Abrahamic Research Articles

The relationship of Islamic Sharia with the prior legal systems

In explaining the relationship between divine laws, the presumption of variance and equality of nullity, and the existence of common and distinct rulings, it is a fixed assumption that in its interpretation, common rulings exist due to the unified legislator (Sharia) and the differences are not due to the plurality of divine laws or abrogation of laws. Rather, the reality is that Sharia is a unified truth, and the evolutionary process of legislating rulings has led to certain differences within it. One might question what the commonalities of Islam with past divine laws are and why prophethood concluded with the advent of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)? It seems that in all divine and Abrahamic religions, there is a section known as legislation or practical rulings, or in Islamic terminology, it is called jurisprudence (Fiqh). In this research, a library research method is employed. Essentially, there is no difference in the essence of religious laws; all religions invite humans to the worship of the One God and negate polytheism. They encourage people to engage in favorable actions while refraining from unfavorable deeds and thoughts. Any differences observed are due to the capacity of humans in each era. For example, all humans need food to survive, but for an infant, the only suitable food is milk, whereas for a twenty-year-old, other foods are appropriate. Similarly, in religions, the ruling is in a similar manner. In Judaism, there is a book of laws and rulings, and Jewish law is quite extensive. In Christianity, the law does not exist in the sense that it does in Judaism or Islam because Paul removed the law from Christianity. They have modified their rulings and practices through the awareness of their ecclesiastical authorities, such as the Pope and the church hierarchy.

The first hijrah: Remembering the migration of the followers of the prophet Muhammad to Ethiopia as an effort to reduce intolerance in Indonesia

Due to increased extremism and conservatism, Christian-Islam ties in Indonesia have deteriorated in recent years. The real impact of these events is intolerance in numerous facets of Indonesian life. This article aims to analyze the migration of followers of the Prophet Muhammad to Ethiopia as a joint event between the two major religious communities in the world, namely Islam and Christianity. This event contains meaning and value that show the excellent relations between the two Abrahamic religions since Islam first arrived. This study uses a qualitative-historical method by looking at and comparing several written sources, such as Binsar J. Pakpahan’s theory about the theology of remembrance, as a reference in explaining the historical situation that occurred. The results of this paper show that remembering past events can be used to reduce extremism, conservatism, and intolerance.

Holistic Wisdom from Abrahamic Faiths’ Earliest Encounters with Ancient China: Towards a Constructive Chinese Natural Theology

Philosophies in the East and West have favored wisdom in their search for truths. The Chinese civilization has sought holistic wisdom in its long history of absorbing the Abrahamic faiths since the seventh century. This paper aims to investigate how the Abrahamic faiths have interacted with ancient Chinese culture. In particular, this paper will examine the earliest written records in Chinese of the Luminous Religion (or Jingjiao), the earliest Jews in Kaifeng, and the earliest Muslims in China. By analyzing their theology of creation with reference to the Holy Spirit and qi (wind/breath/pneuma), this paper attempts a constructive Chinese natural theology based on a sympathetic and critical assessment of Alister McGrath’s natural theology but makes up for his spirit deficit. This paper argues that the holistic wisdom achieved in the early integration process of the Abrahamic faiths with the Chinese culture is closely intertwined with the Spirit and qi, which provides a fruitful ground to construct a Chinese natural theology. The contribution of this paper lies in its original research into the earliest written records of the three Abrahamic faiths in China from the perspective of the doctrine of creation and its relationship with the Spirit and qi.

