"Mufti" Tërnava with plagiarized master's thesis

by Koha Ditore Staff
Koha Ditore [Prishtina, Kosova]
September 5, 2013

http://www.islamicpluralism.org/2282/mufti-ternava-with-plagiarized-master-thesis

Prishtina, September 5 – A network of transnational scholars, the Center for Islamic Pluralism (CIP), headquartered in Washington, claims to have determined that "Mufti" Naim Tërnava has stolen intellectual property from another.

The website of CIP, which is composed of lecturers, writers, journalists, Sufi scholars, etc., has declared that the master's thesis by the chief cleric of the Islamic Community of Kosova (BIK) includes "several passages in the Tërnava master's thesis that are identical to passages" in an earlier doctoral dissertation by an Islamic scholar, Zija Abdullah, "without proper citation of Dr. Abdullah's work."

"Tërnava includes material as if he were its author, with footnotes referring to earlier authorities cited by Dr. Abdullah but without their acknowledgement as quotations or of the work of Dr. Abdullah," says the CIP statement, as reported by Koha Ditore.

"Based on a full analysis and balanced judgment, the Center for Islamic Pluralism declares that these findings show definitively that Naim Tërnava has committed the serious offense of academic plagiarism," the CIP note said further.

According to CIP, the current head of BIK, Naim Tërnava, copied material in his master's thesis from a dissertation by another Islamic scholar, Zija Abdullah, entitled The Effect of Muslim Aqida in Guiding Behavior, approved in 1997-1998, by Zaytuna University in Tunis.

The statement by CIP regarding copying of a good part of the thesis by Tërnava was published as the latter's second term as head of BIK is to expire, and while the current "Mufti" of Kosova has revealed an appetite for a new candidacy for this post. Indeed, for this purpose, it is assumed, last month the BIK constitution was amended and the chairman of the Assembly of the religious institution, Xhabir Hamiti, was replaced. Previously Hamiti had made ​​public his intention to run for office as the new chief cleric of Kosova.

Note: The Albanian-language text of this article is accessible at http://www.islamicpluralism.org/2283/myftiu-ternava-me-magjistrature-plagjiat.

Shënim: Teksti në gjuhën shqipe i këtij neni është i arritshëm në http://www.islamicpluralism.org/2283/myftiu-ternava-me-magjistrature-plagjiat.

Related Topics:  Albanian Muslims, Balkan Muslims, European Muslims, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Muslim Brotherhood, Wahhabism, WahhabiWatch receive the latest by email: subscribe to the free center for islamic pluralism mailing list