Islamic Computing Resources

From wais@quake.think.com Fri Apr 2 01:19:34 1993 Posted-Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 08:35:20 CDT Received-Date: Fri, 2 Apr 93 01:19:30 EST Received: by quake.think.com (4.1/SMI-4.0) id AA01232; Thu, 1 Apr 93 22:18:02 PST Message-Id: <9304020618.AA01232@quake.think.com> Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 08:35:20 CDT From: MICHAEL STRANGELOVE <441495@ACADVM1.UOTTAWA.CA> Subject: MISC: Islamic Studies EMG UPDATE

----------------------------Original message---------------------------- The following is an updated section from _The Electric Mystic's Guide_. Please inform me of errors or ommissions. - MS _______________________________________________________________________

Islamic Studies

There is a wide variety of resources on the Net for Islamic Studies, including a computer resource guide by Basil Hashim, a Free-Net based "Islamic School" which provides the Cleveland community and, via the Internet, the world, with the ability to access basic information about Islam, to read about the essentials of Islam, join in moderated bulletin boards and even read the entire text of the Koran, all while online. Networked researchers may also freely access the contents of the American Arab Scientific Society Software Library, retrieve the entire text of the Koran and even retrieve Macintosh sound files of Arabic recitations of selections from the Koran or listen to a call to prayer in Arabic. There is also a growing number of LISTSERV based online academic conferences for the scholarly discussion of Islamic studies. And it is all free.

Islamic Computer Resource Guide

The Islamic Computer Resource Guide, by Basil Hashim (hashem@usc.edu), documents bulletin board systems, software, FTP archives, and network resources such as online academic conferences and newsgroups related to Islamic topics. All information pertaining to networked resources has been documented in the Electric Mystic's Guide. The Islamic Computer Resource Guide is available via FTP from the node cs.bu.edu in the directory /amass/ as the file islam-guide.text.

The Islamic School

An Islamic subject area at the Cleveland Free-Net Community Computer System. Provides introductory information on Islam. This archive includes an online Koran and hadith.

Access: Telnet to freenet-in-a-cwru.edu or freenet-in-b-cwru.edu or freenet-in-c-cwru.edu

You will then be asked whether you are a registered user or a visitor. Select (2) Visitor then select (2) Explore the System. Upon being presented with the main menu prompt Your Choice ===> at the <<< Cleveland Free-Net Directory >>>, type go islam. Note that you will not see go islam or "The Islamic School" as a menu choice. You will then be presented with the following menu:

1 About the Islamic School 2 The Essentials of Islam 3 The Holy Qur'an 4 The Holy Prophet of Islam and Sunnah 5 Frequently Asked Questions 6 Questions and Answers 7 The Bulletin Board (moderated) 8 Directory Services

American Arab Scientific Society (AMASS) Software Library

The AMASS Software Library archives software and documents for Arab communities throughout the globe. The archive is provided courtesy of the American Arab Scientific Society, Boston Chapter and supported by Boston University, Computer Sciences Department. The current librarian is Abdelsalam Heddaya (heddaya@cs.bu.edu). An index of the American Arab Scientific Society Software Library is available via FTP from the node cs.bu.edu (128.197.2.1) in the directory /amass/ as the file INDEX. For a complete description of the American Arab Scientific Society, retrieve the documents intro-arabic.ps intro-english.ps intro- english.text constitution-english.ps via FTP from the node cs.bu.edu (128.197.2.1) in the directory /amass/. Note: Please send Abdelsalam Heddaya (heddaya@cs.bu.edu) an e-mail message every time you use this software library, or if you wish to place software or documents in it.

Contents of the AMASS Software Library

AMASS Newsletters. Copies of the American Arab Scientific Society newsletters in Postscript. This file include the necessary fonts for printing on any Postscript printer an can be read on a personal compter through any Postscript previewer. Available from the node cs.bu.edu (128.197.2.1) in the directory /amass/newsletters/ as the file nl33-arabic.ps.

Arabic Extension to LaTeX. (1992). Handles transliteration and diacritics. Installation instructions and manual included. Also works under plain TeX. Created by Klaus Lagally (lagally@informatik.uni-stuttgart.de). The latest version is always available via FTP from ifi.informatik.uni- stuttgart.de (129.69.211.1) in the directory /pub/arabtex/ as a variety of files. This system is for the IBM compatible computers. It is also available from the node cs.bu.edu (128.197.2.1) in the directory /amass/ as the file arabtex.tar.Z. See below (ArabTex TeX/LaTeX Arabic Word Processor) for more information.

Calender Calculation Program (Common Lisp). (1992). Common Lisp program that calculates the Hijri, Hebrew, Gregorian and Julian calendars (does not include the Coptic calender). Includes definitions of some important events. Created by Nachum Dershowitz and Edward M. Reingold (reingold@cs.uiuc.edu). Available via FTP from cs.bu.edu (128.197.2.1) in the directory /amass/ as calendrical.l

Cresent Sighting Information. (1992). Information about crescent sighting for "1ramaDaan 1412" and information on the subject of crescent sightings. Written by Mohibullah N. Durrani. Available via FTP from cs.bu.edu (128.197.2.1) in the directory /amass/ as cresent.text

Muslim Prayer Schedules. Muslim prayer schedules in TeX format, produced by Minaret 1.3. This file has been compressed, therefore use the binary mode when FTPing). Available via FTP from cs.bu.edu (128.197.2.1) in the directory /amass/ as prayer-scheds

Prayer Timing (C Language). A prayer time calculation C language computer program that calculates prayer times given selected parameters and typesets the results in TeX. This program is based on Minaret 1.3 and can operate in batch mode. This program is in source code and must be installed through the use of a C compiler. Created by Kamal Abdali (abdali@dewey.udel.edu). Available via FTP from cs.bu.edu (128.197.2.1) in the directory /amass/ as praytimer and praytimer.tar.Z. Also available via Listserv from Listserv@ASUACAD.bitnet or Listserv@asuacad as MUSLIMS PRAYER-C

Prayer Timing (FORTRAN Language). A prayer time calculation FORTRAN language computer program that calculates prayer times and moon sighting data given selected parameters. This program is based on Minaret 1.3. Available from Iago.Caltech.Edu in the directory ??? as ???. Also available via Listserv from Listserv@ASUACAD.bitnet or

Listserv@asuacad as MUSLIMS PRAYER-F

Prayer Timing -- Minaret 1.3. A menu-driven program to calculate prayer times for many cities in the world. New cities can be added by providing location and timing data. Shows the direction of the Qibla, and various data related to the Hijri calendar (date conversion). Produces text and TeX output of prayer schedules. Created by Kamal Abdali (abdali@dewey.udel.edu). This program runs on Macintosh Plus or later model. Available via FTP from cs.bu.edu (128.197.2.1) in the directory /amass/ as minaret- 13.sit.hqx

Qalam. Qalam is an Arabic-Latin-Arabic transliteration system between Arabic script languages and the Latin script embodied in the ASCII character set. The Qalam system is designed to transliterate Arabic script languages for computer mediated communication by individuals literate in those languages. Qalam was created by Abdelsalam Heddaya with contributions from Walid Hamdy and M. Hashem Sherif. Available via FTP from cs.bu.edu (128.197.2.1) in the directory /amass/ as qalam.text

Muslim Hymn (Takbyr). The arabic text of the hymn chanted by Muslims in the morning prayers of the two major feasts of Islam. This document is in both arabic script and in transliteration. Available via FTP from cs.bu.edu (128.197.2.1) in the directory / /amass/ as takbyr.ps

Macintosh Sound Files for Islamic Studies

The AMASS FTP directory /amass/sounds/ at the node cs.bu.edu (128.197.2.1) contains a variety of Macintosh sounds files sampled at 5.5KHz (fair quality), and encoded in ASCII using Binhex format. These files can be played back using SoundMaster or other Macintosh sound utilities. Presently available files include the Islamic call to prayer, and a recitation of the first surah of the Koran.

For more information about the AMASS, write to:

American Arab Scientific Society P.O. Box 541 Holmdel, NJ 07733, USA.

Or send e-mail to: M. Hashem Sherif mhs@homxa.att.com

ArabTex TeX/LaTeX Arabic Word Processor

ArabTeX is a system that extends the capabilities of TeX and LaTeX to generate the arabic writing from an ASCII transliteration for texts in several languages using the arabic script. It consists of a TeX macro package and an arabic font in several sizes, presently only available in the Naskhi style. ArabTeX will run with Plain TeX and also with LaTeX; other additions to TeX have not been tried. ArabTeX is primarily intended for generating the arabic writing, but the scientific transcription can be also easily generated. For other languages using the arabic script limited support is available.

The latest version and an installation manual is available via FTP from the node ifi.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de (129.69.211.1) in the directory /pub/arabtex/ as a collection of files.

For more information, contact the author of ArabTex,

Klaus Lagally Institut fuer Informatik Universitaet Stuttgart Breitwiesenstrasse 20-22 D-7000 Stuttgart 80 GERMANY lagally@informatik.uni-stuttgart.de

Other Islamic Studies Resources

CalTech Muslim Students Archive at ftp.ugcs.caltech.edu (??? UNKNOWN DIRECTORY). Contacts: Waqar Malik (waqar@ugcs.caltech.edu) and Asim Mughal (mughal@iago.caltech.edu). THIS MAY BE OBSOLETE - CONTACTS queried, no answer as yet.

Islam Discussion Group (ISLAM-L). Internet Subscription Address: Listserv@ulkyvm.louisville.edu BITNET Subscription Address: Listserv@ulkyvm. See Volume Three for complete information. See Volume Three for complete information.

The Islamic Information and News Network (MUSLIMS). Internet Subscription Address: Listserv@asuvm.inre.asu.edu. BITNET Subscription Address: Listserv@asuacad or Listserv@psuvm. See Volume Three for complete information.

Malaysian Islamic Study Group (MISG-L). Internet Subscription Address: Listserv@psuvm.psu.edu. BITNET Subscription Address: Listserv@psuvm.

USENET Newsgroup SOC.RELIGION.ISLAM Archive at cs.dal/ca (129.173.4.5) in the directory /pub/comp.archives/soc.religion.islam/. See Volume Three for complete information.

Yousif, Ahmad. The Muslim Community in North America: A Bibliography, (University of Ottawa, 1992). Available from CONTENTS, Listserv@Uottawa or Listserv@Acadvm1.Uottawa.CA as MUSLIM BIBLIO. Also available via FTP from panda1.uottawa.ca (137.122.6.16) in the directory /pub/religion/ as muslim_biblio.txt and muslim_biblio.ps.

THE ELECTRONIC KORAN

M.H. Shakir's translation of the Koran is available as 114 individual ASCII text chapters from the node quake.think.com (192.31.181.1) in the directory /pub/etext/koran/ (note that when there are many files to be retrieved via FTP, use the command mget *.* to retrieve all files in the current directory. Ensure that you have sufficient disk space available on your e-mail account before using the command mget to retrieve a large amount of data.) It is also available from the nodes princeton.edu snake.mcs.kent.edu mcs.kent.edu hydra.unm.edu. The Koran and a related dictionary is also available as koran-dict.Z and koran.Z from the node oes.orst.edu (128.193.124.2) in the directory /pub/amanac/ etext/. This version contains a few typographical errors which are delineated in the file on-line-quran available from the node cs.dal.ca (129.173.4.5) in the directory /pub/comp.archives/ soc.religion.islam/.

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