A Comparative Approach to Specialized Encyclopedias of Islamic Theology; Strengths and Weaknesses

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Researcher and expert of the Encyclopedia of the Research Center for Islamic Information and Documents Management.

2 Associate professor and head of the department for Islamic knowledge at University of Allameh Tabatabaei

Abstract

With the increasing volume of human information in various fields, researchers have found it difficult to access sufficient and useful information in a short time for their subjects. Compiling "reference resources" such as dictionaries and encyclopedias has been one of the human solutions to this problem. This paper examines and evaluates the most important encyclopedias and dictionaries that have been compiled in the field of Islamic theology from 1991 to 2008, and have been made available to the scholars. Before going into the evaluation of each of these works, some of the reference resources, including dictionaries, thesauruses, and encyclopedias, and their differences, roles and functions in developing human knowledge, are briefly described. Then, the main topic, which is the evaluation of theological dictionaries and encyclopedias and their strengths and shortcomings, are going to be dealt with. There are five resources in both Arabic and Persian.   Finally, another resource of Islamic theological encyclopedia that will be published in the near future is introduced and its advantages are mentioned.

Keywords

References

  1. The holy Quran
  2. Azarnoush, Azartash (1379 SH), The Arabic to Persian contemporary dictionary, first print, Tehran: Ney Publications.
  3. Ahmadi Givi, Hossein (1373 SH), the principles of research and writing references, Tehran: Homa Publications Institute.
  4. Anwari, Hassan et al, (1381 SH), the Dictionary of Bozorg, Tehran: Sokhan Publications.
  5. The Research Institute for Islamic Research (1385 SH), Dictionary of Shia, first print, Qom: Zamzam Hedayat.
  6. Jerald Jahooda, Judit Chik Bravankel (1383 SH), The principles of references, techniques of questions, and finding answers from the library resources. translated by Mohammad Hossein Dayani and Abdolhamid Moarefzadeh, third print, Mashhad: Holy Shrine of Imam Reza Publications.
  7. A group of researchers (1375 SH), The Encyclopedia of Shia, third print, Tehran: Shahid Saeed Mohebi Publications.
  8. A group of researchers (1387 SH), the encyclopedia of Islamic theology, first print, Qom: Imam Sadeq Institute.
  9. A group of experts (1428 AH), supervised by Ahmad Abuhafeh, Mo'jam al-Nafa'es al-Kabir, Beirut: Dar al-Nafayes.
  10. Soltani, Puri and Farvardin Rastin (1381 SH), the encyclopedia of librarian and information, second print, Tehran: Farhang Mo'aser.
  11. Hayem, Soleiman (1387 SH), the contemporary dictionary of English to Persian, Persian to English, first print, Tehran: Farhang Mo'aser.
  12. Khatami, Ahmad (1370 SH), Dictionary of Theology, Tehran: Saba Publications.
  13. Khajeh Tusi, Nasirodin (1405 AH), Talkhis al-Mohasel al-Marouf be Naqd al-Mohasel, second print, Beirut: Dar al-Azwa'e.
  14. Samih, Daqim (1998), Mawsuat Mostalahat Ilm al-Kalam al-Islami, first print, Beirut: Maktabat Lobnan Nasheroun.
  15. Shaikh Tusi, Mohammad ibn Hassan (1406 AH), al-Iqtisad fima Yata'aloq be al-Itiqad, first print, Beirut: Dar al-Azwa'e.
  16. Sadrodin Shirazi, Mohammad Ibn Ibrahim (1422 AH), Sharh Hedayat al-Athiriyah, Beirut: Lebanon, Publications of Arabic History Institute.
  17. Amid, Hassan (1383 SH), the Persian dictionary of Amid, Tehran: Amirkabir Publications.
  18. Kets, William. A, (1384 SH), Electronic libraries of Iran and reference librarians, Translated by Mohsen Azizi, Tehran: Ketabdar Publications.
  19. Department of philosophy and theology (1415 SH), Sharh al-Mostalahat al-Kalamiyah, first print, Mashhad: the Foundation for Islamic Research of Imam Reza Holy Shrine.
  20. Lahiji, Abdorazaq (1383 SH), Gohar Morad, first print, Tehran: Sayeh Publications.
  21. Mohammadfar, Mohammad Reza (1376 SH), the comprehensive dictionary of references studies, first print, Tehran: the Organization for Publications and Publishing of Ministry of Islamic Culture and Guidance.
  22. Vazirpour Keshmiri, Mehrdokht (1386 SH), the general Latin references studies, Tehran: Ketabdar Publications.
  23. Yaqubnejad, Mohammad Hadi (1375 SH), an introduction to the principles of the thesaurus of Islamic sciences, first print, Qom: Islamic Propagation Office of Qom Seminary Publications.
Islamic Knowledge Management
Volume 1, Issue 2 - Serial Number 2
December 2019
Pages 75-102

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 17 November 2018
  • Revise Date: 12 December 2018
  • Accept Date: 14 January 2019

Share

How to cite

Statistics