Abstract
"Iconoclastic and fiercely rational, the European Enlightenment witnessed the birth of modern Western society and thought. Reason was sacrosanct and for the first time, religious belief and institutions were open to widespread criticism. In this ground-breaking book, Ziad Elmarsafy challenges this accepted wisdom to argue that religion was still hugely influential in the era. But the religion in question wasn't Christianity - it was Islam." "Charting the history of Qur'anic translations in Europe during the 18th and early 19th Centuries, Elmarsafy shows that a number of key enlightenment figures - including Voltaire, Rousseau, Goethe, and Napoleon - drew both inspiration and ideas from the Qur'an. Controversially placing Islam at the heart of the European Enlightenment, this lucid and well argued work is a valuable window into the interaction of East and West during this pivotal epoch in human history."--Jacket
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Place of Publication | Oxford |
| Publisher | Oneworld Publications |
| Number of pages | 269 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781851686520, 1851686959, 9781851686957, 1851686525 |
| Publication status | Published - 2009 |
Keywords
- Religion
- Enlightenment
- Reception and Influence
- Translation
- Islam
- Voltaire
- George Sale
- Goethe
- Ludovico Marracci
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Dive into the research topics of 'The Enlightenment Qur'an: The Politics of Translation and the Construction of Islam'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Prizes
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Prize for Best Book in Middle Eastern Studies
Elmarsafy, Ziad Magdy (Recipient), 2010
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)