Nasr Abu Zayd

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Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd, in Arabic: نصر حامد ابو زيد‎, (born October 7, 1943) is an Egyptian Qur'anic thinker and one of the leading liberal theologists in Islam. He is famous for his project of a humanistic Qur'anic hermeneutics.

Contents 1 Biography 2 The Nasr Abu Zayd case 2.1 A promotion refused 2.2 The marriage declared null and void, a decision based on the hisbah 2.3 A controversial decision 2.3.1 Apostasy was not proven 2.3.2 A violation of human rights 2.3.2.1 A violation of freedom of expression 2.3.2.2 A violation of scientific freedom 2.3.2.3 A violation of family private life 2.3.3 An anti-liberal period 3 The exile 4 Humanistic Hermeneutics of the Islam 5 Works 5.1 Books in Arabic 5.2 Books in English 5.3 Articles in English 5.4 Book Reviews in English 5.5 Translations 5.5.1 Germany 5.5.1.1 Books 5.5.1.2 Articles 5.5.2 Dutch 5.5.3 French 5.5.4 Indonesian 5.5.5 Italian 5.5.6 Persian 5.5.7 Turkish 6 Honors and distinctions 7 References 8 External links

[edit] Biography

Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd was born in Qufaha near Tanta, Egypt on October 7, 1943. At the age of 12, he was imprisoned for allegedly sympathising with Muslim Brotherhood. After receiving a technical formation he worked for the National Communications Organization in Cairo. At the same time, he started studying at Cairo University, where he obtained his BA in Arabic Studies (1972), and later his MA (1977) and PhD (1981) in Islamic Studies, with works concerning the interpretation of the Qur'an. He worked as Lecturer, since 1982 as Assistant Professor and from 1987 as Associate Professor in the Department of Arabic Language and Literature at Cairo University.

[edit] The Nasr Abu Zayd case

Zayd suffered major religious persecution for his views on the Qur'an as a religious, mythical literary work. In 1995, he was promoted to the rank of Professor, but Islamic controversies about his academic work led to a court decision of apostasy and the denial of the appointment. A hisba trial was started against him by fundamentalist Islamic scholars, he was declared a heretic (Murtadd) by an Egyptian court, was consequently declared divorced from his wife (since she is not allowed to be married to a non-Muslim) and, in effect, forced out of his homeland.

[edit] A promotion refused

The Nasr Abu Zayd case began when he was refused a promotion for the post of high professor. In May 1992, Dr. Abu-Zeid presented his academic publications to the Standing Committee of Academic Tenure and Promotion for advancement, thirteen works in Arabic and other languages, among them Imam Shafei and the Founding of Medieval Ideology and The Critique of Religious Discourse. The committee made three reports, two were in favor of the promotion of Dr. Abu-Zeid. But the third one, written by Abdel-Sabour Shahin, a professor of Arabic linguistics and a committee member, accused Abu Zayd of "clear affronts to the Islamic faith" and rejected the promotion.

Despite the two positive reports, the Committee voted against the promotion (seven votes to six), arguing that his works didn't justify a promotion. The Council of the Arabic Department stated against the committee's decision, and The Council of the Faculty of Arts made criticism about the Tenure and Promotion Committee report. Despite all that, the Council of Cairo University confirmed the decision the Committee report in 18 March 1993.

[edit] The marriage declared null and void, a decision based on the hisbah

Then, the case came out of the university when a lawyer filed a lawsuit before the Giza Lower Personal Status Court demanding for the divorce of Abu-Zeid from his wife, Dr. Ibthal Younis. The case was filed on the grounds that a Muslim woman cannot be married to an apostate. But, on 27 January 1994, the Giza Personal Status Court rejected the demand, because the plaintiff had no direct, personal interest in the matter.

However, the Cairo Appeals Court ruled in favor of the plaintiff and declared null and void the marriage of Abu Zayd and Ibtihal Younes in 1995. The irony of the story occurred when Cairo University promoted Abu Zayd to full-professor and the academic committee wrote:

"After reviewing the works submitted by Dr. Abu-Zeid in his application for promotion, examining them both individually and as a whole, we have reached the following conclusion: his prodigious academic efforts demonstrate that he is a researcher well-rooted in his academic field, well-read in our Islamic intellectual traditions, and with a knowledge of all its many branches — Islamic principles, theology, jurisprudence, Sufism, Qur'anic studies, rhetoric and linguistics — He has not rested on the laurels of his in-depth knowledge of this field, but has taken a forthright, critical position. He does not attempt to make a critique until he has mastered the issues before him, investigating them by way of both traditional and modern methodologies. In sum he is a free thinker, aspiring only to the truth. If there is something urgent about his style, it seems from the urgency of the crisis which the contemporary Arab-Islamic World is witnessing and the necessity to honestly identify the ills of this world in order that an effective cure be found. Academic research should not be isolated from social problems, but should be allowed to participate in current debates and to suggest solutions to current dilemmas by allowing researchers to investigate and interpret as far as possible."

