Aḥmad Ibn ‘Ajība (d. 1224/1809) is one of the prominent Sufi mystics who lived in Morocco during the 13th/ 17th century. His importance in Sufi scholarship is a reflection of the fact that he is one of the original Sufi scholars who contributed immensely to elucidating ambiguous Sufi concepts that were, by their very nature, enigmatic and only accessible through Sufi adepts. He also stood out as an intellectual theoretician in the science of Qur’ānic esoteric hermeneutics because he was one of the few scholars who managed to convey theoretical concepts and esoteric theories of Qur’ānic interpretation in a language that could be accessed by those with an average level of intellect. One of these theories is the concept of divine love. In this thesis, I propose to address the concept of divine love in Aḥmad Ibn ‘Ajība’s famous exegesis of the Qurān al-Baḥr al-madīd fī tafsīr al-Qur’ān al-majīd (Oceanic Exegesis of the Qurān). Over the course of this thesis, I endeavor to show how Ibn ‘Ajība combined what has been extensively written on the subject of divine love by different Sufi saints and mystics with the mystical exegesis of the Qur’ān. Ibn ‘Ajība is one of the early Sufis who connected theoretical works on the concept of divine love and practically applied them to the Qur’ān’s verses on love. This unique combination was an important breakthrough in the Sufi literature which other Sufi scholars then built upon in offering an exegesis of the Qur’ān - Shaykh Aḥmad Ibn Muṣṭafā al-‘Alawī (d.1934) was particularly important in this respect. Explaining the concept of divine love through his mystical interpretation of the love verses in the Qur’ān ultimately aspire to connect the purpose of creation (which was due to the Creator’s love for His creation), to the turning point (the return of the creation to the Creator). This symphony of love that is an essential component of the story of creation is well-defined, clearly stated and deeply analyzed in Ibn ‘Ajība’s work. He also met the challenge of overcoming the elliptical mystical language of exposition that was used by earlier Sufis; accordingly, he successfully simplified the ambiguous style of writing and decoded their enigmatic mystical doctrines. I hope that an analysis of Ibn ‘Ajība’s concept of divine love will stimulate the appetite of academic researchers to investigate the scholarly works of this luminary, and thus highlight his significance in the wider Sufi tradition. Ibn ‘Ajība's works have in general not received sufficient attention and deserve deeper and more sustained analysis.

This study addresses the riddle of al-Baqara’s internal organization, utilizing new insights from literary theory and Biblical Studies to identify the sura’s structure and unifying themes. It also explores the possible added value in approaching al-Baqara as a whole compositional unit, as opposed to a conglomeration of isolated verse-groups. The dissertation begins with a historical overview of coherence-related approaches, commencing with the classical naẓm- and munāsaba-discourses as observed in the writings of Jāḥiẓ, Bāqillānī, Biqā῾ī and others, and extending to the modern period and the work of scholars such as Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, ῾Abd al-Muta῾āl al-Ṣa῾īdī, and Matthias Zahniser. This overview is followed by a discussion of methodology, locating this study within the reader-oriented, synchronic, intertextual approaches, and showing methodological parallels with Biblical Studies. A new reading framework for the sura is developed, utilizing in part some of the theories of the Russian literary theorist and philosopher, Mikhail Bakhtin. The sura’s structure is identified by means of analyzing its distinctive repetitions, a known structuring device in oral texts. Incremental inclusios, alternations and chiasms delineate al-Baqara’s compositional subunits. The overall structure of the sura emerges as chiastic, following the pattern ABC/B’C’A’/C’’B’’A’’, where A is a section having the character of a test, B a section containing instructions and C a story portraying primeval origins. The repetitions are of increasing length, the general escalating character of the devices focusing attention on the last panel (C’’B’’A’’). In a first reading, the central theme is identified by means of the sura’s Leitwort, a leading keyword distinguished by its special location, high concentration and even distribution within the sura. Reading the sura for what it reveals about the deity, the Leitwort, ‘guidance’, indicates a common theme of ‘God as guide’. In a second reading, the sura is read for its pedagogical content and the central theme becomes ‘first lesson in the new religion’. The added value in approaching the sura as a whole, as a totality, is in seeing how each theme is progressively developed and elaborated by every one of the sura’s various panels and how these themes hold the sura together as a unit.

