In his latest book, Dr Zulfiqar traces the influence of Islamic ideology on western culture. Sitting down with Remona Aly, he shares his passion for the history of the Enlightenment period – and how this interest came about.

After his father found him studying the bible, Dr Zulfiqar was introduced to a professor of Islamic history. “He said that Islam had its golden age, and without Islam there would be no America or England, and without the Islamic philosophy or theology there would have been no reformation; no enlightenment.”

During those early years at college, Dr Zulfiqar began to unravel the ways that Islamic ideology was absorbed into different European cultures during the periods leading up to the 17th century enlightenment. Listen to this fascinating podcast for an introduction to the rich history of Islamic ideology.

Presenter: Remona Aly

Producer: Simona Rata