Kanz (Arabic spelling; Kenz in Turkish) Kanz, which means “the Treasure” in English, is an on-line, interdisciplinary, popular-academic journal that aims to examine diversity-in-unity and unity-in-diversity within faith traditions in general, and within the Islamic faith tradition in particular, as reflected through the social, cultural, political, moral, philosophical, and theological facets of human existence.

The present-day civilization, with its philosophical theories, has plunged humanity into a quagmire of wars, rugged individualism, and loneliness and has failed to address the pressing spiritual needs of humankind. It is our aspiration that the shared wisdom of the sacred traditions of humanity–when married to a semi-academic interdisciplinary approach—may guide our readers to innovative ways of appreciating and solidifying social harmony, tranquility, equity, and ecological sensitivity. Benefitting from the current literary, historical, phenomenological, comparative, and theoretical modes of scholarly inquiry, it seeks to fathom the enduring wisdom of foundational sacred texts, rituals, and symbols. Open to learning from the religious Other, it underscores the importance of a spirituality grounded in one’s particular faith tradition.

Founded under the aegis of Respect Graduate School (RGS), Kanz, (“the Treasure”) sets itself the bold task of conveying the combined wisdom of modern religious studies and traditional religious disciplines to the minds and hearts of not only academics but also those who wonder about the relevance of religious traditions to life in present-day society. RGS believes that the civilizational conditions of the 21st century necessitate that this treasure trove of wisdom and its tremendous transformative potential be revealed to both the public and academic communities.

Why did we choose this title for our journal?

In a narration popularly attributed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him!), al-Haqq, the Real, says, “I was a ‘hidden treasure’ (kanz makhfi) and desired to be known [and loved by others], so I created the world in order to be known, [worshipped, and loved].”Matthew 13:44, too, metaphorizes al-Haqq, the Real, as a “treasure hidden in a field,” for the sake of which one would sacrifice everything. The imagery of al-Haqq, the Real, as treasure, is very prominent in Jewish sources as well. As Proverbs 2:1-2 and 2:5-8 observe, “If you make your ear attentive to wisdom / And your mind open to discernment … / If you seek it as you do silver / And search for it as for treasures / Then you will understand the fear of the Lord / And attain knowledge of God.” Finally, the Buddhist Tathagatagarbha Sutra speaks of the existence, inside each person, of a great Buddhic “treasure that is eternal and unchanging”. If such a treasure is not appreciated, however, it will be utterly wasted and become like a dragon’s hoard locked away in a cave or like piles of gold and diamonds whose golden sheen and crystal clarity never see the light of day. Hence Kanz, the Treasure, gathers and stores treasures of knowledge pertinent to diverse domains of life, so they can be shared with a broad audience in a common quest toward wisdom. Such are the vision, hope, and effort that inform everything we do with this journal.