Breaking Down Walls of Division Through a New Understanding of the Past.

It has been some time since the previous blog for this site, when I promised a short video of the work of one of our partners. This will be coming soon. While we are waiting…

Much of this site is about what is happening in the academic world today in re-writing the History of Islam, known as Historical Revisionism. In regards to Islam, it is happening because the traditional source of Muslim history was written about 300 years after Muhammad, and very influenced by the traditions of the Arab dynasty at the time. Instead, those revising the History of Islam attempt to recreate its history in its original context. The end result… Islam and Christianity are very more interconnected, both with common origins, and much of the basis for extremism is removed.

With a new inter-connected history, the path ahead is rebuilding relationships. A group of Christians in NSW, Australia, visited a number of mosques recently, each asking for a Qur’an. That evolved in sharing meals together, suspicions of each other decreasing, and friendships established. Simple, but a challenge and inspiration to us all!

New Recommended Books

Two new recommended books on this site by G R Hawting are:

The Idea of Idolatry and the Emergence of Islam – According to Muslim tradition, Arabia was filled with idolatry, and Muhammad introduced montheism for the first time. Hawting explains that this is quite misleading. Arabia embraced forms of montheism long before Muhammad, however with diverse forms of Eastern Christianity often compromising a pure montheism through the deifying of saints.

The First Dynasty of Islam: The Umayyad Caliphate – The First Arab Political Dynasty, which ISIS today seeks to restore, was much different from Islam today. Sharia Law was still centuries before it was finalised. The Sunna (The example of Muhammad) was being debated. Hawting presents an understanding of life in the Umayyad Dynasty prior to the later evolving of Islamic traditions.

We trust that these resources will be a contribution to bringing understanding to challenges facing Islam today.

Warm Regards

Robert