Huntington's Prophecies: A Tribute to an Outstanding Political Genius
04 Jan, 2009
Harvard
educator Samuel Huntington, the most controversial political
scientist of the past two decades, breathed his last on 28 December
2008, aged 81. A prophetic genius to some and an evil war-mongering
ideologue to others, it is an opportune time to revisit the
controversial works of Huntington.- With Marxist-Communist regimes collapsed ending the Cold War, Francis Fukuyama argued in his influential thesis, The End of History, in 1989 that liberal democracy may signal the end-point of humankind's ideological evolution and the final form of governance, which would eventually be adopted globally. Fukuyama's thesis had two seminal assumptions: a) Triumph of civilized liberal democracy globally, and b) Emergence of a nonconflictual world civilization.
Huntington's Civilizational Clash theory (1993) challenged both assumptions of Fukuyama. Regarding Fukuyama's presumed triumph of civilized liberal democracy globally, Huntington emphasized that "Law and order", "the first prerequisite of Civilization", were evaporating or under threat everywhere—China, Japan and the United States included. Globally, "Civilization seems in many respects to be yielding to barbarism... a global Dark Age possibly descending on humanity," he wrote. Opposed to Fukuyama's proposed emergence of a nonconflictual world civilization, Huntington emphasized that conflicts were not over, but future conflicts would likely be fought along civilizational fault-lines over cultural or religious differences, not between states over ideological (political) or economic reasons. "The clash of civilizations will dominate global politics. The fault lines between civilizations will be the battle lines of the future," he predicted.
|
Identifying seven to eight major civilizations: Indian, Chinese, Asian, Islamic, Western etc., Huntington emphasized that, instead of converging toward universal liberalism globally, human consciousness within these civilizations is increasingly parochializing: people are becoming increasingly conscious of their cultural, religious or civilizational values and differences.
His thesis gets a significant space for Islamic resurgence, simply because religious revivalism amongst Muslims in recent decades much outweighs the rejuvenation of civilizational or religious consciousness amongst other peoples. Islam has Bloody Borders, Muslims are involved in majority of the world's conflicts, said Huntington and evidently so. "The overwhelming majority of fault line conflicts, however, have taken place along the boundary lopping across Eurasia and Africa that separates Muslims from non-Muslims," he writes, adding, that "wherever one looks along the perimeter of Islam, Muslims have problems living peaceably with their neighbors."
Although Huntington analyzed how different civilizations would likely interplay in reshaping the world-order in the emerging era, his analysis regarding Islam has become a bone of contention. Critics have attacked his whole thesis as a forced construction of an inevitable Islam–West conflict, nonexistent in reality. His Clash of Civilizations, argues British academician Francis Robinson, is based on "the old Western polemic against Islam, Western fears of Islam, and a strong dose of Orientalism." Robinson emphasizes that "there is a long history of the Muslim and the Christian civilizations drawing on each other, and being enriched by each other, and this is a process which, whatever the rhetoric, still continues." With Communism brought down, many critics have argued that argued that the inherently hegemonic and militaristic West needed a new enemy: Huntington's thesis was an effort to invent one. It set out "to identify "new sources" of international conflicts in the post-Cold War world," claims Dr. Ismail Hossein-Zadeh of Drake University. Edward Said, the renowned anti-Orientalist, mockingly called Huntington's thesis "The Clash of Ignorance". He concluded: "'The Clash of Civilizations' thesis is a gimmick like 'The War of the Worlds,' better for reinforcing defensive self-pride than for critical understanding of the bewildering interdependence of our time."
After the September 11, 2001 (9/11) attacks in the United States, media became abuzz with Huntington's thesis: his supporters saw his prophesies being fulfilled; his opponents intensified their attacks on him for deliberately creating a paradigm that may fuel a fateful Islam-West conflict. His more avowed conspiratorial critics suggested that, prompted by Huntington's thesis, the U.S. administration carried out the 9/11 attacks for advancing America's hegemonic interests: the occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq, for example. Ayaan Hirsi Ali coined Huntington's dilemma as follows: "Foretelling the future can be fun for astrologists, prophets and crystal-ball gazers. For academics, it is not. If you get it right, you will be damned like Samuel Huntington. If you get it wrong, you will be called a certified idiot."
Many critics have trashed the idea of Civilization Clash, especially one between Islam and the West. Christian Europe, not Islam, they argue, has been historically intolerant to non-Christians—Jews in Europe, Muslims in Spain. At the same time, Christians, Jews and even Heathens found tolerance, peace and prosperity in Muslim lands. In the abhorrent colonial era, they assert, Christian West captured much of the Muslim and non-Muslim lands. Islam, therefore, can pose no threat to the West. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton asserted that the West has no problems with Islam. To this, Huntington retorted: "The relations between Islam and Christianity, both orthodox and Western, have often have been stormy. Each has been the other's Other. The twentieth century conflict between Liberal Democracy and Marxist-Leninism is only a fleeting and superficial historical phenomenon compared to the continuing and deeply conflictual relations between Islam and Christianity."
The avid critics of Huntington are either ignorant or in denial to assert that there was no problem between Islam and the West. A historical investigation proves Huntington thoroughly correct. Islam's birth under Prophet Muhammad was conflictual with the Pagans, Jews and Christians of Arabia: Pagans were annihilated during his life-time; Jews were expelled or slaughtered and enslaved; Christians were attacked, forcibly converted, or prohibited to baptize their children to turn them all Muslim.
After the prophet's death, Islam's conflict intensified and spread far afield against peoples of all creed, color and race. In two decades, Islam came in conflict with the Christian West when Muslims attacked Mediterranean Islands in 652 CE; it has remained so except for rare brief respites. Who can deny the Muslim occupation of Spain, Sicily, Greece, Hungary, East Europe and the Ottoman attempts to overrun Central and West Europe twice as they seized Vienna in 1529 and 1683? Who can deny the existence of the Crusades, the European colonial occupation—in which Islamic countries became the dominant victim?
Huntington foresaw a solidifying Muslim vs. non-Muslim conflict globally, although the idea of Islam-West conflict has become a buzzword. Undoubtedly, his prophecies vis-à-vis Islam have been turning a reality, if it haven't been so already. More astonishing is his prediction regarding other civilizations, other religions. Hinduism—historically an apolitical, tolerant creed—is becoming increasingly political, jingoistic and militant. While Hindu-Muslim clashes have been rife over the decades, often fueled by Muslims, militant Hindus in recent months have attacked Christians in various parts of India, killing a number of them. Buddhists, the most pacifist creed, is also becoming increasingly political, jingoistic and even militant. Buddhist monks rallied last year for making Buddhism the State Religion of Thailand. Militant Buddhists in Sri Lanka, instigated by monks, have been increasing their attacks on Christians; annoyed by Christian proselytization, they have been attacking and persecuting Christians. A Buddhist mob, led by monks, destroyed a church in July 2008.
The whole gamut of Huntington's thesis—i.e., emergence of conflicts amongst different peoples inspired by cultural and religious differences—is turning a reality; it will only get worse in coming decades. Even Huntington might have been surprised that his prophesies started turning a reality so soon. He knew the role cultures would play in shaping the emerging world-order. That's why he probably opposed the Iraq invasion not to antagonize another culture, although his many critics have held him culpable for fueling the whole conflict.
The Clash of Civilization is not Huntington's only theory that has proved prophetic. His first book, "The Soldier and the State: The Theory and Politics of Civil-Military Relations", published in 1957, endorsed the role of civilian authority over military institutions. