The New Nation - Internet Edition

The Muslim World Almanac 2008 provides a comprehensive coverage of the culture and civilization of Islam and of contemporary Muslim societies

Comprehensive all-in-one encyclopaedia about Islam and Muslims has been published under the aegis of Dr jawaid Anwaral Hassan, a philanthropist and social activist from Makkah. The book has been published from Hong Kong and is available in the Kingdom at jarir and Obeikon stores.

In its 900 pages the Muslim World Almanac 200B, provides a comprehensive coverage of the culture and civilization of Islam and of contemporary Muslim societies. It is global in scope. Crisp profiles of Muslim countries across Asia, Africa and Europe provide essential information about each, and bring out the worldwide distribution and cultural diversity of Muslims.

It provides authoritative information, which should help underpin better understanding.

The almanac is much more than a valuable reference manual. One half of its pages are devoted to clear and informative essays on a range of subjects including: the salient features of Islam; leading Muslim academic, cultural and political institutions; Islamic finance; social and economic development; and commentaries on current issues.

The almanac is the product of an international team of scholars and the result reflects the aspirations and achieve

ments of the Muslim world. Their success lies in the fact that they have gathered eminent personalities of Saudi Arabia and beyond for this project. A 13-member editorial board headed by Saqib jawaid Anwar AI-Hassan supervised the project. Adil A. Kaki, president, Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, headed the advisory board.

The important features of the almanac include: 1) a country-wise panorama, an unobstructed scene, or comprehensive portrayal of different regions of the Muslim world; 2) importance given to human rights and social egalitarianism by Islam; 3) the significance of such an important and widely-misunderstood Islamic institution as Jihad, or stirring for a right cause; 4) the significance and role of mosques in Muslim community life; 5) the dignity, status and security of women in Islam; 6) terrorism, extremism, sectarianism and other subversive cults and ideologies and; 7) the cardinal teachings of the Glorious Qur'an and the Traditions of the Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him).

Based on these features, the almanac has been divided into 14 sections. The first section, which occupies half of the total pages of this volume, contains the profiles of 60 Muslim countries. Detailed information has been provided on each country which gives an idea not only about the present state of affairs in that country but also helps the reader in knowing the historical background of the country. This has been done with the help of standard subheadings like brief introduction followed by its history (modern and mediaeval); geography; people (including population, ethnic division, ~eligion, language, birth rate, death rate, infant mortality rate, life expectancy, l||teracy); education; government (in~luding country, official name, type of go||rernment, capital, administrative division, national holiday or independence day, chief of state, cabinet, legislative branch, judicial branch, political parties and leaders, member of international organizations); economy (including GDP, natural resources, agriculture, major industries, electric power, exports, imports, major trade partners, budget, external debt, currency, monetary conversion rate, labour force); health and nutrition; media and communication (including telephone both landline and mobile, satellite earth stations, radio broadcast stations, radios, lV broadcast stations, TV sets and Internet); transportation (including railroad, highways, airports and waterways); defence (including branches, military manpower and military budget); universities; library and archives; museums and art galleries. The list is comprehensive. The text on each country is supported by pictures of country's leaders, important buildings, places and events.

Another section that would be equally useful for a researcher or an objective reader is Statistical Data: An Analytical Treatise. Two articles - Demography of Muslim Countries by Professor Mehtab Karim and Economic Overview of OIC Countries by Dr Akhtar Ali - give enough food for thought to those who are really interested in knowing the community.

A separate section on Islam deals with various aspects of the faith. Articles by well-known writers are informative and objective in nature. Various Islamic institutions such as Zakat, Haj, jihad, mosque and madrasa are discussed. Also, there are articles on human rights and women's rights in Islam. The section also contains eight articles on Islamic banking which is much in demand these days, prompting most Western banking giants to join in.

Profiles of 15 Muslim institutions including Egypt's AI-Azhar, India's Aligarh Muslim University, Darul Uloom Deoband and Islamic Research Foundation, Malaysia's International Islamic University and United States' Islamic Society of North America are given.

The section on science and technology contains four comprehensive articles by eminent writers. Under the title, Science Park, a detailed list of centres of scientific and technological research in Muslim countries is given. This includes centres in all the Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia and also in Iran, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Nigeria, Tunisia and Turkey.

Titles of other articles are self-explanatory: State of Science in the Muslim World by Dr Athar Osama; Science and Technology - Where do Muslims Stand? by Dr Anwar Nasim and Ikram Abbasi and Seeking Knowledge - An Imperative by Dr Habib Siddiqui.

A list of Muslim scientists and their contributions is also provided. But this has been taken from the pages of history. The last name in the list is that of Ghi yat AI-Deen AI-Kashani who died in the 15th century. What about modern-day Muslim scientists? There are not many. But one cannot believe that a community numbering more than a billion has not even one worthy of mention.

The same is the case with the section on environment. It contains only one article which gives an Islamic perspective of the subject. But this theoretical article is not supported by information on actions that Muslim countries are taking. Saving our planet from environmental disaster is the biggest concern of today's world.

A separate section is devoted to Conflicts and Disasters which contains a chronology of major events from 2002 to 2007. The terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon on Sept. 11,2001, changed the world drastically. The over-reaction of the United States has vertically divided the whole world. The US-initiated War on Terror has sidelined all issues of concern to humanity and caused misery to Muslims from Afghanistan to Iraq and from the Palestinian territories to Somalia. Muslims living in the so-called civilised societies in the West are no exception.

It also covers the internal strife and struggles in Muslim countries. Countries and regions that have been covered, besides Iraq, Afghanistan and the Palestinian territories, are Iran, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Sudan, Kosovo, Syria, Lebanon and Turkey.

The section Current Muslim Issues deals with the plight of Muslim minorities in Myanmar, southern Philippines, southern Thailand and India's Gujarat.

A special section deals with unresolved issues faced by the Islamic community such as Palestine and Kashmir. An article in chronological order has been given on the fate of over 300,000 Pakistanis stranded in Bangladesh.

(The online version of the almanac can be accessed at http://www.muslimworldalmanac.com.)