The principle behind hisbah gives to all Muslims the right to file lawsuits in cases where an exalted right of God has been violated. The hisba principles are stated in Article 89 and 110 of the Regulations Governing Sharia Courts. Since 1998, however, this law was amended by the Egyptian government, making this impossible for individuals to file lawsuits accusing someone of apostasy, making this the prerogative of the prosecution office.

[edit] A controversial decision

The decision provoked a great debate, human rights organisations criticized the decisions because of several offenses to fundamental human rights

[edit] Apostasy was not proven

The Court decision was based on the alleged apostasy of Nasr Abu Zayd, hence the decision was based on Qur'anic punishment. But The Egyptian Penal Code does not recognize apostasy. And the Civil Law restricts the proof of apostasy to two possibilities: either a certificate from a specialized religious institution certifying that the individual has converted to another religion or a confession by the individual that he has converted.

"Since a Muslim inherits his/her religion from his/her parents, he/she does not need to re-announce his/her Faith". (Court of Cessation, 5/11/1975 - Court decisions 1926, p. 137).

"It is stated that for a person to be a Muslim it is enough that he articulates his belief in Allah and the Prophet Mohamed. The judge may not look into the seriousness of incentives behind the confession. It is not necessary to make a public confession". (Justice Azmy El Bakry, The Encyclopaedia of Jurisprudence and the Judiciary in Personal Status, 3rd Edition, p. 234)

"In accordance with the established course of this court, religious belief is considered to be a spiritual matter, and consequently is to be judged only by what is explicitly declared. Therefore, a judge is not to investigate the sincerity nor the motive of such declared statement". (Cassation 44, judicial year 40, session 26 January 1975).

"this court has always taken the course established by the law that religious belief is among matters in which the judgement should be based on declared statement and by no means should the sincerity or motives of this statement be questioned". (Cassation 51, judicial year 52, session 14 June 1981) (Both rulings in Azmy al-Bakry, p. 125)

Nasr Abu Zayd never declared himself as an apostate. In an interview, he explained :

"I'm sure that I'm a Muslim. My worst fear is that people in Europe may consider and treat me as a critic of Islam. I'm not. I'm not a new Salman Rushdie, and don't want to be welcomed and treated as such. I'm a researcher. I'm critical of old and modern Islamic thought. I treat the Qur'an as a nass (text) given by God to the Prophet Mohamed. That text is put in a human language, which is the Arabic language. When I said so, I was accused of saying that the Prophet Mohamed wrote the Qur'an. This is not a crisis of thought, but a crisis of conscience."

The judgement stated that:

"the defendant's proposition that the requirement of Christians and Jews to pay jizya (tax) constitutes a reversal of humanity's efforts to establish a better world is contrary to the divine verses on the question of jizya, in a manner considered by some, inappropriate, even for temporal matters and judgements not withstanding its inappropriateness when dealing with the Qur'an and Sunna, whose texts represent the pinnacle of humane and generous treatment of non-Muslim minorities. If non-Muslim countries were to grant their Muslim minorities even one-tenth of the rights accorded to non-Muslim minorities by Islam, instead of undertaking the mass murder of men, women, and children, this would be a step forward for humanity. The verse on jizya, verse 29 of Sura al-Tawba, which the defendant opposes, is not subject to discussion". (p. 16 of the judicial opinion)

Further, the judgement stated that the denunciation by Abu-Zeid of the permissibility of the ownership of slave girls, principle considered "religiously proven without doubt", is "contrary to all the divine texts which permit such provided that the required conditions are met". (p. 16 of the judicial opinion). Hence, the Court decision is based on an interpretation of the opinions of Dr Abu Zayd, despite the principle that an individual who entered Islam with his/her own convictions may not be deemed a non-Muslim except under his/her own will.

