Nowadays, we come across various debates on the Internet related to Islam and the West. The most favorite topic, for all the Internet users, is whether Islam and the West can ever find peace? You will also come across people discussing the current relations of Islam and the West. So, in a nutshell Islam and the West are the two highly discussed topics on the Internet.

Answering the above stated questions is not an issue. One can either say a big NO or a clear YES, but the key or the solution to these questions lies behind the logic which we largely fail to present. We never ponder on the little things or skip them, considering them as the least important things. We join online debates just for the sake of fun or to present an argument for the sake of an argument. We never join these discussions to find solutions or to appreciate what other persons are saying. This is the major reason behind our failure. This is why, we have failed to find out the answer to the question, CAN ISLAM AND THE WEST EVER FIND PEACE?

A logical reasoning and an answer are the need of the hour. We need to change our attitudes. We cannot expect the higher authorities (government) to spoon feed us. We need to understand our responsibilities and play our part in reforming the society.

The moment we start thinking and taking things seriously, we will come to a sound conclusion – a conclusion which will have a solid answer to our all queries; a conclusion which will unfold everything and present a real picture in front of us.

So, you need to understand that to be a part of some debates and discussions for fun won’t do any good to our society. We need to understand the issue. We need to find out where the problem is, and then we should proceed forward to setting things right.

Therefore, when we talk about Islam and the West, we should realize the seriousness of the issue. It is not a child’s play or something to be ignored without taking a notice. This is a serious issue which demands our attention. This issue needs to be resolved a.s.a.p., else we might witness an outrageous collision of the two resulting in complete destruction.

We need to find out the loop holes, and we should work on them in order to bring the two communities together. We ought to change the perception of people. Though, it is a demanding task, but the end result is fruitful, and take it from me you will not regret it. We do not need any radical changes; we just need a change in our attitudes and the rest will change accordingly.

I hope that you do not take it like any other article on the internet. I am optimistic that you will learn something from it and will apply to see a better world where Islam and the West are at PEACE.

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Typical food lover Die Hard cricket fan specially Pakistan Cricket Team. Hipster-friendly twitter guru. Music ninja. Freelance writer.

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What Can Muslims Do To Change the Perception of Islam?

Muslims with a real understanding of Islam believe that the essence of the word Islam preaches peace, compassion, and tolerance of all religions and beliefs, and respect for human dignity. It is the basic principles of Islam.

Today, the world community is increasingly calling to prevent islamophobia around the world and to retrieve new forms of the peaceful coexistence. In the time of globalization, there are many examples of Muslims and non Muslims people who aim to change the perception of Islam.

In various cities of France, there are officially established committees against the rising islamophobia. For example, French committee against islamophobia began its work under the slogan “We are one nation.” The main purpose of this committee is to prevent desecrations Islamic shrines and mosques, as well as the attacks on Muslims. Nowadays, the next institutions have become very necessary tools to prevent islamophobia in countries with multinational societies.

New UNESCO initiative in the fight against Islamophobia detected that the main problem is the growth of islamophobia. Because of insufficient education of the youth about Islam nowadays; in the future it will be difficult to change. The school plays a key role in the formation of the internal settings of the youth. Therefore, to foresee the situation of the perception of Islam, the world community decides to start from the very beginning, from education.

Surely, to fight the religious intolerance does not mean only to speak about it at the official level and to make some formal and live dialogue to the society from the camera. Some media channels today with no chains of any control can spread some dubious and negative elements about Muslims and Islam to the public. Today there is no censorship in democratic countries, but there has to be some balance or contrast between the percentage of negative and positive information that comes into the community about Islam.

Media make a huge impact on the minds of people and is capable of forming some images in their head. Many of the negative perception of Islam depends on the association of some of the terms with negative meanings. For example, concepts such as terrorism and extremism, which are often closely associated with Muslim people and Islam. That is why specialists rightly believe that some correction of those definitions will create initially different reception of Muslims and Islam.

The current President of Afghanistan has said the following about islamophobia in one of his interview: “The evil of Islamophobia – it is really disturbing phenomenon that threatens the peace and coexistence among cultures and civilizations. I urge the leaders of the West, both politicians and the media, to resist Islamophobia in all its many forms and manifestations”.

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We still have not forgotten the attack on Pearl Harbor US by Japan on 7th December 1941. The operation was given the name “Hawaii Operation”. The entire operation was kept secret. The target was the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor. 353 Japanese fighters participated in the operation with bombers and torpedo planes. This attack and assault gave the American people a shock and paved their path to enter in the World War 2.

September 11, 2001 attacks, also referred to as 9/11 attacks, by the Islamic Al-Qaeda group on twin towers of world trade center moved the Americans again. It is a wise saying that history repeats itself. These attacks took the people of America in the history…the terrible Hawaii operation. More than 3,000 people died in the 9/11 twin tower attacks. It is said that the world has completely changed after 9/11.The attacks caused serious damage to the economy of the world as a whole. The next day, US print and electronic media was flooded with the headlines like “Day of terror”, “War on terror has begun”, “Acts of War”, “Darkest hour”, “Our nation saw evil”, America’s bloodiest day” and many more like that. This event changed the perception of Islam to the new horizon.

Two years later, reason being given September 11 attacks, US invaded Iraq on March 20, 2003 claiming that Iraq had the weapons of mass destruction. United States alleged these weapons a great threat to the security of people of America. By this, a never ending WAR ON TERROR by United States had started which is still continuing even after the death of Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden.

After this incident, the perception of Islam and soft image of Muslims damaged badly just because of the few militant Muslims. They put the Muslims of all over the world in an unending problematic, awkward, tough and challenging situation. Muslims were treated like terrorists in the western world especially in America after 9/11. Muslim community there could not even feel sorry and express their grief to the frightened Americans just because they were Muslims. They faced the hardest time of their lives over there.

The circumstances are almost same even today. US Muslims are still striving to get their image back. The psychological and emotional trauma led the Americans to develop the hatred feelings for Muslims. Muslims are still paying for few terrorist acts. The people of Iraq and Afghanistan suffered a lot during this era. Pakistan is also in state of fear and misery after announcing itself a strategic partner of US against terrorists. This war on terror took millions of lives in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Every Muslim in the America was asked as if he/she was associated with Al-Qaeda or had links with Osama Bin Laden. Muslims living there for even years and decades were seen as aliens. The same was the case with the Japanese Americans after Pearl Harbor attacks. They were misunderstood, disgraced and treated as strangers. They had to show their identity when asked anywhere anytime. Same happened after twin tower attacks. The people of Muslim communities had to register themselves. Many American-Muslims were taken by FBI after 9/11 for no reason just on the basis of doubt and were kept not for days or months but for years. This is how the perception of Islam distorted negatively.

But not to forget, American Japanese united together and strive a lot to recoup their image and status in America. They condemned against the unfair treatment by the government and people of America at every forum and defended their civil rights. They realized that they need to speak out and become more vigorous to defend themselves. Many Muslim communities, organizations and associations in America have also taken steps to get back their identity. They voice their opinion in the media, politics and social forums to reclaim their positive representation and to participate in the society for a better future of America and to make world believe that they are the peace lovers.

Time will tell that will they succeed to change the perception of Islam as a religion of peace and harmony in the western society or not?

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