Islam and Modernity

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer maintains that the title of Bernard Lewis' book, 'What Went Wrong: The Clash Between Islam and Modernity in the Middle East', immediately strikes the eye of the reader as potentially, perhaps dangerously judgmental in its nature. The writer notes that Lewis' book, for all of its faults, does express a very common view, that there is something inherently dangerous about the Islamic world, and the way that it interacts with the rest of the world. In articulating this thesis, the writer discusses that Lewis does at least dare to bring this question about Islam to the forefront of discussion, a question that many persons are afraid to ask. The writer concludes that Lewis' refusal to judge Christianity in the same terms as he does Islam makes his book difficult to respect.

From the Paper:

"The influence of Islam makes itself felt in many regions within the Middle East, and many nations, and all have their own unique complexities. Finally, the title also suggests that this 'Islam' is anti-modern in a way that is wrong and problematic, specifically with the nature of the religion, rather than with some of the leaders of nations or groups who might have been Muslim persons and committed wrongdoing."
"A bad or simplistic title does not necessarily mean that the author has written a bad or inaccurate book. But in this case, the title unfortunately provides clues as to Lewis' schematic interpretation of Middle Eastern history. Even in early modernity, Lewis does not allow for any possible good things to come from Islam. He begins, not with a discussion of the tenants of the faith in an effort to make them comprehensible in the terms of his Western readership, but with wars and clashes of civilizations."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Lewis Bernard. What Went Wrong: The Clash Between Islam and Modernity in the Middle East. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002. New York: Harper Perennial Reprint, 2003.

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• Article Review # 87663 : "Article Summaries for Islam and Modernity"
• Essay # 87037 : "Islam and Modernity in Iran"
• Analytical Essay # 150198 : "Islam and Modern Science"

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