INTRODUCTION

Islam is the second largest religion after Christian since long time ago. The follower of

this religion around 1.8 billion around the world. Islam promote peace and good deed to all

Muslim since 1400 years ago when Allah sent His last messenger. But unfortunately, after the

incident of 9/11 2001 which is the World Trade Centre were attacked by terrorist group.

Our group will discuss about the impact on Islam after the incident of 11 th September

2001. Firstly, our group will discuss about War Against Terrorism by USA. Secondly, The

Thesis by Samuel P. Huntington and that thesis name “Clash of Civilization”. Thirdly, the

mutual understanding between Islam and Western World. Lastly, the increasing of Muslim

population which is who convert to Islam in Western Countries.

1. WAR AGAINST TERRORISM AFTER SEPTEMBER 11 TRAGEDY

Terrorism can take the form of direct or indirect means. Most predominantly, we see

terrorism taken and utilized in the form of bombings, hijackings, suicide bombings, shootings,

and assassinations. Many experts agree that though a true universally accepted definition for

terrorism may still be elusive, it is a deliberate use of violence against civilians for political or

religious ends. Besides this slight agreement, there still remains no universally accepted

definition of terrorism; one that the world could unanimously agree upon and then

subsequently enforce.

The United States has proved that a definitive definition of terrorism is still somewhat

elusive. State Department says it is the premeditated, politically motivated violence

perpetrated against noncombatant targets by sub national groups or clandestine agents, usually

intended to influence an audience. Besides that, Canada says that terrorist activity is an action

within or outside Canada that is taken or threatened for political, religious or ideological

purposes and threatens the public or national security by killing, seriously harming or

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endangering a person, causing substantial property damage that is likely to seriously harm

people, or by interfering with or disrupting an essential service, facility or system.

Furthermore, Great Britain simply mentions terrorism is the use, or threat, of action which is

violent, damaging or disrupting and is intended to influence the government or intimidate the

public and is for the purpose of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause. In

addition, The European Union’s definition of terrorism is any "act of intimidation" committed

by "an individual or a group" with the intention of "seriously altering ... political, economic or

social structures" will be classified as a terrorist offense. Moreover, Israel defines terrorism as

the intentional use of, or threat to use violence against civilians or against civilian targets, in

order to attain political aims.

However, Islam has a very detailed definition of terrorism. As indicated in the

previous statement Western Perspective, the definition of terrorism is always evolving. In

such, the Islamic definition is as follows: An act carried out to achieve an inhuman and

corrupt (mufsid) objective, and involving threat to security of any kind, and violation of rights

acknowledged by religion and mankind. Clarity of the definition is presented as follows:

Firstly, the term human is used instead of international. Secondly, the epithet corrupt (mufsid)

is used to mean an attribute accompanying inhuman objectives, or the spreading of corruption

and given as an imperative to avoid such objectives. Thirdly, the use of security of any kind

refers to various types of terrorism. Fourthly, two criteria are given: religious and human, as

part of belief and to generalize. Lastly is the fact that an operation may be viewed as violent

does not constitute a condition for considering that act as a case of terrorism, as defined

below: acts of natural resistance exercised against occupying forces, colonizers and/or

usurpers, acts of resistance against groups or factions as imposed on them by force of arms,

acts rejecting dictatorships and other forms of repressive government types and efforts to

undermine their respective institutions, acts of resistance against racial discrimination and

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attacks on the latter strongholds and acts of retaliation against any type of aggression, if there

is no other alternative.

Regarding the difference between jihad and terrorism are jihad is an Islamic term used

to describe one’s duty towards Islam. Terrorism on the other hand is the act of trying to instill

feelings of terror in the general population by acts or deeds. Jihad as per Islam stands for

struggle. This struggle can be to protect one’s country, religion, family, or to save someone

else’s life. Jihad can even be one’s struggle to make himself a better human being. This has

been called as the greater jihad by some. Terrorism, however, is never to protect. The sole

purpose of terrorism is to cause enough harm, pain and agony for someone to make him feel

insecure. The word Terrorism would normally be used when referring to systematic episodes

of mass destruction or killings. It would not be normally used in petty crimes. It has nothing

to do with religion as neither Islam nor any other religion in the world preaches destruction

and killings.

