E-Book - Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhi and the Encounter …. 19Islam is not an enemy of civilization, but it rejectsutilizing the notion of civilization for negative ends.Nor is Islam an enemy of human rights and freedoms,but it rejects transforming freedoms and rights into atool for conflict just as it rejects relying upon a limitedcultural vision as if it is a universal law that must begenerally applied to all, forcibly if need be.Continuing to insist upon this vision, even if it isdepicted as religiously tolerant is no less extreme thanwhat goes on in those radical religious groups. 12This response really elevated the debate to a higher leveland was followed by a number of serious reflections andrejoinders. 13 Of course, Islamic response was not limited to theintellectual plane only; unfortunately it spilled over to theverbal level vituperation, riposte and violent retaliationmanifested as terrorism. It has been propagated that what theWest characterised as Islamic terrorism vindicatedHuntington’s clash theory and consequently the West launchedtheir war on terrorism allegedly to protect non-Islamiccivilisations from the perceived threat of Islamic terrorism. Theworld has, thus, been entangled in a quagmire of violence fromwhich there appears to be no escape. This provides a very clearindication of where the chauvinistic - domination mode ofcivilisational encounter would lead the world to.The United Nations Organisation also took seriouscognizance of the emerging situation of violent clash betweenthe West and the Islamic world. In a meaningful response to thesituation the UN launched an initiative called Dialogue AmongCivilisations to promote better understanding between thedifferent civilisations of the world. The year 2001 was declaredas the Year of Dialogue Among Civilisations (DAC). Anotherinitiative called Alliance Among Civilisations was proposed inthe 59 th General Assembly of the UN in 2005 “intended to