Islam and Europe: a clash of civilizations?

Certain governments and members of society fear a clash of civilizations; they believe that Muslims are a threat to their society and that they cannot be integrated into the Western world.

Immigrants have arrived in Western countries from many countries, but it is the influx of Muslims that has caused the most concern and alarm. Many native inhabitants fear that the mass immigration from Muslim countries threatens their civilization, culture and values, which have endured for so many centuries. 

It is undeniable that people are rapidly moving away from religion and this trend is particularly acute in the West. Western values are centuries old, and are based on its religious traditions and especially on its Christian and Jewish heritage. However, these religious values and cultural norms are under attack by those who oppose all forms of religion and faith. The decline of religious faith in the West is the main reason why people fear Islam, because they know that, generally speaking, Muslims are more committed to their faith. 

In chapter 2, verse 257, the Holy Koran categorically states that “there shall be no compulsion in religion”. The hateful ideology of a small minority of so-called Muslims who have adopted extremism has no correlation with the teachings of the Holy Koran. As far as the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is concerned, we believe that under no circumstances does Islam permit the use of force or any kind of coercion in spreading the faith. 

Verse 37 of chapter 4 says:

“And worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and show kindness to parents, to relatives, to orphans and the needy, to the neighbor who is akin to you and to the stranger, to the companion who is by your side, to the traveler and to those who possess your skills [...]”

How can this teaching, which requires Muslims to love and honor their parents, differ from that of any other religion or nation? How can this teaching undermine Western society? 

With regard to the needy, one of the essential ways to help them is through education. This will allow the youngest members of society, who come from broken homes or who suffer from poverty, to free themselves from the shackles of indigence. New opportunities will open up for them and, therefore, free from frustration and resentment, these young people will grow up to become productive members of society, instead of being drawn into a life of crime or gang culture. Rich countries should help the world's weaker nations to build their own solid foundations. If poorer countries could develop their economies and infrastructures, their people would have opportunities at home and less reason to emigrate abroad.

The Founder of Islam (peace and blessings of God be upon him) taught us that if a person is not grateful to his fellow man, he cannot be grateful to God. It is necessary that, together with the worship of God, a Muslim fulfills his obligations towards humanity. If Muslims come seeking to integrate, to fulfill their obligations, and to fight for peace and to improve society, then certainly this is something worthy of praise, and not of condemnation or punishment.

Some people argue or believe that Muslims have instructions to carry out “Jihad” and, therefore, they fear that they will come to the West and wage a violent war to impose Islamic civilization and culture. It is necessary to clarify that during the initial period of Islam, Muslims were forced to defend themselves after being declared war on for practicing their faith. These defensive wars were fought to protect the institution of religion and to defend the principle of freedom of belief. In chapter 22, verses 40-41, the Holy Qur'an states that, if the aggressors were not stopped, all churches, synagogues, temples, mosques and other places of worship would be under serious threat, as the underlying intention of the Meccan unbelievers was to wipe every trace of religion from the face of the earth. This shows that Islam protects all religions.

On one occasion, a companion of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) asked to join the Muslim army so that he could participate in the “Jihad”. The Prophet of Islam (pbuh) rejected his request, and said that since his parents were weak, he should stay at home, take care of them and consider that to be his “Jihad”. If the objective of “Jihad” was conquest, bloodshed and war, the Prophet of Islam (pbuh) would certainly have accepted his offer and would have tried to strengthen the Muslim army.

Another very common accusation in the Western world is that Muslims do not respect women or their rights. It should be noted that Islam was the first religion to grant women the right to inherit, the right to divorce and other rights. Furthermore, Islam emphasizes the great importance of educating girls and giving them the opportunity for personal growth and development. In chapter 4, verse 20, the Holy Qur'an has stated that Muslim men should treat their wives with love and respect. In Western countries, not a day goes by without news of the police or courts being forced to intervene and deal with terrible cases of domestic violence. Various reports and studies show that such crimes are not linked to any religion. It is therefore completely unfair to label Islam as a misogynistic religion. Islam is a religion that bestows honor and dignity on women; and any man who treats a woman cruelly is guilty of seriously violating the teachings of Islam.

Islam also requires its followers to respect the religious feelings and beliefs of other people. The Medina Covenant was a true illustration of this teaching, where the Torah was recognized and respected as the law-bearing Scripture of the Jews.

In chapter 5, verse 9 of the Holy Koran, God has proclaimed that the enmity of a nation or people should never incite a person to sacrifice the principles of justice and equity; on the contrary, Islam teaches that, in all circumstances, no matter how difficult it may be, one must remain firmly attached to the principles of justice and integrity, and never be carried away by the desire for revenge. History shows how the first Muslims were murdered, looted and tortured in Mecca and, ultimately, were expelled from their homes and had to emigrate after accepting the message of the Founder of Islam (lpbD). However, when he returned victorious to Mecca, and the entire city was under his command, his first pronouncement was that he would not take revenge on those who had brutally persecuted the Muslims. In that moment of triumph, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) exhibited supreme humility and tolerance. He declared that, according to the teachings of Islam, all those who had tormented Muslims would be instantly forgiven, and no one would be treated unjustly, regardless of whether or not they accepted Islam.

Chapter 24, verse 34, the Holy Koran states that if a “slave” seeks freedom, he should be freed and, if certain monetary quotas had been imposed, they should be reasonable and payable in small installments that are easy to pay, or they should not be applied at all. In today's world, “physical slavery” has been replaced by “economic slavery and servitude”, whereby the relationship between the most powerful nations on earth and the weakest countries is similar to the relationship of “master and slave”. For example, rich countries give loans disguised as aid packages to weak nations that have no choice but to accept the conditions imposed on them. Invariably, the crippling interest rates applied to them mean that short-term loans lead to long-term misery and debt. 

In short, Islam is not a threat to Western civilization or its culture. If there are Muslims who usurp the rights of non-Muslims, it is only because they reject the teachings of Islam, or ignore them completely. They dishonor Islam and only succeed in defaming its blameless name.

Instead of talking about a clash of civilizations, or unnecessarily increasing tensions between different communities, we must refrain from attacking the religious teachings of others. Instead of trying to impose restrictions on expressions of faith, we must recognize that we are all part of a human race that is more connected than ever. We must embrace our diversity and focus on establishing unity so that long-term peace can have a place in the world. However, today we see the opposite: both Muslim and non-Muslim countries put their own interests above the interests of the world in general, and transgress all limits of fairness and morality in order to achieve their own goals.

With reminiscences of the dark days of the past, opposing blocs and alliances have formed, and it seems that the world is bent on self-destruction. There are many countries that possess nuclear bombs and other destructive weapons that have the potential to destroy civilization as we know it. Who can guarantee that these weapons will never be used, or that they will not end up in the wrong hands? All it takes is a miscalculation or a false move for hostilities to unleash the unthinkable. The consequences of such a war are unimaginable, but it is safe to say that the world will never be the same again.

Therefore, instead of fanning the flames of hatred, whether due to religious or ethnic differences, or for political ends, we must recognize the warning signs and change our attitudes before it is too late.

Let us all unite, regardless of our differences, and work in a spirit of mutual respect, tolerance and affection, for world peace and freedom of belief.