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"Islam-West conflict"

Hasan Suroor

LONDON: India is among the countries where a significant number of people believe that a "violent conflict'' between Islam and the West is "inevitable'' as claimed by the American academic Samuel Huntington in his controversial theory of "clash of civilisations'', according to a BBC worldwide poll on the relationship between Muslims and Western culture.

The poll, based on interviews with 28,000 persons in 27 countries, shows that fewer Indians than people in America, Europe, Africa and West Asia believe that Islam and the West can find a "common ground''. While only 35 per cent Indians reject the idea of a "clash of civilisations'', there is much greater optimism in the West despite the wave of Islamophobia that swept America and large parts of Europe after the 9/11 attacks, and the Madrid and London bombings.

In Britain, an impressive 77 per cent believe that Islam and the West can find a "common ground'' followed by 69 per cent in France, 64 per cent in America and 49 per cent in Germany. Italians are the most optimistic with 78 per cent saying "no'' to the Huntington theory.

Among the Muslim countries, covered by the survey, the news from Indonesia is grim with 51 people believing that a violent conflict is "inevitable''.

The mood is rather more upbeat in Lebanon, Turkey and Nigeria which has a large Muslim population.

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