Doha: Qatar National Library (QNL), member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, recently organised its Arabic book discussion.
It focused on Ali Izetbegovi’s book Islam between East and West, translated into Arabic by Mohammed Yousef Adas.
QNL organises monthly book discussion as part of its mission to spread knowledge, nurture imagination, cultivate creativity, and preserve the nation’s heritage. QNL members, students, Qatari reading-lovers and members of the public attended the event at Hamad Bin Khalifa University Student Centre in Education City.
Participants discussed the way the author discusses Islam and how he tackles the issues of religion, philosophy, culture, ethics, arts and drama.
They also examined the approach adopted by the author, and how consistent it is with the objective at the beginning of the book: “To have a true understanding of the world, we must know the real sources of the ideas that govern this world and know their meanings.”
The discussion began with a short excerpt read out in which the author says: “The book is an attempt at the translation of Islam into the language which the new generation speaks and understands.”
Other issues discussed included the position of Islam on the conflict between spirituality and religion, and materialism and scientific explanation of Quranic verses.
Participants exchanged ideas about the book’s topics, especially those centred around religion in general and issues relating to the human origin such as creation versus evolution, and the issues of culture, civilisation, arts, ethic, history and drama.
Book discussion is one of activities and events organised by QNL, in addition to community events and training sessions on the use of online resources the library offers for free for researchers, students and residents of Qatar.
QNL is offering free online access to a vast collection of resources, including latest bestsellers, classical works, concerts, top academic journals and documentaries. Anyone in Qatar with a valid Qatari ID/Residence Permit is eligible for free library registration. To register, visit www.qnl.qa and to access the list of online resources, visit http://www.qnl.qa/find-answers/online-resources.
The Peninsula