This study addresses the riddle of al-Baqara’s internal organization, utilizing new insights from literary theory and Biblical Studies to identify the sura’s structure and unifying themes. It also explores the possible added value in approaching al-Baqara as a whole compositional unit, as opposed to a conglomeration of isolated verse-groups. The dissertation begins with a historical overview of coherence-related approaches, commencing with the classical naẓm- and munāsaba-discourses as observed in the writings of Jāḥiẓ, Bāqillānī, Biqā῾ī and others, and extending to the modern period and the work of scholars such as Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī, ῾Abd al-Muta῾āl al-Ṣa῾īdī, and Matthias Zahniser. This overview is followed by a discussion of methodology, locating this study within the reader-oriented, synchronic, intertextual approaches, and showing methodological parallels with Biblical Studies. A new reading framework for the sura is developed, utilizing in part some of the theories of the Russian literary theorist and philosopher, Mikhail Bakhtin. The sura’s structure is identified by means of analyzing its distinctive repetitions, a known structuring device in oral texts. Incremental inclusios, alternations and chiasms delineate al-Baqara’s compositional subunits. The overall structure of the sura emerges as chiastic, following the pattern ABC/B’C’A’/C’’B’’A’’, where A is a section having the character of a test, B a section containing instructions and C a story portraying primeval origins. The repetitions are of increasing length, the general escalating character of the devices focusing attention on the last panel (C’’B’’A’’). In a first reading, the central theme is identified by means of the sura’s Leitwort, a leading keyword distinguished by its special location, high concentration and even distribution within the sura. Reading the sura for what it reveals about the deity, the Leitwort, ‘guidance’, indicates a common theme of ‘God as guide’. In a second reading, the sura is read for its pedagogical content and the central theme becomes ‘first lesson in the new religion’. The added value in approaching the sura as a whole, as a totality, is in seeing how each theme is progressively developed and elaborated by every one of the sura’s various panels and how these themes hold the sura together as a unit.

The importance of the Qur'an can be gauged from the fact that it was the first book which Muslim scholars concerned themselves with and by virtue of the belief of Muslims in general that it is the verbatim Word of Alllih culminated in their associating utmost reverence to the Qur'an in its written form and oral recitation. Thus, it is for this very reason that great concern was directed to the correct reading and pronunciation of the Arabic Qur'anic text Moreover, in view of the fact that there were several Arabic dialects and no declensions were at that time assigned to the text of the Qur'an, scholars of the Qur'an found it imperative to assign correct reading and recitation of the Arabic text of the Qur'an. Scholars before al-JazarI's time assigned several rules for the correct rendering of the Qur' anic recitation. This was necessary because incorrect reading, recitation and pronunciation of the text of the Qur'an could result in changing the meaning of the text thus nullifying what was originally intended. , lmiim lbn al-Jazari's main contribution in this field is that after surveying the previous works on the subject, further refined and articulated the discipline of reading and recitation of the Qur'an. Hence, lmiim lbn al-Jazarf's works on this important discipline made an everlasting impact ,on the later history of discipline of the recitation of the Qur'an. Several of Imdm lbn al-Jazarf's works were published and there are still several of them which have been preserved in manuscript forms in various libraries throughout the 2 Muslim world, suchas in Turkey, Syria, Iran andEgypt Thesemanuscripts are not easily accessible to the general publicin our present times. The objectives of this studyare to: 1. trace the origin and development of 'ilm al-Qirli'at (the Science of Qur'anic Recitation); 2. give an account of the life ofImam Ibn al-Jazarf; 3. survey the worksImdm Ibn al-Jazari; and 4. to examine and evaluate the contributions of lmiim Ibn al-Jazari on later scholars/works. / Thesis (Ph.D)-University of Durban-Westville, 2004.