Adoption of Caste by Christian and Jewish Communities in India

Abstract This essay investigates how caste, the most problematic cultural category of India, renders Indian versions of two Abrahamic religions, Judaism and Christianity, a site of ambivalence and conflict. It explores how caste has played out differently in the lives of two Abrahamic religious communities, i.e., the Christians and the Jews at two different locales, Kerala and Andhra. In Kerala, both Syrian Christians and Cochin Jews adopted caste as the given social order of the host country. They practised it to their advantage as it not only made it possible for them to get integrated into the existing Hindu cultural universe of the host nation but also conferred upon them a respectable social status, resulting in the acquisition of social/cultural capital. However, in Andhra, Christian and Jewish Madigas embraced their respective religions to eschew caste and gain self-respect. In Kerala, while caste became an effective route for a harmonious integration into the cultural matrix of the host territory, it not only disrupted intra-communal amity both among the Cochin Jews and the Kerala Christians but also became a source of defiance and alienation from the core teachings of each of these religions, resulting in the loss of ‘spiritual capital’. On the contrary, the rejection of caste on the part of the Madiga Jews and Madiga Christians, perhaps, brought them closer to the central message of fraternity and equality found both in Judaism and in Christianity, whereby they fared better in ‘spiritual and religious capitals’ than their counterparts in Kerala.

Between Sacredness and Public Health: GlobalReligious Sacred Places andthe Fight Against COVID-19.

This paper aims to explore the diverse impacts of religious sacred places on specific spheres of contemporary international relations, particularly in the context of public health governance as well as the fight against COVID-19. The spread of disease or germs and viruses within the context of pilgrimage, the healing purposes associated with such practices, as well as historical conquests of sacred places have attracted the attention of ancient physicians and modern scientists. In the nineteenth century, many Abrahamic religions sought to strengthen their influence in the Holy Land, particularly in the sacred city of Jerusalem. As part of their efforts, they focused on constructing modern hospitals, which became a means of religious competition over the region. From the perspective of the specific relationship between the sacred places and the public health governance system in the modern age, sacred places continue to succeed in animal management (native animals and sacrifice animals), water source management (sacred water and holy rivers), and management of sanitary quarantine (the extension of homeland health security defense), which have present positive effects. Based on the literature review, case analysis and interdisciplinary research methods, several findings have emerged regarding the global fight against COVID-19 since early 2020. Mecca-Medina, Jerusalem-Bethlehem, Rome-Vatican, Santiago de Compostela, Qom, and other religious sacred cities have faced huge pandemic pressures. These cities have played unique roles in protecting the health of pilgrims and have implemented measures to reduce the number and scale of pilgrimages in response to the global mobility challenges posed by the pandemic.

A Study of Covid-19 Relative Fatalities of the Abrahamic Religion Populations

More than three years statistics of the Covid-19 pandemic shows great anomalies in relative fatalities of different countries. Computations show that Christian and Jewish populations, by a factor of 4 to 5, suffer greater relative fatalities compared to the Muslim populations. Ironically, most Muslim populations are developing or underdeveloped, deprived of health services available to the mostly-developed Christian and Jewish populations. Factors that may be contributing to the fatality discrepancies such as, development status, median ages, and alcohol consumption rates, have been discussed. A Quranic forbiddance of drinking alcohol has been suggested as an important factor in the lower fatalities of the Muslim populations in Covid-19 pandemic.

The Necessity of an Incarnate Prophet

This article aims to provide an a priori argument—termed the Flourishment Argument, for the veracity of the Christian conception of the Abrahamic religion that centres on God’s action of sending a divine and atoning prophet into the world. This specific informal argument will be presented through the formulation of a set of a priori reasons for why God would seek to interact with the world—developed in light of the work of Richard Swinburne, John Finnis, Linda Zagzebski and Alexander Pruss—which, in combination, will provide individuals with grounds for believing in the veracity of these important Christian teachings.

Reframing the Problem of Evil

The following consists of the final chapter of my book, The Divine Mind: Exploring the Psychological History of God’s Inner Journey, published by Prometheus Books in 2018. The book tells the story of God’s evolution as depicted in the three Abrahamic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Needless to say, this parallels the evolution of human consciousness, as each reflects the other. This chapter picks up where an earlier one left off, namely, on the nature of Ein Sof (literally, “infinity” or “without end”). This is the name that the Kabbalists have assigned to the mystical Godhead or absolute nothingness that is beyond anthropomorphic projections and all other gods, including the biblical one. The book won a Nautilus Book Award in the category of “Religion/Spirituality of Western Thought.”

