Abu Dhabi, July 22nd, 2010 (WAM) -- Kalima, the translation project of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH), announced the publication of the Arabic translation of "European Islam, Multiculturalism and the Complexity of Pluralism" written by Felice Dassetto and translated by Dr. Jean Majed Jabbour.
The book tells of the Wests relationship with Islam. The debate still rages on this point and there are several factors which are contributing towards the escalation of this issue, such as the inherent complexity of the matter. The convergence of these factors is making a clash inevitable between Islam and the West. They represent two modern models of society which have been subjected to a series of direct attacks and counter-attacks. These attacks can be illustrated clearly on the map, and have taken place over relatively short periods of time. These periods of conflict date back to the seventeenth century and have continued through to the present day, culminating in the events of September 11, 2001, which in turn led to the Iraq war and the war in Afghanistan. There are a multitude of other daily struggles which have placed extra strain on this relationship. These are ongoing despite many significant contributions from Islam and the direct influence that it has had on to the emergence of European modernity in the heart of Europe itself.
The author talks about the vast majority of Muslims who have demonstrated their acceptance of democracy. He also examines the defense of secular values. However, this alone is not enough. European countries must see Islam as a religion that has a place in the public sphere, and must accept all Muslims as real citizens. The book consists of eight chapters and is essentially a biography detailing the relationship between Islam and the West. It examines how they have been drawn together and how Islam can overcome all the obstacles that it faces without its integrity being affected. In the second half of the nineteenth century Europes strength was rapidly increasing. The West was compelled to explore the East, and found it to be both close and distant at the same time; close in distance but far removed from their culture in its habits, customs, patterns of life, nature and religion. This is especially notable today with the modern developments in communication and transport. Peoples and governments are regularly thrust into each others company, and the world has become an open arena for everyone. However, scientific progress does not mean that Westerners can know everything about Eastern peoples and their customs. Therefore, Islam has remained for them, even today, a world full of excitement and uncertainty. Westerners are still involved in the process of discovery with their Eastern counterparts. In the Western imagination there are many incredible stories and legends associated with the East, and these make the rigors of research in this area more enjoyable. Westerners wish to be able to get close, even if only theoretically, to this rich history and more fully explore the realities of the complex relationship between the East and the West. The relationship is currently seen as being between Islamist militants and terrorists on one hand, and Western countries, such as the United States, Europe , Australia and possibly Japan, on the other hand in the aftermath of the events of September 11, 2001. In conclusion the book finds that, in respect of each of these forces and interventions, the impression that Islam gives to the West remains complex. There are still Westerners who see Islam as a force of terrorism, militancy and intolerance despite evidence to the contrary. Evidence of the Wests influence on Muslim lands can be seen through colonialism and immigration, and there are also many Muslims to be found living in the West. The issue is not about a war between civilizations, but is a complex dispute that is being controlled by the nature of the dialogue that exists between these cultures. This dialogue is a combination of the opinion of radical Islamists on one hand, and the far right on the other.Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2010.
