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Today marks the 40th anniversary of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies. In 1983, Dr. Farhan Nizami and David Browning decided to lobby Oxford University to establish a centre for Islamic studies. After much give and take with the university, it ultimately agreed and followed all the requirements to establish the centre. In 1985, the centre was formally registered with the Charity Commission as an educational charity. It is a nonprofit institution.

The founding trustees were Sheikh Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi, Dr. Abdullah Omar, Dr. Nizami’s father, the late Professor K.A. Nizami, Sheikh Sultan Al-Qassimi, and Tariq Shafiq. Professor Keith Griffin was the first nominee to represent the university. All other board members represent themselves. The first donation was £10 ($13), five from Dr. Nizami and five from Browning. There was one staff member, a secretary, and the first budget amounted to £70,000, donated by Sheikh Sultan.

It was housed in a small hut on one of Oxford’s side streets. King Charles became patron of the centre in 1993, when he gave a landmark lecture titled “Islam and the West.” He elaborated his view that Islam and the West should and can work together to meet the challenges facing humanity. His Majesty continues to be the patron and will preside over the 40th anniversary.

The centre is an independent educational institution and is presided over by a board of trustees made up of luminaries from the Muslim world, the UK, a representative of Oxford University, and others. Dr. Farhan Nizami was its director from 1985 and is now secretary to the board of trustees.

Enhancing Muslim and non-Muslim understanding has been the underlying ethos of the centre.

Prince Turki Al-Faisal

The activities of the centre are all-encompassing, from teaching fellowships, publications, conferences, scholarships, seminars, workshops, lectures, and student sponsorships. The centre received a grant from the late King Fahd to construct its building. Grants for three fellowships in the names of the late King Abdullah, the late Prince Sultan, and King Salman followed. Generous support from other Muslim countries and individuals also added to the centre’s building and fellowships. In 2012, the centre became the first British Muslim institution to receive a royal charter from the late Queen Elizabeth.

Enhancing Muslim and non-Muslim understanding has been the underlying ethos of the centre. The building that houses it, designed by the famous Egyptian architect Abdel-Wahed El-Wakil, with its dome and minaret, has blended quite beautifully with Oxford’s skyline and has become a landmark, visited by many visitors to the city.

The centre’s relationship with Oxford University will grow and it will strive to continue to serve all of humanity in harmony and understanding.

• Prince Turki Al-Faisal is the former director-general of ��������’s intelligence agency and a former ambassador. He is also the founder and Trustee of the King Faisal Foundation and Chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies.