German Scholar Embraces Islam After Years of Spiritual and Academic Journey

German Scholar Embraces Islam After Years of Spiritual and Academic Journey
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German orientalist Dr. Alfred Huber has embraced Islam after what he described as a long intellectual and spiritual journey with the Qur’an. Born in Vienna into a devout Catholic family, Huber began questioning faith and religion early in life, leading him to travel extensively through Rome, Greece, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, and India in search of answers.

A near-death experience in India, when he was swept away by the Ganges River, marked what he called a “new birth.” His turning point came during a visit to the Taj Mahal, where he felt profound peace and certainty that Islam was the path he sought.

A scholar of ancient languages and Arabic, Huber said reading the Qur’an for the first time left him deeply moved by its coherence and eloquence, challenging stereotypes he had previously encountered.

He first declared his faith in Istanbul in 1980 and reaffirmed it at Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo in 1981, later teaching there. Commissioned by Egypt’s Ministry of Endowments, Huber spent 13 years translating the meanings of the Qur’an into German, a task he said required faith to convey its essence.