al-Mawsua al-Muyassara fi al-Adyan wa al-Madhahib wa al-Ahzab al-Muasira

al-Mawsu'a al-Muyassara fi al-Adyan wa al-Madhahib wa al-Ahzab al-Mu'asira (The Simplified Encyclopedia of Contemporary Religions, Sects, and Parties) is a multi-author Arabic reference work published by the World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY) in Riyadh under the supervision of Mani' ibn Hammad al-Juhani Majallat al-Bayan+1. It provides structured entries on world religions, theological sects, modern philosophical schools, and contemporary political and ideological movements from an Islamic perspective Majallat al-Bayan+1.

Structure and Method

In its first edition, the work covered fifty-eight doctrines and movements arranged in alphabetical order according to the Arabic alphabet Majallat al-Bayan+1. Each entry follows a consistent pedagogical schema consisting of six primary subsections:

1. Definition (al-ta'rif): An introduction to the group, religion, or philosophical doctrine Majallat al-Bayan.
2. Founding and Prominent Figures (al-ta'sis wa abraz al-shakhsiyyat): The historical origins, founders, and leading proponents Majallat al-Bayan.
3. Ideas and Beliefs (al-afkar wa al-mu'taqadat): The core theological doctrines, intellectual positions, and practices of the movement Majallat al-Bayan.
4. Intellectual and Creedal Roots (al-judhur al-fikriyya wa al-'aqa'idiyya): The historical, philosophical, or religious currents that shaped its emergence Majallat al-Bayan.
5. Spread and Spheres of Influence (al-intishar wa mawaqi' al-nufudh): Its geographical dissemination and current reach Majallat al-Bayan.
6. References for Further Reading (maraji' li-l-tawassu'): A bibliography of primary and secondary sources, including Arabic and foreign-language titles Majallat al-Bayan.

For certain major religions and sects—such as Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Mormonism, Taoism, and the Druze—the encyclopedia also features specialized paragraphs presenting their primary canonical texts Majallat al-Bayan. Several entries conclude with critical assessments (ta'qib) outlining the Islamic legal and theological stance regarding the views under discussion Mawsuat al-Madhahib al-Fi….

Publication History

The first edition was issued by the World Assembly of Muslim Youth in Riyadh in 1409 AH (1989 CE) Majallat al-Bayan. A second edition followed in the same year (1409 AH / 1989 CE) al-Ilmaniyya wa Mawqif al…+1. The third edition was published by Dar al-Nadwa al-'Alamiyya in 1418 AH Bayyinat al-Rasul wa Mu'j…, followed by a fourth edition in 1420 AH Athar Aamal al-Qulub ala … and a fifth edition in 1424 AH al-Ayat al-Quraniyya al-W…+1. In its expanded format, the encyclopedia was published in two volumes Nawat al-Maktaba+1.

Reception and Scholarly Review

The encyclopedia gained broad circulation among students and researchers due to its concise style and the pressing need for reference material on contemporary intellectual movements Majallat al-Bayan.

In a review published in Majallat al-Bayan, Abd al-Aziz ibn Muhammad Al Abd al-Latif praised the work as a positive contribution to Islamic scholarship and contemporary studies, while offering suggestions and critiques Majallat al-Bayan+1. He noted that arranging the entire work alphabetically caused different categories of movements to be mixed together, suggesting instead a thematic division that would separate world religions, Islamic sects, and reformist trends into distinct sections Majallat al-Bayan. He also critiqued specific characterizations in the text, such as general descriptions of the Tijani Sufi order, the categorization of Hizb al-Tahrir, and describing the Zaydiyya as characterized by moderation despite their reliance on Mu'tazili theological principles, while acknowledging that the encyclopedia explicitly highlighted criticisms of groups such as Jama'at al-Tabligh, Hizb al-Tahrir, and the Sudanese Mahdiyya movement Majallat al-Bayan+1.