By Amina Golden-Arabaty
Contributing Writer
The Center for Arab and Islamic Studies will be hosting the first in a series of events, commemorating the 800th anniversary of the historic encounter between St. Francis and the Egyptian Sultan in 1219. It will be hosted in Plassmann Hall, room 206, across from the new Center for Arab and Islamic Studies. This event is free and open to the public, but seats are limited; reservations must be made by today to goldena15@bonaventure.edu.
Feb. 14 is not only known as Valentine’s Day in popular culture, but it is a significant day in the history of South Asia, for it marks the day on which the Emperor Akbar ‘The Great’ ascended the Mughal throne in 1556. This day is also one on which his grandson, Shah Jahan, builder of the famous Taj Mahal, ascended to the throne in 1628.
While history can seem to lose its relevance, Fr. Michael Calabria, O.F.M., the director for the center for Arab and Islamic Studies, will discuss the ongoing significance of the Mughal emperors in a lecture titled, “Pearls on a String: Islam and religious pluralism in Mughal India.”
“Aware that the majority of their subjects were non-Muslim, the Mughal Emperors, as Muslim rulers, realized that a more inclusive attitude towards people of other faiths was necessary for the general peace and prosperity of the empire,” Calabria said. “Moreover, they realized that there was true wisdom – divine truth – to be found among people of other faiths especially among Hindus, Christians, Jains and others. Their openness to religious pluralism is painfully relevant in many parts of the world today, including India, where we see religious tensions that sometimes result in sectarian violence.”
Tragically, India’s Mughal heritage has come under attack in recent decades by those who wish to erase India’s Islamic past, Calabria continued.
These attacks on history are the very reason why events like this are crucial for our growing society. This directly reflects the Center’s mission that seeks to promote an understanding of Arab and Islamic cultures, an appreciation of their historical and contemporary significances in the global community and respectful relations between Muslims, Christians and people of all faiths.
The lecture will begin at 4 p.m. and will be followed by a light reception with refreshments in the Center for Arab and Islamic Studies. An exhibit of relevant artwork and books will be on display in the Center.
This event is co-hosted by the Muslim Students and Allies club, which seeks to promote the same initiative of religious pluralism. In addition to this series of events, weekly tea and sweets are hosted in the Center every Wednesday from 4 to 5 p.m. All of the center’s events are open to faculty, staff and students.
goldena15@bonaventure.edu
