An earlier version of this article was presented at the Conferences of the Order to the International Council for Formation and Studies, St Francis House, Seoul, 19 February 2005. The theme of these meetings was ‘Dialogue, the Path to Peace: What Kind of Formation in a Multi-Cultural and Multi-Religious Context’.
1. A distinction should be made between the US and Europe, although I am not able to deal with the distinctions between the two in this article. Suffice to say, as far as the problem of the lack of multiculturalism as I have defined it in sociology teaching is concerned, there is little difference between the two.
2. For a critical evaluation of al-Hady's thought, see Shaharuddin Maaruf (1988: Ch. 4).
3. Al-Attas here draws our attention to al-Taftāzānī's commentary on the `Aqā' idof al-Nasafī which contains the creed of Islam rendered in concise form and which contains the epistemological position of Islam (Al-Attas, 1990: note 1).
4. For more on these methods, see Haddad (1974). On the veneration accorded to teachers in Islam, see Robinson (1980).
5. This was a point stressed by Syed Muhammad Al-Naquib Al-Attas several times in personal communications.
6. Al-Attas, pers. comm., various occasions.
7. Al-Attas, pers. comm., various occasions.
8. Catholic Encyclopedia, at: www.newadvent.org/cathen/11495a.htm (accessed 1 March 2005).
9. Sermon at Christ Church, Freemantle, Southampton, St Francis of Assisi Day, celebrated on 10 October 2004; at: www.realmail.co.uk/~storyline/francis_islam.htm (accessed 2 March 2005).
10. It is not my intention to attack Giddens here. I merely wish to point out that contemporary sociology texts generally lack the multicultural sensibility as I have defined it. What I am saying about Giddens's text applies to most others as well.
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