A square in Vienna named after a Jewish convert to Islam

[Marcus Marulus]

Focus on Islam on occasion of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue

LONDON, April 11 (APP)-The Austrian capital of Vienna celebrating the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue is hosting a two-day event on April 13 and 14 which will focus on Islam and its relationship with Europe.

The programme commemorates life and work of Muhammad Asad, described as the great Austrian visionary, who earned international recognition by building bridges between the religions.

Asad, born Leopold Weiss, was a Jew who converted to Islam and translated the Koran into English.

A media release of the organizers said on this occasion ‘Muhammad Asad Platz’ (Square),will be inaugurated in front of the main entrance of the Vienna International Centre.

University Professor Talal Asad (Muhammad Asad’s son) and Anas Schakfeh, president of the Islamic Community of Austria, will speak on occasion of the inauguration. “Muhammad Asad Platz” is the first square in Vienna to be named after a Muslim.

Screening of a film “A Road to Makkah “ The Journey of Muhammad Asad” will also be shown as a part of the programme. The film also looks at today’s relations between Islam and the West from a new point of view. The journey starts in Lviv and leads to Vienna, Berlin, Palestine, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, USA and Spain.

Mayor of Vienna Michael Häupl will host a reception following the inauguration of the Square with speeches by Prof.Asad, Ms Taous Feroukhi, Ambassador of Algeria, and a representative of Prince Salman of Saudi Arabia A panel discussion on “Europeans and Islam- between fascination and rejection” will also be organised with speakers focussing on how has Europe interacted with Muslim countries over the centuries? Which image of Islam has been prevalent in Europe in the course of history? How are Islam and Muslims perceived in Europe today? What is the fascination of Islamic culture and religion, in particular for Europeans? Why has Muhammad Asad’s conversion from Judaism to Islam attracted so much attention to this day?

Prof. Talal Asad, former German Ambassador and author Murad Hoffmann, Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Vienna Rüdiger Lohlker,lawyer and sociologist Alfred Noll and Amena Shakir, expert on Islamic studies and political science will participate in the panel discussion.

[source]

[M.R.]

Germans seem to be the most pro-Muslim nation in Europe now!

[Marcus Marulus]

A very peculiar personality was this Muhammad Asad. Born as an Eastern European Jew (from Lviv, Ukraine), named Leopold Weiss, later he converted to Islam, lived in several Muslim countries and even was member of the team of Islamic learned men who set the ideological foundations for the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. At older age he moved from Pakistan to Spain, where he died.

Muhammad Asad - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[M.R.]

He'll be good for multi-culti propaganda!