Inclusiveness of Women's Empowerment in Muslim Societies

This article engages contemporary scholarly literature on women’s empowerment in Muslim societies, examining various indicators and challenges to women’s empowerment and analyzing case studies to assess the effectiveness of different strategies and initiatives. Furthermore, the research explores the norms of women’s empowerment from the perspective of Abrahamic religions, arguing that, despite having historically patriarchal norms, these religions actively worked towards promoting gender equality. In Muslim societies, cultural practices and interpretations limited women’s autonomy. Ongoing efforts within Islamic scholarship and activism strive to reconcile these practices with Islamic values and advance gender equality. Despite notable progress in recent times, the findings highlight cultural, legal, and institutional barriers that hinder women from realizing their full potential. To overcome these obstacles, this article suggests operating within existing cultural and religious frameworks to challenge gender stereotypes and encourage fair gender relations. Ultimately, the article emphasizes the importance of increased collaboration and knowledge-sharing to prioritize women’s empowerment as a fundamental development goal. By creating an environment that fosters the full participation and inclusion of women in all aspects, Muslim societies can unlock the immense potential of their female population, leading to sustainable development and social progress for all.

Panpsychism and Pantheism. An Uneasy Alliance?

Although panpsychism and pantheism were seen as natural allies in the past, in contemporary philosophy it is widely common to stress differences rather than similarities between them. As a result, only few panpsychists (e.g. so-called cosmopsychists) acknowledge that their view may imply pantheism. In my paper, I argue that at least some popular versions of panpsychism do lead to pantheism. My main argument is that panpsychism meets the minimal requirements for pantheism, defined as a view that the world is identical to all-encompassing Unity and that this Unity is divine. Although there are kinds of panpsychism that allow one to avoid these consequences, the most popular versions of this view pave the way to pantheism.
 Many philosophers will find this a serious challenge for panpsychism. On the other hand, it can be argued that this conclusion is not as grim as it seems. An all-encompassing Cosmic Mind has little to do with the God of Abrahamic religions, so it does not necessarily deprive panpsychism of its naturalistic flavor that many find non-negotiable. Be that as it may, the aim of this paper is to turn the attention of proponents of panpsychism to yet another problem they need to solve.

A Comprehensive Theory of Spirituality: Humanistic, Theist, and Theotic

Especially among the Abrahamic religions, quite regularly spirituality implies a relationship with God or else some other supposed “sacred” entities or forces. This starting point precludes a fully psychological explanation of spirituality since appeal to God exceeds the methodology of the social or human sciences: Psychology is not theology. In contrast, a traditional Christian axion holds that "grace builds on nature." Accordingly, recognize that a dimension of the human mind itself—consciousness or human spirit—is first and foremost the source and object of spiritual experiences. Then the natural becomes fundamental, theoretically the essential, and at its roots spirituality lies within the competence of human study, and religious accounts are further elaborations. This proposition is the thesis of this article. Following the trenchant analyses of Bernard Lonergan, this account recognizes human consciousness or spirit as a dynamic dimension of the mind, self-present, out-going, self-transcending, open-ended, geared to reality, and normative: These requisites inherent in consciousness orient a person toward the true and the good. Then personal integration and spiritual growth coincide—in this way: Psychotherapeutic healing frees the spirit to increasingly take the lead and guide one’s living, constituting one as “a spiritual person.” The specification of consciousness/spirit contrasts with other mental content—emotions, memory, imagery—and suggests a tripartite human model (organism, psyche, and consciousness) in place of the standard bipartite model (body and mind). Such a naturalistic starting point easily supports religious elaboration, seeing God as Creator (theology) and envisioning union with God (theotics). This theory foresees the collaboration of the world's religions in acknowledging a common spiritual foundation for themselves and for our pluralistic secular society.

Eschatology, the Elimination of Evil, and the Ontology of Time

Part and parcel of the eschatology of the three Abrahamic faiths is the belief that sin and evil will be eliminated upon the consummation of God’s kingdom on earth. Not only do these beliefs affirm that God will ultimately “deal” with the problem of sin and evil, but that sin and evil will be no more. I refer to this eschatological belief as “the elimination of evil” (EOE). The EOE has important implications for how one understands the ontology of time. In this paper, I contribute to this discussion by arguing that ontologies of time that affirm the concrete existence of past moments are incompatible with the EOE. I also argue that solutions based on theories of hypertime, such as those posited by Tyron Goldschmidt and Samuel Lebens, also fail to solve the problems posed to those ontologies of time affirming the concrete existence of the past. I conclude that the ontology of time that best facilitates the EOE is presentism.

