Hamdard Islamicus 5 Vol. XLII, Nos. 1 & 2

EDITORIAL

This is a combined issue (No 1 & 2 of 2019) of the Hamdard Islamicus. We
are missing our great mentor and Editor of the journal, Prof. Dr. Ansar Zahid Khan,
while presenting this combined issue. He was an internationally recognized authority
on history, whose temporal life came to end on 19th February 2019. Earlier in January
2019 we lost first Co-Editor of our journal Prof. Dr. Syed Husain Mohammad Jafri.
He was also a renowned academician of international repute. Obituaries of both the
luminaries are included in this issue.

This issue comprises various research articles discussing Qur’Én, religiosity,
theocracy and social media.

The first Article, “A Critique of Mohammed Arkoun’s Views on the Qur’Én,Sunnah
and Religious Thought”: an important article; which sheds light upon late Mohammad
Arkoun’s views about the Qur’Én, that create considerable controversy. This article is
a good criticism on Arkoun’s view.

Social media has developed as a powerful alternative source of information having
a significant impact on the society. The next article “Social Media, Religion and
Religiosity in Pakistan in the Era of Disruption” explores the broader scene of disruptive
technologies in relation to Muslims, Islam and Pakistan. It examines the social media
landscape in Pakistan and also points out the impact of disruptive technologies on the
society in Pakistan.

The third article, “Reconciling the Views of ‘Umar b. ‘Abd al-‘Aziz (d. 101 AH/
720 CE) on Mosque Decoration” discusses the views of Umar b.Abd al-Aziz, regarding
mosque decoration and its emergence as the first Muslim architectural deviations.

The concept of IstiÎnÉ’ offers, an alternative way for avoiding interest based
loans. It presents a manufacturing contract for the accomplishment of various agricultural
needs,thus solving the needs of low income farmers. The authors of the fourth article
“The Concept of IstiÎnÉ’in Islamic Commercial Law (SharÊ‘Éh) and its Possible Role
in the Development of Local Farming in Pakistan”discuss the concept of IstiÎnÉ’, from
the point of Pakistani farmers.

“The Qur’Énic version of the story of Yusuf (Joseph): Labovian Analysis of
Aziz-i-Misr Episode” is the fifth article analyzing Labov’s model of narrative analysis
and its application to Qur’Énic story of Yusuf (Joseph).

×ajj is an important obligation of Islam. It is obligatory on all Muslims subject
to a few conditions. Every year millions of Muslims from the entire world gather to
perform this sacred duty. This activity has a great and comprehensive impact on every
Muslim country. The Sixth article is “The Impact of ×ajj on the Society of Bangladesh”.
The author emphasizes several reform movements in Bengal as an outcome of ×ajj.

“A Critique of the Theocratic Model of the Sultanate of Delhi”, is the seventh
article which argues that Sultanate of Delhi was neither a theocracy nor a sample of
Islamic polity.

The next article is “The Opposition of the Shi‘ites towards KalÉm: with particular
reference to TarjÊÍ AsÉlÊb al-Qur’Én and al-RawÌ al-Basim by the Zaidite Muhammad
ibn Ibrahim ibn al-Wazir al-San‘Éni (d. 840/1436). The title is self-explanatory of the
main theme of the paper.

Various scholars have tried to interpret the rulings and admonitions by the
Qur’Én. In recent decades there are few feminist approaches to differ from traditional
exegeses on the gender equality issues and to try to form new Qur’Énic hermeneutics.The
last article “Some Reflections on Paradigm Shift in Qur’Énic Interpretation on Gender
Equality Issue Discourse”is an attempt to study these feminist approaches.

This issue includes two obituaries, two book reviews and the Index of the
Hamdard Islamicus Vol. XLI (2018) as well.

Editor-in-Chief