non-Muslim Communities Research Articles

Pigs in a pit: An unusual find of ritual suid exploitation in an Early Islamic context at the site of Tel Yavne, Israel

A shallow, human dug pit dated to the Early Islamic period (Area C3, 9th-10th century CE) and containing solely pig remains (Sus scrofa/S. s. domesticus) was discovered in an ongoing large scale excavation in Tel Yavne, Israel. Evidence of the intentional disposal or interment of the pig remains in the pit raises questions regarding the reasons for this peculiar occurrence at a time that the southern Levant was subject to the rule of Islamic law and dietary prohibitions. While it is known that non-Muslim communities continued to flourish in the region during the Early Islamic period (Fischer and Taxel 2007, and see the historical references therein), direct evidence of pig exploitation at this time has not been extensively documented. Our results indicate that at least seven suids, most of them domesticated and a few of feral/wild individuals, were slaughtered and rapidly deposited together inside the pit, in a one-time event. A comparison of the remains from the pit with other suid remains from the site, dated to the late Byzantine-Early Islamic period (7th-10th century CE), shows the pit to be a strikingly dense concentration of pig remains and reveals a unique techonomic pattern of the dominance of maxilla over mandibles. Pig husbandry at the site was generally based on culling of young animals (piglets), a pattern typical of dense urban sites, while many of the animals in the pit displayed abnormal molar tooth wear, suggesting consumption of abrasive food and teeth defects indicating stressful captivity conditions. We refer to archaeological and historical data in an attempt to reconstruct a scenario explaining the suid pit.

Aga Khan IV and Contemporary Isma‘ili Identity: Pluralist Vision and Rooted Cosmopolitanism

Cosmopolitan engagement and pluralism are consistent themes that run through the Isma‘ili community’s history and continue to be an integral characteristic of the community’s identity. The present Isma‘ili Imam, Karim Aga Khan IV, has been lauded as a champion of pluralism and recognized for his commitment to cosmopolitan ethics which feature prominently in his discourses to both Isma‘ili adherents and other communities. Although the Isma‘ilis have faced vilification and massacres in the course of history, this Muslim minority community has come to be recognized for its endeavors in the area of pluralism and bridge-building under the leadership of Aga Khan IV. The Imam offers religious and worldly guidance from his residence in France, where he has established a Secretariat that includes a number of departments that steer the various communal (jama‘ati) institutions as well as his non-denominational Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). This non-denominational organization established by Aga Khan IV has emerged as a world leading non-governmental organization providing a number of programs toward improving the quality of life of Muslims and others across the globe. Through his institutions, Aga Khan IV stresses the need for a healthy pluralism that is supported by dialogue and engagement with diversity. One such institution is the Global Centre for Pluralism based in Ottawa, Canada—an international research institution whose activities are underpinned by the Imam’s ethico-religious interpretation of the Islamic faith and commitment to civil society. Aga Khan IV’s discourse of pluralism and cosmopolitan ethics has placed his community at the forefront of engagement with an increasingly diverse world.

PERSONAL LAW AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN INDIA - A REVIEW

India is a multicultural country that nests different groups of ethnicity and essentially nurtures different religions. While such diversity of India is often appreciated, it creates various problems about the personal law of different communities and therefore the human rights violation. The recent events of CAA or the Kashmir revocation essentially focus on the attacks of the Indian government upon the Muslim minority community and hence the question of codification of personal laws come to the surface. Even though the scope of personal laws is not guaranteed under the Part III of the Constitution of India, personal laws are adjudicated under Article 44 of the Constitution of India. In this research paper, we shall try to understand the connection between personal law and human rights and how the events of human rights violations in India can be structured better with codified personal laws.

THE CONTRIBUTION OF SHARIA REGIONAL REGULATIONS POLICY IN INDONESIAN LEGAL SYSTEM AS AN ALTERNATIVE FOR CHARACTER BUILDING IN THE COMMUNITY

