Journal of Islamic Studies > Volume 26, No. 3, 2014

Evolution of European Views on Islam / Khaled Mohammed Al-shunyber

This research is concerned with the study of the European views on Islam in the period from the dawn of Islam to the Renaissance period. It aims to identify and study those views and show how they eVol.ved. The study follows inductive and critical deductive approaches. Among the significant research results are the following. The European perception of Islam transformed throughout history. The original focus was on religious issues until the Renaissance. It gave a distorted picture of Islam. The false image gradually changed to some degree, but not completely. The focus shifted to cultural and political issues, such as freedoms and human rights. The study recommends that further studies be conducted on the issues that have not been examined yet.