muslim Elders

“Interfaith Encounters in Al-Andalus and Morocco: Exploring Muslim-Christian Interactions” – Latest publication by the Muslim Council of Elders at the Cairo International Book Fair 2024

One of the latest releases presented by the Muslim Council of Elders at the Cairo International Book Fair 2024 for visitors is the book “Interfaith Encounters in Al-Andalus and Morocco: Exploring Muslim-Christian Interactions.” The book includes the proceedings of the seminar organized by the Al Hokama Center for Peace Research, affiliated with the Muslim Council of Elders, held in Tetouan, Morocco, in 2022. This event was conducted in collaboration with the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Abdelmalek Essaadi University, the Moroccan Association for Andalusian Studies, and the Tétouan Asmir Association, commemorating the Dutch orientalist and distinguished scholar, Pieter van Koningsveld.

This scientific seminar, titled “Interfaith Encounters between Muslims and Christians in Morocco and Al-Andalus in the Medieval and Early Modern Periods,” aligns with the center’s focus on the concepts of peace and their representations throughout the civilization’s experience. It explores the interactions between Muslims and Christians in Al-Andalus and the broader Islamic West, including Andalusia and Sicily. The focus spans from the establishment of Islamic rule in Andalusia in 711 CE to the near-final expulsion of Muslims in 1609 CE. The seminar covers political systems for both parties, the religious beliefs of Islam and Christianity and their sects, social customs and behavioral patterns, and finally, scholarly exchange and translation of books in various sciences and philosophies.

The book comprises two chapters. The first, “Interfaith Encounters in the Medieval Period,” includes sections on translation in Andalusia during the 9th and 10th centuries as a form of building bridges of interaction between Muslims and Christians. It traces knowledge about the other in Sicily from the time of Idrisi to the era of Hasan al-Wazzan. It also discusses Western reception of Islam, focusing on the first Latin translation of the Quran, Ramon Llull’s religious thoughts on Islam, and Christian kingdoms in Andalusia through the observations of Ibn al-Khatib.

The second chapter, titled “Interfaith Encounters in the Early Modern Period,” covers sections on anthropological and social data about Andalusian inhabitants through German eyes, using the journey of Hieronymus Munzer as an example. It explores the representations of Islam in Spanish historical writing in the early modern era, particularly Luis del Marmol Carvajal as a case study. Additionally, it delves into the discovery of Protestantism and its kingdoms by scholars in Morocco and Andalusia, the role of Islam and its Prophet in the knowledge and wisdom context, and a Christian sermon from the 17th century. The book also includes a section discussing the role of Andalusia in shaping the perceptions of Spaniards and Ottomans towards each other in the early modern era.

The Muslim Council of Elders’ pavilion at the Cairo International Book Fair features a diverse collection of publications, along with a series of seminars, activities, and events focused on promoting the values of peace and mutual coexistence among all humanity.

The pavilion is located alongside the Al-Azhar pavilion in Hall 4 at the Egypt International Exhibition and Conference Center in the Fifth Settlement in Cairo.

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