Toshihiko izutsu biography examples
A linguistic prodigy and master of more than 30 languages, Izutsu made a lasting impact on scholarship through research that spanned Islamic studies, Eastern..
Izutsu began to write on Islam and related themes early in his life.
Toshihiko Izutsu
Japanese scholar (1914–1993)
Toshihiko Izutsu (井筒 俊彦, Izutsu Toshihiko, 4 May 1914 – 7 January 1993) was a Japanese scholar who specialized in Islamic studies and comparative religion.[3] He took an interest in linguistics at a young age,[4] and came to know more than thirty languages, including Arabic, Hebrew, Turkish, Persian, Sanskrit, Pali, Hindustani, Russian, Greek, and Chinese.[5][6][1][4] He is widely known for his translation of the Qurʾān into Japanese.[1]
Life and academic career
He was born on 4 May 1914[7] into a wealthy family in Tokyo, Japan.
From an early age, he was familiar with zen meditation[4] and kōan, since his father was also a calligrapher and a practising lay Zen Buddhist. He entered the Faculty of Economics at Keio University, but transferred to the Department of English literature wishing to be instructed by Professor Junzaburō Nish