The theme of Islam-West relations is an intriguing one. For Islam and Muslims, the West is simply another geopolitical entity and ideological complexity. It represents neither more nor less than the rest of the world.

On one hand, it is seen as a target for the honest communication of Islamic truth, after which people are free to choose or reject it. On the other hand, it is viewed as the subject of inevitable cultural and civilizational interactions that are meant to benefit both sides.

Indeed, in the dealings between Islam and the West, Muslims see themselves as productive and beneficial partners, bringing good news and fortune. The West is viewed positively, as a potential ally.

Its nature is neither good nor bad; it depends on how it positions itself and responds to the overtures of Islam, its people, and its civilization. This perspective stems from the Islamic principles of equality, justice, and benevolence, which are universal and apply to all aspects of life and communities.

People should not be judged based on their circumstances, but rather on their choices and actions. They are considered innocent until they prove otherwise.

However, with regard to the West and its dispositions, the case is totally different. Having been established on questionable religious and ideological grounds—such as the tense and unforgiving relationships between Judaism and Christianity, where each side continuously discredited and undermined the legitimacy of the other, ultimately leading to religiophobia and outright atheism disguised as modernity, development, and scientism—the West has always viewed Islam, in its capacity as the final revelation and last Testament to humanity that seeks to clean up the mess generated by the Judaism-Christianity controversies, as a threat and Muslims as potential enemies.

Hence, the West's religiophobia transformed into Islamophobia, while tensions between Judaism and Christianity were initially muted and later somewhat smoothed over. This was done to focus all confrontational efforts against the perceived hazards of Islam and Muslims.

Which in turn led to unfortunate and shameful historical chapters and measures, such as the Crusades, colonialism, the mission to civilize, Christianization, and the pseudoscience of Orientalism, which sought to distort Islam and Islamic civilization, creating a narrative suitable for Western audiences.

More recently, the strategy has included the war on terror and the "democratization" of the Muslim world.

The ongoing genocide in Gaza has revealed the true nature of the West, highlighting its hypocrisy towards others and its deep-seated animosity towards Islam and Muslims. One cannot help but feel that enough is enough.

The truth must be spoken plainly, and a spade must be called a spade. The honorable and brave people of Gaza and Palestine have made it clear that the emperor has no clothes. This, in passing, is not an attack on the West and its people, but rather a critique of their ongoing institutional wrongdoings, which Muslims must recognize and be ready to address.

The predicament has gone on long enough and needs to stop. It is time for Muslims to sort out their internal matters and get their house in order, rather than presenting themselves as gullible and, consequently, victimized by the vultures of the West.

Muslims must realize that no one will help them unless they start helping themselves. The world has become so volatile that everyone is left to their own devices. It is not an exaggeration to say that the West and its (un)civilization have turned the global socio-political landscape into a truly wild West.

This book is envisioned to be a step in the above-suggested right direction. It seeks to uncover important aspects of the West and its civilizational trajectory, highlighting where these aspects both align with and differ from the principles of Islam and its own civilizational trends.

The topics discussed vary widely, covering not only abstract ideas and ethical dilemmas but also practical issues and real-life experiences faced by individuals and organized communities in both the West and the Islamic world in their daily private and institutional lives.

The topics may initially seem standalone and even disjointed, but there is an invisible thread that connects them and holds them together: the avant-garde spirit of both Islam and the West, which influences their values and actions. These two domains of mutual interest create an Islam-West axis along which many interactions, and unfortunately most confrontations, occur.

For this reason, the subjects of epistemology, Islamophobia, jihad, conquest, peaceful coexistence, religious certainty, the Gaza tragedy, historical revisionism, theology, ethics, civilizational productivity, and others stand alongside each other, subtly generating a mosaic of complementary ideas and a tapestry of intertwined concerns. 

It cannot be stressed enough – in conclusion - that the ultimate goal is to show that Islam and the West, despite their many differences, can create a common platform to work together for the betterment of the world.

Misunderstandings must be reduced, prejudices addressed, and confrontational attitudes and behaviors controlled. Initiatives and engagements should be reciprocal, with both sides acting and contributing as equal partners.

The era of (neo)colonialist bullying and one-sided Orientalist narratives must end. A future based on respect, dialogue, tolerance, coexistence, and cooperation is the solution. The content of the book should serve as an eye-opener and a stimulus for affirmative action, in addition to providing an educational boost that could permeate and act as the driving force of the former.

(This article is an excerpt from the author’s forthcoming book titled “Towards Redefining Islam-West Relations”)