[edit] A violation of human rights

[edit] A violation of freedom of expression

The decision on Dr. Nasr Hamed Abu-Zeid apostasy is contrary to Article 46 of the Egyptian Constitution which stipulates that "the State guarantees freedom of conviction and freedom to practice religion". It is also contrary to Article 47 which states that "freedom of opinion is guaranteed whether expressed orally, through writing, through art or through any other means of expression".

The Court of Cassation has ruled that International Law is a part of Egyptian domestic law without exception, in accordance with the fact that Egypt is a member of the international community. Therefore, an Egyptian judge is obliged to impose these standards in matters not dealt with by domestic law. (Appeals 259 and 300 of 1951, Session 3/25/82 - Laws including 3 bis. 168) The Court of Cassation has written in a number of its rulings the duty of applying international covenants, which Egypt has signed along with other nations, and has expressed their preeminence in local law. (Review of laws from Session 39 to 52 bis. 164 and afterward)

The decision is contrary to Articles 18 and 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which states :

"Article 18 1. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right shall include freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice, and freedom, either individually or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and teaching. 2. No one shall be subject to coercion which would impair his freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice. 3. Freedom to manifest one's religion or beliefs may be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary to protect public safety, order, health, or morals or the fundamental rights and freedoms of others. 4. The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to have respect for the liberty of parents and, when applicable, legal guardians to ensure the religious and moral education of their children in conformity with their own convictions."

"Article 19 1. Everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference. 2. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice. 3. The exercise of the rights provided for in paragraph 2 of this article carries with it special duties and responsibilities. It may therefore be subject to certain restrictions, but these shall only be such as are provided by law and are necessary: (a) For respect of the rights or reputations of others; (b) For the protection of national security or of public order (ordre public), or of public health or morals."

The decision is also in contravention of Article 2 Section 7 of the International Declaration of Human Rights; the values of equality and citizenship stipulated in Article 2 Section 2 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, whereby all signatory states are obligated to take necessary legislative and non-legislative measures, in accordance with constitutional procedure, if their existing legislative or non-legislative measures do not provide effective application of the rights granted by this Agreement; and Article 4 of the International Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, which states that:

"1. All States shall take effective measures to prevent and eliminate discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief in the recognition, exercise and enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms in all fields of civil, economic, political, social and cultural life."

"2. All States shall make all efforts to enact or rescind legislation where necessary to prohibit any such discrimination, and to take all appropriate measures to combat intolerance on the grounds of religion or other beliefs in this matter."

[edit] A violation of scientific freedom

As stated in Article 3 of the Lima Declaration regarding academic freedom :

"Academic freedom is a necessary precondition to pedagogical functions, research, administration, and other services upon which universities and other higher institutions of learning are founded. All members of the academic community have the right to pursue their jobs without discrimination of any kind or fear of any interference or compulsion coming from states or any other sources."

[edit] A violation of family private life

The forced divorce between the professor Nasr Abu Zayd and the lecturer in French literature at Cairo University Ibtihal Younes was made without regard to her wishes and at the request of individuals without any relation to the parties of the marital relationship, in violation of Article 12 of the International Declaration of Human Rights which states that:

"No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his/her privacy, family home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his/her honor and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks."

[edit] An anti-liberal period

The decision was not isolated, it was in a period of several assaults on liberal intellectuals and artists in the 1990s. Dr Ahmed Sohby Mansour was dismissed from Al-Azhar University and imprisoned for six months. This was based on a verdict reached by the university itself on the grounds that he rejected a fundamental tenet of Islam in his research of truth of some of Muhammed's sayings, or Hadith. Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz was stabbed in the neck by an Islamist in 1994. The stabbing left Mahfouz, incapable of using his hand to write. Egyptian courts were the theatre of different lawsuits brought against intellectuals, journalists, and university professors like Atif al-Iraqi, Ragaa al-Naqash, Mahmoud al-Tohami, Youssef Chahine (For his film El-Mohager, The Emigrant), etc.

In Kuwait in 1996, Ahmed Al-Baghdadi, a journalist and professor of political science, was jailed for one month for making offensive remarks about the Muhammad. Laila Othman and Aliya Shoeib, two of Kuwait's top female authors, are to stand trial on November 10 for allegedly insulting Islam in their novels. In Lebanon, the same year, Marcel Khalife, a Lebanese well-known singer, faces up to three years in jail after Beirut's newly appointed chief investigating judge reopened a case that alleged he had insulted Islam by singing a verse from the Qur'an in one of his songs (Ana yussef, I am Josef).

