Muhammad Asad between Religion and Politics

Abstract

In April 2011 an international symposium was held in Riyadh, under the auspices of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies as well as the Austrian Embassy to Saudi Arabia, on the life and work of my father. The conference as a whole was entitled "Muhammad AsadA Life for Dialogue," but I was asked by the organizers to write specifically on "Muhammad Asad, Between Religion and Politics." Unfortunately I was unable to attend the symposium so I sent in my written contribution to be read out by someone else at the meeting. What follows is a slightly elaborated version of the argument I sent. ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR