Controversy has raged about Christian perspectives on Muslims in Dante¿s Divine Comedy. One extreme emphasizes ¿clash of civilizations,¿ another peaceful cohabitation. Dante¿s fit within orientalism remains debated. Sifting the issues requires investigating the Qur¿an and Islamic learning, Dante¿s images of Muhammad, and engagement among Muslims, Jews, and Christians in Italy.

Introduction Jan Ziolkowski Approaches to a Controversy Dante and Islam: History and Analysis of a Controversy (1965) Vicente Cantarino Dante and Islamic Culture (1999) Maria Corti Dante and Knowledge of the Qur'an Translations of the Qur'an and Other Islamic Texts before Dante (Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries) Jose Martinez Gazquez How an Italian Friar Read His Arabic Qur'an Thomas Burman Images of Islamic Philosophy and Learning in Dante Philosophers, Theologians, and the Islamic Legacy in Dante: Inferno 4 versus Paradiso 4 Brenda Deen Schildgen Dante and the Falasifa: Religion as Imagination Gregory B. Stone Falconry as a Transmutative Art: Dante, Frederick II, and Islam Daniela Boccassini Images of Muammad in Dante Dante's Muammad: Parallels between Islam and Arianism Maria Esposito Frank Muhammad in Hell Karla Mallette Islam in Dante's Italy Mendicants and Muslims in Dante's Florence John Tolan Dante and the Three Religions Giorgio Battistoni The Last Muslims in Italy David Abulafia Notes Index of references to Dante's major works General Index