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The image of Arab Muslim's culture in the History textbooks in United Kingdom London. May 8, 2008 Meeting's report Prepared by Prof. Mustafa El Halougi and Prof. Mahmoud Al-Kholi The roundtable was organized by Egyptian Culture and Education bureau in London and the commission of study of the image of Arabic Islamic culture in school textbooks all over the world. The meeting was attended by: Prof. Maysa Farid counsellor Egyptian Cultural in London. - Dr. Albar De Souza UK National Commission for UNESCO - Prof. Mohamed Abu Laylah, Faculty of Languages and Translation, Al Azhar University and member of the commission. - Prof. Mustafa El Halougi , Faculty of Languages and Translation, Al Azhar University and assistant Secretary of the commission of study... - Prof. Mahmoud Al-Kholi, Cultural Attaché in London. - Mrs. Anne Breivik responsible for the English schools in UK National Commission for UNESCO - Mrs. Yvette Thomas, UK National Commission for UNESCO - Mrs. Naira Anton, Education officer, Council for Arab -British Understanding - A group of teachers in UK - Representative of Egyptian Community in UK Apologized for not attending Prof. Dr. Mohamed Abdul Halim Chief of department of Islamic Studies in SOAS and Prof. Dr. Michael Riley, University of Bath spa , also apologized the representative of British Ministry of Education and Jean Pierre Titz, Chief of History in the European Council, Education Sector, Mrs Ibtisam Ushi of the Arabic British Organization. They asked for the report of the meeting and a copy of the study. Prof. Maysa Farid welcomed attendees and then talked about the commission of study of the image of Arabic Islamic culture in school textbooks all over the world in Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education and praised the importance of understanding , the cooperation among the peoples and the importance of the students knowledge of culture and then introduced the researchers who presented the study. Prof. Mohammed Abu-Leila thanked the organizers and attendees and demanded to rectify the image of Islam in textbooks in the framework of dialogue and understanding between civilizations. As he warned of the dangerous of ignoring the other. He said that this study will help us in providing the right image for our culture. And he focused on the miss introducing of the Muslim women in textbooks using citations to some of these books. The Muslim women is respected in the Quran which address the men and women without discrimination and used some of the Quranic verses that mention the both with the word human . And added that the Koran is equal between men and women in the responsibility, rights and duties. In the same time Islam is interested in family when considered the man as father, a husband and a brother. As considered at the same time women as a wife a mother and a sister. Without any preference for men on women. He said that Islam holds man responsibility for spending on his wife and to his family and so-called custodianship which the Koran does not consider this responsibility as preference. And when the Quran gave women inherit half the share of men share, this does not mean they are less than men, but that was compared to shoulder the responsibility of the husband or brother spending on his sister or on his wife. Muslim women has a full right to retain her funds and control it. He draw the attendees attention that Islam gave special attention to one's inheritance and his/her right to control it and not allowed to any Muslim to recommend all his fundhand in order not to deprive relatives of this compassion and that unlike some Western laws that allow a person to recommend his funds for a project. He added saying that polygamy is allowed under some conditions and the only Quranic verse on the subject says, "But if you fear that you will not be Just, marry only one." And pointed out that many Muslim women were scientists and educated, and his called to compare the status of women before Islam- were considered as chattel- , and after Islam she became equal to men in rights and duties, as referred to the suffering of women in the world. Then he concluded by saying that he as a Muslim respects his mother who took care about him, and discusses with his wife in home issues and life. Prof. Mustafa Elhalougi thanked the organizers of the meeting as thanked attendees for their good cooperation, then he presented the objectives of the study which meant by correcting the image of the other's religion and culture, through studies and dialogue and delivery of studies to education officials and school publishing houses. As he emphasized the importance of teaching peace in schools to prepare students to be open to others in accordance with the principle of tolerance here, which means knowledge and mutual respect for the cultures to coexist in peace. He said students must learn in textbooks distinction between knowledge and belief. Such he addressed the objectives of the study on the image of Arab and Islamic culture in the USA textbooks to correct the errors that distort