RIFA’IYAH

RIFA’IYAH. The Sunni Sufi order known as the Rifa’iyah played an important role in the institutionalization of Sufism. In all likelihood, until the fifteenth century […]

REVOLUTION

REVOLUTION. In contemporary Islamic discourse, there are various terms that bear on the social-science concept of revolution as a rising up against constituted authority. However, […]

REVIVAL AND RENEWAL

REVIVAL AND RENEWAL. The Arabic terms ihya’ (revival) and tajdid (renewal) are often used in the context of modern Islamic movements, but they also have […]

REVELATION

REVELATION. At the basis of Islam is the idea that God periodically reveals his will, providing precise information to guide human affairs and to lead […]

REPUBLICAN BROTHERS

REPUBLICAN BROTHERS. In 1945 a small group of Sudanese led by Mahmud Muhammad Taha organized the Republican Party to oppose both the establishment of a […]

REPUBLIC

REPUBLIC. The political label of “republic” or aljumhuriyah is one without great apparent controversy in the Islamic world. The reason for this is twofold. First, […]

RELICS

RELICS. The remains of holy persons may serve as a focus for devotional practices in Islam. These relics include the physical remains of holy persons-the […]

REFUGEES

REFUGEES. In a Muslim context, the term “refugee” is related to formal concepts of migration and flight that are central to the history of Islam. […]

RAMADAN

RAMADAN. For the duration of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim lunar calendar all Muslims are required to abstain during the daylight hours from […]

RADIO AND TELEVISION

RADIO AND TELEVISION. Communication patterns in the Islamic world have undergone considerable change since the advent of broadcasting in the twentieth century. When broadcasting systems […]