Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
Jose Hidalgo<br />
Arts & Life<br />
The Lion’s journey<br />
finds special place<br />
in Vienna<br />
The road to Mecca: from Leopold Weiss to Muhammad Asad<br />
<strong>OPEC</strong> bulletin 6/08<br />
42<br />
In this month’s Arts and Life feature, we tell the unprecedented story<br />
of Leopold Weiss, whose life as a journalist and traveller spanned<br />
three continents and two cultures. Born into a Jewish family in 1900,<br />
he converted to Islam 26 years later and, as the newly converted<br />
Muhammad Asad, went on to become one of the most prominent<br />
Muslim thinkers of the 20 th century. Living to the age of 92, he<br />
made a significant contribution to Arab culture, Islam and politics<br />
and left an indelible mark on Austria — to the extent that, in April<br />
this year, the Viennese authorities named a square after him.<br />
And, in September, an international Islamic comprehensive<br />
school will be opened in the capital in his honour.<br />
By Siham Alawami<br />
O
Change language