The article explores the existence of the Collyridians (Philomarianites/Marianites) and the poten... more The article explores the existence of the Collyridians (Philomarianites/Marianites) and the potential reflection of their teachings in Quran 5:116 (Surah Al-Ma'idah). The objective of the research is to determine whether the aforementioned Ayah represents merely a polemical, hyperbolic formulation or if it responds to a specific historical-religious group that attributed divine status to Mary and performed sacrifices in her name. dogmatic passage, and its content may be linked to Collyridian doctrine. The theoretical significance of the research lies in the clarification of the history of Christian-Muslim polemics, while its practical value lies in the development of a more precise historical model for interpreting the Quranic verse within its Christian context.
Proceedings of the 28th International Academic Conference, Tel Aviv, 2017
Nearly hundred years (1783-1878) lasted the process of integration of the Caucasus into Russia. T... more Nearly hundred years (1783-1878) lasted the process of integration of the Caucasus into Russia. Territory of the Caucasus was officially called the Caucasus region or Krai (Caucasus region was divided into the Northern Caucasus and Transcaucasia), with its center in Tiflis (present-day Tbilisi, capital of Georgia). The Head of the Caucasus region was Viceroy (1844-1882, 1905-1917), in 1882-1905-Vicegerent (namestnik) of civil part of the Caucasus. A third of Caucasian population represented Muslims, who tried to preserve their religious identity. They abstained from gaining an education at the state schools and restrained themselves only with a religious education. The Russian administration decided to take under its control an education for Muslims. The Viceroy of the Caucasus Mikhail Vorontsov (1844-1854) launched an initiative to establish Muslim schools, that would be state-approved education in Russian for Muslims. In 1847-1849 two schools were opened in Tiflis-for Sunni (Muslim school of the Teachings of Umar) and for Shia Muslims (Muslim school for Aliev sect) where Russian language, arithmetic, history and geography were also taught. After 2 years more 6 schools were opened: two of them for Sunni in Derbend and Shemakha and for Shia Muslims in Baku, Shemakha, Shusha and Elizavetpol. In 1853 separate Caucasian Education District was created and subordinated to the Ministry of Education of Russian Empire along with the other districts. At that time there were 1917 Muslim schools (25742 pupils) in the Caucasian Education District. However, in Georgia only from 1882 the activity of the Muslim community began to open schools for Muslim girls. In the previous work, a history of Muslim women education and first schools in Tiflis will be discussed based on Georgian archives (Caucasus Islamic society in Georgian archives 1800-1917) relative to Caucasian Muslim community and protected materials in the periodical press.
Religious minorities of Georgia include Muslims. Their composition is sufficiently miscellaneous,... more Religious minorities of Georgia include Muslims. Their composition is sufficiently miscellaneous, enclosing both ethnical viewpoint and belonging to the inner Islamic denomination. A majority of Muslims represent Azerbaijanis, who chiefly live in Kvemo Kartli (Bolnisi, Gardabani, Dmanisi, Tetri Tskaro, Marneuli and Tsalka). The catalyst for researchers of Islamic History is the geopolitical interests of Georgia, centuries-old contacts with the Islamic world, the not entirely trivial portion of Islam confessor population, the increasing influence of the Islamic factor in current religious-political processes in the world, the elevating procedure of Muslim religious self-consciousness in the Post-Soviet states, significant challenges of international terrorism, and perspectives of rapid globalization. The rise in the level of religious identity of Muslim citizens of Georgia (first of all of those who are not ethnic Georgians) is noticeable. New mosques have been constructed and, somet...
Modern Turkey – a member of NATO and a candidate for membership in the European Union - continu... more Modern Turkey – a member of NATO and a candidate for membership in the European Union - continues to struggle to find an appropriate balance between religion and state. Turkey offers an excellent case study for those seeking answers to the following questions: Can Islam and democracy coexist? Is Turkey a secular state, is religion separated from the state in Turkey - as it is said in its Constitution: "The Turkish State is a Republic" and is it "a democratic, secular and social state governed by the rule of law ..." (1-2 Articles, Constitution of Turkiye). Is everybody equal before the law in terms of access to education and labor market, as it is said in the Constitution: "All individuals are equal without any discrimination before the law, irrespective of language, race, color, sex, political opinion, philosophical belief, religion and sect, or any such considerations?"(10 Article, Constitution of Turkiye). Since the establishment of the Republic in...
Jerusalem is the holy city for three religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Its history is v... more Jerusalem is the holy city for three religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Its history is very interesting from many points of view. It is also very important that for many centuries there lived different communities of Christians: Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Catholics, that means the Greeks, the Arameans, the Georgians, the Armenians, the Ethiopians, as for the Roman Catholics, the Franciscans were responsible for the shrines in the Holy Land, the tradition, which is strong also nowadays. A number of studies have been dedicated to the relations among all these Christian communities, as well as to their contact with the Moslem governors after the Islamic conquest of Jerusalem. Presently we carry out a research project concerning the Georgian monastic community and cloisters from the 11 to the 18 century according mainly to Greek, Arabic (the Firmans) and Western sources, among them largely to the Italian narrative sources, descriptions of the Holy Land. The project is...
Modern Turkey-a member of NATO and a candidate for membership in the European Unioncontinues to s... more Modern Turkey-a member of NATO and a candidate for membership in the European Unioncontinues to struggle to find an appropriate balance between religion and state. Turkey offers an excellent case study for those seeking answers to the following questions: Can Islam and democracy coexist? Is Turkey a secular state, is religion separated from the state in Turkey-as it is said in its Constitution: "The Turkish State is a Republic" and is it "a democratic, secular and social state governed by the rule of law ..." (Article 1-2, Constitution of Turkey). Is everybody equal before the law in terms of access to education and labor market, as it is said in the Constitution: "All individuals are equal without any discrimination before the law, irrespective of language, race, color, sex, political opinion, philosophical belief, religion and sect, or any such considerations?" (Article 10, Constitution of Turkey). Since the establishment of the Republic in 1923, one of the most controversial and debated issues in Turkey has been the question of religious education. The issue is still topical. The present paper considers teaching religion in
Modern Turkey-a member of NATO and a candidate for membership in the European Union-continues to ... more Modern Turkey-a member of NATO and a candidate for membership in the European Union-continues to struggle to find an appropriate balance between religion and state.
International Journal of Social Science and Humanity, 2013
From the 7th century began struggle between the Arab Caliphate and the Byzantine Empire for the r... more From the 7th century began struggle between the Arab Caliphate and the Byzantine Empire for the rule in South Caucasus (Soviet Transcaucasia). This struggle continued for a long time with changeable success. A comparison of the evidence of the various sources with historical facts already known and discussed earlier in historical literature enables in a number of cases to concretise or specify separate problems of the history of the Caliphate and of Byzantium in the early period of their interrelations. The 680s are one of the important periods in the history of Caliphate-Byzantine relations in South Caucasus. The paper discusses some questions of the title problem: the date of the Arab-Byzantine peace treaty, Arab-Byzantine Peace Agreements. These questions are discussed on the basis of a critical analysis of the evidence of various primary sources (Georgian, Armenian, Arabic, Syrian, Greek). Index Terms-Arab caliphate, byzantine empire, south caucasus, caliphate-byzantine relations.
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Papers by Nani Gelovani