Contents

Dialogue among Civilizations

and Contemporary Major Cultural Challenges

Dr. Faouziya Al Ashmawi(*)

Introduction

One of the most important issues in the international scene, today, is the dialogue among civilizations. The concept has spread first in the Seventies of the Twentieth Century in France when De Gaulle’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs, André Malraux, stated his famous declaration: “The 21st Century will be a century of religion or it will not be at all”. At the dawn of the third millennium and the Twenty First Century, the same issue was brought again under Samuel Huntington’s assessment “The Twenty First Century will witness a clash of civilizations”. Thus we shifted from an environment of dialogue among civilizations to a logic of clash of civilizations. Actually, although the tenor of the two statements is different, their authors agree that the twenty first will be a spiritual and ideological century. For both religions and civilisations address the spirit, the mind and the human conscience, in addition to the fact that they call for peace, meditation, edification, and building. Indeed, all religions carry the message of peace, love, brotherhood and esteem of the rights of the other, while all civilisations value stability, construction and the enrichment of human civilisation through intellectual and artistic creation and by means of dialogue with the other.

Our era has witnessed steady development in communication media thanks to satellite channels, Internet and the cell phone. Such growth allowed contacts and exchanges between most peoples and countries of the world to be easier; thus our knowledge about each other grew broader and our view on the world wider. As a result, relations have become closer and more interwoven, while the key issues of humanity overlapped and dialogue with the other fell short of bridging the gap between human cultures, hence the numerous challenges impeding dialogue and stressing the need for humanity to find further platforms to achieve closeness and comprehension and build a human and ideological coalition between all cultures and civilisations based on the intrinsic principles of each civilisation.

I- Dialogue among civilisations and contemporary challenges

Globalisation is currently the most challenging predicament to the dialogue among civilisations, particularly in the cultural field where some of the cultural specificities of certain civilisations -the Arab Islamic civilisation, in particular- are under serious threat. The second threat is the fear of the other, which is basically directed against Muslims in a sort of “Islamophobia”.

A- First Challenge: Cultural Globalization:

Obviously, cultural globalisation, which has invaded the world in order to merge all cultures in one and only one culture, will lead to consequences devastating to the cultural specificities of all nations. Thus many among modern countries have started taking a cautious posture against this trend and working out the necessary steps to preserve their cultural specificities. One of these countries is France, which has issued a law against using British/American terms and expressions, which thrive in the language of commercial and business operations; a law that was enforced by a heavy fine on offenders. That is why we call upon Arab and Muslim countries to go on the footsteps of France in order to preserve our cultural specificity and to step up the pace towards holding a productive dialogue with the West so that the standards of cultural globalisation could be elaborated with a special focus on the protection of Islamic cultural specificities.

Islamic Cultural Specificities

a- The universality of Islam: The discourse of the Koran addresses all humankind, making no difference between individuals, peoples or tribes whether on the basis of gender, race, or colour; “O! Mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other).” (Al Hujurat (the private apartments), 13) Thus, Westerners have to know that Islam is a universal religion; it is not bound to a specific region of the world. Certainly, Islam has its own shrines in the holy land which Allah blessed with the prophets Abraham and Ismail, the messengers who raised the first temple on earth dedicated to the veneration of Allah. It is the Holy Kaaba, to which Muslims from around the world come to perform the pilgrimage, the land where the Prophet (pbuh) was born and from which Islam spread. Nevertheless, the Word of Islam which was revealed to the prophet Mohamed (pbuh) is a universal message to be embraced by all nations, the main objective being to promote relationship between all the peoples; and this is the meaning of the above mentioned verse: no discrimination between people, no discrimination between the prophets to whose messages, the Prophet’s is a continuity. For the basis of the prophet’s message is basically similar to Moses’ and Jesus’ messages, which the following verse states clearly: “Say ye: we believe in God, and the revelation given to us, and to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and the tribes, and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to (all) prophets from their Lord: we make no difference between one and another of them: and we bow to God (in Islam)” (Al Baqara, 136). Indeed, Islam recognizes Judaism and Christianity and considers them as revealed messages; in addition, it considers Moses and Jesus the Christ among “ulu la’azm” prophets (“apostles of inflexible purpose”). What’s more, both occupy a distinguished place among the prophets; indeed, Moses was addressed by Allah “…and to Moses Allah spoke direct.”(Al Nisaa, 164) and revealed the torah to him “We gave Moses the book and followed him up with a succession of apostles...” (Al Baqara, 87), while besides being one of ulu la’azm, Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) an apostle of God, and his word, which he bestowed on Mary... (Al Nisaa, 171), Jesus the Christ was revealed the Gospel “We sent after them Jesus the son of Mary. And bestowed on him the Gospel.”(Al Hadid, 27)

