The document discusses representations of Islam and the Prophet Muhammad in world literature from various writers and their home countries between the 13th-19th centuries. It notes both positive and negative portrayals, with Dante among the early writers to defame Islam while others like Gibbon, Byron, Shaw, Goethe, and Tolstoy expressed respect, understanding, or praise for Islam and its prophet. The document analyzes over a dozen historical figures and their works depicting Islam.

1. Module (3) The
Representation of
Islam in World
Literature
Part (1) The image of Islam and
Prophet Mohammed in World
Literature

2. Writer Country
1 Dante Italy
2 George Sale
3 Edward Gibbon
4 Lord Byron
England
5 Bernard Shaw
6 Goethe
7 Cazentakes
Germany
8 Voltaire
9 Gustave Flaubert
France
10 Alexander Pushkin
12 Leo Tolstoy
Russia
13 Miguel de Cervantes
14 Placeos
Spain

3. • The early signs of interest in Islam go back to the Divine
Comedy by Dante.
• Dante defamed Islam and Prophet Muhammad (peace
be upon him) and depicted the prophet as one of the
dwellers of the Inferno.

4. • Sale was the first translator for the meaning of the Holy
Qur'an into English In 1834.

5. • Gibbon talked profusely about the
truth of sublime monotheism in
Islam.
• Gibbon confirmed that had the
west known the reality of Islam
civilization, the Roman Empire
would not have fallen.

6. • Byron maintained the deepest
feelings of respect toward the
Turkish and Muslims.
• Byron more than once thought of
converting to Islam.

7. • Shaw confirmed that he understood the spirit of Islam.
• Shaw confirmed that the basic Islamic value is the call to
equality.

8. • Goethe extolled the prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him)
in his poems.
• Goethe will always represent the
spirit of tolerance toward and deep
understanding of Islam.

9. • Cazentakes described the Prophet
(peace be upon him) as one of the
greatest personalities of the world.

10. • Voltaire praised the Prophet (peace be upon him) as one
of the three great legislators in the history of the world.

11. • Flaubert described Muslims as having a religion that is
not as negative as it is imagined.

12. • Pushkin was among the early Russian poets who were
inspired by the Prophet's life.

13. • Tolstoy expressed his love of the meanings contained in
many of the sayings of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

14. • In Don Quixote , Cervantes distorts the image of the
Prophet (peace be upon him) and Muslims by describing
them as "creatures of an inferior quality”.

15. • Placeos wrote an important book about the bad effort of
Divine Comedy and refuted many of the false allegations
that Dante attached to the Prophet (peace be upon him).