This lecture aims to provide an informed view of Islam underlining how any attempt to understand such religious tradition needs to account for the complex historical context and development of Islam, distinguishing between the premodern and the modern periods. Such a nuanced approach shall serve to debunk rampant misconceptions about Islam, often reducing its geography, society, and political history into one monolith static perception that cannot withstand any serious scrutiny. Building up on Shahab Ahmed’s perspective in What is Islam? The Importance of Being Islamic, I shall showcase how the broader geography, the heterogeneous identities, and the complex political system of Islam throughout history tell a different story.

Anyone interested in participating online can email johanna.lawall@uni-wuerzburg.de to receive the Zoom link.

More information on the event here.