[edit] The exile

After the verdict, the Egyptian Islamic Jihad organization (which assassinated Egyptian president Anwar Sadat in 1981) said the professor should be killed because he had abandoned his Muslim faith. Dr Nasr Abu Zayd was protected by the police, but soon rejected it. On 23 July 1995, the couple flew to Madrid, then decided to go from Spain to Netherlands, where he was invited to teach as Visiting Professor at the University of Leiden. On 8 November 1999, he filed a suit against the Egyptian justice minister, demanding that the 1996 ruling which annulled the marriage be declared illegal.

And now he holds the Ibn Rushd Chair of Humanism and Islam at the University for Humanistics, Utrecht, The Netherlands, while still supervising MA and Ph.D students at the University of Leiden as well. He also participates in a research project on Jewish and Islamic Hermeneutics as Cultural Critique, in the Working Group on Islam and Modernity at the Institute of Advanced Studies of Berlin (Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin). In 2005, he received the Ibn Rushd Prize for Freedom of Thought, Berlin. His wife returned several times to Egypt for discussion on MA and PhD theses at the French department at Cairo University, but Dr Abu Zayd has not been to Egypt since 1995.

[edit] Humanistic Hermeneutics of the Islam

From the beginning of his academic career, he developed a renewed hermeneutics view of the Qur'an and further Islamic holy texts, arguing that they should be interpreted in the historical and cultural context of their time. The mistake of many Muslim scholars was to see the Qur'an only as a text, which led conservatives as well as liberals to a battle of quotations, each groups seeing clear verses (when on their side) and ambiguous ones (when in contradiction with their vision). But this type of controversy led, whether there were conservative or liberal, to produce authoritative hermeneutics.

This vision of the Qur'an as a text was the vision of the elites of Muslim societies, whereas, at the same time, the Qur'an as a discourse played the most important part in the understanding of the masses. Nasr Abu Zayd calls for another lecture of the Holy book through a humanistic hermeneutics, an interpretation which sees the Qur'an as a living phenomenon, a discourse. Hence, the Qur'an can be "the outcome of dialogue, debate, despite, argument, acceptance and rejection". This liberal interpretation of Islam should open space for new perspectives on Islam and should account for social change in Muslim societies.

That is why Aby Zayd analysis can find in the Qur'an several insistent calls for social justice. For instance, when Mohamed was busy preaching the rich people of Quraysh, then not paying attention to a poor blind fellow, named Ibn Umm Maktûm, who came asking the Prophet for advice, the Qur'an strongly blames Muhammed's attitude (chapter 80:1-10).

As well, he finds a tendency to improve women's rights, arguing that the Qur'anic discourse was built in a patriarchal society, the addressee were naturally males, which received permission to marry, divorce, and marry off their relative females, hence, it is possible to imagine that the Muslim females receive the same rights. The classical position of the modern ulamâ about that issue is understandable as "they still believe in superiority of the male in the family".

Abu Zayd promotes a view on modern Islamic thought by critically approaching classical and contemporary Islamic discourse in the field of theology, philosophy, law, politics and humanism. The aim of his research is to substantiate a theory of humanistic hermeneutics that might enable Muslims to build a bridge between their own tradition and the modern world of freedom of speech, equality (Minority rights, Women's rights, Social justice), human rights, democracy and globalisation.

[edit] Works

[edit] Books in Arabic

1. Rationalism in Exegesis: A Study of the Problem of Metaphor in the Writing of the Mutazilites (Al-Ittijâh Al-`Aqlî fi al-Tafsîr: Dirâsa fî Qadiyat al-Majâz fi ‘l-Qur’ân ind al-Mu`tazila), Beirut and Casablanca 1982, 4th edition 1998.

2. The Philosophy of Hermeneutics: A Study of Ibn `Arabî's Hermeneutics of the Qur'an (Falsafat al-Ta'wîl: Dirâsa fi Ta’wî al-Qur’ân ind Muhyî al-Dîn ibn `Arabî), Beirut and Casablanca 1983, 4th edition, 1998.

3. The Systems of Signs: An Introduction to Semiotics (`Ilm al-`Alâmât), co-editor, Cairo 1986.

4. The Concept of the Text: A Study of the Qur’anic Sciences (Mafhûm al-Nass: Dirâsa fî 'Ulûm al-Qur'ân), Beirut and Cairo 1991, 5th edition 1998.

