Non-Muslims in Muslim Majority Societies: With Focus on the Middle East and Pakistan - Softcover

Ahlstrand, Kajsa; Gunner, Göran

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0718892445 ISBN 13: 9780718892449

Publisher: Lutterworth Press, 2011

Synopsis

In a world where almost all societies are multi-religious and multi-ethnic, we need to study how social cohesion can be achieved in different contexts. In some geographical areas, as in the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent, people of different religious belonging have, through the ages, lived side by side, sometimes in harmony and sometimes in dissonance. In other geographical regions, as in Scandinavia, societies have been quite religiously homogeneous but only recently challenged by immigration. The implication in both locations is that the relationship between religious minority and majority is on the agenda. In order to discuss the situation for Non-Muslims in Muslim majority societies, a consultation was convened with both Muslim and Christian participants from Pakistan, Palestine, Lebanon, and Sweden. Some of the participants work in academic settings, others in faith-based organizations, some in jurisprudence and others with theological issues. This book presents articles that discuss issues such as freedom of religion, minority rights, secular and religious legislation, and inter-religious dialogue in Muslim majority societies.

Table of Contents

"Contributors
Introduction -Kajsa Ahlstrand and Göran Gunner

1. The Status of Christians in the Islamic Worldview -Mustafa Abu Sway
2. The Problem of Jurisdiction in the Contemporary Nation-State -Jan Hjärpe
3. The Use of the Concept Minority: A Protection or a Burden in Relation to International Law -Göran Gunner
4. Non-Muslim in Middle Eastern Muslim Societies -Guirguis Ibrahim Saleh
5. Faith Based Organizations and the Configuration of Civil Society in the MENA-perspective -Johan Gärde
6. The Status of Non-Muslims in a Palestinian State -Bernard Sabella
7. Managing Christian-Muslim Relations in Pakistani Setting -Mehboob Sada
8. Non-Muslim Women in Pakistan: Minority within Minority -Yasmin Haider
9. Islamization of Laws in Pakistan and its Effect on Minorities -M. Aslam Khaki
10. Non-Muslims in an Islamic State: A Case Study of Pakistan -Ahmad Salim
11. Possible Strategies for Religious Communities under Threat -Kajsa Ahlstrand

Bibliography "

About this title

About the Author

Göran Gunner is Associate Professor in Mission Studies, Uppsala University, and Researcher at Church of Sweden Research Unit.

Review

"With verve and insight, the contributors discuss the concept "minority", and suggest its replacement by the less divisive term "citizenship"; the status of non-Muslims in a future Palestinian state; the legal situation of non-Muslim women in Pakistan; and the "Islamization of laws in Pakistan and its effect on minorities". The book concludes with a look at how "Christians who find themselves under attack from neighbours of the other faiths might react and act". Emphasising "the need for harmonious relations", Christians and Muslims are called to continue "building trust", and "identifying common concerns", so as to achieve "peaceful coexistence". [...] Besides discussing pertinent issues the book provides relevant statistics on the different minority faiths, and faith-based organisations, in Muslim lands. [...] Forthright and informative, this book is an indispensable resource for all those with an interest in inter-faith dialogue." Dr. Simon Ross Valentine in: Church Times, 7. September 2012.

About this edition

• Publisher: Lutterworth Press
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0718892445
• ISBN 13: 9780718892449
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 174