Journey Through the Shadow of Islam in the Western Imagination...
As I sit down to write this, I’m struck by the intricate and often overlooked relationship between Islam and the Western intellectual tradition—a relationship that has shaped my understanding of history, philosophy, and culture in profound ways. Over the years, I’ve delved into the works of medieval poets, Enlightenment thinkers, and modern scholars, piecing together a narrative that reveals how Islam has been both a source of inspiration and a perceived threat in the Western imagination. Why Islam Haunts My Mind I’ve always been fascinated by why Islam occupies such a persistent place in the Western intellectual imagination. It began with a simple question: why does this faith, born in the 7th century, continue to shape the way the West defines itself? I realized that Islam’s self-understanding as a natural continuation of the Abrahamic tradition—flowing seamlessly from Judaism and Christianity—poses a unique challenge. Unlike the West, which often defines itself in opposition to...
