Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad

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Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad
H.R.H. Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad with Shmagh Smiling 13.12.11.jpg
Spouse Princess Areej Ghazi
Issue
Princess Tasneem
Princess Jennah
Prince Abdullah
House Hashemite
Father Prince Muhammad bin Talal
Mother Princess Firyal
Born (1966-10-15) October 15, 1966 (age 46)
Amman, Jordan

Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad of Jordan (born October 15, 1966 in Amman, Jordan) is a Jordanian prince, professor of philosophy, and claims to be a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad.[1][2] He is the son of Prince Muhammad bin Talal of Jordan and his first wife, Princess Firyal. He is the grandson of King Talal of Jordan.

Education

PhD ('Alimmayah) in Islamic Philosophy, awarded highest honors on January 16, 2010.
Thesis title: Love in the Holy Qur'an.[3]
PhD (Cantab.) in Modern and Medieval Languages and Literatures (July 1993)[4]
Thesis title: "What is Falling in Love?: A Study of the Literary Archetype of Love."
B.A., Comparative Literature (June 1988).
(Graduated with Highest Honours, Summa cum laude.)[5]
'O' and 'A' Levels.
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Official Work

  • Chief Advisor to King Abdullah II for Religious and Cultural Affairs and Personal Envoy of King Abdullah II. [6]
(October 6, 2011 to present; pro bono publica; retired from Gov.)
  • Special Advisor to and Personal Envoy of King Abdullah II of Jordan.[7]
(October 6, 2003 to October 5, 2011; Retired from gov.)
  • Advisor for Tribal Affairs and Cultural Secretary to King Abdullah II of Jordan.
(From February 7, 1999, until October 6, 2003.)[8]
(July 2, 1998 to February 7, 1999.)
(in addition to the post of Cultural Secretary).
  • Cultural Secretary to King Hussein of Jordan.[10]
(October 4, 1994 to February 7, 1999.)
Promoted to First Lieutenant (November 14, 1992).
Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant (November 1989).
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Regent of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

  • Has served Jordan as Regent in the absence of King Abdullah II from the country.
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Other official activities

In religious affairs

Jordanian Royal Family
Coat of Arms of Jordan.svg

HM The King
HM The Queen

HM Queen Noor

Extended royal family
Chairman of the Board of Trustees (June 16, 2007 to present),
Chairman of the Committee (May 2005 to present)
Chairman of Board of Trustees (August 2000 to present). [14]
Founder and Chairman of the Board Ex Officio of the World Islamic Sciences and Education University (W.I.S.E.) , Amman, Jordan, (March 2008).
Founder and Director of The Great Tafsir Project(November 2000 to present).
  • The National Park of the Site of the Baptism of Christ[15]
Founder and Chairman of the Board for the National Park (August 2001 to present).
Founder and Chairman of the Royal Committee (1999–2001).
Founder and Deputy Chairman of the Royal Committee (1997–1999).
  • National Committee for Religious Endowments (Awqaf):[16]
Member of Committee (1996 to present).
  • Royal Committee for the Building and Restoration of the Tombs of the Prophets and the Companions: [17]
Member of the Committee (1994 to present).

In education and cultural affairs

Founding Chairman of the Board of Trustees (1996 – May 2010).[18]
  • The Royal Commission to Investigate the Conditions and Treatment of Foreign Students in Jordan:
Chairman (September 2004 – January 2005).
  • National Examination Council:
Member of Council (1997–2000).
  • National Committee for Higher Education:
Chairman of Finance Sub-Committee (1999–2003).
Member of Committee (1994–2003).
  • National Committee for Lower Education:
Member of Committee (1994–2003).

In tribal affairs and social development

  • Royal Committee for the Preservation and Development of Camel Livestock:
Founding Chairman of the Committee (2000–2003).
  • Committee for Tribal Lands and Claims:
Head of Ministerial Committee (1998–2003).
  • Royal Institute for Development and Charitable Works:
Founder and Executive Director and Member of Board of Trustees (1997–2000).
  • Royal Committee for the Endowment of Underprivileged Schools and Tribal Areas:
Founding Chairman of Committee (1995–2003).

