‘Political Islam’ and Western Politics
Dr. Tamara Sonn, Professor of Humanities from the USA and Dr. Salman Sayyid, Research Fellow of University of Leeds UK spoke at IPS on “Political Islam” and Western Politics in a seminar held on June 12, 2008. The meeting was presided over by Professor Khurshid Ahmed, Chairman IPS.
Activity: Public SeminarSpeakers: Dr. Tamara Sonn, Professor of Humanities from the USA; Dr. Salman Sayyid, Research Fellow of University of Leeds UKChair: Prof. Khurshid Ahmed, Chairman IPS
Dr. Tamara Sonn, Professor of Humanities from the USA and Dr. Salman Sayyid, Research Fellow of University of Leeds UK spoke at IPS on “Political Islam” and Western Politics in a seminar held on June 12, 2008. The meeting was presided over by Prof. Khurshid Ahmed, Chairman IPS.
In her presentation, Dr. Tamara Sonn said, “West’s perception about Islam is based on its own experience throughout the history and not on real understanding of Islam and Muslim societies. This leads to disapproval of any such initiative or design at the very outset.”
Dr. Sonn emphasized that Islam acknowledged rather promoted pluralism and diversity and that the content of “Islamic political activity is different from Christian political activity in the Middle Ages.”
Talking on the topic, Dr. Salman Sayyid said that present political activity among Muslims was, in fact, a struggle to reorder or reform Muslim societies based on their own experience throughout history.
Delineating the ideology of western thinkers, he expressed, “This obsession of Western thinkers including Huntington and Fukuyama has harmed the ability of the West to recognize pluralism and diversity in Islam.”
Concluding the session, Professor Khurshid Ahmed said that conflict and clash were not the norms for human race. “There are options other than clash,” he reiterated.
Dr. Sonn emphasized that Islam acknowledged rather promoted pluralism and diversity and that the content of “Islamic political activity is different from Christian political activity in the Middle Ages.” Talking on the topic, Dr. Salman Sayyid said that present political activity among Muslims was, in fact, a struggle to reorder or reform Muslim societies based on their own experience throughout history.
Delineating the ideology of western thinkers, he expressed, “This obsession of Western thinkers including Huntington and Fukuyama has harmed the ability of the West to recognize pluralism and diversity in Islam.”
Concluding the session, Professor Khurshid Ahmed said that conflict and clash were not the norms for human race. “There are options other than clash,” he reiterated.
Discussing the policy of presenting Islam in segments, the Chair said that the term ‘political Islam’ was used as a convenient tool to misinterpret the Islam without trying to understand its real spirit.
