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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

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SIAS/KIAS-CNRS Joint Seminar 2023 “SUFISM AND SAINT VENERATION PAST AND PRESENT” was held

The Kenan Rifai Center for Sufi Studies, Center for Islamic Area Studies at Kyoto University (KIAS), Institute of Islamic Area Studies at Sophia University (SIAS) and Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS) held the SIAS/KIAS-CNRS Joint Seminar 2023 “SUFISM AND SAINT VENERATION PAST AND PRESENT”.

Date: September 1, 2023, 9:30-16:30
Venue: Collège de France – Centre d’études ottomanes Salle Claude Lévi-Strauss, 52 rue du Cardinal Lemoine, 75005 Paris

Program:
9:30-9:45 Alexandre PAPAS (CNRS-EPHE) & Thierry ZARCONE (CNRS-GSRL): Introduction

9:45-10:15 HARA Rikuo (Kyoto University): “Traditionalist Ways of Dhikr: The Case of Ibn Qayyim al-Jawzīya”
10:15-10:30 Rachida CHIH (CNRS-CETOBaC): Chair, Q&A

10:30-11:00 KONDO Fumiya (Sophia University): “From Festivals to Anniversaries: Recent Reconstructions of Mawlid’s Space in Egypt”
11:00-11:15 Rachida CHIH: Chair, Q&A

11:15-11:30: Break

11:30-12:00 UCHIYAMA Chie (Sophia University): “Destructuring the Discours of ‘Islam noir’ Persisting in Senegalese Islamic Education”
12:00-12:15 Thierry ZARCONE: Chair, Q&A

12:15-13:45 Lunch

13:45-14:15 Clara GAUTIER (Université Paris 1 Sorbonne): “Burns and scars: representations of Bektashi self-mutilations in illustrated manuscripts and in various ‘Collection of Ottoman Costumes’ (15th-18th centuries)”
14:15-14:30 AKAHORI Masayuki (Sophia University): Chair, Q&A

14:30-15:00 Makbule Nur AYAN (CNRS-CETOBaC): “Khoja Ahmad Yasavi in Turkey’s political discourse between 1998 and 2022”
15:00-15:15 TONAGA Yasushi (Kyoto University): Chair, Q&A

15:15-15:30: Break

15:30-16:00 MARUYAMA Daisuke (National Defense Academy of Japan): “Who are Ahl al-Dhikr?: Political Appropriation of Sufism and Saint in Contemporary Sudan”
16:00-16:15 Alexandre PAPAS: Chair, Q&A

16:15-16:30 AKAHORI Masayuki & TONAGA Yasushi: Conclusion

Convenors:
Akahori M., Tonaga Y., C. Gautier, Kondo F., A. Papas, Suzuki M., Th. Zarcone

Sponsors:
Institute for Islamic Area Studies (SIAS)
Center for Islamic Studies-Graduate School of Asian and African Studies (KIAS)
Kenan Rifai Center for Sufi Studies (KR)
Groupe Société, Religion et Laïcité, UMR8582 – CNRS (GSRL)
Islam médiéval, UMR8167 – CNRS (Orient et Méditerranée)
Centre d’études ottomanes, Collège de France (CEO)



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The Joint Seminar “Bridging Mystical Philosophy and Arts in Sufism: Poetry, Music and Sama’ Ritual” was held

The Kenan Rifai Center for Sufi Studies, and Uskudar University Institute for Sufi Studies held the Joint Seminar “Bridging Mystical Philosophy and Arts in Sufism: Poetry, Music and Sama’ Ritual” as follows. (This Joint Seminar was as part of the “Comprehensive Study of Sufism: Through Metaphysics, Literature, Music and Rituals” (Fund for the Promotion of Joint International Research(B) (International Collaborative Research) ), 21KK0001, JSPS ).

Date: August 28th Monday, 2023, 10:00-19:00
Venue: Nermin Tarhan Hall, Uskudar University

Program
Opening Session
Welcoming Speeches: Cemalnur Sargut
Yasushi Tonaga, Ph.D., Prof.
“Aim and Scope of the Joint Research ‘Comprehensive Study of Sufism: Through Metaphysics, Literature, Music, and Rituals”
Mahmud Erol Kılıç, Ph.D., Prof.
Hikmet Koçak, MD. Prof.

