The legacy of Al-Andalus

ISBN-13: 9786209545702 / Angielski / Miękka / 2026 / 232 str.

Erhard Oeser

Opis

Fear and hostility towards foreigners have existed since the dawn of humanity. However, there was also a ray of hope in this centuries-old history of xenophobia, as exemplified by medieval Andalusia. This book proves that Al-Andalus is not a myth, as is often claimed today, but a legacy that could offer a way to transform the 'clash of civilisations' into a non-violent 'dialogue of civilisations'. Such a dialogue between cultures is fundamentally based on mutual knowledge of language. This was also the basis of the dialogue between cultures in Al-Andalus. Not only did the Arabs translate mainly Greek scientific and philosophical works, but Christians and Jews also used Arabic among themselves. It is particularly significant that ibn Rushd (Averroes) in Al-Andalus, following Aristotle, advocated independence from both religion and politics, whereas in Europe this only became established much later, during the Enlightenment in the modern era.