However, terrorism is often fueled by materialistic or territorial goals generally with

no regard to religion whereas a jihad is the struggle in the path of god and has no other goal

apart from this. Terrorism is always directed towards the killing of innocent civilians and may

be by way of explosions, attacks, etc., while, jihad is not permitted against innocent. Both

these terms are vastly misused. While politicians the world over have often discredit their

political rivals by calling or classifying them as terrorists and their struggles as terrorism,

terrorists on the other hand have always tried to justify their acts and deeds by calling and

categorizing them as jihad, however, there is no reference in Islam or any other religion where

jihad justifies the killing of innocent people or damage to property.

In short, it is imperative to note that the majority of the Muslim population condemns

acts of terrorism and many Islamic countries have helped the United States fight the war

against terror. Even the media after noticing the many Muslims being harassed around the

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country, who had nothing to do with the terrorist act, have recently made attempts to help

spread an awareness of Islam and its teachings. Jihad has many forms but as discussed earlier

none of its form deals with terrorism. In our opinion, Jihad is probably one of the most

misunderstood words at this time. In order to understand Jihad it is vital for one to know the

faces of Jihad.

Through this subtopic, we will also explain about did Afghanistan and Iraqi war against

terrorism is succesful or not ?. As we all know, post September 11 tragedy, Republican

government under President George W. Bush has declared war on Islam, although many

Western scholars regard war only focused on terrorist groups. But for us, The word "crusade"

was used by US President George W. Bush first on the day of the September 11, 2001 more

refers to his stance at that time to fight against Islam (Lawn. S, 2001). Post bombing tragedy

in WTC and Pentagon and continuation statement from George W. Bush to declared war

against terrorist, United State of America use this excuse as a license to attack Afghanistan in

2001 as a first reaction after September 11 tragedy and two years later Iraq also be a victims.

At the present, after 12 years September 11 tragedy, one question began to arise. War against

terrorism is successful or not achieving the objectives?

Our group totally agreed, war against terrorism sponsored by United State of American

is not successful to achevieng their objectives. One point of view why terrorist always become

a big issue in international security and because the main reason the state leadership false

itself when their (state) power weakens and non-state terrorist group will take opportunity to

fill the vacuum for the purpose of threaten the state system itself (( Rosen. G, 2005, p. 49)

The post Afghanistan and Iraqi war was controversial parts after United States invade

this countries in 2001 and 2003. After the successful removal of Taliban government, the

former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and successful reduce the influence of al Qaeda in the

Middle East, arise an issue on the global war of terrorisms which questioned whether post

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September 11 campaign war against terrorist was help fight terrorism or in the other way has

increased terrorism. Although United Staes said they have done enormous damage to al

Qaeda and the leadership of Al Qaeda and also captured and killed hundreds of their senior

people including supreme leader of Al Qaeda which is Osama Bin Laden but indeed thought

al Qaeda has been damaged, the organization is recovering. What was interesting here, after

our group have go deeper in the case of war against terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq. Why

Al Qaeda which is the most dominon armed group in Middle East and still remains as a threat

to the U.S allies. According to Friedment L.S, Al Qaeda is reaching out from it;s base in

Pakistan to turn Militant Islamist groups in the Middle East and Africa into franchies charged

with intensifying attacks of western targets. ( Friedment L.S, 2008, p. 25)

Besides that, Secretary of Defense during President George W. Bush era, Donald

Rumsfeld mentioned that during and post Iraq War, the United States created or recruiting

more terrorists than what they have killed. Moreover, according to a study conducted by

Mother Jones Magazine, terrorism for both number of attacks and fatalities those attacks has

increased worldwide since the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Globally there has been average of

607 % rise in the number of attacks and 237 % rise in the fatally. So, from this point what we

all can conclude that, wars against terrorist have increased the rate of terrorism. In our point

of view, regarding to the increased number of terrorism because the war in Afghanistan and

Iraq has been seen as an unjust war in which thousands of innocent civilians have been killed.

Indirectly, it has become a prime reason for terrorists why they should hate the United States

and a certain Western countries who give fully support to United State in the name of war on

terror.