Session１Mystical Thought of Sufis
Chairperson: Kenan Gürsoy, Ph.D., Prof.
Petek Kutucuoğlu, MA.Stu.
“Ahmed Avni Konuk’s Mathnawi Commentary and the Concept of　Predisposition”
Azusa Fujimoto, Ph.D.-C.
“New Spirituality and Sufism in Turkey: Focusing on Western Interpretations of Mawlana”
Reşat Öngören, Ph.D., Prof.
“Dimensions of Sufi Thought in Mawlana Jalal al-Din Rumi”

Session 2 Literature of Sufism
Chairperson: Masayuki Akahori, Ph.D., Prof.
Yasushi Tonaga, Ph.D., Prof.
“Arts of Literature, Music and Rituals in Buddhism”
Emine Yeniterzi, Ph.D., Prof.
“Mawlana Jalal al-Din Rumi’s Influence in Turkish Sufi Literature: Stories from Mathnawi”

Session 3：Sufi Music
Chairperson: H. Dilek Güldütuna, Ph.D., Asst. Prof.
Manami Suzuki, Ph.D., Asst. Prof.
“Ney in Mevlevi: Forming the Religious Specificity through the Image and Practice”
V. Emre Ömürlü, Ph.D., Prof. (Ph.D.-C)
“Mawlawi Collations (Muqabalah) in Mawlawi Rites and Types of Practicing Dhikr in Some Tariqas”

Session 4：Ritual of Sufism
Chairperson: Yasushi Tonaga, Ph.D., Prof.
H. Dilek Güldütuna, Ph.D., Asst. Prof.
“Wayfaring (Sayr wa Suluk) Symbolism in Sama’ Ritual”
Masayuki Akahori, Ph.D. Prof.
“Reviewing Anthropology of Sufism: Changing Perspectives”
F. Cangüzel Güner Zülfikar, Ph.D., Asst. Prof.
“Mawlawi-khanas as Civilized and Civilizing Spaces”

General Discussion:
Towards a Comprehensive Understanding of Sufism
Chairperson: F. Cangüzel Güner Zülfikar, Ph.D., Asst. Prof.

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Prof. Rachida Chih gave the lecture “The Presence of the Prophet”

Institute of Islamic Area Studies at Sophia University (SIAS), Center for Islamic Area Studies at Kyoto University (KIAS) and The Kenan Rifai Center for Sufi Studies invited Prof. Rachida Chih (CNRS-CETOBaC, France) to hold a lecture as follows.

Date: June 11, 2023, Sunday, 13: 00-15: 00
Venue: Room 2-607, 6th floor, Bldg. No. 2, Sophia University (Face-to-face and Zoom “hybrid format”)

Program:
Rachida Chih (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique）“The Presence of the Prophet: The Construction of the Figure of Muhammad and the Politics of Prophetic Piety in Early Modern and Modern Islam”

Co-hosted by:
“Research on Moderate Islam in the Non-Arab World: From the Cases of Indonesia, Pakistan and Turkey” (JSPS22H00034, Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A), JSPS: TONAGA Yasushi, Kyoto University )
“Anthropological Studies on Veneration of Saints and Holy Relics in Islam and Christianity” (JP19H00564, Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A), JSPS: AKAHORI Masayuki, Sophia University)



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The 1st Research Meeting (2023) of “Research on Moderate Islam in the Non-Arab World: From the Cases of Indonesia, Pakistan and Turkey” (“Moderate Islam”) was held

The 1st Research Meeting (2023) of “Research on Moderate Islam in the Non-Arab World: From the Cases of Indonesia, Pakistan and Turkey” (“Moderate Islam”) was held as follows:

Date: June 11 (Sunday), 2023, 15: 00-17: 30
Venue: Building No. 2, 6th Floor, Room 2-603, Sophia University (Face-to-face and Zoom “hybrid format”)

Program:
WAZAKI Seika “Mainstream of Islam in Modern Uzbekistan: Thoughts of Muhammad Sadiq Muhammad Yusuf”
TONAGA Yasushi “Research Report: Indonesia”



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Prof. Rachida Chih gave her special lecture

The Kenan Rifai Center for Sufi Studies and Center for Islamic Area Studies at Kyoto University (KIAS) invited　Prof. Rachida Chih (CNRS-CETOBaC, France) to hold a lecture as follows.

Date: May 20, 2023, Saturday, 16:00-18:00
Venue: Room AA 447 (Meeting room), 4th floor, Research Bldg. No. 2, Kyoto University

Zoom Link:
https://kyoto-u-edu.zoom.us/j/85458237829?pwd=cHk1bFRzcEhVUFd1TW5nV2VGeWhidz09
Meeting ID: 854 5823 7829
Passcode: 205894

Program:
Rachida Chih (Centre national de la recherche scientifique）”Waking Visions of the Prophet and Sainthood in al-Jazūlī’s Dalā’il al-khayrāt (Fifteen century)”

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March 29, 2023: 5th Joint Research Meeting “Moderate Islam in Non-Arab World” was held

The 5th Joint Research Meeting “Moderate Islam in Non-Arab World” was held.

Date: March 29th, 2023, 14:00-17:00
Venue: Through online

Program:
KUSHIMOTO Hiroko (Sophia University)
“‘Extreme’ Moderation?: The Delicate Position of the ‘Moderate’ in Malaysia”

This Research Meeting was co-hosted by:
“Research on Moderate Islam in the Non-Arab World: From the Cases of Indonesia, Pakistan and Turkey” (JSPS22H00034, Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A), JSPS: TONAGA Yasushi, Kyoto University )
“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)

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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)

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Academic Year 2022 2nd SIAS/KIAS-CNRS Joint Seminar was held

The Kenan Rifai Center for Sufi Studies, Center for Islamic Area Studies at Kyoto University (KIAS) and Center for Islamic Studies, Sophia University (SIAS) held the 2nd SIAS/KIAS-CNRS Joint Seminar 2022.

Date and time: February 17th-18th, 2023, 13:00-16:15 (17th), 9:00-11:00 (18th)
Venue: Toyo University Atami Training Center

Program:
February 17: 13:00–16:15
(13:00–13:30)Opening Remarks

(13:30–14:00) Alexandre PAPAS (CNRS-CETOBaC) “Human Figuration and Contemplation in Islam: The Devotional Portraits of the Sufis”

(14:00–15:00) WAZAKI Seika (Chubu University) (Video Presentation) “Séance and Islam: The Eurasian Legacy as Transmitted by the Bakhshi”

(15:00–15:15 Break) (15:15–15:45) Samuel VARLEY (EPHE-GSRL / EHESS-CETOBaC) (Online Presentation) “Ethics in the Narratives of Khidr-Seekers in Contemporary Turkey”

(15:45–16:15) SUZUKI Manami (Kenan Rifai Center for Sufi Studies, Kyoto University) “The Structure of Music for Islamic Ritual in Turkey: Focused on Repetitive Singing and Call-And-Response”

February 18: 09:00–11:00 (09:00–09:30) Clara GAUTIER (Paris 1-UMR8167-CETOBaC) “The Figure of the Zâhid in His Cave: Defining the Representation of Khalwa in Persian and Turkish Manuscripts from the 15th to the 17th Century”

(09:30–10:00) Ghada Said (The University of Tokyo) (Online Presentation) “The Point under the Ba and the Point above the Noon”

(10:00–10:30) Thierry ZARCONE (CNRS-GSRL) “Second Karbala and Second Najaf from Iran and Central Asia to India: About Alternative Shi’ite Pilgrimages”

(10:30–11:00) Discussion, Closing Remarks

Sponsoring Institutes and Research Projects:
CNRS (Centre national de la recherche scientifique)
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)
Anthropological Studies on Veneration of Saints and Holy Relics in Islam and Christianity (Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A), JSPS)
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)

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The Reports of the 4th Joint Research Meeting “Moderate Islam in Non-Arab World”

The 4th Joint Research Meeting of “Research on Moderate Islam in the Non-Arab World: From the Cases of Indonesia, Pakistan and Turkey” (JSPS22H00034, Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A), JSPS: TONAGA Yasushi, Kyoto University) 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). (The 4th Joint Research Meeting “Moderate Islam in Non-Arab World”)

Date: February 15th, 2023, 16:00-18:00
Venue: Building No. 2, 6th Floor, Room 2-615a, Sophia University (Face-to-face and Zoom “hybrid format”)

Report 1: INOUE Aeka (Shujitsu University) “Jinnah, the ‘Minority’ Father of the nation”

Jinnah has been called ‘Father of the Nation’ in Pakistan. He fought for Indian Muslims’ peaceful life in Hindu dominant India. However, we must pay attention to the fact that he was the minority of Muslim society in colonial India, for instance, he was from Shi’ite family and got married with Farsi lady. But Indian Muslims never see it as a problem and have accepted him as Quaid-e-Azam. I believe this fact shows the diversity and the tradition of generosity among Indian Muslims.

Report 2: YAMANE So (Osaka University) “Literary Space and Religion in Late 19th-century Urdu Sources: Masnavi in the Cow Protection Movement”

This presentation focuses on an Urdu pamphlet, ‘The Lamentation of the Cow’, published in the early 1880s in Lahore. The journal was published by Arya Samaj, a Hindu reformist organisation. It is written in Urdu and contains articles and poems calling on Muslims to stop slaughtering more cows than necessary. Many of the descriptions are in a tone in which the Hindu side calls on the Muslims, and in an article some Muslims appear and speak in sympathy with the Hindu side.
Previous studies have spoken of the disconnection between Hindus and Muslims being aggravated by the late 19th-century movement for the protection of the cows, but the fact that there was such a move to avoid conflict peacefully and rationally points out the need for further research into sources from the period and a re-examination of the issue.