Institutionalisation process of the field of bayt Al-Maqdis studies in international academia: Türkiye as a case study

Bayt al-Maqdis or Islamicjerusalem is a unique region with a rich historical background, religious significance, cultural attachments, and competing political and religious claims. Throughout history, this region has become a focal point for international interests, which have met and clashed there. However, the field of Bayt al-Maqdis Studies, which is a relatively new field of inquiry, has recently emerged as a remarkable area of study. The field's origins can be traced back to the 1990s, when Abd al-Fattah El-Awaisi, the founder of the field, taught his university students in one of the mastabas/platforms of Al-Aqsa Mosque as part of a course titled "Bayt al-Maqdis Throughout History" at Al-Quds University between 1990 and 1992. This period, spanning three years, proved to be a pivotal one in the founder's life that he planted the seeds of the establishment of a global civilisational knowledge project, which would ultimately become a significant achievement. The concrete outcome of these seeds was the establishment of the Academy for Islamicjerusalem Studies (ISRA) in the United Kingdom in 1994. In essence, ISRA was created as an international platform for the production of authentic knowledge regarding Bayt al-Maqdis, with the objective of establishing a new frame of reference. This initiative was followed by the establishment of a new the field of inquiry of Bayt al-Maqdis Studies which was integrated into British academia and further promoted in the three hubs: Malaysia, Egypt and Türkiye. However, even though the attempts to establish the field was not successful in the Arab world, it received remarkable response from the other two hubs. This study deals with the institutionalisation of the new field of inquiry of Bayt al-Maqdis Studies in Europe, Asia and particularly in Türkiye. It examines the historical background and driving forces that led to the establishment of a new field of inquiry and discusses the role of research centres in engaging the field in Turkish academia. Finally, it sheds light on how this new field of inquiry set the stage for Türkiye to come into prominence in scholarly contributing the field in the West Asia. Keywords: International Relations, Bayt al-Maqdis, Al-Aqsa Mosque, A Global Knowledge Project, Institutionalisation