...POL372 “Islam and the West” Question 4: Is the apparent conflict between Islam and the West based in religion or in politics? The conflict between the West and the East is a result of a myriad of factors between both civilizations. The tensions that have existed between the Muslim and Christian world have threatened the general stability of world peace and progress. The ideological, religious, and political reasons, all cover the fact that there is a general lack of understanding between both sets of people. Islamists have gained a bad reputation in the west because they are seen as the sworn enemies of Christians, and the same applies to how Muslims view people from the west. On the whole, the war between the West and East has something to do with the world's political order, and this will form the basis of discussion in this paper. The war that exists between West and East is a result of politics and not the religious differences. Political ambitions have always been at the forefront of the existing conflict because different countries have always had diverse ambitions of controlling the rest of the world. A key moment in the history of the East was the deal that was made by the British at the end of the Second World War concerning the people of Palestine. The establishment of Israel in 1948 further escalated tensions and conflicts with the west, and the problems that exist today, almost have nothing to do with religion (Tausch, 2009). The...
Words: 2766 - Pages: 12
...creation. She is the symbol of independence, love, caring, gentleness and intensity- both in love and in hate. Women are emotionally stronger than man. Undoubtedly women endure much more pain than men do. No men do go through even half the pain a woman goes through during labor. Margaret Thatcher, Benazir Bhutto and Indira Gandhi have shown that women can rule a country even better than men… and maybe even the world! However, women have not been treated nicely by men all throughout time. They have been denied their rights, their opportunities. It is very common happening on a daily basis in offices, sports, factories, schools and entertainment. Most scholarships, in fact 99% of them are awarded to boys. The common excuse is that girls are made to be housewives and mothers. Reasonably and honestly speaking, this is true. Motherhood is something that God has blessed only females with. But this doesn’t mean that girls should be totally ignorant about the world, current affairs, and history. God has revealed in the Holy Quran, “Seek knowledge from thy cradle to thy grave”. He has not added “this pertains only to men”. So, one does not have the excuse of religion for forbidding girls to study. Religion encourages it. In fact Prophet Mohammed has said, “Read even if takes you to China”. This is without discrimination. Girls who are well-educated make better wives and mother than uneducated women. That way, a lot of people would benefit from a girls’ education! However, what...
Words: 641 - Pages: 3
...Title: Course Project – Islamic Religion. Name: Oluwatosin T. Ajibola Institution: DeVry University The only way one will be able to have much knowledge about the Muslims is through the researching from different sources, academic research, traveling, knowing what is going on around you, and reading – accepted books or journals that talks about Islam. Gale says the meaning of Islam as the submission to God. He also talks about the history of Islam that the founder/restorer of Islam is Prophet Muhammad. Newberg misconception of belief towards Islam is that Muhammad is God fearing but Muhammad did not know how to escape the future vengeance for the Muslims. Malik argues the Islam cultural diversity and thinks there is no democracy in Muslim societies, but still Islam societies are modernizing and developing economically and their literacy rates are increasing steadily which makes the democratic movements in Islam societies to be picking up at different speeds in different countries. Teachings about Muslims teaches by Gale when he said there are two main branches of Islam; Sunni and Shia, there will be further clarification of the two main branches. Islam is one of the types of religion that the worshippers are very good believers, very submissive, and there are some words in Islam that really means a lot to the worshippers of Islam. Islam means submission to God. Muslims express their submission to their God by following the five pillars of Islam. The five pillars of Islam...
Words: 1743 - Pages: 7
...Among the five great religions to which nearly nine-tenths of present-day humanity belong, Buddhism and Christianity have been the most frequent subjects of comparison. And rightly so. Because, together with Islam, and unlike Hinduism and Chinese universism, they are “world religions,” that is to say, forms of belief that have found followers not merely in a single though vast country, but also in wide regions of the world. Buddhism and Christianity, however, differ from Islam in so far as, unlike the latter, they do not stress the natural aspects of world and man, but they wish to lead beyond them. A comparison between Buddhism and Christianity, however, proves so fruitful mainly because they represent, in the purest form, two great distinctive types of religion which arose East and West of the Indus valley. For two millennia, these religious systems have given the clearest expression of the metaphysical ideas prevalent in the Far East and in the Occident, respectively. The similarities between these two religions extend, if I see it rightly, essentially over three spheres: (1) the life history of the founder; (2) ethics; and (3) church history. 1. The biographies of Buddha and Christ show many similar features. Both were born in a miraculous way. Soon after their birth, their future greatness is proclaimed by a sage (Asita, Simeon). Both astonish their teachers through the knowledge they possess, though still in their early childhood. Both are...
