The Clash of Civilizations

The Clash of Civilizations T he concept of the Clash of Civilizations has no basis in logic. I do not think any clash such as may escalate into a violent confrontation between Islam and the West is at all imminent. My main contention is that Islam, as a religion, does not pose a challenge to Western civilization. Ideologically, it favours peaceful persuasion. Confrontation in Islam is only to fend off aggression and not to attack supposed enemies. Any talk of a violent clash between the two is based wholly on speculation: it will never become a reality. The entire theory rests evidently on the actions taken by certain Muslim extremists, such as those of September 11, 2001. But it is too far-fetched to term this a clash between civilizations. The events of September 11 and other such events are, in reality, an expression of the frustration of certain over-emotional Muslims who seek to justify their actions under the banner of Islam. This clash and confrontation which take place in modern times are being perpetrated not by Muslim governments, but by Muslim individuals. This fact likewise refutes the above theory. For war in Islam is a state affair, and that too when it is openly declared to be such. That is why guerrilla or proxy wars are totally abhorrent to Islam, having no sanction in religion. It would be true to say that the clash of the West is with the Muslim terrorist groups and not with Islamic civilization. What is called ‘Islamic terrorism’ has nothing to do with Islam. It is, in essence, a political phenomenon of exploitation by certain extremist groups. No movement can be truly Islamic just by applying an Islamic label to it. There is another, more strategic aspect to this matter. Given