Lecture: “Giving Voices to Women” featuring Cheikh Khaled Bentounès

The Islamic Studies Library is hosting a lecture featuring Cheikh Khaled Bentounes next Thursday (Sept. 19th), 5:30-7:30 p.m., in the Frank Dawson Adams Auditorium : 3450 University Street. For more information, see the Library website.

This lecture is presented by McGill Islamic Studies Library in conjunction with AISA Canada – Association Internationale Soufie Alawiyya au Canada and Pauline Librarie and is part of “The Sufi Alternative: A message for the 21st Century Conference held in Montreal September 14, 16, 17 and 19, 2013.

Please note that this lecture is free and will be held in French.

Résumé: « Le Coran affirme le principe d’égalité entre tous les êtres. De nombreux versets soulignent cette égalité hommes femmes, à commencer par la création du couple adamique issu d’un prototype unique» al nafs al wahida .

Donner la parole aujourd’hui aux femmes signifie encourager une relecture des textes fondamentaux de l’Islam pour une nouvelle compréhension dont la société musulmane a grandement besoin. (…)

Il appartient aux femmes de découvrir cet héritage, et de prendre l’initiative de relire les textes pour réclamer la place qui leur revient de droit. C’est une question qui concerne l’avenir de l’humanité toute entière. »

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Summary: “The Qur’an states the principle of equality among all beings. A great number of verses emphasize gender equality, starting with the creation of the Adamic couple from a single “Al Nafs al Wahida” prototype.

Giving voice to women today means encouraging a rereading of the fundamental texts of Islam for a new understanding, which the Muslim society so badly needs. (…)

It is up to women to discover this heritage and take the initiative to read the texts to demand their rightful place before the law. This is a fundamental issue for the future of humanity.”

Kalilah wa-Dimnah digitized!

The McGill Rare Books and Special Collections’ 17th cent. manuscript of Kalilah wa-Dimnah is now available online.

Originally authored in Sanskrit, Kalilah wa-Dimnah is a collection of animal fables in verse and prose, taken from the Indian oral tradition. It was translated into Arabic by Abd Allah ibn al-Muqaffa around 750 A.D.

As the bookplate below indicates, McGill copy was presented to the Library by the Quebecer philanthropist John R. Redpath (1796-1869).

OwnershipThis Arabic version of the text is written in an Egyptian or Syrian Hand. On the 130 folios in laid European paper, the attentive eye might be able to see the three crescents watermark. 95 beautiful miniatures illustrate the numerous fables*.

Tortue *Description based on Adam Gacek’s Arabic Manuscripts in the Libraries of McGill University Union Catalogue

ColombeThe Bibliothèque Nationale de France and Université Paris-Sorbonne are currently collaborating on a research project aiming to identify, locate, and describe worlwide manuscript copies of this important text, in Arabic, Persian and Turkish. McGill Library has now joined the list of partners, along with prestigious institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), the Chester Beatty Library (Dublin) or the Cambridge University Library (Cambridge UK). A full description (in French) of the project is available here.

Virtual exhibits of the Arab World Institute (Paris)

The Arab World Institute’s website provides access to 15 online interactive exhibits on various topics.

Covering a wide span of topics from the Arts of Islam to Andalusia passing by Pharaos, these virtual 360° exhibits are great opportunities for both beginners and specialists to learn more about the Arab World, and to discover Islamic Art Collections held in France.

 The website is accessible in French and Arabic.

 

Timbuktu: Ancient Manuscripts in Danger of Extinction

May 20, 2013 marks the launch of global fund-raiser, T160K: Timbuktu Libraries in Exile.

A far cry from the fabled ends of the earth, Timbuktu, a small, northern enclave in the West African nation of Mali, is at the heart of a modern-day quest: to save the city’s many ancient libraries from destruction. Action must be taken immediately to preserve these ancient writings. Last year, after more than seven centuries in generational homes of dedicated safe-keepers, this collection of over 300,000 medieval manuscripts was suddenly caught in the middle of an ideological, territorial war. At great urgency and peril, a team of local stakeholders led by Abdel Kader Haidra and Dr. Stephanie Diakité conspired to rescue their beloved treasure.

This group of brave librarians, couriers and local Mali citizens risked everything to smuggle over 1,000 trunks of manuscripts by donkey cart, bicycle, on backs, and in boats, out of the city to new hideaways in other parts of the country. Not one document, not one person was lost during the evacuation.

Now that they are safely re-located away from the Sahara, the libraries have new enemies: humidity and tight quarters. This fatal combination could lead to devastation by mold and mildew. Most of these documents are made of rag paper and unstable inks, too fragile, even, to endure scanning digitization. The most immediate need is to re-package them in archival materials, index and re-secure them in their temporary sanctuaries. When it is again safe, they will be returned to their original guardians in Timbuktu.
Though the libraries are now secure from certain destruction by combatants in the war in Mali, a massive undertaking is required to prevent these exiled manuscripts from self-destructing. $7 million is needed to procure archival and storage materials and the labor necessary to preserve this priceless cultural heritage.

According to Dr. Diakité, “We saw the power of these libraries when people from all walks of life, whole villages, and speakers of every language in the region gave their time and effort, even under considerable risk, to help us evacuate them to the South. We believe that securing these manuscripts is a positive step towards a process of enduring peace and a reduced toll of human misery for this entire region.”
The rainy season is upon us. Every day counts.

For all Media inqueries / interview requests please contact:
Danielle Chiero – Public Relations
e: danielle@mtolympia.com
p: 360 878 9761