February 24, 2018 KIAS-IMS Seventh Joint Seminar “Exploring Culture and Politics in the Mediterranean World” was held

Center for Islamic Area Studies at Kyoto University (KIAS) and Institute for Mediterranean Studies (IMS), Busan University of Foreign Studies co-hosted KIAS-IMS Seventh Joint Seminar “Exploring Culture and Politics in the Mediterranean World” with Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies (ASAFAS), and Kenan Rifai Center forSufi Studies, Kyoto University as below.

Date:February 24, Saturday, 2018 14:30-18:15
Venue: Conference room (AA447), 4th Floor, Research Bldg. No.2, Kyoto University
Language:English
Programme:

Opening Session (14:30-14:50)
Chair: FUTATSUYAMA Tatsuro (Visiting Associate Professor, Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies)

TONAGA Yasushi (Director, Center for Islamic Area Studies, Professor, Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies)
“Welcome Speech”

Yong Soo YOON (Director, Institute for Mediterranean Studies)
“Greeting Speech”

Session 1 (14:50-16:20)
Chair: Byoung Joo HAH (Professor, Institute for Mediterranean Studies, Busan University of Foreign Studies)

YAMAMOTO Naoki (Ph.D. Candidate, Graduate School of Asian and Area Studies)
“Sharia/Haqiqa Dichotomy among Sufis and Kadizadelis during Ottoman Period”

Yong Soo YOON (Director, Institute for Mediterranean Studies) & Jung Ha KIM (Professor, Institute for Mediterranean Studies, Busan University of Foreign Studies)
“Types of Cultural Exchange in the Mediterraneanistic Multiculturalism”

Session 2 (16:30-18:00)
Chair: Choonsik CHOI (Professor, Institute for Mediterranean Studies, Busan University of Foreign Studies)

Ji Hun KANG (Research Professor, Institute for Mediterranean Studies, Busan University of Foreign Studies)
“A Study on Information Technology Utilization for Education of Overseas Area Culture”

OKABE Yuki (Graduate Student, Graduate School of Asian and Area Studies)
“Reconsidering Power Sharing Regimes and Civil Wars in Lebanon and Syria”

Sang Ho MOON (Professor, Dept. of Computer Engineering, Busan University of Foreign Studies) & Dong Yeol LEE (Research Professor, Institute for Mediterranean Studies, Busan University of Foreign Studies)
“GIS based Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Analysis”

Closing Session (18:00-18:15)
Chair: TONAGA Yasushi (Director, Center for Islamic Area Studies, Professor, Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies)

KOSUGI Yasushi (Director, Hadhari Center for Islamic Civilizational Studies, Kyoto University; Professor, Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies)
“Closing Remarks”

Organizers
Center for Islamic Area Studies at Kyoto University(KIAS)
Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies (ASAFAS), Kyoto University
Kenan Rifai Center forSufi Studies, Kyoto University
Institute for Mediterranean Studies (IMS), Busan University of Foreign Studies

 

January 21-22, 2018 SIAS/KIAS-CNRS Joint Seminar was held

Kenan Rifai Center for Sufi Studies, Kyoto University co-hosted SIAS/KIAS-CNRS Joint Seminar 2018 “Holy Relics and Religious Commodities in Islam + Other Related Subjects” with Center for Islamic Area Studies at Kyoto University (KIAS)and Center for Islamic Studies at Sophia University(SIAS)as below.

Date: January 21-22, 2018
Venue: Toyo University Atami Training Center

 

Programme:
January 21: 13:00-18:00
(13:00-13:15) Opening Remarks: TONAGA Yasushi (KIAS, Kyoto University)

Part 1: Holy Relics and Religious Commodities in Islam + Related Subjects

(13:15-13:50) Pierre-Jean LUIZARD (EPHE-CNRS GSRL)
“Damascus and Cairo: Two Heads of Hussein for Two Kinds of Worship”

(13:50-14:15) KONDO Fumiya (Ph.D. student, SGPAS, Sophia University)
“Mawlid Dolls of Egypt in Terms of “Religious Commodities”: A Preliminary Study”

(14:15-14:50) Thierry ZARCONE (EPHE-CNRS GSRL)
“Qadamgah and Mausoleums Associated with Relics of Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib in the Indo-Turko-Persian Area”

(15:00-15:35) NINOMIYA Ayako (Aoyama Gakuin University)
“Qadam-i Sharif, Mecca and Delhi: Story of a Sufi and Footprints of the Prophet Muhammad in Medieval India”

(15:35-16:10) Alexandre PAPAS (CNRS-CETOBAC)
“Kashkul: Practical Uses and Doctrinal Meanings of a Sufi Relic”

(16:10-16:45) TAKAHASHI Kei (JSPS Research Fellow-RPD)
“Sufism without Tariqa: The Emergence of Muslim Third Places in the Contemporary American Muslim Community”

Part 2: Graduate Student Presentations 1

(17:00-17:30) ISHIKAWA Kido (Ph.D. student, ASAFAS, Kyoto University)
“The Mode of Expression of the Love in the Works of Baba Tahir”

(17:30-18:00) SUENO Takanori (Ph.D. student, ASAFAS, Kyoto University)
“Ibrahim Niyas’s on Sufism: From a Perspective as a Shari‘a Oriented Sufi”

January 22: 9:00-12:00
Part 3: Graduate Student Presentations 2

(9:00-9:30) YAMAZAKI Satoru (Ph.D. student, ASAFAS, Kyoto University)
“Syrian Civil War, Sectarianism, and the Turkish Arab `Alawis’ Struggle for Recognition”

(9:30-10:00) Kamnoush KHOSROVANI (Ph.D. student, EPHE-CNRS GSRL)
“On the Path of an Exuberant Sufi Practice: An Anthropological Study of the Contemporary Female Qaderi Groups in Tehran”

Part 4: Holy Relics and Religious Commodities in Islam + Related Subjects 2

(10:10-10:45) FUTATSUYAMA Tatsuro (Research Associate of the NIHU/KIAS, Kyoto University)
“Qur’anic Interior Ornaments in Ordinary Muslims’ Space: From the Case of South Tunisia”

(10:45-11:20) YASUDA Shin (Teikyo University)
“Commodifying Religious Experiences: Islamic Tour Operators and Religious Markets in Indonesia”

(11:20-11:50) General Comments: Pierre-Jean LUIZARD, Alexandre PAPAS, and Thierry ZARCONE

(11:50-12:00) Closing Remarks: AKAHORI Masayuki (SIAS, Sophia University)

Organizers:
Thierry ZARCONE, TONAGA Yasushi, MISAWA Nobuo (Faculty of Social Sciences, Toyo University), AKAHORI Masayuki

Sponsoring Institutes and Research Projects:
Kenan Rifai Center for Sufi Studies, Kyoto University
Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Groupe Societes, Religions, Laicites
Center for Islamic Area Studies at Kyoto University(KIAS)
Center for Islamic Studies at Sophia University (SIAS)
NIHU Area Studies Project for the Modern Middle East
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A), JSPS Program “Structural Comprehension of Islamic Mysticism: Investigation into Sufism, Tariqa, Saint Cults Complex”
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B), JSPS Program “Anthropological Studies on Veneration of Saints and Relics in the Mediterranean World”
Sophia University Special Grant for Academic Research Program (Research in Priority Areas) “Comparative Area Studies on Conflicts, Interactions, and Reconciliations between Islam and Other Religions Including Christianity”

Abbreviation:
NIHU=National Institute of Humanities
ASAFAS=Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies, Kyoto University
SGPAS=Sophia Graduate Program for Area Studies, Graduate School of Global Studies, Sophia University

 

December 10, 2017 Murat Mercan Turkish new Ambassador visited the Center

Ambassador Murat Mercan who assumed his duty as Turkish Ambassador in Tokyo in mid November visited the Center with his wife and Mr.Hussein Tuna(Director of the Yunus Emre Institute in Tokyo). After the introduction of the research and publication activities of the Center, discussion on further promotion for academic and cultural exchange was made.

November 11- 12, 2017 Sufism / Saint Veneration Research Convention was held

Sufism / Saint Veneration Research Convention was held as below.

