CMR - Websites
An internet search on "Islam" or on "Muslim" or on "Christianity" yields literally hundreds of results. Their value varies enormously depending on the authenticity of the sources, the quality of the scholarship, and the accuracy of presentation. Some provide current news, information, articles, contact addresses, discussion groups and other links. Some are propagandistic, some are antagonistic towards other religions, and some are apologetic in defending against the attacks of other religions.
The following select sites represent a cross-section of what is available. Inclusion or exclusion of a particular website does not imply either approval or disapproval. For engaging with and proper evaluation of the contents of these and related sites we recommend that readers follow the guidelines on interreligious dialogue proposed by the Catholic magisterium. The sites noted below are collected under the headings "WEBSITES ON INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE" and "WEBSITES ON ISLAM".
Websites on inter-religious dialogue
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/interelg/index.htm
This is the website for the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. It contains official church documentation from the Holy See.
http://puffin.creighton.edu/jesuit/dialogue/
This is a website of the Jesuits in the USA. It contains documentation, reports, and projects about interreligious dialogue as well as links to other sites.
http://www.usccb.org/seia/islam_index.shtml
This is the website of the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. It contains resources on Islamic Catholic Relations and a select bibliography.
http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/interreligious/index-e.html
This is the website of the Interreligious Relations and Dialogue team of the World Council of Churches. It contains a wealth of resources including documents, reports, publications and links to other sites.
www.pcusa.org/pcusa/wmd/eir/
This is the website of the offices for Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations of the Presbyterian Church of the USA. It contains some interfaith resources from within the perspective of the Presbyterian tradition.
www.weltethos.org/dat_eng/index_e.htm
This is the website for the Global Ethic Foundation. It stems from Professor Hans Küng's book "Global Responsibility" (1990), which was first published in English in 1991. This Foundation is an example of people who take religious faith seriously in order to promote peace among peoples on the basis of the ethical principles they hold in common.
www.cpwr.org
This is the website for the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions. It is an example of people committed to cultivating harmony between the world's religious and spiritual communities.
Websites on Islam
http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/
This is the website of the Muslim Students Association (MSA) of the University of Southern California (USC). Clicking on headings or highlighted texts gives very easy access to an impressively wide range of educational material on Islam - e.g. Allah, the Prophet, the Qur'an (including three English translations), Sunnah, Pillars and other special topics. The reference section has a word search for the Qur'an and Hadith, and a useful glossary of Arabic words.
http://www.uga.edu/islam/
This is the website of Professor Alan Godlas from the Department of Religion at the University of Georgia (UGA). Clicking on headings or names of articles provides very easy links to a wide range of information on Islamic topics e.g. Quran, Sunnah, Sunni and Shia Islam, Sufism, history, philosophy, women, terrorism, interfaith relations and many other contemporary issues.
http://www.islamfortoday.com/index.htm
This website is "for theologically motivated Western converts to Islam and a source of information for non-Muslims seeking a knowledge and understanding of Islam." Clicking on the fourteen headings at the top of the page each opens up lists of articles and/or websites relevant to that topic. Scrolling down the page gives personal viewpoints and scholarly articles by Muslims on matters of contemporary world concern.
http://www.islamicity.com/
This website is "dedicated to advancing information, fostering community, and educating people about Islam." It has current news, multi-media, and commercial sites. The Islamic sections provide basic information on Islam, Qur'an and Sunnah, including translations of the Qur'an into twenty two different languages.
http://www.islam101.com/
This is the website of the Sabr Foundation, a religious organization dedicated to the spread of Islam. It is "an educational site on Islam, its way of life, civilization and culture. It includes an introductory course on Islam and presents Islamic views on contemporary issues."
http://www.al-islam.org/default.asp
This website is produced by the Ahlul Bayt Digital Islamic Library Project (DILP). The headings along the top combined with sub-headings along the right side give access to Islamic resources including articles and "fact sheets" on the particular topic. Of particular note is that the information is presented from the Twelver Shia Islamic school of thought.
http://www.australiansuficentre.org/index.htm
This is the website of the Australian Centre for Sufism whose purpose is "raising the awareness of people to the presence of God in day to day life using the teachings of Sufism." It contains material on Sufism, psychology and the Enneagram.
http://www.affinity.org.au/
This is the website of Affinity Intercultural Foundation (AIF). It gives information about courses on Islam and guided tours conducted at Gallipoli mosque in Auburn, NSW and advertising and reports on interfaith events in which AIF have taken part.
http://www.afic.com.au/
This is the website of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (AFIC). It provides a short list of Islamic welfare, services, schools and mosques. However, there are contact names and addresses for state and territory councils who can provide detailed information specific to a given local area. The eight pages of "Appreciating Islam" are a well-presented summary of Islam in Australia.
http://www.iman.co.nz/
This is the website of the 'International Muslim Association of New Zealand' (IMAN). It contains basic information about the tenets and practices of Islam, and contact names and addresses for mosques, courses and other Islamic services available in New Zealand.
