Arab West Report Egyptian press summaries and media research for dialogue

Muslim scholars attending the First World Conference, which dealt with Saudi Arabia's efforts to serve Islamic issues, have called for a united Arab and Islamic effort regarding Arab issues.

The conference praised Saudi Arabia's role in establishing an international center to combat terrorism, as well as the Saudi media's role in propagating Islam and correcting its image.

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.

Geert Wilders’ film ’Fitná is a nuclear bomb that creates fear of Islam, but in a civilized way.

In an interview with Mahmūd ‘Īsá, Muslim thinker Jamāl al-Bannā elaborates on many of his controversial stances and honors the Qur’ān as the only authentic point of reference for Muslims. He also declares that the divine influence of the Qur’ān is not in the human interpretation of the Qur’ānic verses, but in the influence that the word of God itself has on the listener.

A book entitled, ’al-Ightiyālāt fī al-Islām: Ightiyāl al-Sahābah wa al-Tābi‘īn [Assassinations in Islam: Assassinations of the Prophet’s Companions and Followers] describes the assassinations of significant figures in the early years of Islam.

Subḥī Shabānah reports that the Saudi authorities have revealed that security managed to arrest non-Muslims who applied for pilgrimage visas from neighboring countries with aim of sneaking into Mecca and Medina to carry out criminal acts such as stealing and pick pocketing, making use of the crowd in pilgrimage areas.

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.

In his interview with Sanā’ al-Sa‘īd, Pope Shenouda does not expect a quick solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict without first achieving Arabic harmony. He also discussed issues related to U.S. aid, foreign interference, the Iranian case, illegal emigration, and other Egypt-related issues.

Jamāl al-Bannā reviews the contents of a Web site of a Sudanese Muslim scholar who belongs to the Qur’anis Group. The Sudanese scholar refuted the teaching of a book that belonged to a member of the ‘Sunnah Supporters’ group which affirmed that the Prophetic Sunnah is as important to Muslims as the Qur’ān.

The article reviews a study performed by the former Azhar professor Dr. Ahmad Subḥī Manṣūr, that tries to prove that Islam does not recognize the concept of Ḥadd al-riddah.