Conference Report Mysticism and Ethics in Islam (American University of Beirut, 2–3 May 2019) Conference Organizers: Bilal Orfali, Mohammed Rustom, and Radwan Sayyid Report by: Louise Gallorini American University of Beirut (
[email protected]) eld at the American University of known scholars in the field from around Beirut over two intense days and the world. The Dean of the Faculty of Arts sponsored by the Sheikh Zayed and Sciences, Nadia El Cheikh, opened HBin Sultan Al-Nahyan Chair for Islamic the conference along with the organizers, and Arabic Studies (marking one hundred reminding the audience of the history years since the birth of Sheikh Zayed), this of scholarship in Islamic studies at the conference was organized by Bilal Orfali American University of Beirut that has (Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies been enabled by the creation of the Sheikh and Chair of the Department of Arabic Zayed Chair in 1972. Bilal Orfali stressed and Near Eastern Languages at AUB), the importance of encouraging research Mohammed Rustom (Associate Professor on and around Islamic mysticism, or of Islamic Studies at Carleton University taṣawwuf, and especially on its relevance and Library of Arabic Literature Senior to Islamic ethics, a subfield that remains Creative Commons Fellow at NYU Abu Dhabi), and Radwan understudied to this day. One of the goals Sayyid (Visiting Professor and current of this conference was to challenge the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan Chair widely held idea that ethics in Islam and for Islamic and Arabic Studies). Islamic civilization are mainly inherited The conference was dedicated to from previous or neighboring civilizations, exploring the relationship between Islamic without any notable indigenous ethics and Islamic mysticism, usually contribution.