5. The Problematic of Reading and the Method Of Interpretation (Ishkâliyât al-Qirâ'a wa Aliyyât al-Ta'wîl), Beirut and Casablanca 1995, 5th edition 1999.

6. The Foundation of the Moderate Ideology in Islamic Thought by Al-Shafi`î (Al-Imâm al-Sh fi`î wa Ta'sîs al-Aydiyulujiyya al-Wasatiyya), Cairo, 3ed edition 1998.

7. Critique of Islamic Discourse (Naqd al-Khitâb al-Dînî), Cairo, 4th edition 1998.

8. Women in the Crisis Discourse (Al-Mar'a fî Khitbâ al-Azma), Cairo 1995. See extract in English here : Dossier 17: Women in the Discourse of Crisis, September 1997, Translated by Marlene Tadros, http://www.wluml.org/english/pubsfulltxt.shtml?cmd%5B87%5D=i-87-2642

9. Thinking in the Time of Excommunication (Al-Tafkîr fî Zaman al-Takfîr), Cairo, 3ed edition 1998.

10. Caliphate and the Authority of the People (Al-Khilâfa wa Sultat al-Umma), Cairo, 1995.

11. Text, Authority and the Truth (Al-Nass, al-Sulta, al-Haqîqa), Beirut and Casablanca 1995, second edition 1997.

12. Circles of Fear: Analysis of the Discourse about Women (Dawâ'ir al-Khawf: Qirâ'a fi khitâb al-Mar'a) Beirut and Casablanca 1999.

13. Discourse and Hermeneutics (Al-Khitâb wa al-Ta'wîl), Beirut and Casablanca 2000.

14. Thus Spoke Ibn `Arabi (Hakadhâ Takallama Ibn `Arabî) The Egyptian National Organization for Books, Cairo 2002.

[edit] Books in English

1. Reformation of Islamic Thought: A Critical Historical Analysis. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, 2006.

2. Rethinking the Qur'an: Towards a Humanistic Hermeneutics. Utrecht: Humanistics University Press, 2004.

3. Voice of an Exile: Reflections on Islam (with Esther R. Nelson). New York: Praeger Publishers, 2004.

[edit] Articles in English

1. Al-Ghazali’s Theory of Interpretation, Journal of Osaka University of Foreign Studies, Japan, 72, 1986, pp. 1-24.

2. The Perfect Man in the Qur’an: textual analysis, Journal of Osaka University of foreign Studies, Japan, no. 73, 1988, pp. 111-133.

3. The Case of Abu-Zaid, Index on Censorship, London, 4, 1996, pp. 30-39.

4. Linguistic Exposition of God in the Qur'an in Fundamentalismus der Moderne, Christen und Muslime im Dialog, Evangelische Akademie, Loccum, Germany, 75/94, 1996, pp. 97-110.

5. The Textuality of The Koran in Islam and Europe in Past and Present, NIAS (Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study in The Humanities and Social Sciences), 1997, pp. 43 - 52.

6. Divine Attributes in the Qur'an: Some poetic aspects in Islam and Modernity, edited by John Cooper, Ronald Nettler and Mohammed Mahmoud, I.B.Tauris, London, 1998, pp. 120-211.

7. Inquisition Trial in Egypt, in Human Rights in Islam 15, RIMO, Maasstricht 1998, pp. 47-55.

8. Islam, Muslims and Democracy, in Religion und Politik, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, intere Studie Nr. 151/1998, pp. 103-12.

9. Literature and Heresy–Literature and Justice: The Critical Potential of Enlightened religion in Literatur, Menschenrechte in Islamischen Gesellschaften und Staaten, Evangelische Akademie Loccum 22/96, 1998, pp. 18-32.

10.The Concept of Human Rights, the Process of Modernization and the Politics of Western Domination, in Politik and Gesellshaft: International Politics and Society, Herausgegeben von der Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, 4/1998, pp. 434-437.

11. The Modernization of Islam or the Islamization of Modernity, in Cosmopolitanism, identity and Authenticity in the Middle East, ed. Roel Meijer, Curzon Press, England 1999,pp 71-86.

12. Islamic Cosmology and Qur'anic Exegesis, in Religion Wandel der Kosmologien, edited by Dieter Zeller, Sonderdruk 1999, pp. 217-230.