Words: 615 - Pages: 3
...EAST IS EAST, MY JOURNEY MY ISLAM, MUSLIM COOL, DEBATING THE VEIL RESPONSE PAPER Islam Despite its huge following around the world and the growing Muslim communities in western countries, Islam is foreign to most westerners who are familiar with Christianity or Judaism. Because most Americans know little or nothing about Islam, they have many misconceptions about Muslim beliefs and rituals. These misconceptions are formed by the media and the lack of research most people do on Islam. There have been many movies and documentaries made to show people the life of a Muslim person and to show people what Islam really is; East is East, My Journey My Islam, Debating the Veil, and Muslim Cool are examples of movies portraying Muslims in a different light. These movies although very different from each other in the way they are portrayed all are out to achieve the same goal, which is to show misinformed people what Islam really is. East is East is a movie about a Pakistani immigrant in the UK by the name of George khan who tries to push his family to abide by his strict Pakistani Muslim ideals. Having an English mother and being born and raised in England, his children see themselves as being English and disobey their father’s rules on how they dress, the foods they eat, religion, and other aspects of life. East is East, portrays Muslim Isolationism, patriarchal authoritarianism, white English racism, and teenage rebellion. The film perfectly explores connections between comic modes...
Words: 1490 - Pages: 6
... Chadiedja, adopted the hijab, at the age of nineteen, and her mother confronted her saying, “I left my country so that you could be free and this is what freedom did?” Chadieja admits to having spiritual problems and feeling as though she was too controlling. She goes on to say that adopting the hijab and the religion attached to it helped her to straighten out her life, she fasted and became devoted. “The hijab is a matter of representation. I know the person I am and the ideas I have. But the person in front of me only sees the...
Words: 656 - Pages: 3
...So Ching Ashley SID: 1007623943 ENG3250 Other Literatures in English Paper Assignment 2 December 6, 2010. Orientalism in M. Butterfly: a Struggle from Gender Identity to Political Balance Long before Song Liling made her debut as M. Butterfly on stage, there was a woman called Cho-cho-san, playing Madama Butterfly with the fullest of her life. M. Butterfly’s counterpart Madama Butterfly presents readers Cho-cho-san, a pitiful and submissive Oriental Butterfly. Cho-cho-san’s character traits fit in almost every single aspect of the ideal of Oriental women, for instance, Cho-cho-san is a geisha, an exotic representation of Japanese women in the eyes of westerners, Cho-cho-san eventually dies of seppuku, which is the Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment, and her ultimate sacrifice of her everything from her religion to her very life. The attributes of Cho-cho-san are not exclusive to this character only but imposed on all Asian women. The western presupposition of some certain fixed and bounded Asian attributes defines the identity of Asian women and thus, creates an image of the sacrificial and submissive Oriental women. Moreover, the historical backgrounds of Hwang’s Butterfly and Puccini’s Butterfly are, in fact, the extension of gender tension to international power struggle. Cho-cho-san’s love story happens in the Meiji Period in which Japan first opened its door to foreigners; while Gallimard and Song Liling begins having an affair in the 1960s, in the midst...
