The Institute of Ismaili Studies Hosts 2004 Shi‘i Studies Symposium  
April 2004
Providing an opportunity for scholars in the United Kingdom to share research interests and developments in the field, the Institute played host to a Shi‘i Studies Symposium on April 17th and 18th, 2004. The event included a day-long conference and an evening reception alongside an exhibition of 30 manuscripts organised by the Institute’s library. More

 

IIS Contributes to Conference on Gujarati Engagement with Tradition  
May 2004
The IIS contributed to a one-day workshop entitled ‘Engagements with Tradition in the Gujarati World’, which took place on May 14, 2004 at the School of Oriental and African Studies. The workshop facilitated sharing of research and helped raise the profile of the region and its peoples as important areas of study. More

 

IIS Co-Sponsors International Conference on Classical Arabic Philosophy 
May 2004
A two-day conference, entitled ‘Classical Arabic Philosophy: Sources and Reception’, was held on 29-30 April, 2004 at the Warburg Institute, London. The Institute of Ismaili Studies was one of the co-sponsors of this Conference which provided an opportunity for both younger and established scholars to share current research and scholarship in the growing field of Arabic philosophy. More

 

Alice Hunsberger Speaks About Nasir Khusraw on Australian National Radio 
May 2004
Interviewed by Rachael Kohn, host of The Ark, a religious affairs programme on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Alice Hunsberger spoke about the Ismaili poet, philosopher and traveller Nasir Khusraw. Aired on May 9, 2004, the radio show examined the importance of the intellect in Nasir Khusraw’s poetry and the relevance of his writing for today’s world. More

 

The Institute’s first book in the Qur’anic Studies Series  
May 2004
Modern Muslim Intellectuals and the Qur’an , edited by Dr Suha Taji-Farouki was launched on May 27 2004 at the Ismaili Centre, London. The volume examines the writings of Muslim authors from throughout the Muslim world and the West, who employ contemporary critical methods to understand the Qur’an. More

 

IIS Scholar jointly Edits Publication on 20th Century Islamic Thought 
November 2004
Islamic Thought in the Twentieth Century, edited by Suha Taji-Farouki and Basheer M. Nafi, is among the latest publications supported by the Institute and published by I.B. Tauris. This work focuses on the diverse forms and themes of Islamic thought in the twentieth century, the conditions that fomented it and the social, political and cultural contexts in which it occurred. More

 

IIS welcomes Class of 2007 
November 2004
Ten students from four countries were accepted into the Institute’s Graduate Programme in Islamic Studies and Humanities (GPISH), which began in October. The students were selected from a pool of nearly 300 applicants. They have embarked on an intensive two-year course in the faith, culture and thought of Muslim societies, leading to a Masters degree from a British university in a relevant area of specialisation. More

 

Graduating Class of 2005 Preparing for their Future 
November 2004
Over 120 guests, including faculty, staff and students of the Institute as well as its key supporters, commemorated the graduation of the Class of 2005 at a ceremony held at London’s Royal Geographic Society on November 27th, 2004. The students, who commenced the Institute’s Graduate Programme in Islamic Studies and Humanities in September 2002, are now pursuing Masters Degrees at various UK universities. More

 

Institute Scholars Participate in International Conference in Moscow 
November 2004
More than 3,000 participants and approximately 1,000 scholars from around the world gathered in Moscow for the 37th Congress of the International Congress of Asian and North African Studies (ICANAS), held on 16-21 August 2004, under the aegis of the Institute of Oriental Studies (IOS) of Russian Academy of Sciences, headed by Professor Rybakov Rostislav Borisovich. During the opening of the Congress greetings and messages were received from the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin and His Highness the Aga Khan along with a number of other heads of states and world leaders. More

 

The Institute Publishes a Monograph on Muslim Ethics  
September 2004
Muslim Ethics: Emerging Vistas by Amyn B. Sajoo is the third monograph in the Institute’s category of publications that explore specific aspects of Muslim faith and culture. The present work explores Muslim ethics in the contemporary context, investigating a wide range of themes. More

 

IIS Conducts Third ‘Summer Programme on Islam’ at the University of Cambridge 
August 2004
The Institute of Ismaili Studies held its third residential Summer Programme on Islam from August 7 - August 15, 2004 at Lucy Cavendish College, University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. Twenty-eight participants from seven countries with diverse academic and professional backgrounds attended the 2004 session More

 

Institute’s scholars contribute to a ‘Historical Atlas of Islam’ 
August 2004
A ‘Historical Atlas of Islam’ was published by Harvard University Press in May 2004. In this beautifully illustrated work, Dr. Malise Ruthven, in collaboration with the Institute’s Director, Professor Azim Nanji, has consolidated an eminently accessible account of various facets of Islam and Muslim societies. More

 

Arzina Lalani Invited to the First Annual Festival of Middle Eastern Spirituality and Peace 
March 2004
Dr Arzina Lalani, Research Associate at The Institute of Ismaili Studies, was invited to participate in the First Annual Festival of Middle Eastern Spirituality and Peace, held in Edinburgh from 27th February to 7th March 2004 in Edinburgh, Scotland. The Festival, which brought together individuals from different faith communities, provided a forum to discuss the nature of world spirituality, with particular reference to the spiritual foundations for peace. More

 

Azim Nanji Delivers 2004 Birks Lectures 
March 2004
Professor Azim Nanji, Director of The Institute of Ismaili Studies, delivered the prestigious 2004 Birks Lectures hosted by McGill University’s Faculty of Religious Studies in February 2004. Speaking on Islam, its understanding, representation and study, Professor Nanji explored the ways in which Muslims and non-Muslims through the ages have looked at the world’s second largest religion. More

 

Reza Shah-Kazemi Speaks About the Qur’an as a Source of Dialogue Amongst Faith Communities 
March 2004
Speaking about the Qur’an’s vision of an inclusive and embracing pluralism, Reza Shah-Kazemi, Research Associate at The Institute of Ismaili Studies, has been delivering a series of keynote lectures at important research centres in Lahore, Kuala Lampur and Amman. The tour is sponsored by Jordan’s Aal al-Bayt Foundation. More

 

A Short History of the Ismailis, First IIS Publication in Portuguese 
January 2004
The first IIS publication available in Portuguese, Breve História dos Ismaelitas, is a translation by Paulo Jorge de Sousa Pinto of Farhad Daftary’s A Short History of the Ismailis. Published by the Centre for the Study of Portuguese-speaking Peoples and Cultures at the Catholic University of Portugal, the monograph, which forms the 8th volume in the Centre’s prestigious Studies and Documents series, is a seminal contribution to Islamic Studies in a language spoken by 214 million people worldwide. More