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Ever since the 'clash of
civilizations' theory was suggested by Harvard professor Samuel
Huntington before a decade, scholars and analysts across the globe
responded to it in an unprecedented manner, and have exposed its
flaws. Some analysts, going even one step further, also indicated the
political agenda of the people who advocate such an ill-advised
policy. The agenda, as many of the analysts have already pointed out,
was/is to mobilize the Western world against the growing revivalist
strength of Islam. Indeed, the 'clash of civilizations' theory
suggests that the future global politics will be dominated not by
differences of ideologies, but by the conflicts between civilizations,
and the West would face a new 'nemesis' in the form of a
Confucian-Islamic connection challenging Western interests, values and
power. Although the advocates of this theory included 'distinguished'
scholars, and many of the issues they have addressed are pertinent as
well, they didn't take into account (or deliberately ignored) the fact
that neither Islam nor the West is monolithic. So, the 'demarcation
line' they have drawn to identify the "conflicting actors"
is not only simplistic, it is, in fact, unrealistic. Also, the
'message' of this theory is unwarranted. As a scholar has mentioned:
"The
'clash of civilizations' via a global war can only mean the
destruction of the entire human civilization and not the promotion of
one culture over another. The only alternative available to mankind is
dialogue in a framework of contact, communication and the free
exchange of ideas. It is
only through search, debate and dialogue that different moral, social
and cultural alternatives
can be presented in the world of today and appropriate choices
made." (Khurshid
Ahmad, "Islam and the West: Confrontation or Cooperation?"
The Muslim World, Jan- April
1995, p.71)
As a matter of fact, and the history
also bears this witness that the 'creative engagement' among
civilizations has helped mankind move forward at every stage. The
reason is that "civilizations adapt and adjust to one another.
Absorption and synthesis, integration and assimilation are
enduring characteristics in the interaction among civilizations."
Chandra Muzaffar thus rightly said:
"By overplaying the 'clash of
civilizations' dimension, Huntington has, willy-nilly, ignored the
creative constructive interaction and engagement between
civilizations. This is a very much more perennial, more constant
feature of civilization than conflict per se."( 'The clash of
civilizations or camouflaging dominance?', Third World Network
Features, Penang, 1993, p.3)
Being guided by this enlightened
approach, some political leaders - Malaysian leader Anwar Ibrahim
and Iranian
President Mohammad Khatami --came out with a suggestion for a dialogue
among civilizations in 1995 and 1997 respectively. After much
discussions and deliberations, the United Nations also endorsed the
idea in 1998, and declared the year of 2001 as the 'Year of the
Dialogue of Civilizations'. However,
since then, very little progress has been made. Instead, during the
year of 2001, the most despicable terrorist attacks on the United
States and the subsequent tumultuous events seem to have reversed the
whole process. Today, the atmosphere has deteriorated to such an
extent that in many places, ignorance and intolerance, prejudice and
hatred, stereotyping and racial profiling are no longer considered to
be vices and violations of human rights, contrarily, these inhuman
acts are being justified under various pretexts and glorified with new
peculiar definitions. Malicious groups and individuals who were once
rejected, are now being revered and hence maximizing their parochial
interests at the expense of human values and centuries-earned
achievements. Like the days of ignorance, they have started attacking
the religion of Islam itself and its scripture- the Qur'an in the most
ridiculous manner. Their deliberations have no signs of decency and
objectivity. Some of them are so unethical, prejudiced and blind that
they find no offence or guilty in using the most objectionable term
"Islamic terror" while they know it very well that Islam
denounces terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. In addition,
there are so many efforts currently going on within the U.S. and
elsewhere to institutionalize the injustices against Muslims and
certain other groups of people. In short, today the need for a
dialogue among civilizations is being felt more than ever before.
The Dialogue of Civilizations, to
quote a U.N. Study Report, "has potential to help prevent
conflicts - on the international, national and local levels- by
reducing misunderstandings and mistrust, and by laying the foundation
for a non-violent resolution of controversies. It also has enormous
potential to solve current and future economic, social and political
problems by sharing experiences and through joint implementation of
remedies."( UNU/UNESCO International Conference on the Dialogue
of Civilizations, 31
July-3 August 2001, Tokyo/Kyoto) To attain this goal, however, a
positive attitude towards cultural diversity has to be nourished at
all levels of society. How can that attitude be developed?
The study report suggests a number of factors such as:
Knowledge: Dialogue fosters
knowledge. For, it facilitates better mutual understanding: of the
values, norms, historical experience and cultural reality. When the
knowledge takes the place of pre-conceived opinions, stereotypes and
prejudices, 'otherness' is perceived less as a threat than as an
enrichment.
