Khaleel Mohammed
Encyclopedia
Khaleel Mohammed is associate professor of Religion
at San Diego State University (SDSU)
, in San Diego, California
, and a core faculty member of SDSU's Center for Islamic and Arabic Studies.
, and Comparative Religion. His research interests include Islam
ic and Arabic studies, Islamic law (classical and modern), comparative religion, Jewish/Christian
/Islamic encounter, Qur'anic exegesis
(classical and modern), hadith
, gender/sex issues and sexuality in Islam, terrorism, antisemitism in Islam, Arab-Israel
i relations, and reform in Islam.
Mohammed teaches courses on World Religions, The Qur'an, Religious Violence and Non-Violence, Sex and Gender in Islam. and Abrahamic Religions.http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/~khaleel/courses_khaleel_mohammed.htm
, and the medieval exegetes of the Qur'an, say that Israel
belongs to the Jews
. He translates it thus:
Mohammed said that the Quran never mentions Jerusalem as a holy city, and added, "It's in the Muslim consciousness that the land first belonged to the Jews. It doesn't matter if the Jews were exiled 500 years or 2000 years, the Holy Land, as mentioned in Quran belongs to Moses and his people, the Jews."
Mohammed says he has convinced many of his Muslim students to see things his way, but they tell him they are afraid of speaking up at their mosque.
Mohammed here understands "written" to mean this is the final word from God on the subject. In reaction, he was inundated with hate mail.
He states that he was once accused of being racist, for having stated that "95% of contemporary Muslims are exposed to anti-Semitic teachings".
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
at San Diego State University (SDSU)
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
, in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, and a core faculty member of SDSU's Center for Islamic and Arabic Studies.
Specialties and research interests
Mohammed's specialties are Islam, Islamic LawIslamic law
Islamic law can refer to:*Sharia: The code of conduct enjoined upon Muslims in the Quran*Fiqh: Muslim jurisprudence...
, and Comparative Religion. His research interests include Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic and Arabic studies, Islamic law (classical and modern), comparative religion, Jewish/Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
/Islamic encounter, Qur'anic exegesis
Exegesis
Exegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially a religious text. Traditionally the term was used primarily for exegesis of the Bible; however, in contemporary usage it has broadened to mean a critical explanation of any text, and the term "Biblical exegesis" is used...
(classical and modern), hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
, gender/sex issues and sexuality in Islam, terrorism, antisemitism in Islam, Arab-Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i relations, and reform in Islam.
Mohammed teaches courses on World Religions, The Qur'an, Religious Violence and Non-Violence, Sex and Gender in Islam. and Abrahamic Religions.http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/~khaleel/courses_khaleel_mohammed.htm
Teachings on Israel belonging to the Jews, according to the Qur'an
Mohammed attracted attention for a 2004 interview in which he stated that Sura 5 verse 21 of the Qur'anQur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
, and the medieval exegetes of the Qur'an, say that Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
belongs to the Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
. He translates it thus:
- "[Moses said]: O my people! Enter the Holy Land which God has written for you, and do not turn tail, otherwise you will be losers."
Mohammed said that the Quran never mentions Jerusalem as a holy city, and added, "It's in the Muslim consciousness that the land first belonged to the Jews. It doesn't matter if the Jews were exiled 500 years or 2000 years, the Holy Land, as mentioned in Quran belongs to Moses and his people, the Jews."
Mohammed says he has convinced many of his Muslim students to see things his way, but they tell him they are afraid of speaking up at their mosque.
Mohammed here understands "written" to mean this is the final word from God on the subject. In reaction, he was inundated with hate mail.
He states that he was once accused of being racist, for having stated that "95% of contemporary Muslims are exposed to anti-Semitic teachings".
Referenced Journal Articles
- "Assessing English Translations of the Qur’an", Middle East Quarterly, Spring 2005, Volume XII (2): 59-72.
- "Revisiting Tyan on the issue of the Early Islamic Judicature" Islamic Studies, Autumn 2004 (3): 447-55.
- "Muslim Exegesis, the Hadith and the Jews" Judaism, #209/210 (53) Winter-Spring 2004: 3-11.
- "A Muslim Perspective on Human Rights", Social Science and Modern Society (Volume 41, #2), January/February 2004: 29-35.
