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Saturday, 17th May 2008

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Universities to set up research centres for Islamic studies



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TWO of Britain's top universities are to create research centres for Islamic studies.
The move by Edinburgh and Cambridge universities is funded by a £16 million endowment from Prince Alwaleed bin Abdulaziz Alsaud, chairman of the philanthropic organisation, the Kingdom Foundation.

The new centres will aim to carry out research and public engagements designed to increase understanding between the Muslim world and the West.

The agreement was formalised at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace yesterday.

Professor Carole Hillenbrand, head of the department of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies at Edinburgh, said: "The centre will ensure Edinburgh's place as a world-class resource for expertise on Islam in the modern world."





The full article contains 119 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 07 May 2008 10:12 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

Truely English,

08/05/2008 09:06:02
Why?
2

John S,

08/05/2008 11:12:36
Why not a reciprocal center in Saudi Arabia to increase understanding between the Christian world and the Islamic world ?
3

Donald, Edinburgh,

08/05/2008 11:45:49
#1 and #2 - yes quite right - why should we learn anything about that sort of thing. We already know everything we need to know about Islam.
4

danielrober,

08/05/2008 12:05:49
Exellent. I spend a lot of time down here in London addressing this growing 'perceavied difference' between the west and islam. We both have almost identical points of view.

Good solid research is needed in this area.

P.S. i'm a Christian and I work/trade with Islamic guys with no problems. Never had had a problem.
5

FLUB,

a rocky outcrop in eastern central Scotland 08/05/2008 12:32:25
#1 Why not? #2 That there isn't a 'reciprocal'centre in Saudi Arabia, is their problem, not ours.

There doesn't have to be quid pro quo for everything. There's nothing wrong in studying subjects such as Islam with the knowledgeable who can assist you to form your own opinion.

They're not there to accrue converts; to close your mind to the reception of other influences can be to your detriment. This is not a requirement to accept that this way is right, all others are wrong. It's not the Vatican!

Remember, Islam is an invented religion, some 600 years later than Christianity. In about 1000 years, Mormonism, which is also an invented religion, dating from about 170 years or so ago, will in all probability be in the same position Islam is now.

Ta, ta.
6

zeno,

www.thinkhumanism.com 08/05/2008 12:37:53
"Islam is an invented religion"

Is there any other kind?
7

John S,

08/05/2008 13:01:29
#2 There is plenty of information about Islam on the internet look up jiziya (poll tax), Taqiya and Muta'a etc you can also read the Koran on the internet.
#5 Surely a center for Christian studies in Riyadh would help bring about a better understanding in Saudi Arabia where Christianity is illegal and practice of the religion is strictly forbidden and results in severe punishments.
Saudi Arabia spends millions each year disseminating Islamic teachings around the world.
8

Stuart Hartill,

Isle of Man 08/05/2008 13:56:27
Am I the only one to notice that, rather amusingly, the (presumably Saudi run)foundation behind this shares a name with another organisation (possibly US centred)which appears to have as a goal Christian evangelisation, particularly in non-Christian countries?
9

The Black Douglas,

Scotland 08/05/2008 17:59:17
This is dangerous.

Saudi oil money is used to spread Islam and their own sect Wahhabism throughout the western world. They fund the maddrassas which seem muslims throughout all the world travel to learn in. Saudi Arabia is also the birthplace of Osama Bin Laden who you may have heard of.

Isn't a bit strange as part of the governments policy of trying to get rid of 'external influences' of Islam in the UK that they ok this?

Expect a lot more muslims being radicalised.



10

The Black Douglas,

Scotland 08/05/2008 18:16:25
I recall watching a programme a wee while back about how Saudi money was used in the Balkans in the nineties in the hope of spreading Wahhabism, got a few links:

http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0324/p01s01-woeu.html

http://www.international.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=4235

11

R. Atkinson,

NYC 08/05/2008 18:20:22
To all the Islam haters - to defeat your enemy you must know your enemy. What better way to know your enemy than to have the best minds at the best universities study them? The enemy has spent decades studying us - so much so that they can speak our language fluently and hide in our culture. How many of us can go to the Middle East and do the same? Don't let your hate blind you.
12

danielrober,

08/05/2008 18:28:20
I'd just print out these comments for a good starting place for a negativity study.
13

The Black Douglas,

Scotland 08/05/2008 18:49:07
#12

Wonder what your comment would be if it was a Christian evangelical charity?
14

Truely English,

08/05/2008 19:05:31
Why increase the Muslim influence in any part of Britain when you consider that any Muslim who converts to Christianity in a Muslim country can be a legitimate target for death by anyone and they get of with it. Indeed such an act is applauded.
15

D. Hume,

Edinburgh 08/05/2008 20:27:16
The birthplace of the Enlightenment.

The irony.

To have this distasteful belief system propagating in our home soil. How dare you. Take your dirty money (literally) and cram it mate. Any person of reason, of which there are many in Edinburgh, will protest and lobby the University. Or they OUGHT to.

This misogynistic, narrow minded, violent, homophobic, two faced, disgusting cancer should be stamped on, and hard.

While we are at it, Christianity too. Mind you, how many Christian extremists do you see going around repressing women, targeting innocent civilians and generally acting like medieval cowards, incapable of fighting like a real man?

Not many.

I am disgusted. HOW DARE YOU SULLY MY COUNTRY WITH YOUR VILE, PUTRID FILTH OF A BELIEF.

I do not care to know my enemy - we know enough to know this cancer is metastasising. I feel reason and logic need to step in, and scientifically excise it.
16

danielrober,

08/05/2008 21:59:03
13 The Black Douglas

I'd say the same, as I respect philosphy. Sure we all know the jokes, but seeking an answer in the world is natural. I don't think Christians, Hindi, Buddhist or the Atheist, have a problem with Islam. The ones threatened by Islam are the Nilists.
17

truthsleuth,

10/05/2008 01:21:45
#11 R. Atkinson,

You have the situation a little mixed up
As I see it there are thousands/millions of muslims in the uk and they are free to prectice their religion without fear of hindrance and rightly so and they know it.
This can hardly be said of ANY Muslim country.

 

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