This article examines the thoughts of Ali Abd al-Raziq, an important Egyptian scholar and author of a book called Islam and the Bases of Rule (al-Islam wa Usul al-Hukm), published in 1925. In this work, Abd al-Raziq presented fundamental arguments in support of the separation of religion and politics, which were fully supported by a very original analysis of Islam's holy text, the Quran, as well as by the historical situation of the Muslim community at the time of the Prophet Muhammad. Although the publication of this book caused a great scandal in Egypt, with its author being forced to withdraw from Egyptian public life for quite a long period of time, the arguments contained in the book represent an important contribution to the debates about the desirable degree of linkage between Islam and politics in the Muslim world., Jan Kondrys., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Czechoslovak Oriental studies were founded as a result of the lifework of Alois Musil, a Czech researcher of rural Moravian origin. In the independent Czechoslovak Republic President Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk played a profound role in influencing Musil´s important decisions and subsequent actions. In 1919, after the destruction of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Musil wanted to leave Vienna and continue his lectures at Charles University inPrague. This resulted in a political campaign against him. Musil was criticized by nationalistic circles in Prague, which induced the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs to inquire of the French and British governments as to whether they might have any objections to Musil´s appointment as a tenured professor, given his activities during the war. Britain and France had no objections and in January 1920 Alois Musil was appointed Professor of Oriental sciences and modern Arabic at the Faculty of Arts at Charles University in Prague., Pavel Žďárský., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
This article deals with the events during the so-called Arab Spring (or Domino) in Jordan since the beginning of 2011. Jordan (same as many other Arab states) had to cope with revolutionary atmosphere inspired by Tunisian revolution (since December 2010). This article describes which groups of Jordanian population and with which demands joined several-month popular protests and uprisings. Last year´s events are then explained on the background of the development of Jordanian politics. Great part of the articles exercises certain demands for reform in connection with tension between different parts of Jordanian society (Palestinians, Bedouins etc.). The end of the article summarizes success of Jordanian reformist movement so far., Martina Ponížilová., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
The Czech architect Jan Letzel (1880-1925) became world-renowned thanks to his buildings designed in Japan. His architectural masterpiece, the Hirshima Prefecual Commercial Exhibition Hall (opened to the public in August 1915), partly survived the atomic explosion in August 1945 and thus became the famous Hiroshima Peace Memorial, commonly referred to as the A-Bomb Dome. Less well known is the history of Letzel´s stay in Egypt in 1905-1906. As a member of the khedivial architectural bureau, directed by Fabrizius Pasha, Letzel designed several buildings of which only „the villa of Abd al-Rashima“ is known by name. Letzel admired the ancient Egyptian monuments, especially the pyramids and tombs of Giza and Saqqara, as well as the well preserved limestone gallery quarries in Gebel Hof, and recorded his enthusiastic descriptions and the deep impressions they made on him in numerous letters sent to his mother. All the relevant quotations from his letters are mentioned and comment is made on them., Břetislav Vachala., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
The goal of this paper is to refute the old myth that Muhammad Ali purposely created a national army to achieve Egypt´s independence, and that the military service in his army provoked a raise of national consciousness among the Egyptian soldiers. As the author tries to prove, Muhammad Ali wanted neither to create a national army nor to obtain independence of Egypt. Furthermore, since the pasha preferred the Turkish speaking military elites and the service in his army was a dreadful experience for the Egyptians which actually had no desire to fight for his interests, there was no substantial reason for their identification with his armed forces and the raise of their nationalism. In brief, it was Muhammad Ali´s army and not the Egyptian one., Miroslav Šedivý., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
The article deals with the Jewish Ashkenazi community of Shanghai, which developed in the first half of the 20th century. The community was formed by two main groups: Russian Jews escaping Antisemitism on their country, and Second World War refugees coming from different parts of Europe. During the time of the Shoa Shanghai hosted estimated 25 000 refugees and thus became an important part of the World Jewish Diaspora. The presented paper maps the historical developoment of both the groups, their origin as well as their fall, their religious and cultural life. It pays attention to their links to the first Shanghai Jewish community, the Baghdadis, and to the World Zionist Movement, and also to their relationship with the surrounding Chinese environment. Of particular interests is the life of the ghetto, created under the Japanese control., Anna Sehnalová., and Obsahuje poznámky a seznam literatury
Paper describes the origin and evolution of the India business community, which operated in Russia´s Astrakhan from the 1730s to the mid-19th century. It focuses primarily on economic activity of the merchants and its development throughout the time and the importance of Indian presence Astrakhan for the economy of the Russian Empire and its eastern expansion. Both the social and the political status of this community are treated at some length as well as its everyday life., Michal Wanner., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
In July 2012, new archaelogical campaign in Western Shephelah in Israel at the ancient site of Tel Azekah has been opened. The excavations are conducted by prestigious international consortium of universities among which also Charles University of Prague and there specifically The Centre for Biblical Studies of the Czech Academy of Sciences are involved. The site under scrutiny was populated throughout many period including Late Bronze, Iron Age and presumably also the Persian or the Hasmonaean time. Though already excavated at the end of 19th century, present campaign aims to raise new data from the site with support of latter-day technologies so that the complex picture of its abudant history can be elaborated., Filip Čapek., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Professor Bedřich Hrozný (*May 6, 1879, Lysá na Labem - †December 12, 1952 Prague) is founder of Hittitology. He served for many years as Rector of Charles Univerzity in Prague and he deciphered the Hitttie cuneiform language. He is mostly known as and Old Oriental philologist, but he considered himself to be a historian. Through Hittitology, he unraveled history of a significant ancient empire. Throughout 1924 and 1925, Hrozný undertook the first Czechoslovakian archaelogical research in the Orient – in Syria and Turkey. The first excavation took place on April 4th, 1924 at the mound of Shech Sa´ad near Damascus. In northern Syria, he was also engaged in searching for new archaelogical sites – many times, he even risked his life. Further archaelogical excavations in Syria began on October 17th, 1924 at the moundof Tell Erfad situated southward from the city of Aleppo. Bedřich Hrozný was in his archaelogical works successful and he was allowed to keep and carry away from Syria a part of found artefacts. Nevertheles, he also put aside some of the archaelogical findings without the knowledge of the Syrian authorities. The findings were sent to Beirut, from where, they were trasported as a diplomatic consignment through the Italian city of Trieste to Prague. Many archaelogists from other countries did it the same way, so we shouldn´t look at Hrozný down our noses for this, as he did not do it for himself, but for the science., René Kopecký., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
First printing press on Indian soil was established in Serampore in 1800. It marked the beginning of the end of the ancient manuscript tradition in Bengal and in whole India. This paper briefly outlines the history of manuscripts in India (their writing, collecting and conservation), from the beginnings hidden in the mist of speculations up to the modern age. Main part of the paper is dedicated to the description of the variety of materials and techniques which were used to create manuscripts, and to the description of scribes who made them. At the end the paper outlines the ways of perception of manuscripts in the society and their position in rituals., Ondřej Himmer., and Obsahuje seznam literatury