Islam and the West: Annual Report on the State of Dialogue

<strong>Islam</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong>: <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> on <strong>the</strong> State of Dialogue
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Religion, Ethics <strong>and</strong> Ideology
Box 5.1
<strong>Islam</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong> : The Myth of <strong>the</strong> Great Dichotomy
Anwar Ibrahim
Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia from 1993-1998, Dr. Anwar Ibrahim is now an advisor to <strong>the</strong> People’s Justice
Party (KeADILan). Honourary President of AccountAbilty <strong>and</strong> Chairman of <strong>the</strong> Foundation for <strong>the</strong> Future, he is
<strong>the</strong> author of The Asian Renaissance.
The myth of <strong>the</strong> dichotomy between <strong>Islam</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong> springs from a host of factors. There is <strong>the</strong> perception of
irreconcilable values of <strong>the</strong> respective civilizations. Authoritarianism, despotism <strong>and</strong> traditionalism are said to be natural
features of <strong>the</strong> political <strong>and</strong> social structure of Muslim countries, while enlightened democracy, liberalism <strong>and</strong> modernism
are said to be <strong>the</strong> hallmarks of <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong>.
There is also <strong>the</strong> civilizing mission of <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong> that trumpets reason <strong>and</strong> enlightenment, while portraying <strong>the</strong> <strong>Islam</strong>ic world
as superstitious, barbaric <strong>and</strong> dark. In response, <strong>the</strong> Muslim world caricatures <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong> as a moral wastel<strong>and</strong> where
<strong>the</strong> institution of <strong>the</strong> family has broken down <strong>and</strong> religion <strong>and</strong> morality have ceased to have any bearing on social mores.
With <strong>the</strong> end of <strong>the</strong> Cold War, <strong>the</strong> phenomenon of <strong>Islam</strong> as championed by <strong>Islam</strong>ists of <strong>the</strong> fundamentalist strain has
emerged as <strong>the</strong> next great challenge to liberal <strong>West</strong>ern democracy. They oppose <strong>the</strong> perceived determination of <strong>the</strong>
<strong>West</strong> to achieve hegemony in cultural, social <strong>and</strong> economic terms. <strong>Islam</strong> is expressed as a religious challenge to secular
political authority – not just to American <strong>and</strong> <strong>West</strong>ern domination, but also to <strong>the</strong> secular authoritarian dictatorships
foisted upon most Muslim nations. <strong>Islam</strong> becomes <strong>the</strong> rallying cry for <strong>the</strong> marginalized <strong>and</strong> dispossessed.
We have inherited <strong>the</strong> baggage of history. The description of <strong>the</strong> Muslim “o<strong>the</strong>r”, from Mark Twain to Francis Fukuyama
<strong>and</strong> Samuel Huntington, has been a matter of academic intrigue as well as popular disdain, often bordering on outright
racism. In <strong>the</strong> aftermath of 9/11, this entire discourse has been framed by <strong>the</strong> doctrine of <strong>the</strong> war on terror that posits
terrorism <strong>and</strong> security as <strong>the</strong> primary lens through which engagement with <strong>the</strong> Muslim world is viewed. The reaction
to this from <strong>the</strong> Muslim world has been an intensely anti-<strong>West</strong>ern discourse exacerbated by events such as <strong>the</strong> Arab-
Israeli conflict, <strong>the</strong> Afghan War <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> disastrous outcome of <strong>the</strong> invasion of Iraq.
With this legacy it is not surprising that an “us versus <strong>the</strong>m” mentality still persists today. The cartoon controversy, Pope
Benedict’s opinion on <strong>the</strong> Prophet of <strong>Islam</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> apparent exclusionary stance adopted by many in <strong>West</strong>ern Europe
on Turkey’s accession to <strong>the</strong> EU, seem to indicate that <strong>the</strong> divide remains as wide as ever.
But if we view <strong>the</strong> past relationships between <strong>Islam</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong> objectively, we cannot escape <strong>the</strong> significance of
<strong>the</strong> extended periods of peaceful coexistence. These episodes are not merely confined to <strong>the</strong> annals of history, for
example <strong>the</strong> well-known story of Muslim Spain. A close study of <strong>Islam</strong> in Sou<strong>the</strong>ast Asia today proves <strong>the</strong>re is in <strong>Islam</strong>
acurrentthatisessentiallyanembodimentoftolerance<strong>and</strong>pluralism.
An attempt to overcome <strong>the</strong> prevailing influence of <strong>the</strong> clash of civilizations <strong>the</strong>sis must begin by rejecting <strong>the</strong> misconception
that an embrace of democracy by <strong>Islam</strong>ists must necessarily lead to its eventual hijacking upon <strong>the</strong> attainment of power.
<strong>Islam</strong>ists are not synonymous with die-hard fundamentalist groups that advocate criminal acts or violence in <strong>the</strong> name
of ideology.
In as much as “civilizational” dialogue should be motivated by a genuine quest for true underst<strong>and</strong>ing, I am convinced
that if we go beyond <strong>the</strong> noise of <strong>the</strong> day <strong>and</strong> reflect more on higher ideals we will discover more of <strong>the</strong> similarities than
<strong>the</strong> differences. The challenge is to conceive a common vision of <strong>the</strong> future that goes beyond our current concerns <strong>and</strong>
preoccupations, advancing towards <strong>the</strong> creation of a global community dedicated to <strong>the</strong> higher ideals of both civilizations.