[4] Navid Kermani was born the fourth son of Iranian parents in Siegen, West Germany.

[5] As a student he published in German national newspapers; from 1996 to 2000 he was a regular contributor to the cultural section of Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

In the preface of his book Between Quran and Kafka: West-Eastern Affinities he acknowledges that he is an Orientalist and his world view has been shaped by his childhood interactions living in German society.

[7] In 2009, the German state of Hesse decided to award its 45,000 euro Hessian Cultural Prize in July 2009 jointly to a Jew, a Muslim, a Catholic and a Lutheran to honour those involved in interfaith dialogue.

The issue was ultimately resolved, and Cardinal Karl Lehmann, Peter Steinacker [de], Kermani, and Salomon Korn jointly received the prize on 26 November 2009.