Nasr Abu Zayd will remain my personal hero and guiding light of my life, a powerful source of hope for the future of global humanity. I am constantly drawing moral strength from his intellectual honesty, humility and superior humanity. I miss his gentle smile and warm embrace.
Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd was not only a friend; he was an inspiration to me. He was one of those rare persons, who never lost sight of the main aim of his intellectual endeavors: the well being of humans. As a philosopher he provided the scientific tools to interpret Islamic holy texts within their historical contexts; that was his way to counter extremism and fundamentalism. And as an intellectual he never ceased to highlight the need for reforming Arab political systems. No wonder that his intellectual integrity earned him the enmity of both– Islamist fundamentalists and Arab regimes. For those who counted themselves as his friend, their loss is compounded – the Islamic world lost a true humanist philosopher, and they, they lost an exceptional friend. I will miss you Nasr. Elham Manea
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