The importance of morality in character building is linked to human life, questioning why people have to do good deeds, conduct excellent demeanor, and avoid misconduct. Indirectly, this question implies human morality, which desired the highest goodness and virtue in human life. Consequently, forming noble character and demeanor that becomes the purpose of education must have striven together within family, school, or society. This paper wants to determine whether the contribution of Sharia Regional Policy within the Indonesian Legal system as an Alternative of Character Building in the Community. The contribution of Sharia regional regulation implementation in Bulukumba and Indramayu, with a positive result, occurred on regional sharia regulation in Bulukumba, that is, positive acceptance from the Muslim and Non-Muslim communities with various efforts carried out by the local government. They strive extensively by establishing a successful team to monitor, evaluate, and measure the success of regional sharia laws and then, it is then linked to the decrement of criminality and the increment of social norms. The existence of Diniyah Madrasah (MDTA) is the policy taken by the local government to establish the nation's next generation into pious Muslim characters who have faith and piety. The second strategy is to prepare a religious and strong characterized generation and requires attaching a diploma to enter the SMP-MTs level by allocating 14 billion rupiah funds from the Regional Budget (APBD), including improving MDTA teachers quality. Third, the government set the criteria of ideal and standard for every MDTA to ensure they prepare the students comprehensively heading to the next educational level. The fourth strategy is to increase quality and educational relevance measures by achieving higher academic and non-academic skills that enable graduates to be proactive towards societal changes in various fields at the local, national and global levels. Increasing educational relevance and quality includes four aspects: curriculum, educational personnel, facilities and education, and leadership of the educational unit

Purchase Intention of Islamic Insurance: A Case Study of Takaful in Bangladesh

Islamic Insurance has recently been one of the most prominent Islamic financial services among the Muslim as well as non-Muslim community in the world. In Bangladesh, the service is also getting popularity to the people for the special features like risk-bearing by all of the participants, interest-free investment of funds etc. Considering the rapid growth of Islamic financial products worldwide and inadequate research on the limited reach of these services, this study aims to explore the factors affecting the customers’ purchase intention of Islamic insurance services in Bangladesh. The cross-sectional study has been conducted based on the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) on the data collected through a self-administered questionnaire from 392 respondents. According to the study, it is revealed that compatibility, religiosity, customer awareness, reliability and trust have significant positive impact on customers’ purchase intention towards Takaful services in Bangladesh. The study result will help the service providers to look into the factors while tailoring their products and services. The policy makers should also know about the determinants so that they can formulate policies that promote the growth of the takaful industry and increase access to these products for consumers.

THE UMMAH: GUARDIAN OF MUSLIMS IN AN AGE OF WEAKENED CITIZENSHIP RIGHTS

As Islamophobia becomes entrenched as the global “new normal,” there is an increasing need for Muslim solidarity to protect the rights of Muslims. Not only are Muslim refugees fleeing from armed conflict or systemic human rights violations at risk, but also Muslim minority communities. Many of them are excluded from mainstream society despite having legal citizenship. This article argues for a new, reconceptualized ummah that will provide effective protection for the rights of Muslims globally. It puts forward two proposals to that aim, including an international structure for advocating for the rights of Muslims internationally, as well as a radical rethinking of how countries view citizenship and migration. Muslim unity may appear difficult in the modern international system of sovereign nation states, but the obstacles are not insurmountable.

The Role of the Malaysian Islamic Development Corporation in Monitoring Halal Food and Cosmetic Products: A Descriptive Analysis Case

This study aims to highlight the guiding, and moral role that the Malaysian Foundation for Islamic Development presents in all aspects of Malaysian life as a complete and comprehensive method advocated by Islam as a law that draws from the Sharia and its provisions based on the prophetic saying: “The permissible is clear, and the forbidden is clear, and there are suspicious matters between them that many people are not aware of…”. It also shows that Malaysian Foundation for Halal food act rely on consuming Halal meet only, with permissibility to benefit from slaughtered animals' skin as pure material which was given to us by Allah. The study also shows the Foundation’s interest in following up the non-Muslim community’s treatment of animals, and that they should treat them with respect and care. The Foundation advocates to perform slaughtering animals as stipulated in Shariah, avoiding electric-shock of animals, or throwing them in an inhuman manner. In order to make this goal a reality on the ground, the Foundation appeals to the regulatory authorities to follow up the implementation of the standard specifications for halal products. The Malaysian foundation focuses on halal food ingredients, cosmetics products, medicines, and other Halal related products that are useful to the mankind, accompanied by ethical standards. The researcher relied on the descriptive and deductive analytical method, with the aim to reach the desired outcomes. The study includes two axes: First, it deals with the role of the Malaysian Development Foundation in supervising exports and imports of Malaysian food and medicine products. Second: it studies the situation of the (Halal) brand logo on Malaysian products assessing its profitability in international trade arena and Shariah supervisory professionalism which is adhered to by the Foundation

Larangan Bertempat Tingal Di Wilayah Non Muslim (Studi Takhrij dan Pemahaman Hadis)

