Arab West Report Egyptian press summaries and media research for dialogue

Drs. Hulsman and Dr. Burslem provide a detailed report on Muslim-Christian relations based on a review of Dr. Hugh Goddard’s book, commenting on a number of issues including Western perceptions, mis-interpretations, and examples of recent incidents involving Muslims and Christians.

Prof. Andreas van Agt explained great changes in the cultural

climate of north-western Europe in the pasty decades, becoming more hostile to religion and certainly not only Islām.

Muslims needs to understand those changes in order to be able to respond better to European critique on Islām and the

Muslim world.

The article explores the history of the Bedouin nomads,

specifically the impact that their presence, settlements, traditions and lifestyle have had throughout the Middle

East.

Transcript of a speech presented by William Dalrymple at the American

University in Cairo, highlighting his experiences traveling to Christian Holy sites throughout the Middle

East, as

well as his personal interpretation of political Islām. He includes references to both historical

and present day

political developments, and the relations between Muslims and Christians in the Middle

East. The text in AWR is

introduced by Drs. Cornelis Hulsman.

In this article Bishop Yohanna Qulta gives an overview of the history of the Crusader wars. He expressed the opinion that in order to study the history of the Crusades, we have to remove Islam and Christianity as motives for them because, they were not directed at Islam although they were fought against Muslim countries.

The author comments on the conditions of Muslims in Spain, the first mosque to be established in Granada five centuries after Muslims were driven out of Spain. There are 200,000 Muslims in Spain, including many new converts to Islam. Some examples of new Muslims are given.

The article recounts the story behind the establishment of the first mosque built by Muslims of Spain and not immigrants.

It is now five centuries since Islam left Andalusia and the last king of Granada, Abu ‘Abd Allāh Muhammad Ibn ‘Alī, surrendered power and left the country in return for money.

The writer expressed his displeasure about the fact that the Pope of the Vatican, on his visit to Damascus, ignored apologizing to the Muslims about the terrible things the Crusaders did to them. What makes the matter worse is that he apologized to the Orthodox [Christians]in Athens one day before visiting Syrian countries.