13. The Sectarian and the Renaissance Discourse, translated and introduced by Mona Mikhail, ALIF, Journal of Comparative Poetics, The American University of Cairo, no 19, 1999, pp. 203-222

14. The Image of Europe in Modern Egyptian Narrative, in Colonizer and Colonized, Eds. Theo D'haen and Particia Krüs, Rodopi, Amsterdam-Atlanta 2000, vol. 2, pp. 627-643.

15. The Qur’anic Concept of Justice, Polylog, forum for Intercultural Philosophizing', No. 3 (June 2001): Website address: http://www.univie.ac.at/wigip/http://www.univie.ac.at/wigip/ http://www.polylog.org/them/2.1/fcs8-en.htm

16. The Qur’an: God and Man in Communication, inaugural lecture for the Cleveringa Chair at Leiden University (November 27, 2000) http://www.let.leidenuniv.nl/forum/01_1/onderzoek/2.htm

17. Heaven, Which way? Al-Ahram Weekly, issue No. 603. http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2002/603/sc16-17.htm

18. The Dilemma of the Literary Approach to the Qur'an, ALIF, Journal of Comparative Poetics, the American University Cairo (AUC), No. 23, Literature and the Sacred, 2003, pp. 8-47.

19. Spricht Gott Nur Arabisch? (Does God Speak Arabic?), in Michael Thumann (ed), Der Islam und der Westen, Berliner Taschenbuch Verlag, Berlin 2003, pp. 117-126.

20. Entries in the Encyclopaedia of the Qur’ân, Brill, Leiden-Boston-Koln: 1-Arrogance, Vol. I (2001), pp. 158-161. 2-Everyday Life: Qur’an In, Vol. II (2002), pp. 80-97. 3-Illness and Health, Vol. II (2002), pp. 501-502. 4-Intention, Vol. II (2002), pp. 549-551. 5-Oppression, Vol 111 (2003), pp. 583-584.

[edit] Book Reviews in English

1. Beyond The Written Words: Oral Aspects of Scripture in the History of Religion by William A. Graham, Die Welt des Islam, E.J. Brill, Leiden, 1995, 35, 1, pp. 150-152.

2. Muslim, Jews and Pagans: Studies on Early Islamic Medina, by Micheal Lecker, Bibliotheca Orientalis LV No. 1 / 2, January-April 1998, Column 275-8.

3. Paradise Lost, Reflections on the Struggle for Authenticity in the Middle East by C.A.O. can Nieuwenhuijze, Bibliotheca Orientalis LVI No. 3/4, May-August 1999, Column 510-513.

4. Image of the Prophet Muhammad in the West, A Study of Muir, Margoliouth and Watt, by Jabal Muhammad Bauban, Bibliotheca Orientalis LVI No. 3/4, May-August 1999, Column 518-522.

5. Reforming the Muslim World, by M.A.Shoudhury, Biblitheca Orientalis, LV11 No.1/2, January-April 2000 column 221-224.

6. Islamic Banking and Interest: a study of the Prohibition of Riba and its Contemporary Interpretation by Abdullad Saeed, Biblitheca Orientalis, LV11 No. 5/6, September-December 2000 coulmn 736-739.

[edit] Translations

[edit] Germany

[edit] Books

1. Politik und Islam: Kritik des Religiösen Diskurses, translated by Cherifa Magdi, Dipa-Verlag, Frankfurt, 1996.

2. Ein Leben mit dem Islam (Life with Islam) autobiography edited by Navid Kermani, translated by Sharifa Magdi, Herder 1999.

[edit] Articles

1. Islam und Menschenrechte (Islam and Human Rights), Kas . Auslands-Informationen, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, 5, 1996, pp. 51-59.

2. Die Frauenfrage zwischen Fundamentalismus und Aufklärung by Salima Salih, in Islam-Demkratie-Moderne, Aktuelle Antworten arabicher Denker, Verlag C.H. Beck, München, 1998, pp. 193-210.