Modern life which is characterized by globalization makes the flow of human movement from one place to another easier, more effective, and efficient. The world is becoming smaller and it is easier to enter any area in the corner of the earth. Likewise, the choices that arise for humans to live, work, do business, study, travel and so on. Of all regions on this earth, not all of them are inhabited by Muslim-majority communities, but more non-Muslim-majority communities. So this study aims to see the status and understanding of the prophet's hadith about the prohibition of living in non-Muslim communities in the present context. This paper is the result of a literature study, which is the result of tracking several literatures related to the themes discussed. The method used in this paper is a qualitative research method that is descriptive and interpretive through a historical approach. The results of the study conclude that this hadith is ahad and is valid and can be used as evidence. The understanding of this hadith contains a prohibition for Muslims to live in non-Muslim countries due to war between Muslims and non-Muslim countries, great difficulties that cause a Muslim to be unable to fulfill his obligations, and affect a lifestyle that causes a Muslim to have no difference with other people. non-muslim. This prohibition does not apply if the non-Muslim country is safe, there is no difficulty in worshiping and fulfilling obligations as a Muslim, and can show the identity and lifestyle of a Muslim.

METODE HIWAR SEBAGAI SALAH SATU CARA MENCEGAH ISLAMOPHOBIA

Islam is a perfect religion. A belief that there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad SAW is the messenger of Allah. Based on this belief, the following human must have the pillars of faith and the pillars of Islam. Currently, the understanding of Islam is far from what it should be. Most non-Muslims consider Islam a strict religion; some even say that the religion of terrorists is Islam. Ignorance about the religion of Islam makes non-Muslim communities in the West, in particular, afraid to establish communication with Muslims. Much news that corners the Islamic religion. The role of the mass media is essential in reporting. Therefore, this study discusses what Islamophobia is and how to overcome it. This research is library research. This research is expected to enlighten to reduce the existence of Islamophobia, especially in the West.

The Perception of Minorities toward the Turkish State: The Case of Ethno-religious Communities

The relationship between state and non-Muslim communities has been a delicate issue since the founding of the Turkish Republic despite the principle of secularism stated in its constitution. Against this background, the association of national identity with Sunni-Islam has been the main marker of inclusion/exclusion to the national identity. Especially since 2002 when the Justice and Development Party (JDP) came to power, the debates with regard to freedom of religion and the rights of religious minorities came to fore. Over the course of decades there have been numerous studies approaching the state’s perspective towards religious minorities. However, there are still scarce amount of academic studies that focuses on citizenship experiences of the members of these communities in their daily and social life practices. In this article, we first provide a historical perspective of the state towards religious minorities from the establishment of the Republic until today including the JDP period. In the second part of this study we aim to explore recasting perspectives of the non-Muslim minorities over the previous decade by taking the standpoint of the members of Greek Orthodox, Jews and Armenian communities. To this end, we conduct in-depth interviews with the members of these communities who are residing in Istanbul. Finally, new negotiation fields which have been flourishing among these communities will be addressed.

Social-Harmony within Aceh Society: An Analysis towards Religious Tolerance of Muslim and Non-Muslim Communities in Banda Aceh

This paper examines how social harmonization can be realized in Aceh since the independence of the Republic of Indonesia until now. The people of Aceh are a pluralistic society, although the majority are Muslim, the problem of conflict between religious communities is rare. Even after the province implemented Islamic Sharia, inter-religious harmony remained closely intertwined. Therefore, there is a need for a study that looks at the social harmonization aspects of religious tolerance, especially in daily behavior terms of Muslim and non-Muslim communities in Banda Aceh city. This paper shows that religious tolerance in Aceh is running as it has in other provinces even though the province has been designated as an area that implements Islamic Shari'a. This can be seen from the interactions that exist between Muslims and non-Muslims in various community activities. Based on the author's observations and experiences, it shows that the religious harmony of the Acehnese people is very deep. Some of the authors' findings in looking at the depth of tolerance include that non-Muslims can live side by side and gain freedom in carrying out their religious life. In addition, between them also established business interactions, cooperation, and involvement in socio-political life. In addition, the active role of non-Muslim communities through the association has strengthened this harmony. Non-Muslims in Aceh have developed mutual respect and compassion through social activities.