How can we evaluate the situation in the whole world especially in Islam and Western

world after the fall of Taliban and Saddam regime in Afghanistan and Iraq as a result of the

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lingering effects of the bombing of the WTC and Pentagon. ? Is it better or becoming worse

with the intervention from the United States? It is undeniable truth that Afghanistan and Iraq

are still remains unstable due to the resentment and related a insurgency, compounded by

Sunni-Shiite-Kurdish violence that subsequently brought chaos and throughly has grown into

civil war not only in Afghanistan and Iraq but also spread throughout the middle east region

and to have an impact on development and regional security in Muslim countries around the

world.

In Middle East region, The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) which is a

private humanitarian institution based in Geneva, Switzerland paint a dire picture to describe

the situation especilally in Afghanistan and Iraq after the regime changed. Due to rampant

chaos experienced by the country, the daily lives of the people are mostly affected. The

people are afraid to leave their home because there are so many cases involving bombings,

murders and kidnapping which subsequently have traumatized towards citizens and this worst

situation have urge the members of the politicians and humanitarian organizations to

intervene the situation.

Now, after more than a decade post the September 11 tragedy, security issues in the

western region often an issue This shows the western region was not spared from terrorist

attacks. declared war against terrorists by United States and supported by Britain finally, will

be blow to terrorists all over the world especially western countries. For an example, Britain

transformed from a country that has the lowest ranking terrorist threat to the middle. Changes

in risk has proven Blair made a mistake in his actions before taking the decision with United

States to declared war against terrorists. Nowdays Britain is increasingly becoming a terrorist

threat and at the moment, after New York, London is the main focus because of its role as a

symbol of political sovereignty in Britain and as a warning to other western countries and to

create unsafe situation and potentially threaten foreign investment to invest in the West.

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2. HUNTINGTON MAIN THESIS

Samuel P. Huntington’s wrote an article regarding ‘the Clash of Civilizations?’ in

Foreign Affairs of Summer 1993, three years after Bernard Lewis’s Atlantic Monthly article

about the ‘clash’ in September 1990. Huntington’s clash of civilizations thesis offer a new

paradigm of world politics. Huntington primarily focuses on cultural-religious civilization

factors. He argues that his ‘civilization conflict paradigm’ is superior to the alternative models

that developed after the Cold War. Huntington claims that ‘Islamic and Western civilizations

more likely to be clashed because Islam is the only civilization that aspires universalist values

and poses a significant challenge to the West’.1

On the other hand, Huntington talks about an Islamic-Confucian connection against

the Western civilization. In doing so, he recommends that the West should limit expansion of

Islamic - Confucian states’ military and economic power and the West should exploit

differences between the two civilizations. Huntington is highly concerned with de-

Westernization and non-Western modernization. He suggests that the West should control

immigration and assimilate immigrants in order to preserve and reify civilization

homogeneity. As he extensively concerns with the status of Western power and unity,

Huntington also calls for improvement of Western unity so he recommends empowerment of

the Atlantic partnership between the US and Europe.2

Huntington attributes NATO a ‘civilization mission’ in order to realize civilization

homogeneity of the West. Then, he recommends that Turkey and Greece should be out of

NATO for the purpose of West’s civilization coherence. Huntington argues that the rest can

hardly copy the West since the west is not universal but unique. For this reason, the West

1 Samuel P. Huntington, “If Not Civilizations, What?: Paradigms of the Post-Cold War World”, Foreign Affairs (November/December 1993), pp. 187-189.2 M.E Ahrari, “The Clash of Civilizations: An Old Story or New Truth?”, New PerspectivesQuarterly, Vol. 14, No.2 (Spring 1997), pp.56-61.

