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Dialogue of Civilizations:
A Contemporary Cultural Perspective
Dr. Fawzia Al Ashmawi(*)
Inter-civilization dialogue is regarded as one of the major issues in today's world. Andre Malraux, Charles De Gaulle's minister of cultural affairs (1958-68), prophesied that "the twenty-first century will be religious or it will not be at all." This idea has lived into the third millennium and the twenty-first century with Samuel Huntington's prediction that "the twenty-first century heralds a clash of civilizations." And thus, the issue of dialogue among civilizations changed into one of a clash of civilizations. Despite this difference in labeling, the gist is the same and the two sayings concur in the belief that the 21st century would be spiritual and intellectual. Religion and civilization address the human soul, mind and conscience and advocate peace, rationality and the drive of edification. All religions preach peace, love and brotherliness and the respect for others, and all civilizations advocate stability, constructiveness, and enriching the human civilization with intellectual and artistic production and with constructive dialogue.
The fast-paced progress witnessed today in communication, particularly the use of satellite channels, the internet and cellular technology, has made mutual acquaintance and exchanges among peoples and countries of the world a lot easier. Today, we know much about each other and receive information about any important events occurring in the world. As a result, relationships have become closer and most complex, and the key issues that are of concern to humanity at large have become correlated. Dialogue with the other is no longer enough to bring human cultures closer. We now face many challenges hindering this dialogue and revealing a stronger need for rapprochement and understanding. Only through these can we achieve the intellectual and human bonds that bring all cultures and civilizations together and that are spun around the major constants of every civilization.
First : Dialogue of Civilizations and Modern Challenges :
One of the most important challenges presently facing dialogue of civilizations is the phenomena of globalization, particularly in the cultural field. Globalization puts under threat the cultural specificity of some civilizations, particularly the Arab Islamic civilization. The second challenge is fear of the other, or more aptly the fear of Muslims, or what is known today as Islamophobia.
1. First Challenge: Cultural Globalization
It is indisputable that cultural globalization is invading the whole world, seeking to streamline all cultures into one mono-linguistic culture, with destructive consequences for the cultural specificity of each people. Many advanced countries have started to deal with this overwhelming phenomenon with great caution and take the necessary steps to preserve their cultural specificity. One such country is France which passed a law banning the use of English/American expressions that have become common in commercial and economic transactions within France. An exorbitant fine is imposed on anyone who transgresses this law. We request Arab and Islamic countries to emulate this edifying French example in order to preserve their cultural specificity, and quickly engage the West in a fruitful dialogue aimed at drawing up the criteria for cultural globalization, while preserving Islamic cultural specificities.
Islamic Cultural Specificities
A- The Universality of Islam:
The Quranic discourse addresses all humanity and does not distinguish between peoples and tribes on the basis of race, ethnicity or color: "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). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things)."(1) Accordingly, it becomes essential that the West understands that Islam is a universal religion that is not confined within a specific location on earth. It is true that Islam holds in great esteem certain sacred sites located on a pure and sacrosanct stretch of the earth. This stretch was blessed and honored by Allah when He sent prophets such as Abraham and Ismail who erected the first house of Allah, the noble Kaaba to which Muslims still flock from all over the world. That holy land has also witnessed the birth of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and the emergence of Islam. Be that as it may, the message that Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) brought was universal and addressed to all mankind. The main purpose behind it was for all peoples to become acquainted with each other as the above noble verse says, with no discrimination against the peoples or messengers who came before Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) to deliver the same message. Indeed, the essence of the Mohammedan message is the same as that of Moses and Jesus, peace be upon them, as affirmed in the noble verse: "Say ye: "We believe in Allah, and the revelation given to us, and to Abraham, Isma'il, 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 Allah (in Islam)."(2) Islam recognizes Judaism and Christianity as divine religions. It also recognizes Moses and Jesus and considers them leaders among the prophets and people with inflexible purpose. In fact, Islam conferred on them a lofty status among all messengers, for did not Moses have the unique and immense privilege of talking to the Almighty: "And to Moses Allah spoke direct."(3) Allah also revealed the Torah to him: "We gave Moses the Book and followed him up with a succession of apostles."(4) Islam equally honored the prophet of Christianity, Jesus, son of Mary, peace be upon him, and considered him one of the prophets who inflexibly pursued their mission: "Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) an apostle of Allah, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary,"(5) and bestowed the Bible on him: "We sent after them Jesus the son of Mary, and bestowed on him the Gospel."(6)
