Home
  English
  Arabic
  Russian
  Chinese
Help the victims of war: make a donation to the ICRC today!
section_review_2005_858

Section
International Review of the Red Cross, 2005 - No. 858
This issue is devoted to the theme of religion - including its impact on and relation with international humanitarian law and humanitarian action.
Review cover
Theme: Religion

Religion is a salient and ambivalent feature in many conflicts and its growing and intensified manifestation of religion in politics and vice versa is part of the environment of ICRC operations. The tension between absolute belief in the divine and the historical nature of human existence influences the acceptance of both international law, including humanitarian law, and humanitarian action. Various articles in the present issue of the Review show the importance of religion in these fields on the tightrope between bigotry and indifference.

Texts published by the Review reflect the views of the author alone and not necessarily those of the ICRC or of the Review. Only texts bearing an ICRC signature may be ascribed to the institution.

Editorial
Religion
    30-6-2005
    Interview with Ahmad Ali Noorbala
    President of the National Red Crescent Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Professor of Psychiatry at the Medical Faculty of Tehran University.
    International Review of the Red CrossToni Pfanner, Andreas Wigger, Mostafa Mohaghegh Includes PDF

    30-6-2005
    Religion, violence and “holy wars”
    The dangerous threats to world peace unquestionably pose challenging practical questions that are not easy to answer. Beside the need for a religious reinterpretation in the spirit of peace, peaceful conduct must also be taught and practised.
    International Review of the Red CrossHans Küng Includes PDF

    30-6-2005
    Islam and international law
    If war does take place, it is subject to clear regulations under Islamic Shari’a. Religious teachings had an evident effect on the emergence of the rules of war, which attained the status of legal rules based on three fundamental requirements: necessity, humanity and chivalry.
    International Review of the Red CrossSheikh Wahbeh M. al-Zuhili Includes PDF

    30-6-2005
    Hinduism and international humanitarian law
    The roots of humanitarianism can be traced back to ancient India, where respect for the laws of war was deeply rooted in the armed forces. Those ancient laws established rules for the conduct of rulers towards their peoples, including, for example, the obligation to treat the vanquished humanely and the prohibition of poisoned weapons.
    International Review of the Red CrossManoj Kumar Sinha Includes PDF

    30-6-2005
    Judaism and the ethics of war
    To get some idea of how Judaism handles the ethics of war, the author reviews a selection of sources from the earliest scriptures to rabbinic discussion in contemporary Israel, thus over a period of three thousand years.
    International Review of the Red CrossNorman Solomon Includes PDF

    30-6-2005
    Faith-based and secular humanitarian organizations
    Faith-based organizations share many characteristics with their secular counterparts and this article identifies some of these similarities as well as some of the differences. It also highlights some of the differences within the faith-based community, particularly between Christian organizations involved in humanitarian assistance.
    International Review of the Red CrossElizabeth Ferris Includes PDF

    30-6-2005
    The influence of the Muslim religion in humanitarian aid
    The Muslim religion considers both humanitarian actions and the duty to help as religious obligations by which all Muslims, rich and poor, are bound. Quranic texts and hadiths sometimes have an exhortatory tone encouraging charity works.
    International Review of the Red CrossJamal Krafess Includes PDF

    30-6-2005
    Encountering perceptions in parts of the Muslim world and their impact on the ICRC's ability to be effective
    This article will examine a number of the different perceptions held by Muslims — and in particular by Islamists — with whom ICRC delegates come into contact. Many of the patterns of thought and reaction described below are found, with variations,in non-Muslim religious communities.
    International Review of the Red CrossAndreas Wigger Includes PDF

    30-6-2005
    Governmental donor agencies and faith-based organizations
    Religions and faith communities can be effective as “angels of peace” and as “warmongers.” This ambivalence of the religious factor has a lot to do with the fact that the relationship of the world religions to violence is equivocal.
    International Review of the Red CrossAnne-Marie Holenstein Includes PDF

Selected articles on international humanitarian law
Reports and documents
Books and articles
    30-6-2005
    Books and articles
    Recent acquisitions of the Library & Research Service, ICRC
    International Review of the Red Cross Includes PDF



go to top of page
© 2009  International Committee of the Red Cross
24-11-2009