Words: 1983 - Pages: 8
...low compared to love marriages. Spouses have lots of similarities and interests , both emphasizing on the practical reasons from which love and affection would be flourished allowing them to build a greater family. Couples from the same background in arranged marriages merge together and revive their cultural and traditional values , allowing their kids a more appropriate life. The key factors in a right marriage and to building a great family is adaptation, negotiation, and compromise. Unfortunately, arranged marriages are perceived by the media as an uncivilized tradition. Arranged marriages are not forced marriages. Outline i. Introduction A. As the church bell rang I looked through the big arched window and saw all the birds scared flying high. B. In the east, I hear women say “marriage is faith”. C. Arranged marriages lead to the reinforcement of family values, reduce the rate of divorce, and strengthen the bonding between the couple. ii. Lead to the reinforcement of family values A. Couples are dependent on their family 1. Parents arrange marriage 2. Society values marriage B. Family members have responsibilities 1. When fights take place 2. Parents could get the blame iii. Reduces divorce rate A. Similarities between spouses 1. Similar views on family and marriage 2. Couples will focus on each other B. Places more emphasis on the practical 1. Primary emphasis is not on love, sex, and physical...
Words: 2718 - Pages: 11
...A. Geography >China stretches some 5,026 kilometres (3,123 mi) across the East Asian landmass. China is bordered by seas and waters eastward, with the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, Taiwan Strait, and South China Sea, and bordered by landmasses on its 3 other sides, from North Korea to Vietnam. China has been officially and conveniently divided into 5 homogeneous physical macro-regions: Eastern China (subdivided into the northeast plain, north plain, and southern hills), Xinjiang-Mongolia, and the Tibetan-highlands. Its physical features are multiples. The eastern and southern half of the country, its seacoast fringed with offshore islands, is a region of fertile lowlands and foothills with most of the agricultural output and human population. The western and northern half of China is a region of sunken basins (Gobi, Taklamakan), rolling plateaus, and towering massifs, including a portion of the highest tableland on earth (Tibetan Plateau) with lower agricultural possibilities and thus, far less populated. Traditionally, the Chinese population centered around the Chinese central plain and oriented itself toward its own enormous inland market, developing as an imperial power whose center lay in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River on the northern plains. More recently, the 18,000-kilometers coastline have been used extensively for export-oriented trade, making a power shift, with the coastline provinces becoming the leading economic center. With an...
Words: 9384 - Pages: 38
...eye. After decades of colonialism and orientalism, the Muslim East and the Christian West were left at a great divide. Whereas most Muslims view Christian Westerners as fellow practitioners, or “people of the book,” many Europeans (and Americans) view Muslims as inferior to the Christian man. From the earliest days of Muslim practice, to the period of Muslim rule in Spain, to present-day society, Christians and Muslims have struggled to coexist in a frenzied world. Through arguments seen in Muslim Spain, as well as arguments seen by Fundamentalist Christians such as Franklin Graham today, it is clear that the modern-day Fundamentalist...
Words: 922 - Pages: 4
...three of our lecture we were asked to discuss what the American Dream meant to us and my response was one based off freedom, discovery, and hard work. Immigrants, salves, lower class citizens, etc. were accustomed to earning their money through manual labor, not through family inheritance as seen by most of the characters from The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald uses this story and the characteristics and actions of these characters to say that the “American Dream” was based on a lie in the 1920’s. The carefree satisfaction of the Jazz Age, also seen as the Materialistic Era, led to the extortion of the American Dream. The Declaration of Independence states that “all man are created equal and that they are endowed with certain unalienable rights, among which are life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.” F. Scott Fitzgerald created this story to reveal that people in the 20’s were in a pursuit of selfish delight, and the equality of people was based on their financial assets. The line that states all mean are created equal is broken in the scene where Tom is bashing Gatsby for how he became wealthy. He calls Gatsby a crook, and in this in turn leads to retaliation from Gatsby and a fight almost breaking out. Two mean that hold such high class and dignity, yelling and screaming at each other, making threats, is in no way what the Declaration of Independence meant by “all mean are created equal.” The big parties, booze, and elegant clothing do not make these people happy, no one was happy...