In sports

  • Jordan Amateur Boxing Association:
President (April–July 1998).
  • Jordan Basketball Federation:
Honorary President (1991–1993).
President (1988–1991).
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Part-time work (in academia)

  • Professor of Islamic Philosophy at University of Jordan (Faculty of Graduate Studies) (Amman, Jordan).
Appointed as Full Professor on December 12, 2005.
Appointed as Associate Professor (May 13, 2002).
  • Assistant Research Professor at University of Jordan (Amman, Jordan).
Appointed as Research Professor (May 29, 2000).
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Welcome of Pope Benedict XVI in Amman, Jordan

Prince Ghazi gave the welcoming address on the occasion of the pilgrimage of Pope Benedict XVI in Jordan, May 9, 2009. His wide-ranging speech, during Benedict's visit to the new King Hussein Mosque in Amman, was carried live on Eternal Word Television Network TV. It gave an account of Muslim-Christian relationships, acknowledged the pope's kindness toward Muslims and made an appeal on behalf of Muslim minorities (as on Mindanao). The speech also noted that crusaders had damaged the Christian tribes in Jordan that had preceded Islam by 600 years. Video Link

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World Interfaith Harmony Week

On September 23, 2010, King Abdullah II of Jordan proposed a World Interfaith Harmony Week to the UN General Assembly.
On October 20, 2010, Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, Personal Envoy and Special Advisor of the King of Jordan, presented the proposal – having conceived and written the draft resolution – before the UN General Assembly 34th plenary meeting in New York where it was adopted unanimously. His speech was a powerful call to those who love God and love the neighbour, or the Good and the neighbour, to coordinate and concentrate their activities in a more effective way.

The misuse or abuse of religions can thus be a cause of world strife, whereas religions should be a great foundation for facilitating world peace. The remedy for this problem can only come from the world’s religions themselves. Religions must be part of the solution, not part of the problem.[19]

The World Interfaith Harmony Week will fall on the first week of February every year. Its purpose is the promotion of interfaith harmony between religious and spiritual congregations the world over.video clip

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International Initiative for Islamic Integral Professorial Chairs (IIIPC)

On January 30, 2012, in celebration of King Abdullah II’s fiftieth birthday, Prince Ghazi launched the International Initiative for Islamic Integral Professorial Chairs (IIIPC). This started with the Integral Chair for the Study of Imam Al-Ghazali's Work, which was established in Jerusalem at the Holy Al-Aqsa Mosque and Al-Quds University, and King Abdullah II ibn Al-Hussein Waqf for the Integral Chair for the Study of Imam Fakhr Al-Din Al-Razi’s Work, which was established at the King Hussein bin Talal Mosque, the University of Jordan and W.I.S.E. University. Other Islamic integral professorial chairs are to come.[20][21]

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Visiting the Al-Aqsa Mosque

On 28 February 2012, during a meeting for the Arab League in Doha, Qatar, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas made a plea for Muslims to visit the Holy Al-Aqsa Mosque. On April 18, 2012, Prince Ghazi, accompanied by the Grand Mufti of Egypt Sheikh Ali Goma, broke what had been a 45 year taboo in some parts of the Islamic World (propagated notably by Al-Jazeera-based Sheikh Al-Qaradawi) and visited the Al-Aqsa Mosque in order to pray there and support the beleaguered Muslim community in Jerusalem. The visit was viewed as controversial in Egypt, but set off a change of public opinion in the Islamic World that continues to this day.[22][23]

During the trip to Jerusalem, the Prince and the Grand Mufti also visited the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. This visit was much appreciated by the Christian community of Jerusalem.[24]

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International Delegation of Muslims and Christians visit Nigeria.

Between 22–26 May 2012 an international delegation of Muslims and Christians, sponsored jointly by the Royal Jordanian Aal Al Bayt Institute (RABIIT) and the World Council of Churches (WCC), visited Nigeria. Prince Ghazi headed the Muslim delegation and Revd Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit led the Christian delegation.

