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Sunday, March 04, 2007

Islam & the western

This was my 1st assignment for moic~::
glad to join this group as it can keep me to think about ummah..
and can mix with the egyptians and try to change opinion among them..they are such a good frenz..

ISLAM AND THE WESTERN FROM ASAD’S POINT OF VIEW

Introduction
Who was Mohammad Asad?
Western prejudice towards Islam and Muslims
What can Islam offer to the world?
Is it possible for the west to turn towards Islam?
Blind imitation of west: the greatest danger for the Muslim
Islamic civilization
Andalusia – The gateway for the Islamic civilization to the west.

Introduction

Without doubt, Western civilization dominates the world today. There are numerous positive qualities that this civilization has given to the human race, especially in the fields of science and technological development. For sometimes the Islamic world has been experiencing decadence which has taken hold of numerous spheres of its life. Unfortunately, it is the bitter truth that Muslims of today are lagging behind economically, scientifically, technologically, politically and educationally. What are the reasons for the decadence? Why were the Muslims, in the first centuries of Islam, so advanced and progressive? The opinion offered by Mohammad Asad, a man who embraced Islam is very interesting.

Who was Mohammad Asad

Before converting to Islam, Muhammad Asad was known as Leopold Weiss. He was born in 1900 in the city of Lwow in east Galacia, which at that time was possession of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. He comes from a very respected and learned Jewish family. In his research for the truth he converts to Islamic 1926 and changed his name to Mohammad Asad. Some of his work such as ‘The Road to Mecca’ and ‘Islam at the Crossroads’ have been translated into Bosnian and the translation and the commentary of the Quran in English entitled The message of the Quran , is considered his life work. Mohammad Asad passed away in 1992 and was buried in a small Muslim cemetery in Grenada, Spain.

Western prejudice towards Islam and Muslims

To find a truly convincing explanation of this prejudice, one has to look far back into history and try to comprehend the psychological background of the earlier relations between the Western and the Muslim world. What occidentals think and feel about Islam today is rooted in impressions that were born during the Crusades.

Is it possible for the west to turn towards Islam?

One may at all times receive new, positive influences from a foreign civilization without necessarily abandoning his own. An example was the European Renaissance. There we have seen how readily Europe accepted Arab influences in the matter and method of learning. So it has proved that west have took benefit from Islamic civilization.


Blind imitation of west: the greatest danger for the Muslim

Blind imitation of west and the aspiration to adopt Western ideas and ideals in the Islamic world have catastrophic consequence.

In order to achieve the regeneration of the world of Islam, the Muslim must
1) Before adopting any measures of reform, free themselves entirely from the spirit of apology for their religion and social structure.
2) A Muslim must live with his head held high
3) He must realize that he is distinct and different from the rest of the world and he must learn to be proud of his being different
4) Building self confidence and belief in the validity of our own cultural and civilization values-important factor overcoming Muslim decadence

Islamic civilization

*it is a civilization of balance and moderation that united science and faith
*established a balance between spirit and matter
*Islamic civilization drew man and God closer together
*Conjoined the earth with heavens, subjugated this world to the Hereafter

Andalusia – The gateway for the Islamic civilization to the west.

There is no doubt that the Muslim played a great role in the development of world civilizations. Today every the world are benefiting from the numerous achievements of Arab civilization
As we can see from history, Andalusia owing to its universities and the enthusiasm for learning which was shaped by the scholars and was the part of the Islamic world which had a decisive role in the transmittal of the heritage of the Arab-Islamic civilization to the west

Comment by some of the European Researchers on the role of Andalusia played in the European Renaissance:::

1) Prof Albendet Nehru when describing Arab scientist, he said,” They are truly the founder of modern science”

2) In the work Legacy of Islam, a group of authors orientalists say the following:
“It is known for a fact that, while Europe was staggering under a heap of misfortunes and the material and spiritual neglect, while the Muslim of Andalusia were building a brilliant civilization and economically well-organized life.

Conclusion

As Muslim our mentality must be focusing on Allah, belief and trust only to Allah because our destiny was in His hand. What ever other nation do just be patient and try to treat them in a good way. try to develop a natural .Muhammad Asad himself try to describe the phenomenon that occur around the Muslim because majority of Muslim still didn’t realize their condition and what they are really facing right now. So we have to improved ourselves and still develop a good communication with the west in order to build a harmony relationship and prevent any misunderstood between two nation.

Reference
Safwat M. Halilovic, Islam and the western from Asad’s point of view, first edition,2005

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