Are the Muslim World and the West Inherently Antagonistic towards One Another - Literature review Example

But the Muslims are adamant to adhere to the so-called western civilization and therefore seek to restore the traditional values and principles of Islam. The report essentially argues that the inherent differences between the West and the Muslim world are ideological rather than based on a conflict in civilizations. A discussion and justification of this are highlighted by explanations using recent and current relations between the West and the Muslim world. Finally, the paper recommends that Western countries have to cooperate with Muslim countries that are willing to embrace modernism to help uproot Muslim radicalism.

It also calls for Muslims to avoid interpreting the Koran in such a way that promotes ill activities such as terrorism as the Koran does not crusade for the killing of innocent civilians.IntroductionVarious events that have taken place between the Muslim world and the West in the past and which still take place today point to a sour relationship between the two worlds. The antagonism between the West and the Islamic world dates back to the centuries between the Abbasid Dynasty in Baghdad and the flourishing culture of North Africa and Muslim Spain.

During this period, there were differences between the Christians and followers of the Islam religion (Cunningham & Reich, 2009, p. 183). But even then, during the reign of the Abbasid Caliphs, Christians in Baghdad were not subject to any molestation or oppression by the officials of the government, but chaos often broke out due to the inherent differences (Le Strange, 2011, p. 212). In addition, as early as the colonial times, France and England set up colonial schools in Syria, which drew large numbers of Christian locals, who in the line of their education, were strongly influenced by Western ideas and culture (Eid, 2007, p. 5). On a more political front, European powers competed for power throughout the Ottoman Empire by exploiting the interests and loyalties of various Christian churches (Eid, 2007, p. 5). In Syria, the French supported the Melkites and the Maronites; the Russians supported the Eastern Orthodox, and England swayed between the Christians and the semi-Islamic Druze as interests dictated.

In Egypt, England’s support of the Coptic Church antagonized the Muslim majority (Eid, 2007, p. 5).