The visit was proposed in reaction to the numerous incidents of fierce inter-communal strife which have affected the lives of Nigerians during 2000-2012, and the awareness that Nigeria is the country in the world where the most severe inter-communal violence between Christians and Muslims has been experienced.[25]

The delegation sought to understand the reasons behind this violence. To this end they issued a report entitled ‘Report on the Inter-Religious Tensions and Crisis In Nigeria’[26][27]

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Non-Government Organizations

These include:
  • Islamica Magazine
Chairman of the Board of Directors, [28]
June 2008 to 2010.
January 2008 to present.
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Publications

These include:

Books

‘A beautiful and deeply Qur’anic-centered explanation of What is Islam and Why? I hope it gets wide readership.’ —Hamza Yusuf Hanson

‘What the world should understand when it hears the Qur’an’. Sheikh Ali Gomaa, Grand Mufti of Egypt.

'A masterwork of scholarship and of inspiration'. Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, Distinguished Senior Scholar, the Library of Congress.

‘Love in the Holy Qur’an is bound to become a classic.’ Tamara Sonn, Kenan Professor of Humanities, College of William and Mary.

‘An exceptional thesis, worthy of praise and appreciation for its methodology, for its content and for its language’. — the Grand Imam and Sheikh of Al-Azhar, Mohamed Ahmed el-Tayeb (the thesis’s supervisor at Al-Azhar University).

‘[This book is] the most precious of gems; the most beautiful of adornments; the firmest in the heart; the closest to the mind, and the most complete in its influence.’ — The Grand Mufti of Syria, Sheikh Professor Dr. Ahmad Badruldin Hassoun.

  • A Common Word, Muslims and Christians on Loving God and Neighbor (Editor with Volf and Yarrington) Eerdmans Publishing House Co. 2010 website. ISBN 978-0802863805
  • True Islam and the Islamic Consensus on the Message of Amman / Kitab Ijma’ Al-Muslimin ‘ala Ihtiram Mathahib al-Din (compiler, editor and author of introduction [in Arabic and English]; The Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought, Amman, Jordan, 2006).ISBN 9957-8533-4-1

'The best resource for all those who wish to travel along the straight path in their words and in their actions, and in their spiritual and religious life.' – From the Preface by Grand Imam Professor Dr. Muhammad Sayyid Tantawi, Shaykh Al-Azhar.

(Limited 1st, 2nd and rev. 2nd edition published as: The Book of the Schools of Islamic Jurisprudence / Kitab Ihtiram Al-Mathahib; The Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought, Amman, Jordan, 2006.)
  • Al-Insan (Man), (et al.; published, in Arabic, by the Jordanian Ministry of Education as the text-book for the 12th Grade National Curriculum for General Studies, Amman, 2001; revised 2nd edition in 2007 ).
  • The Sacred Origin of Sports and Culture (published by Fons Vitae, KY, USA, 1998). ISBN 1-887752-13-7
(Trans. into Turkish and published by Insan Yayinlari, Istanbul, 2002.)
  • The Holy Sites of Jordan (ed.; published by Turab, Amman, 1996; 2nd edition 1999). ISBN 978-9957851323
  • The Tribes of Jordan at the Beginning of the Twenty-first Century (published by Turab, Amman, 1999).ISBN 9957-8513-1-0

Articles

  • ‘A Common Word Between Us and You’ (one of 138 signatories [and sole author]); An Open Letter to World Christian Leaders from World Muslim Leaders, October 13, 2007.[29]

‘The appearance of the A Common Word [Open Letter] of 2007 was a landmark in Muslim-Christian relations and it has a unique role in stimulating a discussion at the deepest level across the world.’ — Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, 2010.

  • ‘Open Letter to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI’ (one of 38 signatories [and co-author]; in Islamica, no.18, Los Angeles CA, 2006; issued October 13, 2006).
  • ‘The Prophet Muhammad’ (in Islamica, no.16, Los Angeles CA, 2006).
2nd expanded edition, republished in newspapers in Denmark in 2008.
  • ‘Truth and Knowledge’, (in The Book of Language, ed. Kabir Helminski, published by The Book Foundation [The Education Project Series] Oxford, U.K., 2006).

