Goethe's Embrace of Islam

Recently I wrote about Leo Tolstoy’s views regarding Islam, and I was happy to receive a very positive response from my readers. Now, I would like to continue my look at the ‘Great Men’ of the Western cultural tradition and their thoughts on Islam by turning our attention to one of my personal cultural and intellectual role-models: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

“Stupid that everyone in his case
Is praising his particular opinion!
If Islam means submission to God,
We all live and die in Islam.”
(West-East Divan)

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a German writer and polymath, and is considered to be at the pinnacle of the German Enlightenment. As a writer, Goethe is in many ways the Shakespeare of Germany — yet Goethe's influence and work goes beyond literature and into the world of philosophy, culture, science, and many other areas of learning.

Through his life, Goethe harbored a deep fascination for Islam and its rich literary and philosophical traditions. His engagement with Islam was not merely superficial. Goethe's work displays a profound love and respect for Islam, and this is reflected in his literary works, personal writings, and conversations. At twenty-three, Goethe composed a marvelous ode in praise of Muhammad (ﷺ), and at seventy he confessed frankly that he was contemplating “celebrating in awe that holy night, when the Qur’an, in its entirety, was presented to the Prophet from on high.” Goethe once stated, amazingly, that he does not “reject the suspicion that he himself is a Muslim.”

Goethe’s interest in Islam was partly inspired by his broad intellectual curiosity and his quest for universal truths. He was drawn to the spiritual and moral dimensions of Islam, as well as to its rich poetic and mystical aspects. His admiration for the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and the Quran is evident in various pieces of his work, but most notably in his collection of poems, West-östlicher Divan (West-Eastern Divan), which he wrote between 1814 and 1819.

This collection, influenced by the Persian poet Hafez, is a celebration of cultural exchange and dialogue between the East and the West. Goethe wrote, “Wer sich selbst und andere kennt, wird auch hier erkennen: Orient und Okzident sind nicht mehr zu trennen” (“He who knows himself and others will recognize: Orient and Occident can no longer be separated”). This line encapsulates his belief in the inseparability of Eastern and Western cultures, exemplifying his vision of a unified human experience beyond cultural and religious boundaries — which is a perspective not uncommon in European Enlightenment thinkers.

Goethe and Muhammad (ﷺ)

Goethe’s admiration for the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is another significant aspect of his engagement with Islam. He expressed this reverence in his poem “Mahomets Gesang” (The Song of Muhammad), which portrays the Prophet (ﷺ) as a dynamic and transformative force of nature. In this poem, Goethe describes Muhammad (ﷺ) as a powerful stream that starts as a small spring and grows into a mighty river, symbolizing the Prophet’s (ﷺ) spiritual journey and the expansive impact of his message on the world.

One of the most detailed reviews of the poem is by German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. In his analysis, he explained the poem, saying: “Thus, the brave rise of Muhammad, his rapid spreading of his religion and his gathering of all peoples under one religion has been successfully depicted through a symbol of a powerful river.”

Goethe and the Quran

Goethe’s personal correspondence and reflections reveal his profound respect for the Quran. In his conversations with Johann Peter Eckermann, Goethe praised the Quran’s moral teachings and poetic beauty. Goethe remarked, “It is a book of revelation to a people at all times and in all places.” This statement underscores his view of the Quran as a timeless and universal source of wisdom.

Indeed, aside from the Bible, Goethe was familiar with the Quran more than any other religious text. He read the Quran several times and even wrote some surahs in Arabic. He collected various review essays under the name “Koran-Auszüge” (“Summary of the Quran”). This text, which appears to have studied at least two-thirds of the Quran, is currently in the Goethe Museum in Düsseldorf.

Goethe and the Spiritual Tradition

Goethe’s approach to Islam was not limited to intellectual admiration; it also had a spiritual dimension. He was influenced by the Sufi tradition within Islam, which emphasizes mysticism and the direct experience of the divine. The themes of love, unity, and the quest for truth in Sufi poetry resonated deeply with Goethe’s own spiritual sensibilities. This influence is most evident in his later works, where he often explored themes of divine love and human striving. Goethe bought original Arabic manuscripts of Rumi, Hafis, Saadi, Attar, Qur’an-Tafsir, Du’as, an Arabic-Turkish dictionary, and many other publications related to Islam and the Sufi tradition.