B- Human Rights in Islam: Human rights from an Islamic perspective are probably one of the major fundaments that Islam should rely on in the dialogue of civilizations. Muslims have to make it clear to the West that the principles and criteria adopted by the international community and further developed in the Universal Charter of Human Rights only sixty years ago are the same values and principles that Islam instated and that were advocated by Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) more than 14 centuries ago. Islam promoted all these principles as a fundamental code of conduct in life within a society where peace, security, freedom, justice and equality reigned. All people stand equal, "like the teeth of a comb,"(7) and "no advantage shall an Arab have over a non-Arab, a white over a black except in righteousness;"(8) such were the teachings of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). These are the same principles contained in the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
C- Islam is a Religion of Peace: In order to remove the stigma of violence and terrorism that has attached itself to Muslims and Islam in the past few years, we have to prove that it is an unsubstantiated allegation and that the Holy Quran is a book that calls for peace and security and does not encourage violence and warring. Such false accusations, made by some of the European and American media (in television programs and newspaper articles), tarnish the image of Islam and Muslims. The Holy Quran preaches peace and what better proof could there be than the incidence, more than 150 times, in the Holy Quran of words derived from 'salam' and 'silm'. Furthermore, all the chapters of the Quran open with the phrase "In the name of Allah, most Merciful, most Compassionate," except one chapter, that of Tawba where Allah (SWT) gave sanction to the Muslims to fight the infidels who had violated a pact with them. This means that 113 chapters of the Holy Quran advocate peace and only one chapter gives permission through the Prophet (PBUH) to engage in battle in reaction to the infidels' aggression, i.e. in self-defense and not to initiate hostilities because Allah abhors aggressors: "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."(9) Allah warned the Muslims against fighting those who did not violate their covenant and did not fight 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 Allah loveth the righteous."(10) In the following verse, there is a clear admonition against the act of aggression: "But do not transgress limits; for Allah loveth not transgressors."(11)
The reason behind the labeling of Muslims as terrorists lies in the regression of dialogue initiatives, especially with the West. The other cause is that the Islamic presence on the international scene, particularly on such international platforms as the United Nations and its affiliated organizations, is rather inadequate and unsubstantial despite the permanent missions that every Muslim country maintains either at the UN offices in New York and Geneva. Furthermore, there is no strong and unified Islamic coalition that can act as the voice of Muslims on such important platforms where international decision-making takes place.
How to Preserve the Islamic Cultural Specificities
Universal civilization is the outcome of all civilizations, and the Islamic civilization is an integral part of this universal civilization. Muslims have to be perfectly aware of this fact and endeavor to acquaint the international community with their cultural features and specificity in order to enrich humanity's universal heritage, and interact with other civilizations and cultures within the framework of a purposeful, continuous and outstanding dialogue.
Islamic countries should seek rapprochement and an alliance with Europe and the Far East, particularly China and Japan. These two countries are prime candidates for rising in such a way as to alter the world's geopolitical setup. These two blocks will play a crucial role in the coming chapter of history and become the new world economic hub. Despite the widespread use of English in economic and political transactions between China, Japan and the rest of the world, these countries are nonetheless the most attached to their cultural specificities and their religious customs. Any visitor to China or Japan senses this strong attachment and attention to the preservation of their culture, customs and traditions and even dress, culinary customs and folklore, as well as anything else related to culture and civilization.
2- Second Challenge: Islamophobia
The phenomenon of Islamophobia has become prevalent in most Western countries, most particularly after the 9/11 events which left damaging impressions on Western minds. These events were followed on 15 March 2004 by the Madrid train bombings and the London subway explosions on 7 July 2005, thus clinching the process of stigmatising Muslims with violence and terrorism. Westerners now fear being in the vicinity of a Muslim for fear that he or she might have a belt of explosives strapped around the waist to kill all those around.
Islamophobia has dislodged the phenomenon of xenophobia which became widespread in Europe during World War II. At that time, European countries began resorting to foreign manpower to replace the workers enlisted for the war and who were killed by the thousands in action. Despite the pressing need these countries had for foreign workers, communities in European countries resented them, particularly migrant workers from Turkey, Yugoslavia, and later on from North Africa, all of them Muslims naturally. Although the reputation of Muslims back then, i.e. in the fifties and sixties of the previous century, was not as bad as it is now (at least the stigma of terrorism and violence had not yet clung to them), Europeans still feared them out of ignorance about Islam and as a result of the fallacies that the Catholic Church was spreading about Islam, Mohammed (PBUH) and Muslims to nurture in Christians mistrust and hostility towards Islam and Muslims.
In the Seventies of the previous century, the waves of migrants from Southern and least developed countries to the rich and advanced European ones intensified. Muslim migrants began to settle in Europe, the Americas and Australia where the population is not Muslim, countries that have not converted to Islam or been conquered during the Islamic Conquests (except for Spain which had been conquered in the 7th century AD and where Muslims set up the Islamic State of Andalusia which lasted for a whole eight centuries). The Muslim community in these non-Muslim countries has considerably grown, making Muslim migrants an important component within the European and American societies. They live under the rule of European and American constitutions and apply the laws, regulations and legislation of those states while preserving their cultural specificity, fully respecting their Islamic values and applying their Islamic teachings and precepts, as well as the Sunnah of the Prophet of Islam, Mohammed (PBUH).
Unfortunately, the strong presence of Muslims in European and American countries coincided with the spread of violence and bombings in several parts of the world. The accusation of violence and terrorism became attached to Muslims, particularly after the horrific 11 September 2001 events, after the escalation of suicide bombings, particularly in the Palestinian Occupied Territories, and in the midst of the violence and destruction going on in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Both these countries are currently occupied following the pre-emptive wars waged against them by the United States and its ally the United Kingdom in the name of the fight against terrorism.
These escalating fears gave rise to a new phenomenon within European and American societies, Islamphobia. Muslims living in these countries are increasingly the targets of phobic behavior. Their sentiments of belonging, loyalty and respect for their host countries' laws are treated with suspicion. As a result, all peace efforts and initiatives of Islamic-Christian dialogue and dialogue with the other have regressed. Black clouds darken the horizons of the international scene and the perspective of organizations and institutions seeking to set up a constructive dialogue in order to bring about a just peace in the world.
Second: Merits of Inter-Civilization Dialogue
Many Europeans and Americans are not cognizant of the true essence of Islam and mistrust it more out of ignorance than genuine hatred. It is our duty as Muslims to help them see the true face of Islam as a religion that preaches peace, brotherliness, dialogue with the other and peaceful coexistence, a message clear in many Quranic verses: "And argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious,"(12) and also: "Dispute ye not with the People of the Book, except with means better (than mere disputation)."(13) Dialogue with the other in the Islamic perspective bows to a number of considerations and conditions laid down by the Quran. One of the most important rules of dialogue is listening with interest to what the other has to say, refraining from interrupting him as he presents opinions that differ from ours, as well as from showing disdain and derision towards his views, quarreling with him, insulting him or using injurious language in addressing him as the Quran has warned against it: "God does not like any evil to be mentioned."(14) Debating is also carried in gentle voices: "And lower thy voice; for the harshest of sounds without doubt is the braying of the ass,"(15) refraining at all times from raising our voices above those of the others.
In Islam, the purpose of dialogue is to reach consensus on values and ethics that can serve as common foundations for peaceful coexistence among peoples, particularly among Muslims and the followers of other religions, with emphasis laid on relations between Muslims and the People of the Book, the Jews and Christians represented today by Europeans and Americans. The aim of dialogue is not to incite Jews and Christians to abandon their faith and convert to Islam: "Let there be no compulsion in religion."(16) Allah (SWT) said to His Prophet and Messenger Mohammed (PBUH) as He gently chided him: "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!"(17)
It is high time the West learnt the truth about Islam, that it is a religion sent to complete and seal all preceding religions, that Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) carried on the message Moses and Jesus peace be upon them had taught before him, and that Quran is a divine revelation from the same God who revealed the Torah and the Bible, which explains the great similarity between Quranic verses and some passages in the Torah and the Bible. The God who revealed the Quran is the one who sent the Torah and the Bible before that to guide humanity. The similarity between these books is not, as claimed by some misleading orientalists, born out of the fact that "Mohammed (PBUH) had read the Torah and the Bible before writing the Quran."
The Europeans' lack of information about the true face of Islam is primarily owed to poor religious knowledge. Since religion was separated from state in Europe early in the 19th century and catechism was cancelled in primary and secondary schools, Europeans have ceased to know much about religion in general, be it their own or the religions of others. Attendance in churches dramatically dropped and people in Europe drew away from religion which became a private and personal matter for the citizens. Religious affiliation was no longer mentioned on official documents (birth certificate, identity card, passport, etc) and nobody knew who worshipped what. The inevitable result was a total neglect of religion and religious illiteracy spread widely among the Europeans. Religion became for them restricted to celebrations such as Christmas, New Year's Day, Easter and Ascension.
Ask a European student about any aspect related to Christianity or Jesus, peace be upon him, and he will be unable to give you an answer. Many journalists conducted polls during religious celebrations and asked young people about the meaning and significance of this celebration or the other, and who was Moses or Jesus. Many of the answers provoked laughter and revealed their terrible ignorance of their own religion. According to a survey conducted by the Swiss newspaper (La Tribune de Genève) late in the nineties, a young man answered that the Day of Ascension celebrated the invention of lift (ascenseur) and that Moses was a famous American singer. If their knowledge of their own religion is this bad, how would their knowledge of Islam be? Naturally, their ignorance about Islam would be twice as bad as their ignorance of Christianity.
It is the duty of Muslims anywhere in the world to rise to the challenge of correcting these misconceptions and refuting these allegations. They need to shed light on the truth behind the Islamic concepts and the essence of the Islamic faith which nurtured an Islamic civilization that enriched the universal civilization with substantial intellectual, scientific and architectural contribution that no thinker or scientist can deny or belittle today. No one can claim that the 'Islamic civilization is lesser in status or value than the Western one' as Italy's Prime Minister Berlusconi* let slip in a faux pas that he subsequently apologized for. If such a faux pas is indicative of anything, it betrays the depth at which misconceptions about Islam lie in the minds of Europeans, embedded there from very early in their lives, and how incapable they are of erasing these misconceptions about the Islamic civilization.
Thus, the duty is ours to teach them that the Islamic civilization is one of the most prestigious civilisations, that its contribution served as the backbone of the European Renaissance in the 15th century AD, that many of the concepts of the Age of Enlightenment in France (18th century AD), particularly the ideas of such famous French philosophers as Jean Jacques Rousseau and Voltaire (the father of the French Illuminism that fuelled the Great French Revolution in 1789), find their origin in the writings of Muslim philosophers in the Golden age of Al-Andalus, which were translated into Latin (a collection of rare manuscripts preserved in the Geneva University library stands witness to this).
Conclusion
At this dawn of the third millennium, dialogue of civilizations is confronted by many challenges, particularly the challenge of dialogue between peoples from the Islamic, European and American civilizations. We need to clarify the constants and fundaments of the Islamic civilization which find their source in the Holy Quran and the Noble Sunnah of the Prophet. We need also to face up to the main cultural challenges of modern times in order to achieve positive results that would give humanity a chance to live in peace, safety and prosperity.
All peoples of the world, including Arab and Muslim ones, must combine their efforts in order to face up to the tough challenges born out of globalisation. Muslims have to immediately close ranks with the West in a fruitful and efficient intellectual and cultural alliance. Through this alliance, they will be able to draw up reference criteria for dealing with one another, provide correct information about Islamic concepts, precepts and teachings that Muslims apply in their daily life not only as a matter of faith, but as the set of unwavering ethics adhered to by all Muslim communities wherever they maybe, in Islamic countries or in European and American ones.
We the Muslims have to strengthen the Islamic presence abroad, particularly at international forums so that our Arab and Islamic culture can influence the European and American ones in the same way that we are influenced by them. The international community needs the Muslims with their culture and contribution to human civilization to enrich the universal heritage as they did in Islam's past glory. At that juncture in history, the Islamic state of Al-Andalus was, in the heart of Europe, a source of knowledge and thought, a hub of modern sciences, translation, research, and inventions on which the European Renaissance in the 15th century was founded. In these early years of the third millennium, Muslims have to interact with other cultures and civilizations within the framework of a constructive, durable and outstanding dialogue that promotes peace and calls for spreading justice among people, all people.
(*) Professor of Arabic language and Islamic civilization, University of Geneva-Switzerland.
(1) Al Hujurat, verse 13
(2) Al Baqara, verse 136
(3) Annissaa, verse 164
(4) Al Baqara, verse 87
(5) Annissaa, verse 171
(6) Al Hadid, verse 27
(7) Narrated by Daylami from Sahl bin Sa'd in another wording and was deemed weak by Al-Albani in his "Silsilat al-Ahadith Ad-Daifa".
(8) Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim from the Farewell Sermon.
(9) Attawba, verse 12
(10) Attawba, verse 4
(11) Al Baqara, verse 190
(12) Annahl, verse 125
(13) Al Ankabout, verse 46
(14) Annisaa, verse 148
(15) Luqman, verse 19
(16) Al Baqara, verse 148
(17) Yunus, verse 99
(*) Came back to power in 2008.
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