الهیات اسلامی به عنوان فرصتی برای گفتگو و درک متقابل: رویکردی چند بعدی به پدیده‌ای پیچیده

Despite the numerous academic attempts in the last centuries, trying to clarify some basic issues concerning Islam, particularly current complex phenomena as the so-called terrorism or islamophobia, the discussion seems to be very far away from a final evaluation. The diversity of the related religious, political, social and cultural dimensions reveals the need to benefit from the efforts of different disciplines in this regard. The establishment of Islamic Theology as a field of study in some Western and European countries is certainly a critically significant event, which is inextricably connected to the whole debate about Islam in the last years. Based on this socio-religious context in the era of Globalisation, this work aims to examine the following questions: How is the Islamic reception of dialogue particularly in Qur῾ān? Could Islamic Theology, especially as a socio-cultural and academic issue, represent a chance for dialogue? Does this discipline have any impact or arguable responses in the challenge of/confrontation with destructive phenomena such as religious radicalism, Islamophobia etc.? In other words, how can this discipline contribute to a better understanding of Islam and Muslims around the World? What would be the academic, socio-cultural and religious impact of this issue on the young Muslim generation(s) living in European or “Western” socio-cultural context? While approaching this phenomenon, it seems unavoidable to deal with many related issues as well, that are also certainly relevant in this context. That is why it is a rewarding task for modern researchers to analyse the possible interconnectivity between Studying Islam and understanding it. Based on the example German example, where this field of study has already become a recognized sector within five universities, this Paper tries to give some thoughts about the aforementioned questions as a contribution from an Islamic-theological perspective, putting particularly the light on the Islamic conception of dialogue and further related subject matters.