[edit] Dutch

1. Vernieuwing in het islamitisch denken, translated by Fred and Rob Leemhuis, Uitgeverij BULAAQ, Amsterdam, 1996. 2. Islam en democratie: convergenties of divergenties? in Dehamel Opaarde? De gelovige burger in multiculturele democratie, Davidfonds Leuven 1998, pp.114-128. 3. Mijn Leven met de Islam, Becht. Haarlem, 2002

[edit] French

1. Le Discourse Religieux Contemporain: Mécanismes et Fondements Intellectuels, translated by Nachwa al-Azhari, Edwige Lambert and Iman Farag, In: CEDEJ - Egypte / Monde Arabe, No.3, 3e trimestre, 1990 , pp. 73-120.

2. Critique du Discours Religieux, translated by Mohamed Chairet, Sindbad Actes Sud, 1999.

[edit] Indonesian

1. Imam Syafi`i: Moderatisme - Eklektisime - Arabisme, translated by Khoiron Nahdliyyin, LKIS, 1997.

[edit] Italian

1. Islâm e Storia, Critica del discorso religioso, Bollati Boringhieri, 2002.

2. Una vita con l'Islam, Il Mulino, 2004

[edit] Persian

1. Mafhum al-Wahy, by Muhammad Taqi Karmi, in Naqd wa Nazar, vol 3,no. 4, fall 1997, pp. 376-433.

2. Al-Tarikhiyya: al-Mafhum al-Multabis, by Muhammad Taqi Karmi, in Naqd wa Nazar, vol 3,no. 4, fall 1997, pp. 328-375

[edit] Turkish

1. Universal Principles of Sharica: A New Reading, translated from Arabic to Turkish by Mostafa Unver, Journal of Islamic Research, Ankara, Turkey, vol. 8, n. 2, 1995, pp. 139-143.

2. The Problem of Qur’anic Hermeneutics, from Classical to Recent Period by Omer Ozsoy, Journal of Islamic Research, Ankara, Turkey, vol. 9, no. 1-2-3-4, 1996, pp. 24-44.

3. The Foundation of The Moderate Ideology in Islamic Thought by al-Shâfi`î, translated by M. Hayri Kirbasoglu, in Sunni Paradigmanin Olusumunda, Kitabiyat, Ankara 2000, pp. 89-148.

[edit] Honors and distinctions

1975-1977: Ford Foundation Fellowship at the American University in Cairo.

1978-1979: Ford Foundation Fellowship at the Center for Middle East Studies of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia USA.

1982: Obtained the `Abdel-`Azîz al-Ahwânî Prize for Humanities.

1985-1989: Visiting Professor, Osaka University of Foreign Studies Japan.

1993: the President of Tunisia conferred The Republican Order of Merit for services to Arab culture in May.

1994- Member of the Advisory Board for the "Encyclopaedia of the Qur’an"

1995-: Visiting Professor at Leiden University, The Netherlands.

1998: The Jordanian Writers Association Award for Democracy and Freedom.

2000-2001: The Cleveringa Honorary Chair in Law, Responsibility, Freedom of Religion and Conscience, Leiden University.

2002: The Roosevelt Institute Medal for Freedom of Worship.

2002-2003: Fellow at the Wissenschaften College in Berlin.

[edit] References

Dossier 14-15: From Confiscation to Charges of Apostasy, The Center for Human Rights Legal Aid (CHRLA), September 1996, http://www.wluml.org/english/pubsfulltxt.shtml?cmd%5B87%5D=i-87-2619

An apostate, a proposed new marriage contract and Egyptian women: where to now?, Azzam Karam, Journal no.8 1996. pp29-32., http://waf.gn.apc.org/journal8p29.htm

Lives torn apart in battle for the soul of the Arab world, Mona Eltahawy, Wednesday October 20, 1999, The Guardian, http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,260766,00.html

New Secularism in the Arab World, Ghassan F. Abdullah, http://www.infidels.org/infidels/newsletter/1999/may.html

When the professor can't teach, Nadia Abou El-Magd, http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2000/486/eg6.htm

Egypt: Feminist writer threatened by forced divorce for comments on Islam, 2001, http://www.nawalsaadawi.net/articles/amnesty27-7.htm

The Fate of Egyptian Feminist Writer, Off With Her Head, Al Ahram Weekly, http://www.secularislam.org/women/fate.htm

To whom does Islam really belong ?, Saturday 3 December 2005, http://www.jerusalemiloveyou.net/article.php3?id_article=139

[edit] External links

• Personal web page at the University for Humanistics
• The Qur'an: God and Man in Communication by Nasr Abu Zayd
• The Qur'anic Concept of Justice by Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd
• Rethinking the Qur’an : towards a humanistic hermeneutics by Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd