The Islamic Studies Association was registered in Delhi, under the Societies Registration Act, 1960 (Government of India) on 29 March 1984. The Mission of ISA is to promote national integration of all Indian cultural, social, and religious groups, and support government programs.
Mission: To enable Christians and Muslims to know, understand, respect, appreciate, and love one another as members of one human family, while remaining rooted in their respective faith traditions.
Vision: To cultivate a deep knowledge of Islam and a special love for Muslims that enables Christians to remain connected and engaged with their Muslim neighbors.
Notable Past Activities and Achievements: Every two years, we organize conventions in various Catholic dioceses focused on Christian-Muslim relations. These have taken place in cities such as Bombay, Patna, Chennai, Bareilly, Meerut, Jammu, Lucknow, Varanasi, and Calcutta. These gatherings foster meaningful dialogue between Christians and Muslims, encouraging mutual understanding and collaboration.
Muslims in India Today: The Islamic Studies Association in Delhi, in collaboration with the New Friendship and Brotherhood Dialogue Society, organized a dialogue that brought together theology students from the Vidyajyoti Institute of Religious Studies and a group of Muslim scholars and intellectuals. The discussion focused on the socio-political challenges facing Muslims in India and was skillfully moderated by Ms. Seema Durrani, an advocate at the Delhi High Court.
Key Objectives of the Center:
Main Activities and Programs: Teaching the history and theology of Christian-Muslim relations within theological centers in both India and Italy.
Workshops: We have been involved in teaching and coordinating the Summer School on Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations, organized by the Henry Martyn Institute. Additionally, we lead Interreligious Dialogue Workshops across various dioceses and facilitate Human Fraternity Forum Workshops for both school students and teachers.
Seminars/Webinars: We offer theology students Webinars focusing on topics related to Christian-Muslim dialogue regularly; featuring Jesuit scholars who are part of Jesuits Among Muslims (JAM).
Outreach Events: We regularly take Christian students to visit mosques, Dargahs, and madrasas to broaden their perspectives and foster meaningful dialogue.
Publications: The members of the Islamic Studies Association contribute to the discourse through the publication of “Salaam,” a quarterly journal dedicated to fostering mutual understanding and dialogue between Muslim and Christian communities. Besides the journal, the members regularly publish in journals.