On-demand lecture series “Transmission of Sacredness in Islam: Prophet’s Family, Saints’ Descendants, and Holy Relics” will be held

On-demand lecture series “Transmission of Sacredness in Islam: Prophet’s Family, Saints’ Descendants, and Holy Relics” will be held jointly with the Kenan Rifai Center for Sufi Studies, Kyoto University, which offer two lecture videos on November 13 and the other two on November 20, until December 3 (in Japanese). This is one of the programs of Sophia Open Research Weeks 2023.

Date: From November 13 (Monday) / November 20 (Monday) to December 3 (Sunday), Online

Contact:
Institute of Islamic Area Studies at Sophia University (SIAS) :sias-co@sophia.ac.jp

This lectures was supported by:
JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (P19H00564, JP21KK0001, JP22H00034)
The Promotion and Mutual Aid Corporation for Private Schools of Japan

For more information, please visit
https://dept.sophia.ac.jp/is/SIAS/achievement/2023/sorw_2023.html

February 18-19, 2023 Sufism/Saint Veneration Research Convention was held

Academic Year 2022 Sufism/Saint Veneration Research Convention was held as below.

Date: February 18th-19th, 2023, 13:30-20:00 (18th), 9:00-11:30 (19th)
Venue: Toyo University Atami Training Center

Program
Day 1: 18th (Sat.)
13:30-14:00
Opening, Self-introduction by participants

14:00-16:00
SUENO Takanori (Kyoto University)
“Understanding the Discursive Tradition of Ibn Arabi: From the Western Perspective of the Islamic World”

16:00-17:30
YAMAGUCHI Takumi (Toyo University)
Book Review: Talal Asad “Isuram no Jinrui-gaku ni tsuite Kangaeru (The Idea of an Anthropology of Islam)”, supervised by AKAHORI Masayuki, translation and commentaries by KONDO Fumiya (SIAS Working Paper Series 40, The Center for Islamic Studies at Sophia University, 2022)

19:00-20:00
TONAGA Yasushi
“Report of Field Research in Senegal”

Day 2: 19th (Sun.)
9:00-11:00
FUJIMOTO Azusa (Kyoto University)
“Healing Therapy in Modern Turkey: Spiritualism and Sufism”

11:00-11:30
AKAHORI Masayuki (Sophia University)
“Report of Field Research in Philippines”

Organizers:
AKAHORI Masayuki (Sophia University)
TONAGA Yasushi (Kyoto University)
Kondo Fumiya (Sophia University)
SUZUKI Manami (Kyoto University)

This convention was co-hosted with projects below.
KIAS (Center for Islamic Area Studies, Graduate School of Asian and African Studies)
SIAS (Institute of Islamic Ares Studies, Sophia University)
Kenan Rifai Center for Sufi Studies, Kyoto University
Research on Moderate Islam in the Non-Arab World: From the Cases of Indonesia, Pakistan and Turkey (Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A), JSPS 22H00034)
Anthropological Studies on Veneration of Saints and Holy Relics in Islam and Christianity (Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A), JSPS 19H00564)
Research on the Dynamics of the Reconstruction of Publicness in Contemporary Islam (Academic Research Promotion Fund by the Promotion and Mutual Aid Corporation for Private Schools of Japan)

1st “Research on Moderate Islam in the Non-Arab World: From the Cases of Indonesia, Pakistan and Turkey” and “An Attempt of Moderate Islam to Counter the Islamism: Focusing on “Religious Moderation” Policy of Indonesia” Field Research in Jakarta, Indonatia.

1st “Research on Moderate Islam in the Non-Arab World: From the Cases of Indonesia, Pakistan and Turkey” (22H00034, Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A), JSPS) and “An Attempt of Moderate Islam to Counter the Islamism: Focusing on “Religious Moderation” Policy of Indonesia” (Heiwa Nakajima Foundation, Aids for the Academic Research in Asia Region) Field Research in Jakarta, Indonatia.

January 30th: Masjid Lautze (Chinese mosque, Interview with the Imam)
January 31st: Visited to Prof. Iik Mansur Noor (UIN[Universitas Islam Negeri)
February 1st: Visited to Prof. Oman Fathurahman (UIN)
February 2nd: Visited to UNUSIA (Universitas Nahdlatul Ulama Indonesia, Founded in 1999) (Interview with Dr. Fariz Alnizar about educational research)
February 3rd: Visited to UIN (Interview with Prof. Ismat Ropi (Convey program manager); Prof. Oman Fathurahman gave an overview of Moderasi Beragama;
Q&A session) + Invited by Pusantoren Al-Hamidiyya (Prof. Oman is the principal) and interacted with students
February 4th: Interview with former Religious Minister Lukman Hakim
February 6th: Visited an NPO influenced by the ideas of Syafii Maarif (the former president of Muhammadhia), and participated in training for young people on “deradicalization”, and hearing about the exchanges between with Christian, Buddhist, and Confucian groups in Indonesia.


1. Exterior of Masjid Lautze

2. Interior of Masjid Lautze

3. With Imam of Masjid Lautze

4. With Prof. Iik Mansur Noor (left) at UIN

5. With Dr. Fariz Alnizar at UNUSIA

6. At Pusantoren Al-Hamidiyya

7. The founder of this Pusantoren (left)


February 3rd: Interview with the director of the center, Prof. TONAGA (at Pusantoren Al-Hamidiyya)

July 16-24, 2018 Field Research in Spain was conducted

Field Research was conducted mainly at Santiago de Compostela in Spain. For the comparison of Saint Veneration and Pilgrimage in Islam and Christianity, the research party investigated at Santiago de Compostela Cathedral and the old town.

Santiago de Compostela Cathedral

The remain of Saint James is enshrined
and many pilgrims visit here.
At the Cathedral, there is a big thurible
called “Botafumeiro”, which is thisplace’s specialty.

An apparel shop at Santiago de Compostela

In pilgrimage at Santiago de Compostela,
scallops are important as its symbol.
Pilgrims attach shells of scallops to walking sticks,
and all over the Cathedral is decorated with shells of scallops.
At the shop, T-shirts and accessories
with shells of scallop motif are sold.

Traditional dance at Saint James Festival

Saint James Festival is held throughout
the town once a year and pilgrims visit
more than usual. Music and dance in
Galicia’s traditional costumes take place
around the Cathedral and floatsare paraded
through the town. We can see scenes similar
to Mawlid in Islam.

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.