- "Probing the Identity of the Sacrificial Son in the Qur’an", Journal of Religion and Culture (13), 1999, Concordia University: 125-38.
- "The Foundations of the Muslim Prayer". Medieval Encounters (5), March 1999, E.J.Brill: 17-28.
- "Demonizing the Jew: Examining the Antichrist Traditions in the Sahihayn". Co-author: Professor Kadir Baksh. Journal of Religion and Culture (12) 1998, Concordia University: 151-64.
- "Abraham Geiger and Heinrich Graetz: A Comparison of their Different Perspectives on Jewish History", Journal of Religion and Culture (11) 1997, Concordia University: 141-60.
- "The Concept of Abrogation in the Qur’an". Published under the culturally arabized version of his name, Allama Dr. Abu Yusuf Khaleel Al-Corentini. Journal of Religion and Culture (10) 1996, Concordia University: 63-76.
- The Jewish and Christian Influences in the Eschatological Imagery of Sahih Muslim, published Concordia University Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 1997, under his full name: Khaleelul Iqbal Mohammed".
Chapters in Books
- "The Art of Heeding" in Interfaith Dialogue at the Grass Roots Level. Ecumenical Press. 2008
- "The Identity of the Qur’an’s Ahl al-Dhikr", in Coming to Terms with the Qur’an. Ed. by Andrew Rippin and Khaleel Mohammed. Islamic Publications INternational. 2008.
- "Islam and Human Rights", in Religion and Human Rights, ed. Adam Seligman. Interreligious Center on Public Life, Hollis Publishing: 2004: 55-68.
- "Al-Rida's Argumentation Against the Leaders of the People of the Book, the Magians, the Sabeans and Others" (excerpted from Al-Istibsar). Translated as chapter for Theology of Shi‘ism: A Debate Between Imam Ali Rida and People of Other Beliefs. Ed. By Saeed Argomand. Global Publications, State University of New York, Binghamton, 1999.
Translations
- World of Our Youth. Translation of Husayn Fadlallah’s Duniya al-Shabab. Montreal, Damascus and Beirut: Organization for Advancement of Islamic Knowledge, Montreal, 1998.
Book reviews and encyclopedia entries
- "Sex, Sexuality and Family in the Qur’an", Encyclopedia article for Blackwell Encyclopedia of the Qur’an. Ed. Andrew Rippin. 2006.
- "A New Introduction to Islam", by Daniel Brown. Middle Eastern Studies Bulletin, 38 (1), June 2004: 78-79.
- "An Introduction to Islam". by David Waines. Middle East Quarterly, XI (3), Summer 2004: 86.
- "Islam Under Siege", by Akbar Ahmed. In Islamic Studies, Spring 2004 (Volume 43/1): 132-35.
- "Excellence and Precedence", by Asma Afsaruddin. H-Mideast-Medieval, H-Net Reviews, 2004. Available online on the H-Net Web site.
- "The Qur’an-A Contemporary Translation", by Ahmed Ali. Middle East Studies Association Bulletin, Volume. XXXVI (1) Summer 2002: 47. Article also available online at on the Arizona.edu Web site.
- "The Koran: A Very Short Introduction", by Michael Cook. H-Mideast-Medieval, H-Net Reviews, February 2003. Available also available online on the H-Net Web site. Electronically Accessible Publications
- "Produce your proof: Muslim exegesis, the Hadith, and the Jews", Published: Spring 2004.
External links
- Home page
- Biography
- Response published at ForPeopleWhoThink.org website under the arabized cultural version of his name: "Allama Dr. Abu Yusuf Khaleel Al-Corentini
- "The Dissenting Moslem," 8/04 - San Diego Jewish JournalSan Diego Jewish JournalThe San Diego Jewish Journal is Jewish magazine founded in October 2001 by Dr. Mark Moss and Mark Edelstein, and first published in December 2001. Their intent was to create a magazine that spoke to all Jewish movements and traditions. The magazine serves 19,000 Jewish households in San Diego, Palm...
- "Khaleel Mohammed Probes the Heart of Islam," 6/13/05
- "Khaleel Mohammed The Scathing Scholar, Published by The Ottawa Citizen (scroll down one article)" 2/10/07
Audio/Video
- "Khaleel Mohammed on CBC Radio 3/07/2007"
- Video of Professor Khaleel Mohammed at The Free Muslims Against Terrorism 2004 in Washington