THE SPREAD OF ISLAMIC SACRED SOURCES IN EUROPE

Аннотация

This article explains the history of Islamic sacred texts in Europe, from the early Middle Ages to the present day. The influence of Islamic literature on European thought and its methods of translation, interpretation and research. Particular attention has been paid to key points such as the early translations of the Qur'an, the influence of Arabic Islamic scholarship on medieval Europe and modern studies of Islamic sources. Keywords: Qur’an, religious concept, Islamic studies, scriptures, Enlightenment, Hadith, Arabic studies, Christianity, Latin, science, culture. Islamic sacred sources, especially the Qur'an and Hadith, have played an important role in shaping religious and cultural expressions in Europe. Its study began in the Middle Ages, but the perception of these texts has changed depending on the historical context. Today, interest in the sources of major European Islam continues not only in religion but also in academic circles. The sacred texts of Islam first entered the European sphere of vision in the Middle Ages, when the Christian world encountered Islam in wars, trade, and diplomacy. The first references to the Koran in Europe appeared in the eighth century, but systematic study did not begin until the 12th century, when Europe was confronted with the expansion of Muslims and a strong Arab intellectual heritage. The translation of the Qur’an into Latin in 1143 was a major event in the history of Europe's acquaintance with the sacred texts of Islam. This translation was carried out by a group of scholars led by the English monk Robert of Ketton, at the request of Abbot Peter the Venerable (Petrus Venerabilis), the head of the Cluny order. By the 11th and 12th centuries, the Islamic world had reached the highest level of development in science, philosophy, medicine, and other fields. Christian Europe, which was gradually emerging from the "dark ages", began to realize the need to study Muslim culture not only for the purpose of criticizing it, but also for the purpose of borrowing valuable knowledge. At the same time, the Crusades were taking place, which contributed to active contact between Christians and Muslims. European theologians sought to study Islam in order to use this knowledge in religious polemics and missionary work. http://www.internationaljournal.co.in/index.php/jasass 45 Volume15Issue04, April2025 Impact factor: 2019: 4.679 2020: 5.015 2021: 5.436, 2022: 5.242, 2023: 6.995, 2024 7.75 Peter the Venerable, being the abbot of the Cluny monastery and an influential theologian, believed that the fight against Islam should be waged not only with weapons, but also with knowledge. He organized the translation of the Qur’an into Latin, entrusting this task to a group of translators. Robert Ketton worked in Spain, where Islamic manuscripts and scholars who knew Arabic could be found in the Muslim cities of Toledo and Zaragoza. His translation of the Qor’an was completed in 1143. This translation was made with certain theological prejudices. Robert Ketton not only translated the text, but also added Christian interpretations and critical comments to it. As a result, his version of the Qur’an was more of an adaptation than an accurate translation. Despite this, Ketton's work was the first step towards the study of Islam in Europe. The translation remained the only version of the Qur’an available to Europeans until the 17th century, when more accurate translations were made. After Ketton's translation, interest in the Qur’an waned for a time in Europe, but a new wave of research began in the 13th and 14th centuries. In the 13th century, the Catholic Church was actively fighting heresies and non-Christian religions, including Islam. The Dominican monk Raymundus Martini wrote “Pugio Fidei” (“Dagger of Faith”), in which he used Islamic sources to criticize Muslim dogma. He relied on medieval Latin translations of the Qur’an and Arabic sources, but his approach remained hostile. In the 15th century, the German philosopher and cardinal Nicolaus Cusanus presented a more in-depth and less biased analysis of the Qur’an. In his work Cribratio Alkorani (Sifting the Koran), he tried to understand Muslim beliefs and compared them with Christian dogmas. Although his work still contained elements of Christian apologetics, it demonstrated a more scientific approach than the works of his predecessors. Spain played an important role in the study of Islamic texts, where Muslim, Christian and Jewish cultures coexisted for centuries. After the conquest of Muslim cities during the Reconquista, Christians gained access to a huge number of Arabic manuscripts. The Toledo School of Translators, founded under King Alfonso X the Wise, played a decisive role in the transmission of Islamic knowledge to Europe. In the 13th century, not only the Qor’an was actively translated here, but also the works of Arab-Muslim philosophers such as Al-Farabi, Avicenna, Al-Ghazali, which contributed to the spread of Eastern thought