IEP21 Forum

In a complex world of the 21st century, it is a difficult task to deal with only two cohesive values and two divisive values (vices) which unite and which divide the Muslim cultures and the Western cultures.

Cohesive Values:
On the question of common values, the dialogue between Muslim cultures and Western cultures should begin with the common human heritage. The father of the human race is Adam and this TRUTH should submerge all divisive issues (religious, social, cultural, economic and political) among people of diverse cultures and lead to the Unity of Mankind, i.e. the Unity of the Creator.

Divisive Values (Vices):
Religious Intolerance in the West and the War on Islam: War on terrorism is a war on Islam. Islam has been officially declared to be the religion of the terrorists from the highest political office to the ordinary level in the West. The media, both print and electronic, launches deliberate hate campaigns against Islam. Islam has been equated to fascism, the Holy Prophet has been ridiculed in the most obscene languages, and by means of caricature and cartoons, which is an act of sacrilege in Islam, the Holy Qur’an has been desecrated, masajid (Muslim houses of worship) have been destroyed, vandalized, clerics have been imprisoned for their religious sermons on grounds of inciting Islamic fascism, Islamic schools (madrasahs) have been either closed or restricted in their religious teachings, Muslim charity funds have been confiscated on allegations of money being transferred to terrorists, freedom to perform Hajj in Saudi Arabia restricted by various visa stipulations and the abuse of privacy of every pilgrim (Haji), whose photograph along with other identifications appear on the Hajj web page without the permission or knowledge of the pilgrim. Above all, in this war on Islam, the freedom of thought and freedom of movement of Muslims worldwide have been curtailed. Religious bigotry and hate campaigns against Islam initiated by Western heads of states and government and even by the head of the catholic Church have led to some unfortunate destruction of churches in some Muslim countries.

Professor Sultana Afroz
Department of History, University of the West Indies,
Kingston, Jamaica

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Divisive:
Unresolved issues arising out of historic and contemporary Western Government intervention in the Middle East are arguably the most divisive current issue affecting Muslim cultures and Western cultures. Particularly so when Western Governments use violence as an approach to peace and conflict, and where Western Government negotiation positions are perceived in Muslim communities as being biased or unduly one-sided, and reflecting double standards.

More specifically, within Western cultures the above issues also apply, as well as more local factors associated with integration into the local cultural situation.

Cohesive:
Muslim cultures and Western cultures have the potential to come together around themes and values such as respecting non-violent approaches to peace and conflict, in valuing service, family life, and greater community integration and cohesion.

The imperative of working with non-violent approaches to peace and conflict is a key critical issue on which Muslim cultures and Western cultures can achieve significant cross-cultural convergence. This convergence is likely at a grassroots level, though it seems likely that Western Governments will continue to use violent approaches to peace and conflict.

Neill Walker,
Edinburgh, Scotland.
Edinburgh International Centre for World Spiritualities, EICWS.

1. MOST DIVISIVE ISSUE
I believe that the issue or reality that most affects Muslim and Western cultures in a negative way is much more economic/political than it is cultural or religious. This has to do with the tremendous disparity in political power and economic opportunities between the “West” and so many Muslim nations.

2. MOST UNITIVE ISSUE
In a sense, the negative political-economic realities provide the occasion for unitive cooperation. Both Islamic cultures, with their commitment to Q’uranic values, and Western cultures, with their religious roots in Judaism and Christianity, affirm and are claimed by a God of justice — a God who calls all peoples and all religions to work together for the economic well-being and political freedom of all God’s children.

Paul Knitter
Paul Tillich Chair of Theology, World Religions, and Culture
Union Theological Seminary
New York

(1) What do you identify as the most divisive current issues affecting Muslim cultures and Western cultures?

In my eyes there are no real issues that divide the Muslim cultures and Western cultures. On nearly any given issue we can people from both groups that would agree and we can find people in each group that would strongly disagree. The REAL differences are not dramatic and do not go beyond what our quest for diversity can contain.

The main problems and dramatic issues are all related to the lack of genuine dialogue, and the following lack of deep mutual knowledge, between the two groups. These lead to constructing prejudices and bad stereotypes (for example: portraying Musims as terrorists or Westerners and infidels) followed by fear and even hatred.

(2) What are the issues on which Muslim and Western cultures tend to come together?

When people from Muslim and Western cultures come together for real, deep and sincere dialogue they find out that they have many many shared values. To just list a few: quest for the Divine, respect for humans, preference of peace and turning to war only as a last resort, soical values (care for the poor and needy, respect for elders, family values etc), ethics (honesty, respect for other people’s lives and property etc) etc.

Dr. Yehuda Stolov
Jerusalem, Israel
Interfaith Encounter Association
www.interfaith-encounter.org

Answer to Q. 1

One issue is the western notion of modernity and its insistence to impose its criteria of modernity across the globe. The second issue is the separation of religion and state or politics. The third issue is massive abuse of human rights throughout the world by the armies of United States and its allies. On the other hand, among Muslims, increasing exclusivism, militancy, and lack of democracy in most Muslim-ruled countries tend to create misunderstanding and differences between Muslim and Western cultures.

Answer to Q. 2

Love Of God and one God being the creator of all people regardless of the label of their faith is a key concept that must be emphasized both in thoughts and through action. People of all faiths must engage and cooperate in spreading common good of humanity such as truth, justice, tolerance, compassion, equality, and harmony; they must also come together to fight against tyranny, terrorism, poverty, hunger and racism.

Mohammad A. Siddiqi, Ph. D.
Professor and director of Journalism Program
Western Illinois University,
Macomb, Illinois
Secretary General, WCMIR

1) What do you identify as the most divisive current issues affecting Muslim cultures and Western cultures?

The most divisive issues currently are primarily political in nature. The memory of Western colonial occupation and the humiliations suffered during that period is still painful for Muslim-majority cultures today. The obvious economic inequities visited upon countries of what used to be called the Third World, a number of which are Muslim, as a result of Western-generated economic globalization is a source of resentment and frustration. Virtually unqualified support for Israel on the part of the West and American support in particular for tin-pot dictators in the Islamic world in the name of realpolitik while publicly espousing democracy has led to an erosion of trust between the West and the Islamic world. More recently, specific issues such as the US led war effort in Iraq and the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in which disproportionately higher rates of Iraqi and Lebanese civilians have died brutally have severely undermined Western credibility in the Muslim world. Arab and Muslim lives, runs the perception, are valued far less than non-Arab and non-Muslim lives. Unless these basic political injustices and socio-economic disparities are addressed, I do not foresee any appreciable change in the situation, except for further deterioration and continuing violence.

2) What are the issues on which Muslim and Western cultures tend to come
together?

First of all, this assumed dichotomy between Muslim and Western cultures is rather arbitrary and historically questionable. Richard Bulliet, a professor of Islamic history at Columbia University, has recently coined the term “Islamo-Christian civilization” as a conscious rejoinder to the notorious “Clash of Civilizations” thesis proposed by Samuel Huntington. Bulliet underscores in particular the intellectual and cultural commonalities which have historically existed between the two world civilizations. Interestingly, in Muslim-majority societies, Huntington’s dichotomous world-view resonates most among hard-line Islamists, who similarly imagine a fundamental civilizational divide predicated on irreconcilable values and world-views. For mainstream Muslims and Westerners, a common concern for eradicating extremism and violence tends to bring them together. A basic Muslim and Judeo-Christian regard for the dignity of every human life and a belief in the right of every human being, lovingly fashioned by the Almighty, to live in justice and beauty (also stressed by other faith traditions) unite us. Thus Westerners and Muslims in general can agree that it is important to keep working to eradicate mass poverty worldwide, to protect our environment, to increase educational and employment opportunities for all. Working toward these common goals would be the most effective way to put an end to social upheaval and terrorism.

Dr. Asma Afsaruddin
Associate Professor
Arabic & Islamic Studies
341 Decio Hall
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN 46556

I think the questions are clear and can generate discussion.
My response to the first question is: Palestine and democracy (Bush and
Blair administrations do not seem to be committed to democracy).
And response to the second quesition is: justice and human dignity.

Abdullah Ahsan
Department of History and Civilization
International Islamic University, Malaysia
Representative of JUST to the Global Dialogue project

I believe that both the divisions and the comunions between Muslim cultures and Western cultures are rooted in the heart of individuals of each and both and all cultures. If one’s heart knows an Ultimate Reality of Love, Compassion and Harmony then one has the passion to relate likewise. If one’s heart know an Ultimate Reality of Domination, Punishment, and Separation then one relates likewise.

Now individuals in both and all cultures have been spiritually, socially and politically formed in the later imagination of mind and do not know that they even have a heart that knows. Domination has been the rule. We are not kin but members of Kingdoms ruled, top down, by Kings who controll the mind.

To overcome this way each individual needs to do the inner work of knowing that they are already good and free to love. They are the Beloved NOW! This “mustard seed” practice will then form their hearts to know the ONE who gazes upon us as Beloved because the ONE is the BELOVED. We will not be the source of a consciousness of heart and mind change but if we know the SOURCE we will participate in the revolution of becoming a Kin-dom of Union and Communion for the Good of Earth!

Georgene L. Wilson, OSF, D. Min.
Wheaton, Illinois, USA, NA
Interreligious Engagement Project (IEP21)
Interreligious Insight

Greetings of Peace
The two most divisive current issues affecting Muslim and Western Cultures in my opinion are the issues of Hijab and Halal. They may appear to be a very simple matter but their implementation needs a lot and also it affects the daily lives of everyone very extensively and deeply and fashions their lifestyle.

The issues on which Muslim and Western Cultures tend to come together are:
The fight against injustices and Noo to all wars and service to humanity as was witnessed in Sunami and the earthquake on 8th Oct last year in Pakistan and parts of India where the Western and Muslim charities worked together even those whom the Us declared Terrorists got laurles from the Western charities.Human tragedies have always brought people together and and also common enemies; the imperialists and power grabbers.

Faiyazuddin Ahmad
UK Islamic Mission
Leicester, UK