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should not aspire universalism. Moreover, Huntington favors Americanization and denounces

multiculturalism. He criticizes multiculturalism tendencies in the United States since it

weakens the ‘American creed’.3 According to Huntington ‘A multicivilizational United States

will not be the US, it will be the UN’. 4

Finally, Huntington’s clash thesis presented several policy recommendations. The

advices are primarily related to American politics and US foreign policy. The

recommendations are tightening immigration and assimilating immigrants and minorities (to

increase the civilization coherence), instead multiculturalism pursuing policy of

Americanization, maintaining Western technological and military superiority over other

civilizations, enhancing the Western unity by means of pursuing Atlantics ‘policy, limiting

the expansion of Islamic - Confucian states’ military and economic power and exploiting

differences between these states, avoiding universalist aspiration since the West is unique not

universalist, and not to intervene in the affairs of other civilizations.5

In line with theory stated by Huntington, Karen Armstrong in that book Entitled Holy

War: The Crusades and Their Impact on Today’s World state that religion causes conflict

between Islamic and Western World. For an example Israel vs. Palestinian conflict no longer

can be translate as conflict between the two countries that take by certain local force, but this

conflicts perhaps are the seizing between two religions that lies at a different State. According

to Abul A'ala Maududi, a founder of ‘Jamaat Islamy Pakistan’ discusses the concept of

civilization. Maududi along with many other Islamic scholars have found religion capable of

making a civilization. He mentions five elements which make the edifice of a civilization,

which include: concept of religion, aim of life, fundamental beliefs and thoughts, man making

3 James Kurth, “The Real Clash”, The National Interest, No. 37 (Fall 1994), pp. 3-15.4 Samuel P. Huntington, “The West, Civilizations, and Civilization”, in The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order (New York: Simon & Shuster 1996)5 Samuel P. Huntington, “The Clash of Civilizations?”, “The West, Civilizations, andCivilization” and , “If Not Civilizations, What?: Paradigms of the Post-Cold War World”

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and collective System. According to him, every civilization depends on these five factors. The

term also can be used in the less strict way, to mean same thing as culture. 6

Every society whether civilization or not has a set of modes and customs or in broader

sense a culture that makes it unique. For many scholars like Oswald Spengler, Arnold

Toynbee etc culture has a greater tendency of grouping all the contrasts of a large group,

which assimilates them into a civilization. Spengler says that many civilizations are actually

large cultural spheres containing many nations and regions. The civilization in which

someone lives is that person's broadest cultural identity. Not surprisingly, Samuel P.

Huntington’s ‘thought-provoking’ and/or provocative the ‘Clash of Civilizations’ essay has

attracted voluminous attention in all over the world and it has resulted in a ‘clash of

scholarship’.7

Critique On Huntington Thesis

After the Clash of Civilizations was introduced by Samuel Huntington since 1993, this

theory has sparked a lot of controversy and has attracted much attention of the western world

neither Muslim countries. It is unleashed a fierce debate around the world and also provoking

criticisms from many intellectual including Edward Said, Noam Chomsky, Amartya Sen, and

Paul Berman.

During 1998, President Hojat al-Islam wa al-Moslemeen Sayyed Mohammad

Khatami, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran advanced a concept of the “dialogue

among civilization” at United Nations as alternative to Lewis-Huntington thesis.

“A close reading of human history would indicate that, notwithstanding formidable obstacles

to constructive interaction among nations imposed by episodes and manifestations of

intolerance and war, civilizations have always managed to benefit and thrive through

communication and mutual enrichment, while preserving their individual identities. . . . Given

6 7

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the fundamental role of culture in shaping political and economic structures, the promotion of

dialogue among different cultures, on the basis of tolerance and respect for diversity, would

result in the reduction of tensions and contribute to international peace and security. While

dialogue by itself would not guarantee the eradication of evils of war and bigotry, it does

provide a reasonable and sound paradigm to approach the global problems likely to confront

us in the 21st century (United Nations 1998).”8

It is mean that in linking cultural diversity, intercultural interaction is very important

to build among culture. Therefore, tolerance and respect for diversity are shown through

diplomacy helps reduce tension and contribute to peace and security of many countries.

Firstly, the critics of the Huntington thesis where his thesis are overstates the

differences or the degree of conflict between the west and the Muslim world. Paul Berman

also critics in his best-selling book Terror and Liberalism(2004), he said “in what degree

America’s policies and actions over the last few decades can bear out the idea of clashing

civilizations”9. In Berman’s observation, many foreign interventions of United States were

undertaken in defense of Muslim populations.

Ronald Inglehart and Pippa Norris (2003) also argue that Huntington fails to recognize

the degree to which Muslim public opinion favors democracy, one of Huntington’s

“distinguishing characteristics” of Western society. For instance, from the World Values

Survey, conducted in 70 countries in 1995–96 and 2000–2002, show that the West is not set

apart from the Muslim world by its support for democratic government. What we can say here

that most people in Islamic country accept the democracy concept.

8 Austin Dacey: Is there a Clash Of Civilizations, the Failure of the United Nations RespondsRetrieve from:http://www.centerforinquiry.net/uploads/attachments/IS_THERE_A_CLASH_OF_CIVILIZATIONS.pdf on 4 th

April 2013.9 Austin Dacey: Is there a Clash Of Civilizations, the Failure of the United Nations RespondsRetrieve from:http://www.centerforinquiry.net/uploads/attachments/IS_THERE_A_CLASH_OF_CIVILIZATIONS.pdf on 4 th

April 2013.

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Next, Huntington theory also get a responds from Muslim world especially al-Qaeda

network. It’s not surprising where Huntington’s book is the best seller in middle east. The al-

Qaeda network's militants “adore” Huntington, “for he brings grist to their mill: the two

civilizations are incompatible.” Huntington's work, in fact, is the top reference for all Islamist

militants, thrilled by the cultural rift that gives credence to their confrontational ideology.10

Olivier Roy had shows that the clash of civilizations has become a convenient form of

discourse on both sides of the conflict: “Huntington is regularly accused of having introduced

the concept of the ‘clash of civilizations’ … But this approach is also shared by

fundamentalists and conservative Muslims”.11

In sum, this theory get so many respond whether positive nor negative. Secular voices

deserve to be heard, and are essential to contemporary debates over religion and politics. In

our opinion there is a clash however, it is not a clash of civilizations, but a clash of values, a

clash between broadly liberal moral-political ideals and practices, and their alternatives.

3. DEVELOPING MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING & COOPERATION BETWEEN

ISLAM AND THE WEST

As we know, the media (especially Western media) since 11 th September 2001 give a

wrong perception about Islam and Muslim. Normally, those media will say a bad thing about

Islam. For example, Islam is the terrorist religion, Islam promote violence and killing non-

believer. Accordingly, it is important to develop mutual understanding and cooperation

between Islam and Western countries. There are several effort are arranged since 11 th

September 2001 incident was happened.

Explain the Islamic teaching

10 Ibid., 133.11 Olivier Roy, Globalised Islam: The Search For A New Ummah (London: Hurst & Company,2004), 9.

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September 11 tragedy gives a negative impact to the Muslim world. Muslim people had

been accused as terrorist. As a result, Western people tend to give a negative view towards

Muslim people. Because of that, there must be a solution for develop a mutual understanding

between Islam and West world.

I think the best way to make a mutual understanding is to clarify the matters that are

we must explain the true teachings of Islam. The scholars (ulema) and leaders play an

important role of the world to tell them that Islam teaches its followers to wage war, violence

and even hostile. As a Muslims, we should show to the Western world that what they think

about Islam is not true.

They can use mass media to convey the messages, for example, messages in the form

of drama or film, religious talk and documentary. For example; in Malaysia, we have a good

religious talk such as ‘Forum Perdana Hal Ehwal Islam’, ‘Tanyalah Ustaz’, ’30 minit bersama

Ustaz Don’ and more. In Egypt they has a documentary ‘Law Kaana Bainana’ means ‘if the

Prophet still with us’. The show is about to spread the love of the Prophet and spread the

prophet attitude in order to persuade people to follow the good manners in their life.

Besides that, publication media also useful to spread the news and publish books that

can give enlightens the issues about Islam. The writers should concern to the religious issues

and knowledgeable about the field of religion. By doing so, not only Muslim but also non-

Muslim can be able to understand more about Islam and the teachings. In addition, it can

avoid slander and false news also gives right information about Muslim people and Islam

especially.

On top of that, Muslims is the important role player to fix these matters. Practising the

real Islam teaching, with follow ahlul sunnah wal jamaah perhaps will show them that Islam

is the true and tolerance religion.

