Several of our scholars, including Dr Lejla Demiri, Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad, and Dr Claire Gallien, presented papers at the three-day ‘Towards an Islamic Mariology’ conference. Held in Bosnia, the conference explored Muslim theologies of the Virgin Mary.
Dr. Lejla Demiri from the University of Tübingen presented ‘Mary’s Encounter with the Angel of Death,’ exploring the angelic figures’ roles within the narratives surrounding Mary’s life and death.
Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad delivered his paper, ‘Hakim Ata and his Song of Mary’s Demise,’ which examined the synthesis of traditional Islamic thought and poetic expression in contemplating Mary’s spiritual significance.
Dr. Claire Gallien from Cambridge Muslim College presented ‘Maryam and the Question of Female Prophecy in Islamic Theology,’ a critical analysis questioning traditional narratives and proposing a nuanced view on female figures in Islam.
These contributions highlighted the broad confluence of Islamic perspectives on a figure revered in both Christianity and Islam, encouraging interfaith dialogue and deeper scholarly inquiry into shared religious tradition.
We extend our gratitude to Professor Rusmir Mahmutcehajic for his support and hospitality and to the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, as well as to the St Andrews Encyclopaedia of Theology for their generous support.
