As part of the IIIT Lectures Series for CIS Countries, a webinar was held on November 16 on the topic “Neighbors and Rivals: The Role of the Islamic World in the Formation of Europe,” delivered by Elmir Kuliev.
Elmir Kuliev is an Azerbaijani Islamic scholar, translator, and publicist, specializing in the history of Muslim thought and Quranic commentary. He is the author of a Russian translation of the meanings of the Quran and a researcher of Islamic civilization and its interaction with other cultures. His works address both classical Islamic sciences and contemporary issues, including intercultural dialogue.
The webinar explored key aspects of the influence of the Islamic world—particularly Muslim Spain (al-Andalus) and the Ottoman Empire—on the formation of Europe’s political, cultural, and intellectual identity. Elmir Kuliev offered an alternative perspective on European history, emphasizing that the development of the West did not occur in isolation but through continuous dialogue, competition, and borrowing from Islamic civilization.
Special attention was given to the role of Muslim scholars such as al-Khwārizmī, Ibn Sīnā, al-Bīrūnī, and Ibn al-Haytham, whose works played a decisive role in shaping European science and philosophy. The speaker noted that without Arabic translations, Europe would have lost access to a significant portion of the classical heritage, including the works of Aristotle, Galen, and Euclid.
The influence of Islamic art on European architecture and literature was also discussed: the Arabic poetic tradition contributed to the emergence of the troubadours, Ziryab impacted the development of European music, and Muslim architecture inspired Romanesque and early Gothic styles.
The political dimension was addressed as well. The formation of Catholic identity occurred not only in opposition to the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire but also in response to Muslim powers. The webinar examined cases of military conflict and cultural exchange, including the influence of Córdoba—one of the most advanced cities in medieval Europe.
Elmir Kuliev offered a detailed analysis of the reasons behind the collapse of al-Andalus, stressing that internal divisions and the lack of political unity were key factors in its decline, despite its remarkable scientific and cultural achievements.
In conclusion, the speaker emphasized that the history of Islamic Spain is not solely a story of conflict, but also a unique example of coexistence and cultural interpenetration. This history, he argued, can serve as a foundation for contemporary dialogue between civilizations and a rethinking of Islam’s place in Europe’s historical consciousness.
