HYDERABAD, Feb 16: Dr N.B.G. Kazi, a scholar of Persian literature, has said that German scholars have contributed a lot to the promotion of Islamic studies through research and translation of many Islamic books.

He was delivering a lecture on the contribution of German scholars to Islamic studies organized by Faculty of Islamic Studies, University of Sindh, on Monday.

Dr Kazi, who had served in Sindh University as professor of Persian and now lives in Germany, said that even in modern days, universities of Germany had set up chairs of Arabic and Persian languages to promote research on literature in the two languages. He said that German scholars’ research work on Islamic studies continued even today and their contribution was appreciable.

He said that the translation of Holy Quran was a basic work which had been done by German scholars.

He said that apart from Islamic works, the German scholars had also contributed to research on music, geography and other aspects of Islamic countries.

Dr Kazi lauded research work of Dr Annemarie Schimmel on Sufism and Sufi poets and said that her contribution could not be forgotten. He highlighted translation and original works of various German scholars related to Islamic studies.

Sindh University Vice Chancellor Mazharul Haq Siddiqui said that philosophy of Islam was peace and branding Muslims as terrorists was unjustified and travesty of facts.

Pro-vice chancellor Dr Rafia Ahmed Shaikh, Dean, Faculty of Islamic Studies, Dr Sanaullah Bhutto, Dr M. Yakoob Mughal and others also spoke on the occasion.