Islam & the Renaissance: A Shared Heritage

As part of the RTF Lecture Series “The Renaissance Principle Across the Ages“, Asad Wasti discusses the Islamic Renaissance.

What are the roots of Islam and how has this cultural/religious movement shaped universal history? What is it in Islam that defined the greatest up-shifts of wisdom, tolerance and learning while at other times led to war, division and decay? While this dual renaissance/dark age character is found among all of the world’s great cultures past and present, this Rising Tide Lecture delivered by Asad Wasti focuses in on Islam and the renaissance principle through the ages. Asad takes his audience through the rise of Islam in the early 7th century, the philosophical underpinnings of the Quran, the battle between the world of philosophy vs the strict religious literalists who have attempted to keep the mind locked forever in a cage of blind faith devoid of the reason God bestowed upon his Creation. Great thinkers like Al Farabi, Ibn Sina and others are introduced along this journey.