German scholar on Islam, Dr. Annemarie Schimmel dies

Category: Faith & Spirituality, Featured, Life & Society Topics: Islam Views: 10458
10458

Renowned German Islam scholar Dr. Annemarie Schimmel passed away late Monday (January 27, 2003) night at the age of 80, the Central Council of Muslims in Germany announced in a press release.

She was born in Erfurt in Saxony on April 7, 1922. Dr. Schimmel who was awarded the German Book Trade Peace Prize in 1995, and authored 105 books on Islam. The scholar started to learn Arabic at the age of 15, in an effort to better understand Islamic teachings. Dr. Schimmel also spoke fluent Farsi, Turkish, English, Urdu and Dari.

She studied at the University of Berlin and in Marburg, where she became a professor for comparative religious studies. During her academic career, she lectured in Ankara, Bonn, Harvard, New York, and London. She frequently traveled to Pakistan, which, in due time, was to become her second home.

The professor saw it as her life-long mission "to awake understanding for Islam", arguing that "Islam was among the most misunderstood religions". Dr. Schimmel caused a stir in the German media for her criticism of the blasphemous book 'The Satanic Verses', written by Salman Rushdie.


An IIS (Islamic Information Service) Interview with Dr. Annemarie Schimmel.
Click Here to Watch


  Category: Faith & Spirituality, Featured, Life & Society
  Topics: Islam
Views: 10458

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Older Comments:
SYED J HUSAIN FROM USA said:
asslamalaikum,
Professor Annemwrie Shimmel did what maost of us as muslims did not do.
Mr Jawid, whether she became muslim or not, ALLAH knws best.
lets appreciate her work.
2003-03-16

SHIRLEY THOMAS FROM USA said:
i do believe islam is highly misunderstood,mainly because of the english translation of the Quran ,about jews and christians, and america is mostly christian,from what i've heard. and also i think that many just dont know "what a muslim is"
2003-02-10

JAWID said:
MashaAllah she made lots of accomplishments! But did she accept Islam, please let me know?
2003-02-02

FERDOUS ISLAM FROM CANADA said:
The humanity lost a truth seeker.The world lost a peace maker. The Muslims lost a bridge maker.

May Allah shower His infinite mercy, peace and grace on Dr. Schimmel's soul. May Allah illuminate others with her light of knowledge.

The darkness of human ego, the abyss of dominance and supremacy, the cowering of truth and honesty are too much to bear, when science is God, lie is truth, treachery is honesty and evil is good.

May Allah give us many more Dr. Schimmels.
2003-02-02

FEROZA FROM USA said:
May Allah (swt) guide many more to His deen through education and dialogue. May Allah have mercy on Dr. Schimmel. Ameen
2003-02-02

FARATH KHAN FROM ENGLAND said:
May allah give Dr Annemarie Schimmel a place in Paradise for her right to inform the world of ISLAM.
2003-02-02

NAIMA FROM USA said:
Bismillah. From Allah we come and to Allah we return. Alhamdulillah, it is Allah who judges hearts. It is my understanding that a mu'min (believer) can elect to follow the practice of any of Allah's prophets as long as the person accepts all of Allah's prophets. Dr. Schimmel's excellent scholarship and defense of Islam, and the Qur'an, speaks for itself. And Allah knows the heart of the mu'min. Peace to all.
2003-02-01

JAWAD KHAN FROM USA said:
In the present world that's full of Islam bashing militants, the absence of scholars like Dr. Schimmel is sourly felt.
2003-01-31

BASMA FROM UK said:
The learned Professor also spoke Sindhi and
was well versed in poet/philosopher of Sindh,
Shah Latif's (Rahmatulla Alaihi) modus
operandi Shah jo Risalo (Shah's message),
her will said that she'd like to be burried at the
historic grave yard of Makli (60 miles from
Karachi) in Sindh where ancient kings and
queens are burried. Alas her wish hasn' t
been respected.
2003-01-31

KALEEM HAFIZ FROM USA said:

Salaam aleikum,

Though Ms. Schimmel's list of accomplishments sounds impressive, nowhere in any of her obituaries was I able to read that she acceped islam. Is this the case? What's puzzling is that if Ms. Schimmel was so certain about her research into and about Islam, why was accepting it never an issue? Doesn't this also subtract away from her scholarship as well?

salaam aleikum,
skh
2003-01-31

SHAWN FROM USA said:
At the death of every scholar, the ummah is lead closer to ignorance, and the closer we are to ignorance, the closer we are to Judgement Day. May the legacy of our scholars persist, ameen.
2003-01-30

JAWED SYED FROM CANADA said:
It is big loss for Islamic World as well as Europ.
2003-01-30