ipl-logo

Bernard Lewis

1764 Words8 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Impact of islam on western culture

Being an expert in the Islamic issues and writings, Bernard Lewis has been able to write a lot of materials and books relating to the same. The latest volume, the crisis of Islam has been able to address issues in the Muslim world as well as addressing the various causal factors in the recent conflicts between the Islams and the western society. Although he is not able to provide a long lasting solution in his volume, he provides a lot of information concerning the fallouts between the two civilizations and this helps in educating a lot of readers without losing their concentration in the text through circumlocution. There is a focus on how the Muslim society is seeking to continue establishing good relationships with the rest of the world …show more content…

However, the Muslim community has been divided and there is an amorphous body in the Muslim community seeking to find its way towards modernity in the modern world. Due to these changes in the society, there have been a lot of reactions from the general public leading to a lot of resentment as well as despair among the various people. This lead to the springing of the terrorist activities in the modern world because of lack of unity and hegemony in the Muslim world (Lewis and Sersun 123). According to Bernard Lewis, “something deeper is involved than these specific grievances, numerous and important as they may be, something deeper which turns every disagreement into a problem and makes every problem insoluble. What we confront now is not just a complaint about one or another American policy but rather a rejection and condemnation, at once angry and contemptuous, of all that America is seen to represent in the modern world” (Lewis 76). This shows that there were resentments in the Muslim world and they were critical of the American policies and their desire to instill change in the Muslim …show more content…

In elaborating more about the comparison, Lewis expounds more on the differences existing between the assassins who used a dagger in order to kill a target and he was killed in the process by the security apparatus belonging to the victim. He also explains more about a homicide bomber who was able to use explosives to carry out an attack on international and national victims. In the process, he was able to kill himself as a result of the attack. The two deaths are different because one is on the enemies’ lines while the other commits suicide and the Koran is specific on this kind of committing suicide where it elaborates that such people are going to burn in

Show More
Related
1122 Words | 5 Pages

Throughout the book Farber emerges peculiar counterparts to the current terrorism crisis. Farber goes on to demonstrate how politicians unsuccessfully did not understand the anger of the Islamic fundamentalists towards the United States. Americans as a whole had no concern to the threats of the terrorist group. Farber’s “Taken Hostage”, is an enlightenment of history for America's first engagement with terrorism and Islamic fundamentalist. Farber states, “While November 4th, 1979, marked the beginning of the crisis for America, Iranians (at least those who cheered on the takeover) saw it differently; they would choose other days to mark the beginning of all that

Read More
1314 Words | 6 Pages

The Iraqi president, Saddam Hussein, was Muslim, and he made decisions that the western powers condemned. He lead a radical “holy war” to gain Muslim support, which as a result, made American Muslims targets for torment and abuse. Saddam Hussein’s direct violation of the United Nations Security Council led to the American offensive, Operation Desert Storm, which introduced American troops into the fighting. “On television every night Bush says Sad-dum instead of Suhdom and your dad says it’s a slap in the face” (Kvashay Boyle 161). President Bush was the leader of America, and

Read More
917 Words | 4 Pages

After the attack on the World Trade Centers in 2001, conspiracies began to fly, fingers were being pointed, and accusations were being made. Nine years after the attack, Omar Ashmawy wrote an essay “Ten Years After 9/11. We’re Still in the Dark” to the Washington Post. In his essay, he argues that US citizens are not well enlightened on the cultures of the Islamic and Arabic people and that ignorance gets in the way of obtaining a healthy relationship with Arab and Muslim countries. With his wise use of pathos, logos, and ethos, Ashmawy creates a well written essay that captures the heart of his readers and gives an inspiring glimpse into the effects of 9/11.

Read More
1468 Words | 6 Pages

Samira Ahmed’s realistic fiction novel, Love, Hate, and Other Filters, takes place in modern-day Chicago where a suicide bombing has engrossed the attention of America. Maya Aziz, a Muslim teenager, is targeted for her heritage while attempting to lead a life free of high school drama, controlling parents, and difficult relationships. As Maya copes with Islamophobia, prejudice against Muslims, she begins to understand the horrors and shortcomings of violence. One lesson the story suggests is that hatred is an infectious and blinding motive. From the very beginning of the story, readers are familiarized with the source of terrorism through thorough description and sentence structure.

Read More
218 Words | 1 Pages

In Document 1, a letter written in 1898, by an educator in India, Syed Ahmad Khan, tells of how Muslims are falling behind in education, the antiquated ideas of their forefathers do not survive their modern day and they must adapt British education. The Muslims were once the frontrunners of the world in medicine, technology, and education. He stated,”If the Muslims do not take to the system of education introduced by the British, they will not only remain a backward community, but will sink lower and lower until there will be no hope of recovering left to them.” The reluctance to adapt to British knowledge will ultimately be the demise of Islam. Similarly, 40 years later, Muslim literary figure and Egyptian nationalist, Taha Husayn, is all

Read More
1026 Words | 5 Pages

It also explores future policy options in the light of the increasing terror activities of Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan which have essential and provable connections with the politicians, bureaucracy, military and the ISI in Pakistan. “It also provides some thoughts on what may come next in the jihad, along with some policy recommendations on how to help Pakistan help itself” (p. x). Being a former CIA officer and a senior advisor to four presidents on Middle and South Asian issues Riedel is an authority on the subject. He has divided the book into seven chapters. In the first four chapters he discusses the various jihads undertaken by General Zia’s, Mullah Omar and Osama bin Laden which, though different in some aspects, have the same targets and objectives converging and magnifying into global jihad.

Read More
829 Words | 4 Pages

Because of this, Americans began to live in a state of paranoia. They worried that their homeland might become victim to another terrorist attack. Americans questioned everyone and everything, specifically Muslims. Many people assumed that just because the terrorists in the 9/11 attacks were Muslim, that every Muslim must be a terrorist. Muslims, or anyone slightly perceived to be Muslim, were hated and feared.

Read More
344 Words | 2 Pages

Contain and Amplify: Review In Thomas L. Friedman’s article, “Contain and Amplify” he discusses the topic of terrorism and chaos in the Middle East. Friedman opens by stating the call to action, which states that there has not been peace established in Middle Eastern countries, such as Syria and Libya. Friedman then states his thesis. Thomas writes, “ But after we removed the fists in Iraq and Libya, without putting a new bottom-up order in place, and the people themselves tried to remove the fists in Syria and Yemen, without putting a new live-and-let-live order in place, a horrifying wall of all against all has exploded” (Friedman 1).

Read More
1274 Words | 6 Pages

What Islam needed first of all, therefore, was spiritual and intellectual revival and reform. For Al-Afghani, Islam was a community. He sought unification through Pan-Islamist ideology. The ‘true Islam’ Al-Afghani preached was in accord with reason, modern sciences and modernity itself. Al-Afghani attributed the relative decline of the Islamic world to political decay, tyranny and despotism.

Read More
1750 Words | 7 Pages

America became a nation who questioned the intentions of every Middle Eastern person. Today, there are Middle Eastern men and women who are pulled over for “suspicious activity.” Some people will even walk a little faster or in a different direction when a Muslim walks down the street. September 11, 2001 will remain the day when children became orphans and parents became childless. As those giant towers collapsed, so did our sense of security and the “safest place on Earth” became a home of fear.

Read More
297 Words | 2 Pages

The rebirth of oneself- a rare but spectacular phenomenon. To speak with, and listen to a being who is reborn, is one of life’s greatest blessings. It is obvious if someone undergoes this change of heart. By seeing the light they give off, the conclusion can quickly be drawn that they are different. They have a purpose, a testimony to share.

Read More
705 Words | 3 Pages

Islamist’s jihadism around the mid 90s was inspired, organized and dominated by al‐Qa’ida. Afghan jihad was central on the rise to the rise of Al Qaida and to transnational jihad (the rise of Al Qaida). It brought an expansive concept of jihad that included terrorist attacks against western targets in western countries as well as in the Muslim world. They started a calculated planning against the U.S. and the western world. Nevertheless, al-Qaeda is driven, at its core, by political and not religious motives.

Read More
1449 Words | 6 Pages

The book deals with the history of Islam and provides arguments over the liberal interpretation of the religion. The book puts the blame on the Western imperialism and the self-serving misinterpretations of Islamic law by the past scholars for the controversies which are taking place within Islam. The work by Reza Aslan challenges the clash of civilizations. The book

Read More
362 Words | 2 Pages

The past several years I have been reporting on the dangers of 'Political Islam' and the foothold it has gained in the United States due to the present administrations unique relationship with Muslim Brotherhood fronts. Most of my effort has fallen upon deaf ears as the U.S. populace is in total denial that this is happening in our country. I have been observing with astonishment how many leaders of the free world have capitulated to the tactical strategies employed by the academic soldiers of the 'Civilization Jihad'. The Muslim Brotherhood's insatiable desire to destroy cultures,religions, and philosophies that are not in alignment with their archaic warped ideology is eating up western civilization like the pac man game.

Read More
2077 Words | 9 Pages

A. PREAMBLE The terrorist attack on September 11, 2001 has sparked intense curiosity and interest in the world especially the West to learn and investigate the religion of Islam. The Muslim people are portrayed as violent and barbaric, and Islam as oppressive and antithesis to human rights values. Thus, escalation of public opinion about Islam has encouraged debates and forums, and also stirred demonstrations and movements which have compelled the Muslims to speak out their minds and interpret and recast their texts viz. Quran and Sunnah of prophet Mohammad and even question and challenge the prevailing culture and practices, and domineering structures.

Read More

More about Bernard Lewis

Related Topics

Open Document