QASLA AND LAESSI WORKING GROUP MEETING:

“TOWARDS A NEW UNDERSTANDING OF LATE ANTIQUITY AND THE QURAN”

To be held in Tübingen, 26–27 May, 2026

This joint meeting of the QaSLA and LAESSI working groups invites scholars to explore the intricate transitions and cultural continuities that define the formative period of Quranic traditions and Early Islam within the broader framework of Late Antiquity. The program investigates the evolving representations of the Divine, tracing its complex shifts across Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Islamic contexts. Participants will further examine the Quran’s engagement with its environment through the lens of poetry, the significance of loanwords within Quranic Arabic, and the creative adaptation of shared literary traditions. Beyond thematic analysis, the meeting also addresses the theoretical boundaries of the period in question, offers interpretations informed by perspectives from cultural theory, and introduces innovative digital methods for the study of Christian Oriental philology. By fostering a close collaboration between the Universities of Tübingen and Göttingen, this workshop aims to generate a more nuanced understanding of how religious knowledge was shared, contested, and preserved during this transitional epoch.

For all the details at a glance, click here to download the latest flyer as a PDF.

Venue

Zentrum für Islamische Theologie (ZITh), Room 315

Liebermeisterstraße 18

72076 Tübingen

Organization

Falk Simmelbauer

f.simmelbauer@stud.uni-goettingen.de

This workshop is funded by the European Research Council as part of the QaSLA project, and the Volkswagen Foundation as part of the LAESSI project.