Editorial

Dear readers!

In this issue we continue pursuing the subject of “Arab thought” and dedicate ourselves to a number of modern Arab philosophers, whose work have shaped the spirit of Arab modernity even after their death and to whom we herewith pay our tribute: Nasr Hamid Abu Zaid, Mohamed Abdel al-Jabri, Ayatollah Muhammad Hussein Fadlallah.

We further address a number of recurrent questions which have arisen upon considering the transition from tradition to modernity from the point of view of authors of different background and origin:

• What role does religion have in secular state (taking Turkey as example in an article by Sadiq Jalal al-Azm or as subject of discussion in an interview with Abdalla an-Naim)?

• Is it necessary to study cultural heritage if we want to manage a great leap forward to modernity (Jabri’s work illuminated by the Sudanese researcher Ghassan Ali Osman)?

• How can progress be successful and what can we draw from our own historical experiences (asks Muhammad Ahmad az-Zoebi from Syria)?

• What is the role of Ibn Rushd today? George Bossong takes a closer look at the Arab civilization in Andalusia, "the golden dream", and its modern reception.

In no other field the exposure and self involvement of cultures find more expression than in art, by continuously facing and observing one another. In his very interesting study Issam Nassar transfers us back into the 18th and 19th centuries and the early photography in Palestine.

According to the tradition of our magazine, Minbar Ibn Rushd ends its twelfth issue with a literary contribution, a short story entitled “The Wall” by Hamid Fadlalla.

Dear readers, in one of the coming issues – against the background of the turbulent events in the Arab world, paying tribute to the courageous initiators and protagonists of the revolutions and of change – the focus will be on the following subject:
„The role of the young generation in developing the Arab world and their usage of modern communication”
By this the Ibn Rushd fund wants to call attention to the still unrecognised role of youth (and especially young women). Already the Ibn Rushd fund has set this direction by choosing the prize subject of 2010 and 2011 (blogger, journalist).

Authors are welcome to contribute with articles on this subject until 20. February 2012.

We wish you a good reading!

Abier Bushnaq
Editor-in-Chief

29. January 2012