Hunc deum quis credet? Some Considerations on the Belief in the Divinity of Emperors

There are abundant examples of negative assessments of cultic honors to Roman emperors by nineteenth- and twentieth-century researchers. In the minds of historians raised in modern societies, in which monotheistic Abrahamic religions usually reign supreme, this is a completely understandable a priori approach; nevertheless, it hinders a correct understanding of Roman society in antiquity. This paper examines the need to provide a complex answer to the question of whether the inhabitants of the Roman world really believed in the divinity of their rulers. A complex answer to the question can only emerge from a historical contextualization of the phenomenon under analysis, an examination of the imperial cult within the wider changes that were taking place in Roman religion at the time, and application of the necessary empathetic approach.

Cosmopsychism and the Problem of Evil

Cosmopsychism, the idea that the universe is conscious, is experiencing something of a revival as an explanation of consciousness in philosophy of mind and is also making inroads into philosophy of religion. In the latter field, it has been used to formulate models of certain forms of theism, such as pantheism and panentheism, and has also been proposed as a rival to the classical theism of the Abrahamic faiths. It has been claimed by Philip Goff that a certain form of cosmopsychism, namely agentive cosmopsychism, poses a threat to classical theism because it can explain features of the universe like fine-tuning without having to deal with the problem of evil. This is because, unlike the classical theist, the cosmopsychist can deny at least one of the divine attributes motivating the problem of evil, namely omniscience, omnipotence, and omnibenevolence. In this paper, I shall consider which of the divine attributes the cosmopsychist should focus on when responding to the problem of evil and shall conclude that the rejection of omnibenevolence is the most satisfactory option.

Image and Word

Abstract The rapport between religion and film is not only historical but also ontological. The Abrahamic faiths specifically (Islam, Christianity, and Judaism) and the audio-visual medium of cinema share a complex affiliation with reference to two of their foundational elements: image and word. Building on the constitutive kernels of the Abrahamic religion of Islam (image and word), this paper will locate and define its formal manifestations in cinema; in other words, the way in which the conception of image and word at Islam marks film form. This endeavor will be sustained by calling upon some distinctive film cases of the so-called New Iranian Cinema. In particular, Offside (2006) and This Is Not a Film (2011) by Jafar Panahi, and Close-up (1990) by Abbas Kiarostami, as well as other films, will be utilized for analysis in order to delineate the qualities of the claimed religious film form in question. These films are selected as they foreground and thus play out the dialectic of image and word, their absence and their presence.

অর্থবিচারে হাদিসের গ্রহণযোগ্যতা নিরূপণে হাদীসপন্থি ও আধুনিকচিন্তকদের কর্মপদ্ধতি : একটি পর্যালোচনা|Approaches of Hadith Scholars and Modern Thinkers in Assessing the Acceptability of Hadith (Prophetic Tradition) through Meaning : An Appraisal

Due to its unique position in Islamic epistemology, various viewpoints and opinions have naturally arisen in the Muslim society regarding the interpretation and analysis of hadith. According to Islamic belief, hadith as a whole, holds the status of a kind of wahi or divine revelation. How to interpret revelation is a very old question in Abrahamic religions. There is a long discussion and debate about this among different sections of the Muslim society. Especially between the traditionalist hadith scholars and the rationalist community, the disagreement on this issue is quite strong and long. After the fourth century of the Hijri, this disagreement dwindled a little, but at the end of the nineteenth century, under the influence of European colonization, this debate started in a new form by the hands of modernist Muslim thinkers. It is at this stage that the discussion of determining the acceptability of hadith based on meaning becomes important. In this essay, the views and practices of prominent people of both communities are presented in a descriptive manner and their thoughts are evaluated in an analytical manner. This write up has portrayed that judging the meaning of hadith is extremely difficult. For this reason, the article argues that opportunity exists for adherents of both schools of thought to reconsider their stance in the light of history and reality.

