Gladstone on Islam
Gladstone's own interest in and attitudes towards Islam and the Muslim world of the 19th century have been subject to a wide range of interpretation and speculation but not, it seems, a great deal of scholarly attention. More frequently, his supposed quotations on the subject are either taken out of context or have proven impossible to verify. Unfortunately then, despite his reputation as a pioneer of liberalism, his legacy in the realm of Muslim-Christian relations has been somewhat equivocal.
Gladstone's public statements must be viewed within the context of the friction between the British and Ottoman Empires throughout the 19th Century. In terms of his politics, a distinction must be made between Gladstone's perception of British interests abroad, his concern for the welfare of minorities within the Ottoman Empire, and the overtly Islamophobic agenda of many of the clergy and politicians who aligned themselves with Gladstone's 'Eastern' policies. Equally, in terms of his personal opinions, he must be recognised for both his defence of faith (specifically Christianity) in public life, and his committment to an individualised pluralism - i.e. the individual's right to choose their faith.
For Gladstone, judgments of (and debate between) faiths must be based on rigorous intellectual enquiry and rational argument. Indeed, this approach is fundamental to the values he set down for the Library itself, and is reflected in the vast range of material in our collection donated (and read!) by Gladstone on other faiths and cultures. Many of his statements and comments in the margins of his extensive collection of books on Islam, suggest a more sophisticated view on Islam than the propaganda of the time, and even of his political allies.
This is clearly a complex and fertile area within Victorian studies, and we are very keen to see it developed. We encourage anyone working on this topic to get in touch on [email protected] or, even better, come and dig in our archives!
Gladstone and his Library
Support us