سمنار
On the morning of Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at 10:00 AM, the Center for the Revival of Arab Scientific Heritage at the University of Baghdad organized a scholarly seminar titled "The Image of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in Chinese Accounts." The seminar was presented by Assistant Professor Dr. Liqaa Shaker Al-Sharifi, a faculty member at the Center, who discussed the dimensions of Arab relations and Islamic history in China, as well as the study of ancient Chinese texts and documents. During the presentation, Al-Sharifi explained that contact between Arabs and China predates the advent of Islam, occurring via the overland and maritime Silk Roads; she outlined the developments surrounding the first mention of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the arrival of Islam in China. She noted that authoritative historical records suggest the earliest official contact between the Islamic state and China took place in 651 CE (31 AH) during the reign of Caliph Uthman ibn Affan (may Allah be pleased with him). The researcher also highlighted various Chinese accounts concerning the Noble Prophet, including the writings of the Chinese historian Hui-Chao and Tang Dynasty records. Furthermore, she discussed popular and historical narratives prevalent in China—particularly those regarding the Companion Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas and his construction of the first mosque in Guangzhou—asserting the historical inaccuracy of these tales based on confirmed Arab sources stating that the Companion passed away in Medina. The seminar concluded by emphasizing the importance of such studies in highlighting the exchange and civilizational dialogue between the Islamic East and China, and in utilizing historical Chinese sources to offer a balanced, scholarly perspective on the journey and history of Islamic thought during the Middle Ages.

سمنار