Patriarchal Religion in U.S. Constitutional Law (Dobbs v. Jackson): Originalism as “Political Religion” (Burke) Unmasked1

1 . The Supreme Court’s recent overruling of Roe v. Wade in Dobbs v. Jackson reflects the influence of a group of conservative Catholic thinkers, the “new natural lawyers,” 2 whose views, if made explicit, would be inconsistent with the constitutional requirement that basic rights can only be abridged on a secular basis. This inconsistency has been masked by an appeal to originalism, requiring that constitutional interpretation must be limited by the things in the world to which the founding generation would have applied the text, and nothing beyond that. This approach to constitutional interpretation does not fit much of the interpretation of basic rights to date, and is thus demonstrably inadequate. How psychologically can we understand the appeal of such an indefensible method of interpretation to recently Trump appointed justices to the Supreme Court and other justices, and to the President and Senate that appointed them? Using the framework of Edmund Burke’s (1790/2014) psychological analysis of the violence of the utopian idealization of “political religions,” this article offers a psychoanalytic account of how the conservative justices, appealing to new natural law, have developed originalism as a way of masking a sectarian patriarchal misogyny inconsistent with constitutional values, in effect, a “political religion” in Burke’s sense.

New Age and Environment: New Forms of Spirituality and Lifestyle in the Context of Secularization?

From the middle of the 20th century, the rise of anthropocentric beliefs partly inherited from the Abrahamic religions led to a change in mentality about ecosystems. The measurable signs of environmental exploitation and destruction and their consequences for human health, the shift to post-materialist values, and the growth of ethical philosophies (Land ethics, the Gaia Hypothesis, and Deep Ecology) were predictors of global ecological awareness. Progressively, human cultures (which are inseparable from religion) have become a priority for understanding relationships with the natural world. Alongside beliefs, individual subjectivities, influenced by the New Age, also positively affect sustainable values and practices. One of the community manifestations that demonstrate this is the ecovillage phenomenon. The sociological study of these new social realities influenced by the New Age is a relevant field of research in the frame of secularization or the criticism of this paradigm.

An Abrahamic Double Bind: An Examination of the Possibility of Faith in Crime and Punishment

Abstract: Crime and Punishment ’s epilogue has troubled readers since the novel’s publication. Recent scholarship, however, has demonstrated that the epilogue deserves reexamination — that it sheds important light on many of the formal, generic and interpretive problems central to the novel proper. This paper proposes that Raskoĺnikov’s conspicuously unrepentant attitude to the very end can be read as calling into question the reality of his guilt. Specifically, I examine his third interview with Porfirii in which, I suggest, Porfirii performs a kind of surrogate confession, thus unsettling our sense of Raskoĺnikov’s ‘crime’ as straightforwardly a crime. Drawing on Kierkegaard’s exploration of Abrahamic faith in Fear and Trembling — his suggestion that the ethical and religious interpretations of Abraham’s terrifying act necessarily clash — I argue that Raskoĺnikov occupies this knife edge between murderer and man of faith.

Religious Eschatology: The Doctrine of the Coming of the Savior In the End Times in the Perspective of Abrahamic Religion

Eschatology is a doctrine or teaching related to the last days, in the Abrahamic religious belief about eschatology, namely the arrival of a savior at the end of time for these religions, namely Christianity, Judaism and Islam, the three religions believe that at the end of time a when there will be a savior who will save them from the chaos that existed in the world before the apocalypse. This issue includes who is the true savior for Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. This paper aims to find out who is the savior of the end times for the Abrahamic Religion, namely Christianity, Judaism and Islam. The form of this research uses Research from the Library (Library Research) which is carried out by collecting data including books, journals and others as well as clarifying some of the literature related to this research. According to Christianity, Jesus is their savior, who will save Christians from various corruptions in the end times, then the Jews believe in the Messiah or the Messiah as their savior in the last days, because with the messiah they can live in peace. without any interference from others, and Muslims believe in the existence of Allah's Apostle, Jesus son of Mary, who will save you Muslims from the Fitnah of Dajjal at the end of time, so Muslims need Jesus' help to kill Dajjal before the apocalypse comes.