Chinese Muslims’ Ways of Being Nationalist: Combining Islamic Cosmopolitanism, Acculturation and Social Roles

<p>One of the ideas that should also be formalized in the reform movement in Indonesia is addressing the issue related to minority groups. Chinese group in Indonesia is one of civil groups that may experience discrimination to date. As a minority ethnic and Muslim community in Indonesia, Chinese Muslims are inevitably in a vulnerable position. They should prove their patriotism toward the nation, Indonesia. This research finds out that the Chinese have been a community that exists way before Indonesia gained its independence: some even play a significant role in Islamization. Chinese Muslims in Indonesia also contribute to establishing the concept of nationalism in Indonesia. Additionally, Chinese Muslims seem to be successful in contextualizing a more substantial concept of nationalism by positioning Chinese ethnic as a cultural entity, not as a representative of “other nation,” and by assimilating local Muslims to play various societal roles. Besides, Chinese Muslims also practice moderate Islamic values to emphasize that their values do not contradict the national values of Indonesia.</p>

Kontribusi Majelis Ta’lim Noto Jiwo Dalam Menanamkan Nilai-nilai Keagamaan Islam Bagi Jamaah Di Tengah Masyarakat Non-Muslim Di Jalan Tri Tunggal Kelurahan Karangpacar Bojonegoro

Majelis Ta'lim is a non-formal community-based Islamic educational institution. Likewise with the Ta'lim Noto Jiwo Assembly in which there is a process of planting Islamic religious values. The community around the neighborhood is not only Muslim, but there are also non-Muslim communities, as well as the number of lay people about Islamic science, so that Islamic science is less desirable by the surrounding community.
 This research aims to find out the contribution of Ta'lim Noto Jiwo Assembly in instilling Islamic religious values for pilgrims, as well as to explain supporting factors and inhibiting the implementation of Ta'lim Noto Jiwo Assembly in the process of instilling Islamic religious values for worshippers in non-Muslim communities. This research uses a qualitative approach. The data collection is done with in-depth interview techniques, participatory observations, and documentation. The results of the analysis of data in this study showed that the Ta'lim Assembly contributed well in instilling Islamic religious values for worshippers in non-Muslim communities, by finding supporting factors and inhibitory factors in its implementation.

Analysis of Pax-Ottomanica in Minorities Society : A Case Study of Millet System

This paper focuses on Pax-Ottomanica in a case study of the Millet System through multi ethnic and multi religious communities in the Ottoman Empire. In particular, the Millet System has successfully roamed people in Europe, Asia, and Africa for nearly 600 years. This paper also discusses Islamic law on the relationship between other religions such as Judaism and Christianity. This study uses a qualitative method with a whole literature approach. Based on the data analyzed, it was found that harmony occurs between fellow religious and ethnic people with the freedom to embrace their respective religions and maintain their respective cultures. This paper aims to analyze the state of the multi-ethnic and multi-religious society in the Ottoman Empire by providing various references from both Turkish and Western historians. In addition, this paper aims to introduce Ottoman-style freedom through this Millet system, which has succeeded in bringing all non-Muslim communities into one Ottoman commonwealth.

Protecting Buddhist Women from Muslim Men: “Love Jihad” and the Rise of Islamophobia in Myanmar

Buddhist protectionism in contemporary Myanmar revolves around fears of the decline of Buddhism and deracination of the amyo (group/“race”). Buddhist protectionists and Burmese nationalists have declared Islam and Muslims the greatest threat to race and religion, and Myanmar has witnessed widespread distribution of anti-Islamic and anti-Muslim content, as well as massive violence against Muslim minority communities, the Rohingya in particular. The Indian neologism “Love Jihad” has scarce reference in contemporary Burmese Buddhist discourses, but, importantly, the tropes of aggressive male Muslim sexuality and (forced) conversion through marriage (“love jihad”) have been one of the core issues in Buddhist protectionism in Myanmar. The article shows that such tropes of the threatening foreign male have strong historical legacies in Myanmar, going back to colonial Burma when Burmese concerns over Indian male immigrant workers resulted in both anti-Indian violence and anti-miscegenation laws. Importantly, however, compared to colonial Indophobia and military era xenophobic nationalism, contemporary constructions are informed by new political realities and global forces, which have changed Buddhist protectionist imaginaries of gender and sexuality in important ways. Building on Sara R. Farris’ concept of “femonationalism”, and Rogers Brubaker’s concept of civilizationism, the article shows how Global Islamophobia, as well as global discourses on women’s rights and religious freedom, have informed Buddhist protectionism beyond ethnonationalism in the traditional sense.

ENHANCING HALAL PROCUREMENT PRACTICE AMONG HOTEL IN MALAYSIA

The demand for halal products has increased significantly throughout the world, either from Muslims themselves or non-Muslim communities. This phenomenon is due to an increasing concern for health as they believe that halal food has better cleanliness and safety. Few studies have shown that the supply chain plays a crucial role in ensuring that the products are halal compliant and that procurement is one of the main branches. In the hotel industry, the procurement department is responsible for ensuring that raw materials are arranged, purchased, delivered, and consumed effectively. Transparency, supplier engagement, and risk management are three elements that are highlighted matters in the hotel industry. Previous studies have shown that these three elements have a significant role in enhancing procurement practice in organisations. This paper focuses on the elements and effectiveness of halal procurement practises among Malaysian hotels. This study also aims to help companies evaluate their halal procurement practises and develop effective strategies to ensure that food products follow halal guidelines that ultimately enhance business performance.

