ISESCO journal explores Arabic novel, Islamic heritage

The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (ISESCO) cultural journal published its eighth issue, focusing on the Arabic novel, cultural dialogue, and the preservation of Islamic heritage.

The quarterly journal, released in October 2026, included intellectual discussions, critical studies, and research on heritage in its 104 pages. The issue addressed the future of culture in the Islamic world, emphasizing the importance of maintaining cultural memory without simply celebrating the past.

Instead, it advocated for using heritage to produce knowledge and encourage cross-cultural communication. The journal presented Islamic culture as a multifaceted human experience where memory informs the present and heritage extends beyond preservation to adaptation for future challenges. In an editorial, the journal’s editor-in-chief, poet Rowda Al-Hajj, noted that the topics covered all relate to the connection between memory and the future. ISESCO’s Director General, Dr.

Salem bin Mohammed Al-Malik, highlighted the organization’s ongoing cultural and scientific programs for 2026 despite international challenges. These initiatives included a program to train 10,000 leaders in artificial intelligence applications, a second youth knowledge forum, and the signing of a cooperation agreement with the Hermitage Museum in Russia for heritage protection. The journal also featured a primary interview with Sheikh Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, Secretary-General of the Muslim World League, discussing religious moderation, interfaith dialogue, and combating extremism.

Al-Issa stressed that dialogue is no longer a cultural luxury but a human and ethical necessity, calling for a shift from formal meetings to discussions addressing divisive issues. He also pointed to studies by the Muslim World League that link the rise of Islamophobia to practices by individuals claiming to represent Islam, coupled with biased media coverage.