Editorial Note

Abstract

In this issue we have a collection of very interesting articles. There is the lead article written by the late Professor Ismail al Faruqi, founding President of the International Institute of Islamic Thought in Reston, Virginia, and the first President of the Association of Muslim Social Scientists in 1972. These two organizations, which are separate but work together as partners in Muslim scholarship in North America, are the sponsors of this journal. Dr. al Faruqi's contribution on the important question of world theology introduces a four-part presentation on aspects of the Islamization of Knowledge. Well-grounded in this field of knowledge and coming from a background which clearly made him one of the few Muslim scholars capable of engaging in a meaningful dialogue with Western thinkers on their own ground, Professor al-Faruqi identifies the main areas of discourse and then offers a critical Islamic perspective on the problem. Following his article are two position papers on pressing current issues. The first is the piece written by S. Abdullah Schleifer, an American Muslim currently working and living in Cairo, Egypt. A prominent journalist with many years of experience in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world, Schleifer looks at the needs, feasibility and limitations of an independent Islamic News Agency. This piece is provocative and provides food for thought to those Muslims who are interested in the current debate on the New International Information Order (NIIO). The second paper deals with the operations of modern financial markets for stocks and bonds and its relevance to an Islamic economy. Written by Professor Raquib uz-Wan, it focuses on a very important issue in the current discussion on Islamic economics. We regret to announce that Dr. Musa O.A. Abdul, a member of our Advisory Editorial Board has passed away due to natural causes. Students and faculty of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and all others who came to know his work in Islamic studies will always benefit, inshallah, from his inspiring devotion to the cause of Islam. We hope that this issue will continue the steady improvement in the quality of this journal. We are determined, insha' Allah, to raise the quality of production and the quality of scholarship in this journal. For this and other related reasons we call on all scholars who are interested in the Muslim World to send in their comments and suggestions. Contributions are welcome from all over the world ...