Will There Be a Clash of Civilizations With Islam?

Although Islam has fewer members than Christianity, in terms of practice, they are said to be more religious. As a complete religion, guided by Allah- as they believe, Islam is a very different civilization than the man made Modern Civilization. It has got distinct world view, ethos, rules and regulations, and punishment system. However, like the election of their first caliph, Abu Bakr, some commonalities can be found. Although those Muslims, who like several expects of Modern Civilization, are called moderates, many Muslims refute the idea of there being a moderate Muslim.


Adding fuel to fire, while Muslims rejoice ‘fastest growing religion in the West’ and increase reverts, as they say to conversion, Europeans are worried about the rise of Muslim immigrants. In addition, along with Islam’s rising influence, the West feels uncomfortable with the immigrant Muslims adhering to their social and religious ways and asking for their religious rights. The people in the West see an unmistakable sense of rigidity amongst the Muslims. In their turn, Muslims see a rise in islamophobia. In addition, they are saddened by the loss of innocent Muslim lives in Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan. They blame both the West and Israel for this persecution. Although many Muslims have unequivocally condemned terrorism, some have taken this to the extreme and have become terrorists. As a reaction, liberal West finds itself changed and concerned enough to modify its own ethos of liberty.

Cashing on these differences, Professor Huntington, in his very popular book ‘Clash of Civilizations’, suggested a clash between Islam and the West. The question is, was he right?

Although the above picture hints at a clash, other side of the coin says otherwise. In fact, it says, they are coming together. To enlist some reasons, the concepts of human rights and equality are influencing the Muslim mind, if not the Muslim world. In addition, while both the Muslim and the western world follow similar educational courses and degrees that are mainly secular, even the Muslim world is seeing rise of professional women. The Prime Minister of Britain may be disliked, Manchester united is not, and some of its players are even idolised- even in Iran. World Cup Football is equally a craze there. While the Muslim world is not aloof to the glamour world, Internet is causing the same changes in the Muslim world as it is in the West. On moral grounds, Internet search statistics aren’t comforting on either side.

Although some Muslim youths are very hostile to the West, many Muslim intellectuals share a different view. Some of the later are convinced that the West is not fighting against Islam but against extremist Muslims.

On balance, although clash factors still remain, making a clash highly unlikely, unifying factors are increasing daily. Not only noticing these factors but discussing about ‘Everything one needs to know about Islam’ and ‘Islam’s gift to the Modern Civilisation' the book,‘Women’s Power : Its Past, Its present, Its Future: Femocracy’ expresses much more.


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