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ABSTRACT This article examines the Ibadi and Ismaili Muslim communities in East Africa—particularly in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania (including Zanzibar)—and their distinct religious, social, and economic roles. Even as minorities within predominantly Sunni contexts, both groups have shaped the region through migration, commerce, and international networks. Often overlooked in studies of postcolonial Islam, they are frequently (mis)identified by ethnic labels (“waarabu” for Ibadis, “wahindi” for Ismailis), which obscure their complex identities. By offering an overview of their religious traditions, migration histories, and institutional presence, the article highlights how these communities challenge dominant frameworks within both regional histories and the academic study of Islam. In doing so, it contributes to broader discussions in religious studies around pluralism, identity, and the intersections of race, religion, and belonging in postcolonial contexts—key concerns for scholars of religion today.

This study examines the theological debates surrounding the Ibāḍī epistle of Khalaf b. Ziyād al-Baḥrānī, written in the early 2nd/8th century. The epistle, which focuses on the theological concept of al-asmāʾ wa-l-aḥkām (names and rulings), represents one of the earliest known discussions of faith classifications and their legal implications in Islam. Khalaf’s work is compared to Kitāb al-Irjāʾ and the Epistle of Sālim ibn Dhakwān, highlighting how early Islamic sects, particularly the Ibāḍīs, Murjiʾites, and Muʿtazilites, debated the definitions of īmān (faith) and kufr (unbelief). The study situates Khalaf’s epistle within the broader theological discourse of the period, showing how his classification of faith-related rulings influenced later Ibāḍī thought. It also challenges the assumption that Ibāḍism only matured as a structured doctrine in the 6th/12th century, demonstrating its continuous evolution from the early Islamic period.

This study presents the first investigation of the nearshore wave climate in the main tourist area on the northern coast of Djerba Island, southeast Tunisia. The region is known for its long, dynamic sand spit at Ras Rmel, and its low-lying sandy beaches, which are experiencing significant long-term erosion driven by coastal processes. These beaches face threats from extreme winter storms and rising sea levels, exacerbating coastal risks. Accurate estimation of mean and extreme wave characteristics is crucial for assessing erosion and flooding risks under extreme weather conditions and improving coastal protection structures. In the absence of buoy wave measurements along the Djerba coastline, a numerical wave modelling approach was applied. The third-generation SWAN wave model, operating in a nested grid with a high spatial resolution was implemented and validated using altimeter data from seven satellites. Based on the produced hindcast data, the characteristics of wave storm events and the extreme wave return periods were assessed. The results show that the Djerba coastline experienced a significant number of storms (116 events) between 2011 and 2020, with frequent storms coming from the east, northeast, and east-northeast directions. The most severe storms, in terms of intensity and duration, occurred in 2019, driven by easterly winds. Nearshore wave modelling results revealed that the central part of Djerba beach is particularly exposed during extreme wave events, and may be more vulnerable to erosion and flooding.