the image of Arab- Islamic culture. And he pointed out that the textbooks provide bright image of Islamic civilization. He said that the reasons for this progress is due to the principles of civilization, which are freedom, brotherhood, equality and cooperation, tolerance and peace and reliance on reason , science and work. All these principles are mentioned in the Koran. He presented also the negative image of Islam which existed in the British textbooks through out some of the conceptions such as: - Jihad which provides in most of the books as a holy war to spread or to defend Islam. - Islam as orders and prohibitions. - Prophet Muhammad as a war man - Status of Women in Islam. The researcher , here wondered , saying: Is it conceivable that a civilization flourished based on the principles of religion and it’s principles incompatible with the principles of civilization? And demanded the authors of textbooks to distinguish between the principles of religion and the behavior of extremists belonging to this religion or use religion for personal or political aims . The researcher attributed the errors to prejudiced misconceptions about Islam or not to rely on trusted sources, or jihad from the perspective of military or neglect textual contexts or historical, or geographical or social or political of any historical text or Quranic verse. the researcher dealt with one of the ex. Common mistakes and introduced the definition of jihad in Arabic and in the Quran and then the wrong definition in some textbooks that link jihad in Islam to terrorism. The greatest Jihad in Islam is self-defense to be a useful citizen to your society and your community, whether this community Muslim or non. Quranic verses states that the fighting to defend and not to attack "and fought in the name of God those who fight against you and do not transgress God loves not aggressors" No. 2 verse 190. And stated verse No. 256 in the same Sura, which prevents Muslims from forcing others to convert to Islam "no compulsion in religion." He said that the verses which ordered Muslims to fight on cases regarding defense or protection of waiting for an attack from the enemy or betray the peace agreement signed with Muslims, just as happened with the polytheists of Mecca. He said that this kind of jihad in Islam, known as the smaller jihad. And he provided some quotations from the textbooks that claim that jihad as holy war to spread Islam and linking Islam to terrorism and talked about the close relationship between Islam and peace and that peace is one of the names of God in Islam, which is - like Christianity and Judaism - innocent of the violence. And pointed out that some school publishers in France and in Greece corrected the erroneous definition of jihad in textbooks in recent editions following the completion of studies and discussions with education officials in those states. And asked attendees to ask the education officials to correct errors. As called attendees that the study does not diminish the efficiency and integrity of the authors of textbooks but this dialogue enriches our cultures. And exposure to the causes of errors due to understanding the Quranic verses out of context or rely on the wrong translation of the text or prejudgment or because of incorrect or incomplete and away from historical context , or because of the media campaign against Muslim extremists and confusion between Islam and extremism. As he pointed out that UNESCO , the European Council , the Arab League , ISESCO and the Swedish Institute in Alexandria, are now preparing a guide for correcting errors in European and Arabic textbooks. And warned attendees of the consequences of mistakes. He added that some Muslim students, especially those who leave school before the termination of the study and live on the margins of society may be exposed to fall easily into the hands of extremists and when they learn in school erroneous concept of jihad: holy war to spread or to defend Islam . He said that the world is waging a war against terrorism that kills thousands of innocent people, for that the school must teach the culture of peace and provide the right image to the other and to the other's culture and religion. The discussion has shown the agreements of the participants on the need to correct misconceptions and provide the Quranic verses or texts on their contexts . Prof. Maysa Farid posed a question: What is the image of Arabs and Muslims in English history textbooks? Participants agreed with the researchers in the fact that the image is distorted in some textbooks. Said one of the ladies: How can we correct these conceptions? One of the researchers answered: That should be through the dialogue and delivery the studies to those responsible for education and school publishers and give them detailed information about errors which lead to present Quranic verses out of their contexts or/and rely on faulty translation or giving prejudgment which dominate Europe since Crusade or because of the history of Ottoman Empire in Europe, or colonial history or because of the media campaign against Muslims extremists, and