Article Review

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Article Review

The article “Europe against Islam: Islam in Europe” by Talal Asad commenced with a statement exemplifying the influence of the media in a global liberal democracy. Talal noted that Europe’s encounter with Islam had left the feeling that the Islamic civilization was a mask that hid a nation that embraced social and political injustice as well as an aversion to modernity. The ideological conflict between Islam and the West featured prominently in Asad’s arguments and example. His main question was “why was Europe reluctant to embrace the Islamic civilization in its current state together with its traditions, ideologies, and other trappings?” Talal Asad recognized the complicated ways in which the existence of Muslim societies in European settings had been characterized as a reaction to eruptions of violence, for instance, those in France. Asad proposed that majority of the critiques leveled at Muslims, specifically their reliance on transcendent entities, also dwell in the rational assumptions of worldly and agnostic analysts. In this way, Asad was able to reiterate the need to scrutinize Islam as an institution to shun broad generalizations and concentrate instead on the intricacies and specifics of the Islamic lifestyles.

The author’s selection of the main topic was excellent. The choice of discussing the place of Islam in the greater European context is bound to generate significant discourse from various scholars and readers. Islam has faced long-standing opposition from the rest of the Western-oriented regions mainly because of their opposing stand encapsulated in their religion and autocratic style of administration. By bringing this issue to light on an academic platform, Asad managed to orchestrate an objective and constructive discussion on global ideological differences. In the process of navigating through the paper, Talal Asad carefully ushers in his argument that outlines the level of resistance faced by Muslims in Europe. It has been difficult enough to include predominantly Islam states such as Turkey into European economic circles. Talal Asad also ensured that he presented counter-arguments that shed light on Therefore, in terms of structuring his arguments, he was accurately and objective.

Within the article, the proper usage of grammar, vocabulary and sentence structure contributed towards a high-quality paper. A discussion on international relations is bound to generate technical terms. Rather than spending a significant amount of time elaborating on phrases, Asad opted to use simple language wherever possible. Conversely, he was keen to ensure that all of the Islam terminologies and unique traditions were explained in the context of international relations. The arrangement of ideas and arguments in the article was equally first-rate. The initial paragraphs were dedicated to introducing the reader to the general state of the relationship between the Islamic and the European world. In these sections, the reader is able to draw an idea of what Asad claimed to be his thesis. The body of the paper concentrated on delving into the different ways through which Islam was perceived as an affront to modernity through their political and moral stands. Throughout the paper, Asad maintains his stand while constantly referring to the thesis that is the difficulty for Europe to embrace the Islamic civilization without making them conform to global standards.

Conclusion

The article portrayed an overall standard structure. The organization and flow of ideas from the introductory paragraphs to the conclusive ones was excellent. The reader can follow the different arguments and counter-arguments posed by Talal Asad and other scholars on the pertinent issue of Europe’s resistance to Islam. The article represents a good read for Islamic cultural enthusiasts and an excellent learning material for students seeking a different perspective on why relationships between the West and Islamic civilizations have been sour for the last two decades.