Magister Artium - MA / Our time has been called the age of economics; the social philosopher Edmund Burke first used this term to characterize the eighteenth century, which was his own century and also the century of Adam Smith, but this expression has since become even more appropriate. While in the middle ages the beliefs that divide society and set large blocks of people at war with each other were theological in nature, in our time the great ominous divide between peoples is based on differing philosophies of economics (Lux, 1990:1). Economists are now key advisors to governments, presidents, prime ministers, and even autocrats and dictators, in addition to their obvious and expected place in the world of business, banking, and finance. The celebrated twentieth-century economist John Maynard Keynes gives an apt description of the influence of economics in our time: “The ideas of economists and political philosophers, both when they are right and when they are wrong, are more powerful than is commonly understood.” (Lux, 1990:1). The analysis presented in this study spreads over four chapters followed by a concluding chapter and the bibliography. For the full understanding of the need of this analysis and where it comes from; the methods that are followed; the literature used; the normative framework for evaluating the different systems, a brief survey is presented in the first chapter. The second chapter argues the need for an economic system that functions economically and morally; one that satisfies the criteria set by the widely accepted theory on justice by John Rawls. An analysis of the advantages and disadvantages, but especially the moral and practical shortcomings, of the current dominating global system, Capitalism, based on short-term human vision and planning, and a preliminary critical moral assessment thereof, is given in chapter three. The fourth chapter briefly presents the Islamic economic system as a possible alternative, more reliable, economic system, claiming to depend on divine knowledge. The strengths of this system are pitted over against the shortcomings identified in Capitalism and the possible viability of the Islamic system is tested against the criteria of John Rawls’ theory of justice. The concluding fifth chapter summarises the outcomes of the investigation and presents some recommendations for a viable economic philosophy and system for the future. / South Africa

This thesis investigates the political discourse surrounding the controversial act of Quran burnings in Sweden, focusing on the positions of leaders from the three largest political parties between April 2022 and October 2023. Utilizing a theoretical framework that differentiates between consequentialist and non-consequentialist perspectives, it examines the politicians’ arguments for justifying and limiting freedom of expression in this context. Initially, both the Social Democratic Party and the Moderate Party predominantly adopted a non-consequentialist stance, underscoring freedom of expression as a fundamental democratic right, irrespective of its consequences. However, as challenges related to national security and international relations emerged, their positions evolved, revealing internal inconsistencies and a shift toward a consequentialist approach. By August 2023, the Moderates proposed a review of the Public Order Act, incorporating national security considerations, while the Social Democrats suggested amendments to laws against racial hatred to include religious desecrations. In contrast, the Sweden Democrats consistently maintained a non-consequentialist stance, emphasizing the democratic principle of upholding free expression. This study’s findings highlight the complexities and challenges of maintaining consistent political principles amidst changing societal and international landscapes. It underscores the importance of clear foundational principles in the discourse on freedom of expression, contributing to the broader understanding of democratic values in contemporary Sweden.

Muslims in South Africa live within the framework of a Western economy in which the notion of interest plays a pivotal role. This system does not seem to comply with the strict interpretation of Islamic law, since the Quran prohibits any dealings on the basis of interest and strongly condemns those who continue to deal in interest-based transactions, warning them of a “notice of war from Allah and His Apostle”. Muslims are therefore faced with the dilemma of either participating in the current prevailing economic system and thereby violating the Quranic injunctions prohibiting interest or Riba, or completely withdrawing from participation in this system and conducting their business transactions in accordance with Islamic injunctions. This study is an attempt to examine whether an Islamic banking enterprise within the greater Tshwane area could survive and even flourish in the long term if it were operating within the parameters of Islamic law, thus in the absence of the interest factor. The research methodology employed was that of qualitative research, and the study consists of both a literature and an empirical study. It became evident from the literature review that a bank’s survival within the Western economic order depends on the confidence that its depositors have in it. In an Islamic economic system the ethical and legal components distinguish it from other systems. The most striking feature of the Islamic banking environment is the so-called profit and loss sharing system (PLS). The literature study was complemented by an empirical study. Respondents were interviewed in three categories: Muslim businessmen, Islamic bankers and Islamic religious leaders. An analysis of data from the respondents revealed that they were of the opinion that there was a need for an Islamic bank in order to avoid any interest-based dealings and to operate strictly in accordance with Islamic law and principles. Based on the literature and field study a simple model of an Islamic banking enterprise was constructed which could function within the greater Tshwane area and within the South African economic context, but which would be based on Islamic Shariah principles. In constructing this model due cognisance was taken of the fact that it would prove to be a very difficult task to amend existing banking laws to provide for the easy entry and functioning of an Islamic bank. Based on the literature and empirical study it was concluded that to provide for the easy entry and functioning of an Islamic banking enterprise, it should not be structured or named as a bank but rather as a finance company which would then be able to offer most of the services that are offered by traditional banks but without having to comply with the strict regulations as applicable to traditional banks. The dissertation’s final conclusion and recommendation was thus that an Islamic bank should operate not as a bank but as a finance company, thereby accomplishing its pivotal role to enable Muslims to use these indispensable services successfully while complying wholly with Islamic Shariah law. / PhD (Business Management), North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2013