REVISITING THE PROSPECT OF REVISION IN TURKISH SECONDARY SCHOOL HISTORY TEXTBOOKS: THE CASE OF THE ASSYRIAN DEBATE

ABSTRACT This article is based on the premise that the constructed image of the national self is a fundamental criterion shaping the conceptions of history teaching in the Turkish educational system. In this regard, I argue that examining how particular ethno-religious groups are discursively positioned in relation to the idealised self-image can reveal whether and how history textbooks can be revised. Having described the historical and political context for the only curriculum revision occurred in 2013 concerning a non-Muslim community, the Assyrians, the article demonstrates that specific discursive strategies are used to position the Assyrian community in relation to the favourable national self-image, rather than a fixed categorization for non-Muslim communities. Adopting the methodological framework of critical discourse analysis, the author examines the portrayal of the Assyrian community in the secondary school Turkish history textbooks taught over the last three decades and identifies how the topoi of justice and tolerance, as well as allegiance and betrayal allow a particular group to be a member of the larger body of ‘acceptable citizens.’

Capitulations Redux: The Imperial Genealogy of the Post–World War I “Minority” Regimes

Abstract Scholars have long considered the post–World War I minorities regime—defined and encompassed by a series of “minorities treaties” with various Balkan, Eastern European, and Middle Eastern states and the construction of a “Minorities Commission” in the new League of Nations to enforce them—as a basically well-intentioned, if ultimately misguided, first step toward the concept of internationally guaranteed human rights. In fact, the minorities treaties had vanishingly little to do with European concern for actual minority populations anywhere. Rather, they represented a new iteration of an imperial vision that had marked relations between the Ottoman Empire and the European powers of Britain, France, and Russia since the late eighteenth century: the idea, enshrined in the so-called capitulations agreements, that non-Muslim communities within the Ottoman sphere could represent a site of European economic, political, and military intervention and redefine the Ottoman state—and now the emerging nation-states of Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Anatolia, and the Levant—as possessing a lesser form of sovereignty.

The Construction Process of a School: The Antalya Kaleiçi Orthodox Christian Girls’ School (Dumlupınar Secondary School) in Ottoman Archival Documents

Occupied by the Ottomans since the last quarter of the 14th century, Antalya had a demographic structure by which Muslims obtained a quantitative superiority in the period that followed. However, non-Muslim communities contained to maintain a demographic and social presence. These communities, especially the Rums (Greeks), were a significant element of urban society with their living spaces intramuros and in the adjacent hinterland of Antalya. Their social conditions were redefined by the Edict of Gülhane and the Reform Edict. These edicts gave them the right to construct their own public spaces along with other social rights. Accordingly, from the 19th century on, there is a significant rise in the number of public buildings constructed by these communities, especially in the vilayets. The situation is similarly characteristic of Ottoman Antalya. Throughout this study, the construction process of the modern Dumlupınar Secondary School, originally built in the late 19th-early 20th century for female children of Antalya’s Rum community, will be discussed in correlation with Ottoman archival documents. This study contributes to the literature on the Ottoman past of Antalya with its review of the original drawings of its plan and façade, which will be published for the first time.

On Aims, Means, and Unintended Consequences: The Case of Molla Sali

This contribution speaks to this Special Issue’s guiding question of how the approach to freedom of religion and minority protection can be combined to foster the protection of religious communities and their members by examining a particular European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) case that provokes a contrasting question: ‘What happens when provisions for religious minority protection lead to the violation rather than protection of members’ rights?’ That case is Molla Sali v. Greece (2018), in which the ECtHR addressed the claim of a member of a Muslim minority community whose membership in that community subjected her—involuntarily—to the authority of sharia law over inheritance matters. The case serves as a foundation from which to explore the ECtHR’s engagements with the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, an exploration which helps bring to the fore the problems around the concept of ‘voluntary’ opting into identification with a minority identity when the latter entails some form of disadvantage. Women, in particular, due to family and peer pressures, are vulnerable to such disadvantage in contexts such as that from which the case of Molla Sali arises. Thus, the case invites discussion of various ways in which individual and group rights may come into conflict and considers minority rights specifically in relation to other human rights.