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.

The article discusses a new Iranian film that will depict the life of Christ from an Islamic perspective. The film is entitled ’God’s spirit,’ and is considered to be an Islamic response to Mel Gibson’s ’Passion of the Christ.’

Two truths mentioned in the Qur’an that form Islam’s stand towards other religions. First, there is an objective unity between Islam and other revealed religions. Second, the Qur’an does not mention any religion, whether revealed or not, in a negative way.

Egyptian literature has witnessed several religious debates. The article presents an example of these debates and sheds light on the first novel on the human values of the Crucifixion, written by a Muslim Egyptian entitled, ‘Qariyah Zālimah’ [Unjust Village].

When Pope John Paul II paid a historic visit to Syria in 2001, he entered the Umayyad Mosque, where Muslims used to head right and Christians used to head left for prayer during the 7th century.

In the following interview, Muslim thinker Nasr Hāmid Abū Zayd discusses the present Islamic discourse, he refers to the history of the Islamic reformation in the 20^th century and points out the current defects. Abū Zayd also tackles the problems of Egyptian society and the Azhar’s relationship with the government.

The author argues that the concept of jihad does exist in Christianity and Judaism as it exists in Islam. She even tries to give the impression that jihad in the sense of killing and violence is not the basic form of Jihad in Islam while it is as such in Christianity and Judaism.

Ahmad Deedat, a South African-born Muslim preacher is the author of the famous and controversial book Crucifixion or Crucifiction? His very controversial debates with Revd. James Swaggart in the 1980s are also very well known.

In this article, Pope Shenouda gives a full-length study of the Qur´an´s perception of Christianity, the Gospel, Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary. He says that the Qur´an proves the authenticity of the Holy Bible. It also speaks very highly of Jesus Christ. It describes Him as the “Word of God and from His Spirit.”

As soon as “The Passions of the Christ” was released in the U.S., the Israeli Knesset called for banning the film from being shown in Israel.