Wikipedia

Draft:Mohammed Gamal Abdelnour

Mohammed Gamal Abdelnour (born 1990) is an Egyptian scholar of religion and philosophy who is a tenured faculty member at Al-Azhar University, Cairo, specializing in Islamic theology, philosophy, and comparative religion.[1][2] He also had teaching and research experiences at various British universities, most notably SOAS, Bristol, and York.[2][3][4] His work has been recognized for addressing key questions in the Islamic philosophy of reform, interfaith dialogue, and modern ethical considerations.[2][5][6][7] Since 2020, he has been a trustee at Gingko Publishers, London.[8][9]

Early life and education

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Abdelnour was born on January 1, 1990, in Egypt. He became a Hafiz of the Quran at the age of 11.[4] He studied Islamic and Arabic studies at Al-Azhar University in Cairo (Egypt), for up to 16 years, graduating as valedictorian of his class with a bachelor’s in Islamic studies and philosophy in 2011. In 2013, he won the British Chevening Scholarship through which he completed his MA in Catholic Theology, the University of Durham, UK[10]. In 2016, he was the first Azharite scholar to have won the Al-Azhar-U.K. PhD scholarship[11] for religious studies, through which he earned his PhD at SOAS, University of London in Comparative Theology, under the supervision of Dr Muhammad Abdel Haleem and examined at the University of Cambridge by the former Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams.[2]

Abdelnour’s PhD thesis, which tackled questions of truth and salvation between Christianity and Islam, got published as a book with Brill publishers in 2021, entitled: A Comparative History of Catholic and Ash‘arī Theologies of Truth and Salvation: Inclusive Minorities, Exclusive Majorities. This book was followed by another book in 2022, published with Oxford University Press, entitled The Higher Objectives of Islamic Theology, which opens a new field of research for scholars and Islam and religion.[12]

Publications

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Books

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  • Abdelnour, Mohammed Gamal (2021). A Comparative History of Catholic and Ašʿarī Theologies of Truth and Salvation: Inclusive Minorities, Exclusive Majorities. Currents of encounter : studies in interreligious and intercultural relations. Leiden ; Boston: Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-46170-3.
  • Gamal Abdelnour, Mohammed; Khan, Umran (30 September 2024). Science and Civilisation between Islam and Christianity. Gingko. ISBN 978-1-914983-24-5.
  • Abdelnour, Mohammed Gamal (2022). The higher objectives of Islamic theology: towards a theory of Maqāṣid al-ʻAqīda. AAR reflection and theory in the study of religion. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-764863-6. OCLC 1309048338.

Other publications

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Arabic publications

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Reception of work

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Abdelnour's work has garnered significant recognition in western academia. His books and articles are published by reputable academic publishers and have been cited and reviewed by experts such as Rowan Williams, Khaled Abou El Fadl, Gavin D'Costa, and others. Regarding Abdelnour's The Higher Objectives of Islamic Theology, Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl stated:

Describing this study in lofty terms such as highly original, truly groundbreaking, and pioneering does not do it justice. I found this book to be all this, but also a profoundly perspicacious reflection upon the purpose of the Islamic faith. This book should be read by all students of Islamic studies and comparative religious studies. But it is an especially indispensable source to all readers interested in the future of Islamic ecumenism.[13][14][better source needed]

Commenting on his A Comparative History of Catholic and Ašʿarī Theologies of Truth and Salvation, Rowan Williams wrote,

This is a most substantial and original contribution to inter-faith conversation - an insightful comparative study of the central issue of how diverse schools of thought within Christianity and Islam understand ‘salvation’, and how they think about the limits of the holy or chosen community. It builds on wide and deep familiarity with primary sources in both traditions, addressing both theological and sociological questions, and offers a particularly vivid and expert account of debates within the Islamic world. It will make a unique contribution to Christian-Muslim understanding and will do much to nurture a more sophisticated grasp of the rich internal variety of both religious discourses.[15][16][better source needed]

Abdelnour has been noted for his attempts to narrow down the gap between the academy and faith communities. Examples of this is his talk on Christmas and the Quran at Westminster Abbey, where he is featured with Professor Karl Josef Kuschel.[17][non-primary source needed] The launch of his first book on salvation in Christianity and Islam was held at Wells Cathedral, with Professor David Thomas.[18][non-primary source needed] In the same context, he launched a series of scriptural reasoning sessions at Bath Islamic Society in 2019.[19][non-primary source needed]

References

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  1. ^ The High Sheriff of Somerset (2024). "The High Sheriff of Somerset 2024-2025".
  2. ^ a b c d "Dr Mohammed Gamal Abdelnour | SOAS". www.soas.ac.uk. 10 March 2023. Retrieved 2024-07-11.
  3. ^ "Dr Mohammed Gamal Abdelnour - Our People". www.bristol.ac.uk. Retrieved 2024-07-11.
  4. ^ a b "Abdelnour Gamal, Mohammed - Department of Philosophy, University of York". www.york.ac.uk. Retrieved 2024-07-11.
  5. ^ "يقدمها أستاذ بجامعة يورك.. الكنيسة الأسقفية تنظم دورة دراسية لفهم الإسلام". مصراوي.كوم (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  6. ^ "From the Higher Objectives of Islamic Law to the Higher Objectives of Islamic Theology". talks.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  7. ^ "Interfaith Community: Strategies for Peace". www.bath.ac.uk. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  8. ^ "Trustees". Gingko. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  9. ^ "Mohammed Gamal ABDELNOUR personal appointments - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  10. ^ "السفير البريطانى خلال تكريمه باحثا بالأزهر: "الأزهر منبع الإسلام الحق "". فيتو (in Arabic). 2013-09-15. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  11. ^ British Council (2022). "Success stories of Al Azhar scholars".
  12. ^ "What Went Wrong with Islamic Philosophy-Theology? - Department of Philosophy, University of York". www.york.ac.uk. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  13. ^ Khaled, Abou El Fadl. "Waterstones".
  14. ^ "The Higher Objectives of Islamic Theology". Oxford University Press.
  15. ^ Williams, Rowan. Amazon. ASIN 9004461701.
  16. ^ Abdelnour, Mohammed Gamal (2021-04-22), "A Comparative History of Catholic and Aš'arī Theologies of Truth and Salvation: sInclusive Minorities, Exclusive Majorities", A Comparative History of Catholic and Aš‘arī Theologies of Truth and Salvation, Brill, ISBN 978-90-04-46176-5, retrieved 2024-07-16
  17. ^ Westminster Abbey (2021-01-13). Christmas and the Qu'ran. Retrieved 2024-07-16 – via YouTube.
  18. ^ "Salvation in Christianity and Islam" (PDF).
  19. ^ "Scriptural Reasoning Workshops". Retrieved 2024-07-16.
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