Develop Mutual Cooperation

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Mutual suspicion, fear and misunderstanding between Islamic and Western societies

have been increasing since the beginning of the new millennium. The heightened instability

of coexistence between these groups of people with divergent backgrounds has led to

exploitation by extremists throughout the world to the severest form of this being violent acts

of terrorism. It has been the opinion of many political leaders that efforts should be made to

reach a common ground between diverse ethnic and religious groups based on tolerance,

understanding, and respect of the fundamental set of values and beliefs of each group. In this

way, and by the attempt to quell "extremism", a comprehensive coalition can be established to

work toward a peaceful coexistence between diverse groups around the world, and thereby

support international stability.

There is the solution for developing mutual understanding between Islam and the

West in order to develop mutual cooperation is from the aspect of dialog of civilization

between them. First of all, a political matter of concern is the crisis scenario that Samuel

Huntington described as a "clash of civilizations" is by no means inevitable. Following from

intercultural ignorance, indifference and mutual misunderstandings, however, it could become

a reality. What is therefore required is a united effort in the area of intercultural conflict

prevention. Furthermore, between normative demands and reality: structural conditions for

dialogue for Intercultural dialogue is a complicated business. It is not only burdened by the

kind of reservations, stereotypes and historical experiences out of which mutual mistrust often

grows. Perhaps even more difficult than these are the numerous structural asymmetries which,

despite the best intentions of the participants, cannot easily be removed and which may

endanger the objectives of the dialogue in general. It is therefore necessary to reflect and

discuss the normative and structural conditions of dialogue.

Although there seemed to be a broad consensus about the normative preconditions of

dialogue, a longer controversy developed as to whether intercultural dialogue makes sense

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given the economic and political inequality between the West and most of the Islamic

countries. For instance, the debate was set in motion by lsmail bin Haji Ibrahim, Director

General of the Institute of Islamic Understanding in Kuala Lumpur, who, with reference to the

current financial crisis in South-East Asia, complained about the one-sided dependency of

Islamic countries on the over mighty West. He insisted that it was not possible to enter into a

serious intercultural dialogue before the problem of economic inequality and dependency had

been discussed. Other speakers also repeatedly referred to tile enormous economic and

political inequalities in power between Western and Islamic countries and how they burden

and endanger the dialogue, or even make it impossible.

Moreover, exposing and overcoming stereotypes One of the main concerns of the

conference consisted in overcoming prejudice, stereotypes and images of the enemy which, if

they remain unresolved, could lead to a "clash of civilizations”. For example, Mohammed

Arkoun diagnosed one important cause of the problem as being the lack of sophisticated

cultural studies. The mutual enrichment of the monotheistic religions in the Middle Ages, he

said, has almost been completely forgotten and plays no real part in either academic debate or

in general public consciousness today. In this context Thierry Fabre expressed a wish to

overcome the one-sided apportioning of blame.

In his view, not only is the contribution that Islam made to the development of

European philosophy being ignored but on the Muslim side the influence of Greek philosophy

on Islamic thinking has likewise often been denied. Maribel Fierro argued from a somewhat

different standpoint. Without denying the importance of tile cultural studies in general, she

warned that the impact of academic studies as a medium for political reconciliation should not

be exaggerated. An example she cited the myth of "al-Andalus", currently popular in Spain,

which has not prevented Spanish Christians and Muslims from viewing each other with a

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great deal of suspicion, since they fail to identify each others with the glorified era of

Christian-Jewish-Islamic coexistence. (http://www.cie.ugent.be/bielefeldt9.htm)

In other that, the role of the media was the importance of the media is often mentioned

at intercultural conferences. Comments often remain very generalised, however. The major

influence that is ascribed to the media frequently turns into a general chiding of journalism or

even a demonisation of the mass media, i.e. attacks which in turn can nourish the temptation

to adopt authoritarian solutions. It is one of the merits of the Berlin Conference that it has

specifically made the role of the media one of its central themes in order to gain a more

differentiated estimation of the possibilities and limits of journalistic work within intercultural

dialogue.

Islam and West Conference

Islam, like any religion, is facing challenges to evolve and adjust to modernity and in

particular to the economic and cultural power of a dominant West. The terrorist attacks of

September 11, the wars on Iraq and Afghanistan, and the interminable conflict between

Israelis and Palestinians are merely the highest profile examples of a global state of affairs

whose ramifications extend to even the very local and regional levels.