يتناول البحث معرفيا شخصية رمزية في المجالين الكلامي والفكري، إذ يعالج الدّرس الكلامي عند عمرو خليفة النّامي، كما يهدف إلى فهم مصطلح الأمّة عنده، من خلال تراثه العلمي المكتوب والمنقول عنه مشافهة. ذلك أنّ علم الكلام في عمومه وعند مختلف المدارس الكلامية بقية جافا وتابعا. جافا من حيث مباحثه وقضاياه، وتابعا لتقريرات كلّ مدرسة ومذهب واتّجاه، رغم قيامته من بين ركام الماضي ومحاولته اللّحاق بتحدّيات الواقع الذي نشأ ونمى وتجدّد فيه، تحت ضغط الجدل الدّيني ومقولات الفلاسفة وصراعات المتكلّمين وأصحاب الفِرق. ولا نبالغ إن اعتبرنا أنّ الأشاعرة والماتريدية عموما أو من يُعبّر عنهم بأهل السنّة والجماعة ـ بغض النّظر عن من انتسب لهم لاحقا ـ قد وجدوا أنفسهم في جهة مقابلة للمدرسة الإباضية، خاصّة في العصر الحديث، مع انتعاشة صحوة التديّن وظهور التيّار الإسلامي العريض بمختلف مسمّياته وأدبيّاته، والذي يُعتبر عمرو خليفة النّامي أحد رموزه، إذ نسج مشروعه المعرفي من مادّتين؛ الاتّجاه العقدي والفقهي الإباضي والالتزام الفكري والتنظيمي المبكّر في المشروع الإسلامي الحديث. وفي هذا الإطار المعرفي الدقيق يتنزّل بحث "الدّرس الإباضي من خلال كتاب دراسات عن الإباضية للمفكّر عمرو خليفة النّامي"، محاولين تحديد ملامح منهجيته في التعاطي مع تلك المسائل الكلامية الخلافية التراثية مهيّأ منها عجينة مادّته الفكرية في إطار إعادة تشكيل الوعي الإسلامي للنُّخَب الشّبابية، وكيف استطاع نحت تعريف جديد لمفهوم الأمة المسلمة من أجل بناء جيل رسالي جديد منسجم متكامل وغير متناقض بسبب ذلك الموروث الفقهي والكلامي القديم، والجدلي في كثير من مواطنه. ولذلك جعلنا للبحث ثلاثة معابر حتى يفهم القارئ طبيعة مشروع عمرو خليفة النّامي، في تقييم التراث من جهة، والانخراط في المشاريع التنويرية الحديثة من جهة ثانية، وذلك من خلال محاضرته "ملامح الحركة العلمية في وارجلان (ورقلة) وضواحيها"، وكتاب "ظاهرة النفاق في إطار الموازين الإسلامية"، وكتاب "دراسات عن الإباضية". وهو جوهر البحث.

This research aims to identify some of the urban planning constants established by scholars and experienced practitioners in the founding of cities, and to examine their connection to the establishment of major urban centers of the Central Maghreb—such as Tihert, M’sila, Achir, Al-Qal‘a, Béjaïa, Constantine, and Tlemcen. This is achieved through an investigation of the environmental and ecological considerations observed in selecting city locations and planning. Accordingly, careful attention was given to place characteristics and suitability in relation to criteria present in many chosen sites. Consequently, these factors had a significant impact on the history of these cities, their future trajectories, transformations, and relations with their surrounding environment, which constitutes a vital space for both cities and inhabitants. On this basis, these cities were able to develop, endure, and withstand time.

In 1798, the first political treaty between Oman and Britain was signed, establishing the foundation for the development of bilateral relations across various domains. This agreement laid the groundwork for extensive cooperation between Muscat, the capital of Oman, and London in subsequent years, particularly in the military sector. In 1952, Saudi forces reinitiated military intervention in the Buraimi region, located in northwestern Oman, after an absence of more than eighty years, posing a direct threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Oman. This incursion prompted the need for coordinated political and military action between Sultan Said bin Taimur (1932–1970) and his ally, Britain, leveraging the longstanding relationship and formal agreements between the two nations to counter the threat and restore stability.Accordingly, this study seeks to examine the nature and dimensions of Omani-British cooperation during the Buraimi Crisis (1952–1955), highlighting the convergence of mutual interests that underpinned the alliance during this critical episode. The study explores the support extended by the British government to Sultan Said in both political and military contexts and frames the crisis within a historical narrative that traces its evolution from inception to resolution. By outlining the various phases of the conflict and emphasizing Britain’s role throughout, the research aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of this pivotal moment in twentieth-century Gulf politics.

The following evaluates 778 tombs surveyed, 295 from the BEW salvage excavations in the Bāṭina, and 361 excavated from Samad/al‑Muyasser. We entered long‑known and also new sites into an open-source database known as ‘Ent’ – an ongoing effort. Two issues arise for the hut tomb chronology: to determine a more specific nomenclature of the tomb shapes and to date by means of contexted finds. To the extent possible, we disambiguate hut tombs from other burial structures. Specific stone structures previously identified as ‘cairns’ can be more closely typologised. Dating tombs more finely than to the Early Iron Age or late pre‑Islamic period is rarely realistic. Excavated, poorly preserved tombs shed little light on the dating of well‑preserved hut tombs.