User:Docentation/Dominican Institute for Oriental Studies

The Dominican Institute for Oriental Studies (French: Institut dominicain d'études orientales [Idéo, IDEO]/Arabic:معهد الدراسات الشرقية للآباء الدومنكيين - Maʿhad ad-Dirāsāt aš-Šarqiyya li-l-Ābāʾ ad-Dūmnikiyyīn) is a centre of research into Islam. It was founded in 1953 and is located in Cairo.

History
The Idéo was founded in 1953. Research had begun earlier, however. Eugène Tisserant, secretary of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, asked the Dominican Order to establish a body dedicated to researching Islam. Three young Dominican friars, Georges Chehata Anwati, Serge de Beaureceuil, and Jacques Jomier attempted to heed this call but could not because of the international situation. Egypt seemed to be the most suitable country: it had great cultural prestige in the Arab world, partly due to the presence of Al-Azhar University, a leading intellectual centre of the Sunni world. Thus a Dominican building in Abbassia built in 1928 by Antonin Jaussen came to be used by the Idéo.

Research
Idéo's research focuses on original texts from the first ten centuries of Islam.

Several members of Idéo teach in foreign universities, and all publish in academic journals. They also publish work in the institute's own journal, MIDÉO (Mélanges de L'Institut dominican d'études orientales). It was first published in 1953 by Father Georges Anawati; each issue contains new work as well as a revue of editions of Arabic language texts. MIDÉO has been edited by Georges Anawati, Régis Morelon and Emilio Platti; Emmanuel Pisani became editor in 2016.

Library
The library contains 150,000 volumes and several periodicals; it covers several areas concerning the study of Islam, including the Arabic language, the Quran, exegesis, theology, law, jurisprudence, history, philosophy, Sufism, and the sciences. A new building, inaugurated in 2002, today contains lecture theatres and offices. Employees catalogue the collection using a computer system specialised for Arabic language sources made for the Idéo. Over the years, the Idéo has acquired an international reputation. Data in the online catalogue are entered according to the Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records and presented according to Resource Description and Access standards. The Idéo has also helped to create and enriched the Bibliothèques d'Orient, a digital international library containing documents about relations between France and the Middle East.

Interfaith dialogue
Alongside its scientific and academic activities, the Idéo also assists interfaith dialogue. In Egypt, the Idéo organises summer seminars introducing young Dominicans to Islam. They also maintain relations with religious authorities in Cairo and the Middle East, such as Al-Azhar University and the Coptic Church.

Its members also take part in and organise conferences in Europe and throughout the world.