Tolerance: In order to enter into a
meaningful dialogue aimed at better mutual understanding, every
individual has to be prepared to exercise tolerance towards other ways
of thinking.
Search for unity in diversity: Every
person or social group reflects a multiplicity of traditions and
cultures. For this reason, all individuals differ in some respects,
but in other regards have much in common. Herein lies the basis for
dialogue, and at the same time its goal: To discover what one has in
common with members of other cultures, religions and ethnic, social or
political groups, and on this basis to develop a feeling of joint
responsibility for future generations based on people's increased
awareness about the common ethical principles underlying their
specific value systems and the common cultural features and
similarities in values among different civilizations.
Inclusiveness: The process of
dialogue should be open and inclusive, carefully containing attempts
at "globalizing"
the specific value systems of those currently in power politically or
economically. Any social or cultural group should be able to join the
dialogue and contribute to the process of defining the "global
ethos."
Readiness to transform: In the case
of inter-civilizational dialogue, the recognition of differences alone
does not lead to mutual understanding. It is only through a genuine
receptivity to other viewpoints that mutual appreciation occurs.
Finally, actors at all levels of
global society should join forces to develop in an effective way these
fundamental constituents of a global 'culture of dialogue".
Arenas that most obviously lend themselves to such efforts are
politics, legal systems, education, science, culture, and media and
information.
Now having all these issues in mind,
if anyone looks at the texts, traditions, and history of Islam, he
would find how effectively Islamic teachings can provide the basis for
a successful dialogue among civilizations, and guaranties peace,
justice and development for the entire mankind. Few citations would
suffice to make it clear.
God has declared in the Qur'an:
O Mankind! We created you from a
male and female, and made you into peoples and nations so that you
might come to know each other. The best among you in God's sight is
that one of you who best performs his duty. God is All-knowing,
All-Aware. (Qur'an, 49:13)
In another place of the Qur'an, God
commands believers to act justly even if it goes against themselves:
O You who believe! Be upholders of
justice, bearing witness for God alone, even against yourselves or
your parents and relatives….Do not follow your own desires and
deviate from the right path. If you twist or turn away, God is aware
of what you do. (Qur'an, 4:135)
Forbidding hatred, prejudice, malice
and all kinds of injustices, God declares:
O you who believe! Show integrity
for the sake of God, bearing witness with justice. Do not let hatred
of others towards you let you deviate from righteousness. Be just.
That is closer to faith. Heed God
(alone) God is aware of what you do. (Qur'an, 5:8)
Those who paint Islam in negative
way because of the wrongdoing of some misguided people, should know
that in Qur'an God says that if anyone kills someone unjustly, it is
as if he had murdered all mankind. (Qur'a, 5:32) There should not be
any doubt that organizing acts of terror against innocent civilians is
completely against the teachings of Islam.
Al-Qur'an also declares that,
God does not forbid you from being
good to those who have not fought you over religion or driven from
your homes or from being just towards them. God loves those who are
just. (60:8)
According to the Qur'an, Muslims
must live in friendship with others and should be protective of their
worship places as well. In Qur'an, God declares;
…if God had not driven some people
back by means of others, monasteries, churches, synagogues and
mosques, where God's name is mentioned much, would have been pulled
down and destroyed.God will certainly help those who help Him-god is
All-Strong, Almighty. (22:40)
In another place of the Qur'an, God
commands Muslims:
Say: "O People of the Book! Let
us rally to a common formula to be binding on both us and you: That we
worship none but god; that we associate no partners with Him; that we
erect not, from among ourselves, lords and patrons other than God.
(3:64)
Reflecting upon all these sublime
characteristics of Islam, a thinker wrote:
"Islam's
divine source is the Qur'an, which is based on concepts of morality,
compassion, humility, sacrifice, tolerance and peace. A Muslim who
lives by those precepts in its true sense will be most polite, careful
of thought, modest, just, trustworthy and easy to get on with. He will
spread love, respect, harmony and the joy of living all around
him." (Harun Yahya, Islam Denounces Terrorism, U.K.: Amal press,
2002, p.21) This observation is pertinent, and it can set the tone of
the dialogue.
To conclude, the "clash of
civilizations" can stem only from the "clash of
ignorance", and to prevent it from happening, it is
"the dialogue of civilizations" that humanity needs
today. We urge everyone to commit to and work for the dialogue.
Mahbubur Rahman
Editor-in-Chief
February / March 2002
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