But rejection alone does not take one very far, since if we are to claim, that as a religion and as a civilization Islam does have a meaning very much beyond either of the two currently given it [oil suppliers or potential terrorists], we must first be able to provide something in the way of a space in which to speak of Islam. Those who wish either to rebut the standard anti-Islamic and anti-Arab rhetoric that dominates the media and liberal intellectual discourse, or to avoid the idealization of Islam (to say nothing of its sentimentalization), find themselves with scarcely a place to stand on, much less a place in which to move freely.
In case it does sound too out of context, here's the full article
Islam Through Western Eyes
Edward W. Said
April 26, 1980,
The Nation.
No comments:
Post a Comment