the words of Milton-Edwards, “a complex, far-reaching, and dynamic expression of contemporary Islamism” (188). Started as a movement to resist or oppose the Westernization of Muslim society, particularly Egyptian society, it spread quite rapidly within and beyond Egypt, inspiring a huge number of Muslims in various parts of the Muslim world and achieving, thus, the status of a global movement.
Research Handbook on Islamic Law and Society
Authors: Abdelgawwad Ossama
Published: April 2020

The premise of the adaptability, flexibility, and compatibility of Islamic normative teachings (sharīʿa) to new social contexts is already documented by many scholars, including John Bowen’s On British Islam: Religion, Law, and Everyday Practice in Shari‘a Councils and Michael G. Peletz’s Islamic Modern: Religious Courts and Cultural Politics in Malaysia. Unlike those works, this textbook is organized by theme which provides a unique contribution to our understanding of the overall function of contemporary Islamic law. Such an approach shows that the ‘right’ answer in one country is not necessarily the ‘right’ solution in another Muslim community, which explains the diverse application of Islamic law. The book challenges Wael Hallaq’s observation that the modern codification of Islamic law resulted in the absence of hermeneutical possibilities or led to a single mode of judicial application. Perhaps Hallaq’s proposition is accurate if we examine the function of Islamic law in a specific country. Nevertheless, the book provides concrete examples of the administrative and interpretive techniques of ‘neo-ijtihād’ today.

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The Budgetary Slack Practice in the Indonesian Taxation
Authors: Muktiyanto Ali , Hadiwidjaja Rini Dwiyani , Hartati Noorina
Published: April 2020

In the tax office, especially in achieving tax revenue targets, the budgetary slack practice plays an important role in increasing the tax revenue target. The performance of tax office is not effective to achieve the tax target and improve the revenue in Indonesian taxation system. The purpose of this study is to investigate the existence of budgetary slack in the context of Indonesian taxation and to find a correlation between budgetary slack and tax revenue. Even though it is rarely done, this study is also expected to be able to describe the existing budgetary slack and its role to motivate the realization of optimal tax revenues. The design of this study is quantitative through questionnaire from tax offices and civil servants from various tax offices and corresponding analysis of their respondents. The results of this study show that there is a significant negative effect of budgetary slack on tax revenues. The more budgetary slack practice occurs, the more it reduces the growth of tax revenue. This study concluded that all stakeholders in taxation use budgetary slack for motivation and control purposes and the tax authority must improve tax planning, estimates and predictions. Thus, tax offices must continue to increase their tax capacity regarding regulations, organization and governance, and human resources. The future research must include other variables besides budgetary slack that have the potential to affect tax revenues in Indonesia and must develop secondary data-based proxies to measure variables that affect tax revenues to anticipate difficulties in collecting primary data.
Simulation of Three-Phase Salient Pole Generator under Operating Conditions
Authors: Mukhlif Muayad A. , Mohammed Khalid G. , Keream Settar S. , Mahdi Sara S.
Published: April 2020

The three-phase synchronous generators are still the backbone of most electric power plants in the world. Many researchers still study synchronous generators in attempts to improve their performance and reduce losses in iron core, copper windings, friction ball bearings, and moments of inertia due to mass and rotor diameter. One of the important characteristics studied insynchronous generator behavior is the generator’svoltage regulation (VR%). Over the past century, researchers have developed four practical and mathematical methods to determine the value of the combined voltages of synchronous generators. This article describes a new method based on the impedance method, the magneto motive force (MMF) method, and the Potier method. The new method effectiveness evaluation is conducted via calculating the four methods and their application to a synchronous generator. The article also offers practical and theoretical recommendations to improve the results and increase flexibility in changing loads as their power factors change.
Image Encryption Based on Parallel Algorithm via Zigzag Manner with a New Chaotic System
Authors: Hussein Khalid Ali , Mehdi Sadiq A. , Hussein Salam Ayad
Published: April 2020

Information safety has become a vital issue and data encryption and decryption have lately been vastly researched and developed. There is a need for a powerful encryption and decryption which is very tough to crack, so cryptography plays a major role to fulfill these demands. Moreover, parallel algorithm is rapidly becoming cost and resource-efficient as a result of a unified approach to solve computer problems and wide-ranging problems encountered in applied sciences and engineering applications. In this paper, a parallel environment has been utilized to construct a new encryption system, based on involving the so-called 'zig-zag' ordering that is used in JPEG data compression. A new chaotic system of three dimensions will be produced to eliminate the common encryption systems problems.
The Motives for Applying Creative Accounting Methods and Their Impact on the Credibility of Financial Statements in Jordanian Hotels
Authors: Saleh Mousa Mohammad Abdullah , Jawabreh Omar A. A. , Alsarayreh Mohammad Nayef , Abu-Eker Enas Fakhry Mohammad , Jahmani Ashraf
Published: April 2020

This study explored the motives for applying creative accounting methods and their impact on the credibility of financial statements in Jordanian hotels. This study is an attempt to shed light on the motives for creative accounting in hotel management and their impact on the credibility of financial statements in hotels. To promote scientific and intellectual awareness of the creative accounting practices of investors and business owners. This could be done through holding seminars in trade unions and accounting associations for the purpose of raising awareness of investors and hotel management about these practices and attention by the accounting professionals of the Association of Jordanian Accountants and Auditors, the indicators of the practice of creative accounting methods. Tightening procedures on auditing the financial statements that can contain those indicators.