"Religion and the Nations of Greater Asia" .. A New Release by MCE at CIBF

The Muslim Council of Elders’ stand at the Cairo International Book Fair presents to its visitors the book “Religion and the Nations of Greater Asia: Managing Religious and Ethnic Pluralism in China and India.” This is one of the Council’s latest publications for 2025 and is a collaborative work by the team behind the project Peace and the Religious and Ethnic Map of Asia, published by the Al Hokama Center for Peace Research.

The book delves into the study of religious and ethnic pluralism in Asia, with a particular focus on China and India as the two most populous and societally diverse nations. It also addresses the complexity of the concept of identity, shaped by a rich historical and cultural heritage. It examines how this diverse heritage has endured, maintaining its strong presence as a unique global model to this day.

The book emphasizes that Asia represents the most religiously and ethnically diverse geographical area for Muslims, given the global demographic map. Moreover, this geographical expanse is a key determinant for assessing future global power dynamics and interactions, particularly with the rise of China and India in cultural, economic, and strategic dimensions. The book argues that global peace largely depends on achieving stability in Asia, as the aspects of cooperation and conflict within the region inevitably extend to other parts of the world, including Africa, the Arab World, Europe, and the Americas.

The book also highlights that the reality and future of Muslims in Asia cannot be separated from the historical development of other nations, religions, and civilizations in the region, such as Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Christianity, and others. Given the diverse ethnicities and languages of Muslims in this region, it is natural for there to be connections between the same ethnic groups that form parts of the ethnic makeup of other religions and philosophies.

The book points out that religious considerations are not the primary factor behind the outbreak of many conflicts in Asia or elsewhere. Instead, religion is sometimes used as a tool to serve other objectives. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the particularities of each crisis in Asia and examine them in their various contexts and extensions, both domestically and internationally.

The Muslim Council of Elders is participating with a dedicated stand at the 56th Cairo International Book Fair, running from January 23 to February 5, 2025. The stand features a wide array of the Council’s distinguished publications, alongside a series of seminars, activities, and events aimed at promoting values of goodness, love, peace, and coexistence among all people.

The Council’s stand is located next to Al-Azhar’s stand in Hall 4 (Heritage Hall) at the Egypt International Exhibition Center in New Cairo’s Fifth Settlement.