Islamic Institutions in Jerusalem

Download or read book Islamic Institutions in Jerusalem written by Yitzak Reiter and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2023-07-24 with total page 126 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Islam in present day Jerusalem is influenced more than ever by political activities and agendas. This publication deals with Islamic activity and Islamic institutions in East Jerusalem under Jordanian and Israeli rule from 1948 until after the peace accords between Isreal, the PLO and Jordan. After the Israeli takeover of East Jerusalem in 1967 Islamic institutions remained Jordanian organs. This study elaborates on the strategy adopted by the Palestinians of establishing a local Palestinian Supreme Muslim Authority serving a political body to handle Palestinian religious and national debate for the future of Jerusalem. One of the features of this debate is the Jordanian-Palestinian-Israeli competence over the holy places in Jerusalem. The waqf (pious endowments) institution, which is in decline in many Muslim countries, has been revived under Israeli rule. The economic resources of the waaf have been mobilized for the political struggle and it serves as a means to preserve the Islamic character of East Jerusalem and to strengthen the Muslim Arab population's attachment to Islamic institution. This study focuses on the role of the Shari'a (Islamic law) Courts in various mechanisms which were developed to facilitate the adoptation of the traditional Islamic institutions to modern conditions.