Transcript of Prince Ghazi Interview with Oxford Islamic Studies 2012

Q.1. You are now Chief Advisor to H.M. King Abdullah for Religious and Cultural Affairs and have been Chairman of the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought for many years, and you have been deeply involved in promoting interfaith understanding and cooperation. You organized the Amman Message Initiative from 2004-2006. You were instrumental in launching the A Common Word initiative in 2007, and in the World Interfaith Harmony Week in 2010. These initiatives are unique in the history of Islam. What was your motivation for these initiatives?

In the United Nations resolution establishing the World Interfaith Harmony Week, you refer to “the moral imperatives of all religions, convictions, and beliefs to call for peace, tolerance, and mutual understanding.” Encouraging those goals is really the challenge, isn’t it? Can you describe responses to the initiative and give some examples of how various groups have supported it?[30]

Read full Transcript here: http://acommonword.com/documents/GhaziforOxfordIslamicStudiesOnline24212FINAL.pdf

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Decorations and Awards

  • Norway Nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize 2013 [31]
  • Italy St Augustine Award, 2012, For Interreligious Dialogue in the Mediterranean, Milan, Italy
  • Russia Awarded Russian Order of Friendship Medal, by President Vladimir Putin of Russia, 26/6/2012.[32][33]
  • Norway Nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize 2012[34]
  • Ukraine Awarded Badge of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise (3rd Class), by President Viktor Yanukovych of Ukraine, June 2011
  • Norway Nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize 2011[35][36]
  • Oman Awarded the Sultan Qaboos Medal (of the 1st Order) by Sultan Qaboos bin Said on 30/11/2010.
  • Jordan Awarded the Al-Nahdah Al-Murasa’ Medal (Special Grand Cordon) by King Abdullah II on 29/9/2010.[37]
  • Jordan Awarded an Honorary Ph.D. in Education from Al-Balqa Applied University, Jordan on 22/9/2010.[38]
  • Norway Nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize 2009 for initiating peaceful dialogue between cultures and religions.[39]
  • Flag of the Greek Orthodox Church.svg Awarded the Medal of the Holy Sepulcher (of the 1st order) by Patriarch Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem and the Holy Land on 1/10/2009[citation needed], and:
  • Flag of the Greek Orthodox Church.svg Awarded the Medal of Peace by Patriarch Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem and the Holy Land on 1/10/2009.
  • Germany Awarded the Eugen Biser Award by the Eugen Biser Siftung (Germany) together with Grand Mufti Mustafa Cerić of Bosnia and Sheikh Habib Ali al-Jifri of Yemen, 2008.[40]
  • Jordan Awarded the Education Medal (of the 1st Order) by King Abdullah II on 5/10/2004.
  • Jordan Awarded the Al-Nahdah Medal (of the 1st Order) by King Abdullah II on 9/10/2003.
  • Morocco Awarded the Muhammadi Medal (of the 2nd Order) by King Mohammed VI of Morocco on 10/3/2000.
  • France Made Grand Officier de la Légion d’Honneur (Legion of Honour) by President Chirac of France in 7/1/2000.
  • Jordan Awarded the Al-Hussein Medal for Distinguished Service (of the 1st Order) by King Abdullah II on 24/8/1999.
  • France Made Commandeur de la Légion d’Honneur by President Chirac of France on 20/11/1997.
  • France Made Officier de la Légion d’Honneur by President Chirac of France on 10/3/1997.
  • Jordan Awarded the rank of Lt. Col. (hon.) in the Jordanian Arab Army by King Hussein on 2/9/1997.
  • Jordan Awarded the Al-Kawkab Medal (of the 1st Order) by King Hussein on 13/11/1995.[41]
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Languages

Fluent (speaking, reading and writing) Arabic, English, French.
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See also

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References

  1. ^ http://www.kinghussein.gov.jo/rfamily_hashemites.html
  2. ^ http://kingabdullah.jo/index.php/en_US/pages/view/id/157.html
  3. ^ "UJ honors Prince Ghazi". 
  4. ^ "What is falling in love? A study of the literary archetype of falling in love with special reference to Don Quixote, Le Rouge et le Noir, and Madame Bovary". 
  5. ^ "Author Profile". 
  6. ^ http://kingabdullah.jo/index.php/en_US/news/view/id/10521/videoDisplay/1.html
  7. ^ http://www.aalalbayt.org/en/news.html
  8. ^ http://www.kingabdullah.jo/index.php/ar_JO/news/view/id/1253/videoDisplay/1.html
  9. ^ http://www.kinghussein.gov.jo/prince_muhammad.html
  10. ^ http://www.kinghussein.gov.jo/archive7.html
  11. ^ http://worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com/newspost/transcript-of-prince-ghazi-interview-with-oxford-islamic-studies-2012/
  12. ^ http://www.commongroundnews.org/article.php?id=21507&lan=en&sp=0
  13. ^ http://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/resources/people/ghazi-bin-muhammad-bin-talal
  14. ^ http://aalalbayt.org/en/pastandpresent.html
  15. ^ http://www.baptismsite.com/index.php/about-us.html
  16. ^ http://www.awqaf.gov.jo/?id=97
  17. ^ http://kingabdullah.jo/index.php/en_US/initiatives/view/id/15.html
  18. ^ "At A Glance; Prince Ghazi resigns as president of Balqa Applied University board". Jordan Times. May 3, 2010. Retrieved December 21, 2010. 
  19. ^ "World Interfaith Harmony Week – H.R.H. Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad delivers H.M. King Abdullah II's World Interfaith Harmony Week proposal at UN". Worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com. October 21, 2010. Retrieved December 21, 2010. 
  20. ^ http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/01/25/190449.html
  21. ^ http://aalalbayt.org/en/news.html
  22. ^ http://www.economist.com/node/21553511
  23. ^ http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/muslims-revive-pilgrimage-route-jerusalem-16233631?#.T6FzjbMozzu
  24. ^ http://jordantimes.com/patriarch-lauds-hashemites-commitment-to-protecting-holy-sites
  25. ^ http://nigeriantimes.blogspot.com/2012/05/delegation-to-nigeria-hopes-for.html
  26. ^ http://www.rissc.jo/books/en/Report-of-Nigeria-delegation-10-7-2012-Final.pdf
  27. ^ http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/general-secretary/wider-ecumenical-movement-incl-wcc/joint-statement-christian-muslim-delegation-to-nigeria.html
  28. ^ See: Islamica Magazine, February 2009, No. 21
  29. ^ a b http://www.acommonword.com/the-genesis-of-a-common-word-acw/
  30. ^ http://acommonword.com/documents/GhaziforOxfordIslamicStudiesOnline24212FINAL.pdf
  31. ^ http://www.prio.no/About/PeacePrize/PRIO-Directors-Nobel-Speculations-2013/
  32. ^ http://www.itar-tass.com/en/c32/457461.html/
  33. ^ http://pda.itar-tass.com/en/c154/457404.html
  34. ^ http://www.prio.no/About/PeacePrize/PRIO-Directors-Speculations-2012/
  35. ^ http://www.prio.no/About/PeacePrize/PRIO-Directors-Speculations-2011/
  36. ^ http://www.globalpost.com/dispatches/globalpost-blogs/weird-wide-web/nobel-peace-prize-winner-2011
  37. ^ http://www.kingabdullah.jo/index.php/en_US/news/view/id/8627/videoDisplay/1.html
  38. ^ http://en.ammonnews.net/article.aspx?articleNO=9649/
  39. ^ Der Spiegel (German): Nobel Peace Prize Candidates 2009
  40. ^ http://www.eugen-biser-stiftung.de/veranstaltungen_preis0.html?&L=1
  41. ^ JORDAN
Royal titles
Preceded by
Prince Hussein bin Al Talal		 Line of succession to the Jordanian throne
13th position		 Succeeded by
Prince Abdullah bin Al Ghazi
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Last modified on 16 April 2013, at 02:49