b- Human Rights in Islam: The issue of human rights from an Islamic perspective may be one of the most important foundations upon which Muslims have to build their arguments in a dialogue among civilizations. Indeed, Muslims have to explain to westerners that the principles and standards which were acknowledged only 50 years ago by the international community in the elaboration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, they are in fact the same as those values and principles established by Islam and stated by the Prophet (pbuh) fourteen centuries ago. Islam has raised these principles to the level of basic standards for living in a society of concord, peace, freedom, justice and equality between individuals; a society where “people are all equal like the teeth of a comb” and “an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, as well as a white has no superiority over a black except by piety and good action”; such were the teachings of the Prophet (pbuh); the same principles are found in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the United Nations Charter.

c- Islam, a religion of peace: In recent years, Islam and Muslims have been allegedly charged of supporting violence and terrorism. Such charges can be ruled out if we manage to establish that they are groundless and that Koran is a book that preaches concord and peace and does not advocate violence or war as might be claimed by European and American media in their TV programs and articles which distort the image of Islam and Muslims. Besides, the holy Koran calls for peace, which is proved by the occurrence of words such as As-Salam, As-Silm (peace and concord) and their derivatives 150 times in the Koran. In addition, all its 114 Suras (chapters) start reading “In The Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful” except the Sura Al Tawba where Allah consents to Muslims the right to fight and kill the pagans who broke the commitment and agreement they undertook with Muslims. That means that the Koran advocates peace and concord in 113 Suras while in one sura it gives permission from Allah to His messenger to war and fight against invading pagans; that is in self-defence and not as initiators of the fight, for Allah disapproves transgressors: “But if they violate their oaths after their covenant, and taunt you for your faith, fight ye the chiefs of unfaith: for their oaths are nothing to them: that thus they may be restrained” (Al Tawba, 12). Allah also forbids the Muslims from fighting those pagans who have not betrayed nor fought them; “But the treaties are not dissolved with those pagans with whom ye have entered into alliance and who have not subsequently failed you in aught, nor aided any one against you. So fulfil your engagements with them to the end of their term: for God loveth the righteous.” (Al Tawba, 12) Likewise, there is a complete prohibition from Allah to the Muslims not to be the first to invade: “…but do not transgress limits; for God loveth not transgressors.” (A Baqara, 190)

In fact, the true reason why Muslims are unjustly accused of terrorism is the decline in dialogue initiatives especially with the West; in addition, there is another reason which pertains to the Islamic presence on the international scene, especially in the international platforms, such as the United Nations and its international bodies. Such a presence proves to be weak and impalpable, while though each Islamic State has its permanent representation either in the New York-based UN headquarters or in its European headquarters, Geneva, the contribution is ineffective, especially with the absence of a unified and compact Islamic pole to boost the Muslims’ stance in those internationally important platforms, where international decisions are taken.

How to preserve the Islamic cultural specificities

World civilization is a fusion of all the various civilizations; the Islamic civilization is part of this world civilization. Thus Muslims have to be aware of such a reality; which means that we have to work on introducing our cultural specificities to the world community in order to enrich human world heritage and to pave the way for interaction between us and the other cultures and civilizations, within the frame of a distinguished, permanent and relevant dialogue.

This is why Islamic countries have to insist on building bridges with European and Far-East countries, especially with China and Japan. The two countries are potential challengers of the current geopolitical scene. Indeed, they form two blocs potentially able of playing a new role in the next era, where they can become the world’s new economic centre. Even though China and Japan use English heavily in economic and political transactions between themselves and with the remainder of the world, they are among those countries who stick to their cultural specificities and religious traditions. No wonder then if visitors of China and Japan feel that keenness to preserve culture, traditions and customs even when these are linked to dress manners, food and popular heritage and all that matters to culture and civilization.

B- Second Challenge: the fear of Muslims: ISLAMOPHOBIA

The phenomenon of Islamophobia has spread in most western countries mainly after the September 11 events, which left bad effects in westerners’ minds; then followed the explosions in the trains of Rome (March 15, 2004) and the London Subway (July 7, 2005). These events contributed to the idea of connecting violence and terrorism with Muslims. As a result, Westerners started to see in each Muslim (men and women alike) potential bomb-belt suicide bombers ready to blow themselves to kill them.