confusion between Islam and extremism. A teacher said that the textbook do no talk about women in Islamic history, but talking about women in Islam and is usually said to be behind the men. A teacher added that in England the British judges Muslim women of her clothes and way of dealing with their sons. One of the teachers intervenes saying: There is confusion between culture and Islam and to this misunderstanding happens. One of the researchers explained that some of the textbooks do not distinguish between Islam and the behavior of some Muslims. One participants said that the British do not differentiate between Arabs and the Muslims. A teachers added there is need to teach cultures in the Islamic countries and not only Islam as a culture on the basic view of the multiplicity of cultures in Islamic countries . One Egyptian living in England said that there is introducing week for all nations during the school year. Therefore the Muslims residing in England have to define their own cultures and religion because the British are not to be blamed for their misunderstanding, but the Muslims should shoe themselves in the right way and they have integrate into society while retaining their creed. One participant wondered: Why Muslims teachers do not take actions when they see some errors in textbooks? Then he answered the question saying: The people in charge of education and school publishers will respond to them. One of the participants suggested to print brochure by the correct concepts and to send them to schools and teachers and put them on the market. One of the participants alerted to the importance of informing teachers. A teacher demanded that the school publishers to consult specialists in Islamic studies about the Islamic information listed in their books. One teacher said to the attendees that the British authorities asked Saudi Arabia many years ago to correct some specific British information in the Saudi Arabia books and Saudi Arabia corrected it. Why British is not asked to do the same? One of the ladies suggested to focus on correcting the books and especially the most prevalent. One of the teachers added that reading about the Arabs and Muslims is increasing after September 11. One of the participant said that Islam in Egypt is different from Islam in Bangladesh and added one of the ladies: Other religions must be respected as well. A teacher pointed out that schools teach some right concepts since the last ten years and the school libraries have many Islamic books and it is allowed to wear veils and that British congratulate Muslims in the Muslims holidays and in Ramadan, the British sympathize with the children of young Muslims in Ramadan from hunger, but parents must make it clear that the child has food with him in his bag and can eat, but he wants to fast. The researchers said that the Islam is one and that Muslims believe in the pillars of Islam and faith and it must be distinguish between Islam and Islamic cultures which were influenced by cultural heritage of each country which had existed before Islam. And also must be differentiated between Islam and jurisprudential schools, which vary among the branches only. The researches and attendees asked Dr. Albar De Souza UK National Commission for UNESCO , Mrs. Anne Breivik responsible for the English schools in UK National Commission for UNESCO , Mrs. Yvette Thomas UK National Commission for UNESCO and Mrs. Naira Anton, Education officer, Council for Arab -British Understanding delivery the research to officials of the education and school publishers and follow correction of errors that distort the image of Arab Islamic culture in the textbooks in UK for coexistence in peace. One of the representatives of National Commission for UNESCO said that the National Commission is not able to change school curricula. The researchers responded : we ask the National Commission for UNESCO delivery the English studies to those responsible for education and school publishers and to follow the correction of mistakes through dialogue with officials and not to change curriculum because the problem lies in some textbooks which compromise the providing of the curriculum. And finally Prof. Maysa Farid thanked the participants in the meeting. After the meeting Prof. El Halougi phoned Prof. Dr. Mohamed AbdulHalim Chief of department of Islamic Studies in SOAS who apologized for not attending due to his participation in the conference held in Italy. He also emailed Dr. Michael Riley, University of Bath spa and member of The commission of study of the image of Arabic Islamic culture in school textbooks all over the world , that also apologized for not attending due to his participation in the UNESCO meeting in Paris. Dr. El Halougi asked professors Abdul- Halim and Riley to cooperate by contacting the officials in charge of education and the school publishers and also to send the research to them. Dr. Abdul-Halim in cooperation with the Egyptian Cultural bureau , promised to act. And Dr. Riley promised to send the research to the official in charge of education and to the one of the school publishing houses.