ISLAM IN WESTERN LITERATURE

ISLAM IN WESTERN LITERATURE Dr. Philip K. Hitti (d. 1978), a renowned scholar of the Arabic language and history, is considered an authority on Oriental issues in the Western world. He has authored several books on Arabs and Islam, many of which have been translated into European and Asian languages. Dr. Hitti held various prestigious university positions and is also known for authoring research papers for several encyclopaedias. Professor Hitti’s book ‘Islam and the West’ was published in America in 1962. It consists of 190 pages and examines the cultural relationship between the Christian and Muslim worlds. The author relied on primary sources rather than translations. The book is divided into two parts. The first part has three chapters introducing Islam as a ‘Religion,’ ‘State,’ and ‘Culture.’ The fourth chapter discusses ‘Islam in Western Literature,’ while the fifth and sixth chapters explore the ‘Impact and Influence of the East on the West’ and ‘Impact and Influence of the West on the East’ respectively. Lastly, the seventh chapter introduces the movement that seeks to synchronize ‘Western civilization and Islam in various Muslim countries.’ The second part of the book consists of a compilation of excerpts from the Koran (the spelling Hitti uses while referring to the Quran in this book) and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad, known as Hadith, Tafsir, Islamic