Arab West Report Egyptian press summaries and media research for dialogue

Muhammad al-Dusūkī Rushdī discusses Ahmad Didāt and Shaykh Kishk; two prominent figures in the field of inter-faith relations.

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.

Although it is common to attribute the phenomenon of religious extremism and terrorism to Muslims, the many incidents that have recently taken the world by surprise have not been related to Muslims. These incidents include the atrocities committed by Serbian Orthodox fundamentalists in the Balkans, Hindus in India and Jews in Palestine.

Dr. Sa‘d al-Dīn Ibrāhīm, chairman of Ibn Khaldūn Center for Development Studies reports on his paper that was presented to a conference that was held in Rome under the title: ’The Cross, the Crescent and the Ballot Box.’ Ibrāhīm’s paper discussed Islam and democracy. In the following lines Ibrāhīm refers to what he believes to be the Christian opposition of democracy at a certain period of time and foretells that the change that took place in the Catholic Church’s stance can also take place in Arab countries, asserting that the problem of democracy is not related to Islam but to the Arab identity and some Arab rulers.

A non-Muslim academic established an Islamic center in Oxford. The following lines present an interview with Dr. David George Browning in which he gives information about the center and the surrounding circumstances.

The author reports on news of the conduct of two different reports before the general prosecutor calling for the closure of the Ahmadiyya satellite channel MTA3, which is said to have been scorning religions and promoting sectarian sedition.

An opposition leader has reported against the minister of information, the shaykh of the Azhar, and the muftī for letting an Ahmadiyyah TV channel to be broadcast via Egypt’s official satellite Nile Sat.

Jundī highlights what he believes to be the difficult political reality of Egypt. After providing a historical background, he points out the defects and tries to suggest solutions.

The article discusses a recent meeting between King ‘Abd Allāh of Saudi Arabia, and Pope Benedict XVI, the first meeting of its kind, and the implications that this meeting has.

The author narrates a background history to the deteriorating situation of Christians in the East. He identifies the reasons behind this deterioration and discusses the origins of religious fundamentalism and the autocratic regimes in the Arab world.