Date: November 11, Saturday 13:30- 12, Sunday 12:00
Venue: KKR Izu Nagaoka Chitosesou recreation center
Program

November 11, Saturday, 1st day
13:30-13:45  Opening speech, self introduction

13:45-15:30  Research presentation SAWAI Makoto (Kyoto University, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science PD)
“Modern Period of Islamic Mystical Thought ―Focused on Mohammed Abduh’s Reform Thought―”

15:45-17:30  Research presentation TAKAHASHI Kei(Sophia University, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science RPD)
”Sufism and Muslim Communities in Contemporary America ―Rise and the Background of “Traditional Islamic” Movement―”

17:30-18:00  Report of cooperative research in Italy KOMAKI Sachiyo(Takasaki City University of Economics)

November 12, Sunday, 2nd day
9:30-10:30 Book Review 1 TAKAO Ken’ichiro(Tokyo University of Foreign Studies PD) Book Review of The Sufi Orders in Islam, “The Formation of Schools of Mysticism” (first chapter)

10:30-11:30 Book Review 2 FUJII Chiaki(Kyoto University)

Book Review of The Sufi Orders in Islam, “The Chief Tariqa Lines” (second chapter)

11:30-11:45 Closing remarks

This convention was co-hosted with projects below.
・Kenan Rifai Center for Sufi Studies, Kyoto University
・NIHU Area Studies Project for the Modern Middle East, Center for Islamic     
Studies at Sophia University, Center for Islamic Area Studies at Kyoto University
・Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A), JSPS Program “Structural Comprehension of
Islamic Mysticism: Investigation into Sufism, Tariqa, Saint Cults Complex”
・Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B), JSPS Program “Anthropological Studies on
Veneration of Saints and Relics in the Mediterranean World”
・Sophia University Special Grant for Academic Research Program (Research in Priority Areas)
“Comparative Area Studies on Conflicts, Interactions, and Reconciliations between Islam and Other Religions Including Christianity”

 

July 23, 2017 Academic year 2017 1st Sufism / Saint Veneration research meeting was held

Academic year 2017  1st Sufism / Saint Veneration research meeting was held as below.

Date: July 23rd, 2017 12:30-18:15
Venue: Conference room (AA447), 4th Floor, Research Bldg. No.2, Kyoto University
Language:Japanese

Program

12:30-13:30 Overview of Research in Italy FUJIWARA Kuniko

13:45-15:15 Research presentation 1  ISHIKAWA Kido
“Translation of Poetic Language in The CONFERENCE of the BIRDS by Attar -Using Literary Theory-”

15:30-17:00 Research presentation 2  IKEBE Tomoki
“Doctrine of Labor and Practice- Collective Bayefall of Mouride in Senegal”

17:15-18:15 Discussion for Activity schedule in academic year 2017(Conference, workshop, WOCMES-, etc.)

May 20-21, 2017: The center held the first international symposium

The Kenan Rifai Center for Sufi Studies, Kyoto University held the first international symposium “Islamic Studies and the Study of Sufism in Academia: Rethinking Methodologies”at Main Conference Room, 3rd floor, Inamori Memorial Foundation Building, Kyoto University.

The center invited 35 leading researchers as speakers who specialize in various regions and areas from Turkey, USA, China and Japan, and the researchers made presentations on Islamic Studies and the study of Sufism. Moreover, fruitful discussions with young researchers were carried out.

Over two days, about 120 people participated in the symposium and Turkish Ambassador Ahmet Bülent MERİÇ also visited. The symposium was broadcast live through You Tube and most advanced studies of Sufism, Saint Cult, and Tariqa were presented worldwide.

In addition, books on Studies of Sufism, Saint cult Tariqa in Japan, Quran translated into Japanese, and Japan-Turkey related documents were exhibited and attracted many of the participants.

Date: May 20th-21st,2017
Venue: Main Conference Room, 3rd Floor,Kyoto Unversity Inamori Foundation Memorial Hall
Program:

May 20th
Opening Session:
KOSUGI Yasushi (Former Dean of ASAFAS and Director of the Center for Hadhari Islamic Civilizational Studies at Kyoto University)
TONAGA Yasushi (Director of the Kenan Rifai Center for Sufi Studies, Kyoto University)
Cemalnur SARGUT (Founder of Kerim Foundation, Advisor to Üsküdar University Chancellor and Director of TÜRKKAD İstanbul Branch)
Mehmet KÖSE (President of Turkish Republic Prime Ministry the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities)
A. Bülent MERİÇ (Turkish Ambassador)
 
Keynote Speech I: TONAGA Yasushi, KOSUGI Yasushi (15 min. each)
Keynote Speech II: TU Weiming and Mahmud Erol KILIÇ (20 min. each)
 
