This study discusses the relationship between the religious and the political in the thought and practice of the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas in its struggle with Israel as it views it. It critically investigates the thought and the religious framework of the movement and its mother organization, the Muslim Brotherhood. It explores the overlap between the religious and/or the ideological dimensions of the theory and practice by revealing how Hamas draws inspiration from Islam, a framework it describes as "religious". It analyses the ground on which Hamas' ideological convictions are based, and how they developed. This is being done by attempting to understand the role of religion in the formulation of the convictions (i.e. ideology) of the Muslim Brotherhood – and therefore those of Hamas - in their comprehension of the conflict with Israel. This research has sought to fill a void in the context of studying the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas by trying to explain the mechanisms of religious and political interaction and the role this interaction has played in shaping the ideological convictions of the two movements in the context of their conflict with Israel. Reviewing the religious reference of Hamas helps us to understand that any change in one of Hamas' positions does not imply the abandonment of its religious reference, but rather a shift from one considerable Islamic fiqhi (jurisprudential) opinion to another. Thus, the thesis examines the accuracy of many of the Brotherhood's and Hamas' positions and ideological beliefs, as well as comparing them to the other authentic Islamic view points. The study further highlights in detail the impact of the movement's adaptation to fixed “religious” principles and their implementation within a set of complex situations, as presented by the current state of affairs in Palestine. Moreover, the research examines Hamas' application of the Prophetic and Islamic historical experiments, as they relate to the current conflict with Israel from the movement's point of view.

Le waqf est l'un des phénomènes socioculturels religieux majeurs du monde musulman, en vigueur dans les sociétés islamiques depuis les débuts de l'islam jusqu'à nos jours. Dans cette recherche, on s'est attaché à l'étude du waqf selon l'école chiite imâmite duodécimaine en Iran du 16ème au 18ème siècle. Pour que cette analyse soit la plus complète possible, on a abordé la question sous trois aspects complémentaires. Ainsi, la première partie examine le waqf dans les ḥadîths de la tradition chiite duodécimaine, les présentant, les traduisant et les analysant alors que la seconde partie se concentre sur des positions des jurisconsultes les plus influents de la période concernée par rapport à la praxis et à la théorie de waqf. La recherche sur les pratiques de waqf dans la société safavide compose la troisième partie de cette thèse. Cette approche tripartite a produit une étude qui analyse les fondements théoriques de waqf dans le chiisme duodécimain ainsi que des pratiques mêmes de waqf en islam chiite. Cette recherche constitue une première étape pour comprendre la spécificité du waqf chiite dans un cadre géographique et historique précis qui façonna les bases de la jurisprudence chiite contemporaine sur le waqf qui reste toujours d'actualité. / Waqf is one of the major sociocultural phenomena in Islam since the early generations up until today.This dissertation focuses on waqf according to the Twelver Imamite Shiite doctrine in Iran from the 16th to the 18th century. To study this in different ways, we have used three complemetary aspects. The first part closely examines waqf in Twelver Shiite ḥadîths, presenting, translating and analyzing them while the second section concentrates on the positions of the most influential Shiite ulama of the period with respect to waqf theory and praxis. Research on waqf practices in Safavid society make up the third section of this thesis. This tripartite approach has produced a study which analyzes the theoretical foundations of waqf in Twelver Shiism as well as the practices of waqf in Shiite Islam. This research is a step on the way to understanding the specificity of Shiite waqf within a geographical and historical context which has established the basis for contemporary Shiite jurisprudence on waqf up until today.

The boundaries of normative Islam are critically explored in this thesis, which presents a translation of the most important aspects of a modern study on bid‘ah (heretical innovation), by the late Egyptian Reformist Scholar, Shaykh Muhammad al-Ghazālī (1917 – 1996). The translator’s introduction contextualizes the life and work of the author and also briefly locates this particular study within the broader framework of classical and contemporary writings on the subject of bid‘ah. Only the book’s introduction, first three chapters (constituting the theoretical spine of the original work), and conclusion are translated. The first chapter is an introductory excursus into Islamic law, necessary to enable the reader to grasp the legal debate on bid‘ah. The second chapter casts a wider net, examining the influence of foreign elements upon Islamic thought, while the third chapter deals specifically with the topic of bid‘ah. The short conclusion reaffirms the importance of normative Islamic practice. / Religious Studies and Arabic / M.A. (Arabic)

The boundaries of normative Islam are critically explored in this thesis, which presents a translation of the most important aspects of a modern study on bid‘ah (heretical innovation), by the late Egyptian Reformist Scholar, Shaykh Muhammad al-Ghazālī (1917 – 1996). The translator’s introduction contextualizes the life and work of the author and also briefly locates this particular study within the broader framework of classical and contemporary writings on the subject of bid‘ah. Only the book’s introduction, first three chapters (constituting the theoretical spine of the original work), and conclusion are translated. The first chapter is an introductory excursus into Islamic law, necessary to enable the reader to grasp the legal debate on bid‘ah. The second chapter casts a wider net, examining the influence of foreign elements upon Islamic thought, while the third chapter deals specifically with the topic of bid‘ah. The short conclusion reaffirms the importance of normative Islamic practice. / Religious Studies and Arabic / M.A. (Arabic)