Henri Lammens
Encyclopedia
Henri Lammens was a prominent Belgian-born Jesuit and Orientalist
.
Born in Ghent
, Belgium
of Catholic
Flemish
stock, Henri Lammens joined the Society of Jesus
in Beirut
at the age of fifteen, and settled permanently in Lebanon
. During his first eight years there Lammens mastered the Arabic language
, as well as Latin
, and Greek
. His first work of scholarship was a dictionary of Arabic usage (1889). He edited al-Bashir, the Jesuit newspaper of Beirut
, and after much travelling, he began his career as an Orientalist at the School of Oriental Studies
at the Jesuit College in 1907.
He published a series of studies on the Umayyads, and several on pre-Islamic Arabia: Etudes sur le regne du calife Omaiyade Mo'awia ler (1908), Le berceau de l'Islam; L'Arabie occidentale à la vielle de l'Hegire (1914). He contributed many articles to the first edition of the Encyclopaedia of Islam
, as well as to various learned journals.
His contributions are considered highly influential among Western historians of Islam; and yet he has often been criticized for his skewed portrayal of many issues. It is universally acknowledged "that Lammens provided the study of the sira with a new basis; and none would underestimate his contributions on the history of the Umayyads."
i.e. "[Lammens] whose erudition and acumen one must admire, but who often lacks the objectivity of an impartial historian."
Maxime Rodinson
, a modern biographer of Muhammad
, characterized Lammens as follows
A Library Journal
reviewer wrote:
Some of Lammens's studies are included in Quest for the Historical Muhammad
, edited by Ibn Warraq
Oriental studies
Oriental studies is the academic field of study that embraces Near Eastern and Far Eastern societies and cultures, languages, peoples, history and archaeology; in recent years the subject has often been turned into the newer terms of Asian studies and Middle Eastern studies...
.
Born in Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
of Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
Flemish
Flemish people
The Flemings or Flemish are the Dutch-speaking inhabitants of Belgium, where they are mostly found in the northern region of Flanders. They are one of two principal cultural-linguistic groups in Belgium, the other being the French-speaking Walloons...
stock, Henri Lammens joined the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
at the age of fifteen, and settled permanently in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. During his first eight years there Lammens mastered the Arabic language
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
, as well as Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, and Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
. His first work of scholarship was a dictionary of Arabic usage (1889). He edited al-Bashir, the Jesuit newspaper of Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, and after much travelling, he began his career as an Orientalist at the School of Oriental Studies
School of Oriental and African Studies
The School of Oriental and African Studies is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the University of London...
at the Jesuit College in 1907.
He published a series of studies on the Umayyads, and several on pre-Islamic Arabia: Etudes sur le regne du calife Omaiyade Mo'awia ler (1908), Le berceau de l'Islam; L'Arabie occidentale à la vielle de l'Hegire (1914). He contributed many articles to the first edition of the Encyclopaedia of Islam
Encyclopaedia of Islam
The Encyclopaedia of Islam is an encyclopaedia of the academic discipline of Islamic studies. It embraces articles on distinguished Muslims of every age and land, on tribes and dynasties, on the crafts and sciences, on political and religious institutions, on the geography, ethnography, flora and...
, as well as to various learned journals.
His contributions are considered highly influential among Western historians of Islam; and yet he has often been criticized for his skewed portrayal of many issues. It is universally acknowledged "that Lammens provided the study of the sira with a new basis; and none would underestimate his contributions on the history of the Umayyads."
Other Scholars' views of Henri Lammens
Franz Buhl remarks: «dessen Belesenheit und Scharfsinn man bewundern muss, der aber doch oft die Objektivität des unparteiischen Historikers vermissen lässt.» Das Leben Muhammeds, p. 367.i.e. "[Lammens] whose erudition and acumen one must admire, but who often lacks the objectivity of an impartial historian."
Maxime Rodinson
Maxime Rodinson
Maxime Rodinson was a French Marxist historian, sociologist and orientalist. He was the son of a Russian-Polish clothing trader and his wife who both died in the Auschwitz concentration camp. After studying oriental languages, he became a professor of Ethiopian at EPHE...
, a modern biographer of Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
, characterized Lammens as follows
- He... possessed a remarkable ability to lay hold of those living qualities communicated by the ancient texts along with a literary talent which enabled him to convey these to his readers... In addition, he was filled with a holy contempt for Islam, for its 'delusive glory', and 'lascivious' prophet."
A Library Journal
Library Journal
Library Journal is a trade publication for librarians. It was founded in 1876 by Melvil Dewey . It reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and offers feature articles about aspects of professional practice...
reviewer wrote:
- "...one who had 'a holy contempt for Islam.' Lammens himself refers to the Qur'anQur'anThe Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
as an 'infinitely shabby journal.
Works
- Islam: Beliefs and InstitutionsIslam: Beliefs and Institutions (book)Islam: Beliefs and Institutions is a book written by Henri Lammens.Islam: Beliefs And Institutions, by Lammens...
- An online review of this book is available at:
- The Age of Muhammad and the Chronology of the Sira
- Fatima and the Daughters of MuhammadFatima and the Daughters of MuhammadFatima and the Daughters of Muhammad is a book written by Henri Lammens , in which he claims that Fatima was Muhammad's favourite daughter and that he did intend that his succession should go through her children...
Some of Lammens's studies are included in Quest for the Historical Muhammad
Quest for the Historical Muhammad
The Quest for the Historical Muhammad, edited by Ibn Warraq, is an anthology of 15 studies examining the origins of Islam and the Qur'an. The contributors argue that traditional Islamic accounts of its history and the origins of the Qur'an are fictitious and based on historical revisionism aimed at...
, edited by Ibn Warraq
Ibn Warraq
Ibn Warraq is the pen name of a polemical author of Pakistani origin who is critical of Islam, and who founded the Institute for the Secularisation of Islamic Society . He is a senior research fellow at the Center for Inquiry focusing on Qur'anic criticism...