Words: 1781 - Pages: 8
...To My Future Children, I am writing this journal for you so that you will always know our heritage and where you ancestors came from. We may be United States citizens but our culture and homeland is elsewhere. Somewhere I am hoping you will one day visit. Here is a little bit of history about our dear homeland. The island of Puerto Rico (formerly Porto Rico) is the most easterly of the Greater Antilles group of the West Indies island chain. Located more than a thousand miles southeast of Miami, Puerto Rico is bounded on the north by the Atlantic Ocean, on the east by the Virgin Passage (which separates it from the Virgin Islands), on the south by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the Mona Passage (which separates it from the Dominican Republic). Puerto Rico is 35 miles wide (from north to south), 95 miles long (from east to west) and has 311 miles of coastline. Its land mass measures 3,423 square miles, about two-thirds the area of the state of Connecticut. (Green). Puerto Rico was discovered by Christopher Columbus on Novemeber 19th, 1493. The name Puerto Rico, meaning "rich port," was given to the island by its Spanish conquistadors (or conquerors); according to tradition, the name comes from Ponce de León himself, who upon first seeing the port of San Juan is said to have exclaimed, "¡Ay que puerto rico!" ("What a rich port!"). (Green). Puerto Rico is unique in that it is an autonomous Commonwealth of the United States, and its people think of the island as un...
Words: 797 - Pages: 4
...philosophical viewpoints of life and how valuable it is to tolerate and compromise with each other. The short story is also being contemporary because it’s concerning conflicts and difficulties with religious aspects, which are the main – and most complicated – conflicts existing on this planet. Basically it’s related to the issues of religion and intolerance, that we are to judge and face every day. My Son the Fanatic is about the relationship between a father and his son, which is slowly being shattered due to the son’s change of behavior. The father Parvez grew up in Pakistan but now loves England and is adapted to the Western culture – and that’s what he wants his son Ali to be as well. Ali, however, turns radically from being a smart and clever student, who he formerly has been. During the short story Parvez gently tries to figure out “what is wrong” with Ali. The story is set in London – the family lives here and the father works as a taxi-driver in London as well. The main characters in the story are Ali, Parvez and Bettina. We don’t get to hear about his wife; it seems that Bettina has replaced her and is a sort of escape gate away from his wife. During the story Ali is changing behavior and personality – suddenly he has lost all respect for his father. Since both of them are having a lack of acceptance and Parvez isn’t even giving Ali’s lifestyle a chance, there’s no chance that they wouldn’t be angry about each other’s behavior. The situation could’ve been avoided...
Words: 778 - Pages: 4
...really found a treasure. It’s best novel I have read ever. It’s captivating, fascinating, unique, enchanting masterpiece which affects themes like love, war and tolerance. First when I got the book, I did guess that the center of novel will be love, but I couldn’t just imagine what kind of love would be described. This was a love between two young people with different cultures, religions and even outlooks on life were different. About love which appears on the streets of Baku. About love which goes through many barriers and in spite of everything it was saved. Love which made stay them together, but religion and war which separated them. The novel also covers the history and the differences of cultures like Arabian, Georgian, Russian, Armenian, Turkish and Persian. Due to quotes said by “Times” newspaper, I believe that I would not be mistaken to say that this story is the only story which covers East and West, Islam and Christianity, both. I cannot possibly or how to say adequately express neither how poetic the book is, nor how beautifully were described the nature and each palace, bazaar and landscape. So much beautiful, amazing and at the same time funny legends, for instance those which were told by some Aga (with whom he smoked together) at those nights when he left Baku and stayed in one of the furthest villages from the city. During the novel I could learn some great stories which were about backgrounds of those towns which Ali visited. Each great story, which was...
Words: 338 - Pages: 2
...War in the Religions Religion divides people into separate groups and tells them that they are incompatible with each other. It provides justification for the killing of others and the promise of reward for martyrs. It justifies hate and murder. Religions are responsible for numerous conflicts and violence. Along with nationalism religion is the major cause of war. Even many wars that were not directly caused by religion, they were used to justify it and motivate soldiers. For example, the fact that Protestant Germany invaded Catholic Belgium was a main part of the recruitment process in Ireland during World War One, even though it was not a purely religious war . In recent past the civil war between West Pakistan and East and Pakistan, which...
Words: 1354 - Pages: 6
