Catholic University of Leuven will launch post graduate Islamic theology program as of next year
Catholic University of Leuven (KU Leuven) will launch postgraduate Islamic theology program for Muslims as of 2014. The program that might be preferred in the context of world religons and interfaith dialogue studies would teach theological exegesis, hadith, fiqh, religious doctrines, morality and Siyer and other religions as well as the relationship between the West and Islam, said in a statement isued by the university that was founded in 1425 by Pope Martin V. The university also stated that the program which will be launched with the fund of €100,000 of Flemish regional government, "will be interesting with regards to understand one of the oldest religions of the world and apprehend its relation with European community and other religions including Christianıty." In 1974 Islam was recognized as one of the subsidized religions in Belgium and the Muslim Executive of Belgium was founded in 1996. More than 900,000 people have a foreign background from Islamic countries live in Belgium.