In writing about Rumi, Goethe acknowledges the invocation of Allah and the blessing of it:

“Already the so-called Mahometan rosary [prayer-beads] by which the name Allah is glorified with ninety-nine qualities is such a praise litany. Affirming and negating qualities indicate the inconceivable Being [Wesen]; the worshipper is amazed, submits and calms down.” (WA I, 7, 59)

Goethe and the Christian Tradition

It is helpful to understand Goethe’s engagement with Islam as a reflection of his broader humanistic philosophy. He believed deeply in the commonality of human experience and the importance of cultural exchange. His writings encourage a dialogue between different cultures and religions, advocating for mutual understanding and respect — most especially between the Christian West and the Muslim East. In a world often divided by animosity and misunderstanding between religious and cultural differences, Goethe’s thoughts on Islam serve as a reminder of the potential for harmony and unity through mutual appreciation and dialogue.

This said, however, Goethe was not without his criticisms for Christianity.

Goethe stated that there is “much nonsense in the doctrines of the church.” He refused the Christian view of Jesus as ‘divine’ and confirmed the unity of God in a poem of his “Divan”:

“Jesus felt pure and calmly thought
Only the One God;
Who made himself to be a god
Offends his holy will.
And thus the right(ness) has to shine
What Mahomet also achieved;
Only by the term of the One
He mastered the whole world”
(WA I, 6, 288 ff)

Besides Jesus and Muhammad (ﷺ), in the East-West Divan Goethe also names Abraham, Moses and David as the representatives of the Oneness of God.

It is a known fact that Goethe felt a strong dislike for the symbol of the cross. He wrote:

“And now you come with a sign …
which among all others I mostly dislike.
All this modern nonsense
You are going to bring me to Schiras!
Should I, in all its stiffness,
Sing of two crossed wooden pieces?”

“Und nun kommst du, hast ein Zeichen
Dran gehdngt, das unter allen …
Mir am schlechtesten will gefallen
Diese ganze moderne Narrheit
Magst du mir nach Schiras bringen!
Soll ich wohl, in seiner Starrheit,
Hvlzchen quer auf Hvlzchen singen?…”
Und sogar noch stdrker:
“Mir willst du zum Gotte machen
Solch ein Jammerbild am Holze!”

Finally, in the poem of the Seven Sleepers of his “Divan” Goethe refers to Jesus a prophet: “Ephesus for many years/ Honours the teaching of the Prophet Jesus. (Peace be upon the good one!)” (WA I, 6, 269)

Goethe’s thoughts about Islam reveal a profound respect for its spiritual, moral, and literary traditions. His works, particularly the West-Eastern Divan, demonstrate his belief in the interconnectedness of human cultures and his admiration for the Quran and the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). Goethe’s engagement with Islam is a testament to his broad intellectual curiosity and his commitment to finding universal truths across cultural and religious boundaries. As such, Goethe remains a significant figure in fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of Islam in the Western world.

Goethe’s work has also had an influence within the Muslim world, as well. (Indeed, the ‘bridge’ which Goethe built goes both ways.) This influence is most notable in the work of one of the most important Muslim poets and thinkers of the 20th century, Muhammad Iqbal. Iqbal’s 1924 publication, the Payam-e-Mashriq پیامِ مشرق (The Message of the East), is closely connected to the West-östlicher Divan by Goethe. In his Divan, Goethe bemoans the West having become too materialistic in outlook, and expects the East will provide a message of hope to resuscitate spiritual values in Europe. Iqbal styles his work as a reminder to the West of the importance of morality, religion, and civilization by underlining the need for cultivating feeling, ardor, and dynamism. He asserts that an individual can never aspire to higher dimensions unless he learns of the nature of spirituality.

And on a personal note… Goethe’s West-East Divan had a profound influence on my own movement towards Islam. Through my own studies in grad school and in the formation of my thoughts on Islam in the years leading up to my conversion, I always had next to me on my desk three books: the Bible, the Quran, and Goethe’s West-East Divan.

It is my hope that the richness of Goethe's works and thoughts on Islam are more widely read and understood by both Muslims and Christians, East and West. Goethe stands at the pinnacle of the great cultural traditions of Western Europe, and yet he, in his deepest thoughts, saw himself, at least spiritually and intellectually, as a Muslim — even if he was not outwardly practicing as such. May we, too, emulate and truly value the sense of openness and respect which Goethe displays in meeting ‘the other’ — all of us moving towards God until we meet together in Him. The One.

Allhamdullah and glory to God for all things.

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