The complex meeting between the diverse West and the varied Islam

The book "The Complex Encounter between the Plural West and the Diverse Islam" discusses the relationship between the West and Islam, as according to the author, the debate remains intense about this point due to several factors that push matters toward escalation, complication, and even confrontation. Despite the fact that the convergence between Islam and the West—both being cultural models—has been subject to direct attack and counterattack on a clear map, and during relatively close time periods from the 17th century until today, passing through events like September 11, 2001, and then the Iraq war, the Afghanistan war, and other daily conflicts that this relationship experiences, Islam has made significant and multiple contributions to the emergence of European modernity within Europe itself. The author, Felice Dassetto, also discusses the fact that the vast majority of Muslims have shown acceptance of democratic processes and the defense of secular values. However, this alone is not sufficient; European countries must also consider Islam as a religion with its own place in the public sphere and recognize Muslims as genuine citizens. The book, published by the "Kalimah" Translation Project affiliated with the Abu Dhabi Culture and Heritage Authority and translated into Arabic by Dr. Jan Majid Jabor, consists of 8 chapters that narrate the history of the relationship between Islam and the West, and how Islam was able to overcome all obstacles without being affected. In the second half of the 19th century, with Europe's increasing power, the West was attracted to the East to explore this near and distant East simultaneously—near in distance but distant in customs, traditions, lifestyles, and religion—especially today with the development of communication and transportation means. Peoples and governments meet in many occasions, and the world is open to everyone. However, scientific progress does not mean that the West knows everything about Eastern peoples, their customs, and traditions. Therefore, Islam remains to this day a world full of excitement and mystery that they have not fully understood or explored. They know it through their imagination, stories, and legends, which drive many to undertake the arduous task of research, so they can approach—at least theoretically—the history and reality of the complex relationship and encounter between the diverse West. In their view, this relationship has become one between radical Islamists and terrorists on one side, and Western countries and their orbit (the United States, European countries, Australia, and perhaps Japan) on the other, especially after the events of September 11. The book concludes that, amidst all these powers and interventions, the image of the West in the eyes of Islam remains complex, as does the perception of Islam by Westerners, who often see it as terrorism, extremism, and fanaticism—contrary to reality. There is a part of the West on Muslim land due to colonization and migration, and Muslims on Western soil. The issue, therefore, is not a war between civilizations but a complex conflict within intertwined civilizations governed by ongoing dialogue between their cultures, regardless of the views of radical Islamists on one side and the far right on the other. Felice Dassetto is a sociologist and a professor at the University of Leuven in Belgium. He manages the "Center for Studies on Islam in the Contemporary World," where he coordinates a comparative research program examining local transformations of Islam in the era of globalization. His research focuses especially on Islam in Europe and Western African countries. He has numerous publications. As for the translator, Dr. Jan Majid Jabor holds a doctorate in Comparative Literature from the Sorbonne University in Paris. He is a professor at the Lebanese University, Department of French Language and Literature, and has authored several books and numerous translated works.