In fact, the fear-from-the-Muslims phenomenon, replaced the phenomenon of xenophobia which was frequent in European countries since the end of the Second World War, when foreign manpower started to migrate to these countries to fill the shortage left by the mobilisation of millions to the battlefield where most of them died. And though these foreign workers grew in numbers, the nationals in these societies were repulsive with regard to them, especially those coming from Turkey, Yugoslavia, and Morocco, who were, of course, Muslims. And even if the reputation of Muslims in the 50s and 60s was better than now (they were not yet accused of violence and terrorism), yet Europeans were sceptical as to their presence because they ignored the reality of Islam and given the misconceptions the Catholic Church has once spread about Islam, the Prophet (pbuh) and Muslims in order to prevent Christians from embracing Islam or associating with Muslims.

In the seventies of the last century, the number of Muslims migrating from underdeveloped countries in the South to the prosperous and developed European countries increased even further. As a result, Muslims started to take root in Europe, America and Australia, settling among populations that know nothing of Islam. Indeed, those continents have neither embraced Islam nor been conquered by the Muslims, except for Spain (where the Islamic presence lasted from the Seventh to the Fifteenth Century in the Emirate of Andalusia). These migrants grew in number till they formed, within these non-Muslim societies, communities that exist under European and American constitutions and abide by the national laws, while preserving their cultural specificities and putting Islamic values, beliefs and the Prophet’s Sunnah into practice. This intense presence of Muslims in European and American countries coincided with the occurrence of some violent events and bombings in many areas over the world. Unfortunately, violence and terrorism have become Muslims attributes, especially after the bloody events of September 11 and the increasing number of suicide bombings carried out in the occupied Palestinian territories, where young people blow themselves operating makeshift bombs. This situation is even more confirmed with daily violence and destruction in Afghanistan and Iraq where America is waging a pre-emptive war against terror along with its ally the United Kingdom.

As a result of this increasing violence, a new phenomenon appeared in European and American societies in the form of fear of Islam or “Islamophobia”. Thus Muslims in those countries started experiencing tides of fear from their presence and of doubt as to their belonging and commitment to the laws of those countries. Consequently, peace and Islamic-Christian dialogue initiatives as well as projects of dialogue with the other, all suffered a set back, while international relations lived intense moments that affected the work of the bodies and organisations operating for the institution of a dialogue aimed at laying down the foundations for a just peace in the world.

II- Advantages of the Dialogue among Civilisations

Many Europeans and Americans ignore the reality of Islam; this is why their fear is an ignorance-motivated not a hatred-based one. Thus we have, as Muslims, the duty to publicize the reality of Islam which is a religion advocating peace, dialogue and peaceful coexistence with the other; a reality that is recurrent in many of the verses of the Holy Koran: “…argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious.” (Al Nahl, 125) and “… dispute ye not with the people of the Book, except with means better (Than mere disputation)” (Al Ankabout, 46). Islam has set the principles and fundaments according to which dialogue with the other has to be conducted. Listening to what the others say, paying attention to their opinions, avoiding interruption while they expose their opposing points of view, respecting their views, and avoiding quarrel and insult; all these rules and others have been taught to us by the Koran in verses such as: “God loveth not that evil should be noised abroad in public speech” (Al Nisaa, 148). Likewise, discussion must be in low voices “, and lower thy voice; for the harshest of sounds without doubt is the braying of the ass” (Luqman, 19), far from any vocal intimidation.

The objective of dialogue from an Islamic perspective is to reach common values and ethics that serve the peaceful coexistence between states and populations, especially between Muslims and other believers, and more particularly between Muslims and Peoples of the Books (Jews and Christians) who are currently Europeans and Americans. The objective from conducting dialogue is not to convert Europeans and Americans into Islam for “Let there be no compulsion in religion” (Al Baqara, 256); the same can be understood from Allah’s kind reproach to His Prophet Mohamed (pbuh) when He says: “If it had been thy Lord's will, they would all have believed, all who are on earth wilt thou then compel mankind, against their will, to believe” (Younes, 99).

It is high time we let Westerners know those truths about Islam: that it completes the former religions, that the message of the Prophet Mohamed (pbuh) supplements the messages of Moses and Jesus (pbuh) and that the Koran has the same Divine source as the Torah and the Gospel, which explains the close similarities between some verses of the Koran and many chapters in the Torah and the Gospel. This is due to the fact that it is Allah who had revealed the Torah and the Gospel to guide people, contrary to what some dubious orientalists have gone to in stating that “these similarities occurred because the Prophet learnt about the Torah and the Gospel before transcribing the Koran”.