One may point to the rising Islamophobic sentiment in other parts of the world which

finds expression in such senseless acts as the burning of copies of the Qur’an to express

hatred towards Islam. Today, many of dialogue held around five issue areas such as

international politics, citizenship and integration, religion, ethics and ideology, education and

intercultural understanding, economic and social development to develop mutual

understanding between Islam and West.

According to the Chandra Muzzafar, President of International Movement for a Just

World and Professor at the Center for Civilizational Dialogue at the University of Malaysia in

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, there are both historical and contemporary factors which would

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explain this misconception of Islam within certain circles in the West. He said that fact has

stated that Islam occupied parts of Europe, which had never happened to European

civilization before that. Then, he also said that colonialism, which affected both sides and

created a situation where the antagonism became even more serious.

Muslim-West dialogue is critical in today’s world. Terrorism and antiterrorism efforts,

the US occupation and sectarian violence in Iraq, the enduring Israeli-Palestinian conflict,

European Union efforts to integrate a growing Muslim minority, and the prospects for

democracy in the Middle East – these and other issues involve complex strategic, political and

economic calculations. At the same time, such issues demonstrate the importance of dialogue

together with greater understanding, mutual respect, and sustained cooperation in the service

of peace. Karen Armstrong has said that there is no point in dialogue if we are not prepared to

change our minds, alter our preconceptions and transcend an orthodoxy that we have long

ceased to examine critically.

The World Economic Forum represents a diverse constituency, including leaders from

government, business, media, education, religious communities, and civil society. Each has

the responsibility and the opportunity to contribute to deepening dialogue between the West

and the Muslim world. So, it has an important role to improve and develop mutual

understanding between West and Islam.

4. THE INCREASING OF MUSLIM POPULATION AFTER 11 th SEPTEMBER

2001

After the incident of 11th September, nearly all Western societies blame Muslims for

the death of thousands of people. However, despite the negative views, they also know about

the existence of Islam and try to learn about in deeply.

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For the population of Muslim in Western countries in Europe, Muslim is considered

as the most fast growing religion. This is due to the immigration and average birth rate in that

country. The immigrants are mostly come from areas such as North Africa, Turkey and South

Asia. It is difficult to announce the exact number of the population. Most of the countries are

refuse to give some information. From 1990 to 2010, the numbers of Muslim populations are

steadily increases to 17 million. Muslims population is predicted to increase to 58 million by

2030 and expected to make up 8% of Europe’s populations. We stated several countries in

Europe that have the Muslims populations such as Albania, Austria, Belgium, Denmark,

France, Germany, Italy, Netherland and Turkey.

Furthermore, the other effect after the attack is the demand of Arabic language as the

foreign language is greater. This is one of the positive effect after the attack. Since 2001,

America’s interest in Islamic culture has developed. The Koran has become one of the

bestselling books and the demand for Arabic language lessons is unprecedented.

Comparatively few Westerners ever venture to learn Arabic. There is an extreme shortage of

workers in the West who are versed in Arabic language and culture. Those who study Arabic

can find careers in a variety of fields such as journalism, business and industry, education,

finance and banking, translation and interpretation, consulting, foreign service and

intelligence and so on. Besides that, enrollment in Arabic language courses and Middle

Eastern studies has roared globally in an effort to understand the Muslim world.

In conclusion, beside the population of Muslim people in the world increase, the

demand of Arabic language also greater. More and more people become Muslim and at the

same time the intellectual group like engineer, teacher, lecturer, scientist and other profesional

become Muslim finally after studies about Islam.

COUNCLUSION

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As conclusion this studies, Islam become the most popular religion since the incident

of 11th September 2001. A lot of people become anti-Islam and have so many

misunderstanding about Islam happen around the world especially Western countries like

USA and European countries. These incident give bad image of Islam and the term

“Islamofobia” start taking place among the Non-Muslim communities.

However, in another angle, the profesional and intellectual group start studies about

Islam like read translation of Quran, the history of prophet Muhammad s.a.w, and learn

Arabic language. Finally, many of them become Muslim and become preacher to explain

about Islam to Non-Muslim communities. This situation never happen until 11 th September

2001 incident .

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References

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