Islam in Europe: Past, Present, Future
Did the European Renaissance arise from nothing? Of course not – so where are the roots? Whilst history is a great teacher, many in the West today – Muslim and non-Muslim alike – remain blissfully unaware of the very real Muslim contribution to the development of Western civilisation. What is often termed the ‘dark ages’ in Europe was in fact a ‘golden age’ of learning and culture across vast swathes of the Muslim world. Whilst recent scholarship has begun to acknowledge this debt to Muslim learning, it has yet to make its mark on the consciousness of the man or woman on the street.
This seminar highlights some of the key historical contributions of Muslims to European civilisation and questions the relevance of this for Muslims in Europe today. Learn how the texts of the ancient Greeks were preserved in Arabic and later translated into Latin for European consumption. Find out about the 8th century English king who had a coin minted with an Arabic inscription of faith. And take a glimpse at the way Christian Europe and the Muslim East often viewed and interacted with each other through the ages.
By highlighting the historical overlap between Western and Muslim civilisations, this seminar hopes to emphasise the commonalities which lie at the core of this epic encounter. In an age in which some are questioning the ‘belonging’ of European Muslims, can we look to the past to help us navigate the future?
This talk will be delivered by: Br. Riyaz Timol (1st Ethical) in partnership with LSE ISoc
Time: 7-8.00pm
Venue: LSE, Clement’s House, Hong Kong Theatre, CLM G.02. Nearest stations: Holborn (Central and Piccadilly lines), Temple (District and Circle lines), see here – http://www2.lse.ac.uk/mapsanddirections/findingyourwayaroundlse.aspx
If you are interested in holding a seminar like this for your organisation or ISOC, please email info@1stethical.com