M.A. (Semitic Languages and Cultures) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Muslims in South Africa live within the framework of a Western economy in which the notion of interest plays a pivotal role. This system does not seem to comply with the strict interpretation of Islamic law, since the Quran prohibits any dealings on the basis of interest and strongly condemns those who continue to deal in interest-based transactions, warning them of a “notice of war from Allah and His Apostle”. Muslims are therefore faced with the dilemma of either participating in the current prevailing economic system and thereby violating the Quranic injunctions prohibiting interest or Riba, or completely withdrawing from participation in this system and conducting their business transactions in accordance with Islamic injunctions. This study is an attempt to examine whether an Islamic banking enterprise within the greater Tshwane area could survive and even flourish in the long term if it were operating within the parameters of Islamic law, thus in the absence of the interest factor. The research methodology employed was that of qualitative research, and the study consists of both a literature and an empirical study. It became evident from the literature review that a bank’s survival within the Western economic order depends on the confidence that its depositors have in it. In an Islamic economic system the ethical and legal components distinguish it from other systems. The most striking feature of the Islamic banking environment is the so-called profit and loss sharing system (PLS). The literature study was complemented by an empirical study. Respondents were interviewed in three categories: Muslim businessmen, Islamic bankers and Islamic religious leaders. An analysis of data from the respondents revealed that they were of the opinion that there was a need for an Islamic bank in order to avoid any interest-based dealings and to operate strictly in accordance with Islamic law and principles. Based on the literature and field study a simple model of an Islamic banking enterprise was constructed which could function within the greater Tshwane area and within the South African economic context, but which would be based on Islamic Shariah principles. In constructing this model due cognisance was taken of the fact that it would prove to be a very difficult task to amend existing banking laws to provide for the easy entry and functioning of an Islamic bank. Based on the literature and empirical study it was concluded that to provide for the easy entry and functioning of an Islamic banking enterprise, it should not be structured or named as a bank but rather as a finance company which would then be able to offer most of the services that are offered by traditional banks but without having to comply with the strict regulations as applicable to traditional banks. The dissertation’s final conclusion and recommendation was thus that an Islamic bank should operate not as a bank but as a finance company, thereby accomplishing its pivotal role to enable Muslims to use these indispensable services successfully while complying wholly with Islamic Shariah law. / PhD (Business Management), North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2013

Magister Educationis - MEd / The aim of this study is to investigate ·and outline the importance and significance of Arabic in the South African context. The study investigates inter alia the part played by the early Muslim settlers, political exiles and the pioneers who made possible the preservation of Islamic faith and culture. This study demonstrates that the period from 1652 to date had been a period of considerable development, expansion and _enlightenment of Arabic. The study revealed inter alia that only Indian schools under the Department of Indian Affairs (now Department of Education and Culture) offered Arabic which fully satisfied the Muslim Community's demands. 1975 marks the beginning of Arabic as a language in Indian secondary schools. The Muslim pupil is given the basic grounding in the understanding of both the Quran and the Hadith. Some suggestions regarding aspects of an effective didactic approach concludes this presentation.