In fact, the ignorance displayed by Europeans and Americans regarding Islam is due to the lack of religious culture in general. For, ever since European countries secularised their life at the beginning of the Ninetieth Century, the teaching of religion disappeared from schools and Europeans have grown illiterate concerning religion in general, while the practice of religion waned dramatically as people in Europe abandoned religion, which shrunk to the particular and intimate sphere of individuals. Thus, religion was discarded from all official papers (birth certificate, identity card, passport…) and the relevance of who believes in what disappeared consequently. As a result, Europeans neglected completely religious culture which created a sort of religious illiteracy that limits religion to feast rituals such as Christmas, the New Year, Easter and the Resurrection.

A European student asked about information concerning Christianity or the Christ (pbuh) would not give the right answer; indeed, many journalists conducted journalistic inquiries in the periods of religious feasts and asked some young people on the meaning of that feast, its reasons and motives, and whom of Moses and Jesus it celebrated. The answers were hilarious and revealed a brazen ignorance of the Christian faith. According to an inquiry conducted in the late nineties by the Swiss newspaper “La Tribune de Genève”, a young person answered that the Ascension feast celebrates the invention of the elevator and that Moses was a famous American singer. Consequently, one can guess what the Europeans know about Islam if Christianity is that familiar to them! Of course their acquaintance with Islam will be even less than Christianity.

This must urge Muslims all over the world to rush to correct these misconceptions, refute those false allegations and spell out the true Islamic concepts and the real essence of this religion upon which Islamic civilisation was built. Such a civilisation has contributed to the enrichment of human civilisation, thanks to its cultural, scientific and architectural legacy, which no thinker or scientist today can deny or belittle, let alone claim that “the Islamic civilisation is not as valuable and advanced as its western counterpart”. In fact, what Italy’s Prime Minister, Berlusconi, announced in a slip of the tongue before he apologizes betrays the deep-rootedness of misconceptions about Islam in the European mind and spirit. Such fallacies about Islamic civilisation have been taught to Westerners in their youth and now they seem unable to disregard them easily.

This is why it is our duty to prove to them that the Islamic civilisation is one of the ancient civilisations and that it was on its footprints that the European Renaissance took place in the 15th Century. For instance, many of the ideas during the Enlightenment Age in France (18th Century), especially those advocated by such philosophers as Jean Jacques Rousseau and Voltaire (the quintessence of the Enlightenment thought which was the starting point of the French Revolution in 1789) can be traced back to their readings of Muslim philosophers’ books which were translated into Latin during the Islamic golden age in Andalusia (rare manuscripts in Geneva University prove this claim).

Summary

With the advent of the third millennium, many challenges face the dialogue among civilisations, especially the dialogue between the populations of the Islamic and European and American civilisations. That is why the invariable principles of the Islamic civilisation need to be clarified further in terms of their stemming from the Koran and the Prophet’s Sunnah; we have also the duty to counter major contemporary cultural challenges in order to achieve positive and profitable results that guarantee a peaceful, prosperous and secure life for all humankind.

No doubt that all populations of the world, including Arab and Islamic populations, have to join efforts to oppose the serious challenges of globalisation and its devastating effects on their cultural specificities. This is why Muslims have to rush to join Westerners into a constructive and effective cultural and intellectual pact, in order to elaborate standardized values to be respected in their mutual relations. Muslims also have to clarify the reality of the fundaments, concepts and terms upon which Islam is founded and which Muslims abide by in their lives not only as part of their faith but also as standardised ethics respected by all Islamic societies whether inside Muslim countries or inside European and American countries.

As Muslims, we have to enhance the Islamic presence on the international scene especially in international platforms to enable our Arab Islamic culture to influence European and American cultures, just like when we interact with their cultures. The international community needs Muslims, their culture and their contribution to the human civilisation, in order to enrich the human heritage, just like what they did in the golden age of Islam when, from its European setting, Islamic Andalusia was a fountain of science and knowledge and a centre for modern sciences, translation, researches and inventions, which Europe took advantage of in the fifteenth century to launch its renaissance. As we begin the third millennium, Muslims have to interact with the other civilisations and cultures within the frame of a constructive, permanent and distinguished dialogue, which advocates a just peace and justice between people, all peoples.

May Allah crown our efforts with success and rightness.

(*) Professor of Arabic and Islamic Civilisation, Geneva University.

Publications of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

-ISESCO- 1428H/2007 A.D