Session 1
1. Carl ERNST [chair] “Orientalist Legacies and the Academic Construction of Sufism”
2. MURATA Sachiko “Sufism in Chinese”
3. Osman Nuri KÜÇÜK “The Epistemological Problem of the Contemporary Islamic Thought: Loosing Hikma (Wisdom)”
4. TONAGA Yasushi “General Tendency of Islamic and Sufi Studies in Japan”
 
Session 2
1. Omid SAFI [chair] “Mawlana, Mevlana, Rumi”
2. TAKAO Ken’ichiro “Sufism under Syrian Ba‘th: Ahmad Kuftaru
and His Tariqah”
3. Bruce LAWRENCE “Is adab axial or incremental to madhhab-iʻishq (Sufism)?”
4. William CHITTICK “Moses in the Religion of Love”
 
Closing Conference of the Project of the Bridge of Two Easts Education Program for Sufi Culture
Cangüzel Güner Zülfikar [chair] (20min.) “Searching New Horizons in Methodology of Sufi Studies”
Participants of the Program (15 min. each):
1. Kotoko MADONO
2. Qayyim Mashuk Naoki YAMAMOTO
3. Kie INOUE
4. Kazunori MATSUDA
5. Makoto SAWAI
 
May 21st
Session 3
1. NAKANISHI Tatsuya “Ma Dexin and Ibn ‘Arabī’s Theories Regarding the Afterlife: A Chinese
Expression of Sufism during the 19th Century”
2. Ahmet Murat ÖZEL “Reading the History of Sufism from the View of the Classification of ʻIlms [Science]”
3. Juliane HAMMER “Studying American Sufism: A Reflection on Boundaries, Authenticity, and Politics”
4. James MORRIS [chair] “Teaching “Sufi” Studies in Undergraduate Settings: Religious Studies and the Liberal Arts”
 
Session 4
1. MORIMOTO Kazuo [chair] “Sayyido-Sharifology Twelve Years Later”
2. TAKAHASHI Kei “The Institutional Origin of the Ulama-Sufi Dichotomy in Modern Egypt”
3. NINOMIYA Ayako “Concepts of affiliation and membership of Tariqa: Medieval India’s case”
4. OGURA Satoshi “Indic Deities translated by means of the oneness of existence: in the case of Muḥammad Šāhābādī’s Persian translation of the Rājataraṅgiṇīs”
 
Session 5
1. MARUYAMA Daisuke “Mystic, Miracle, and Mediation: The Interpretation of the Relation between Allah
and People in Contemporary Sudanese Sufi Tariqas”
2. YASUDA Shin “Islamic Hospitality in Adab Literature (temporary)”
3. ARAI Kazuhiro [chair] “Saint Veneration in Indonesia and the Emergence of Hadrami Sada: Shaping Historical Perception by Using the Current Situation?”
4. WAZAKI Seika “Searching for “our Islam”: Sufism, tariqa and the government policies towards Islam in post-Soviet Central Asia”
 
Session 6
1. miriam cooke “Framing the Lives of Female Sufi Saints”
2. YAMANE So “Dual Trends of Sufi Poetry in South Asia”
3. Emine YENITERZI “Significance of Literature in Sufi Education”
4. Cemil AYDIN [chair] “Islamic Studies, Geopolitics, and Racialization of Muslims: Lessons from the 20th Century”
 
Concluding Session
Cemâlnur SARGUT [chair]
TONAGA Yasushi
AKAHORI Masayuki
William CHITTICK
Carl ERNST
Mahmud Erol KILIÇ

May 20-21, 2017: Hosting the Kyoto Sufism Symposium

The Center will host an international symposium on research into Sufism from May 20 to 21, 2017.

The title of the symposium will be: “The First International Symposium of the Kenan Rifai Center for Sufi Studies, Kyoto University: “Islamic Studies and the Study of Sufism in Academia: Rethinking Methodologies” Including the Closing Session of the Education Programme for Sufi Culture “The Bridge of Two Easts.””

It will be held on the 3rd floor of the Kyoto University Inamori Foundation Memorial Building.
(http://www.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en/access/yoshida/pharmaceutical.html: Building No. 37)

Click here for details → http://kerimvakfi.org/live-broadcast/