Every year during Religious Emphasis week, Guilford brings in well-known spiritual leaders. Four years ago, Seyyed Hossein Nasr, one of world’s major authorities on Islam, visited Guilford. The community brought Nasr back on Jan. 23 for a lecture called “Heart and Soul of Islam.””It is my duty to explain what the inner teachings of the heart means,” Nasr said. “I will discuss the unity of God and total submission to him and consequence of submission for human life.”

Nasr was born in Iran and continued his education at MIT and Harvard. He has taught at the University of Tehran and Temple University and currently teaches Islamic studies at George Washington University. He started the Islamic Studies Department in 1984 and is one of the world’s leading authorities on Islamic science and spirituality and comparative religions. He wrote more than 50 books, including “Knowledge and the Sacred” and “Man and Nature: The Spiritual Crisis in Modern Man.”

The visitor’s lecture drew in a diverse audience of all ages but mainly attracted an older group. Nasr directed the lecture to a certain type of audience.

“I find the way he was addressing his lecture, he knew his audience,” said sophomore Martha Orhai. “When he presented the whole case of his culture he wouldn’t be as defensive if it was students and not (an) older conservative audience.”

“I was impressed by the variety of people in the audience and the significant presence of Jews, Christians, and Muslims – an indication of the best intentions of Guilford College Religious Organizations (GCRO) and Campus Ministry in sponsoring Religious Emphasis Week,” said Max Carter, director of the Friends Center and campus ministry coordinator.

Throughout the lecture, Nasr talked about the heart and soul of Islam. He mentioned that all religions have heart, soul, and body. Nasr said that no religion survives without a concrete path to the heart. Unity is the heart of a religion. Nasr hoped his audience would learn about Islam.

“There are many misunderstandings about Islam itself,” Nasr said.
Islam is the act of surrender, and the act of submitting oneself to Allah. Nasr gave as an example when Adam took a bite out of the forbidden fruit.

Aaron Lavallee, a sophomore at North Carolina School of the Arts (NCSA) in Winston-Salem, came to hear Nasr talk and enjoyed the lecture.

“I thought it was very inspirational,” Lavallee said. “I was impressed with Nasr’s many examples. He pointed out a couple of the world’s religions, discussing Judaism’s and Christianity’s view of things. I can’t wait to read his book.”

At the end of the lecture, Nasr welcomed questions and people quickly lined up. The first question asked was about Nasr’s ear infection and how he was feeling, but other questions followed about religion.
“The questions were interesting; one never knows about the questions that are going to be asked,” Carter said. “I was impressed by the care he took in responding to them. He was very gracious in response to other faith traditions.”

At the end of the lecture, Carter noticed how thankful people were to have Nasr visit.

“Afterwards there were people down at the stage with tears in their eyes,” Carter said. “They were deeply moved. There were many Muslims who were deeply grateful to Guilford for bringing such an articulate and renowned scholar of Islam. Similarly, members of the Iranian community were thrilled and surprised that he came to Greensboro.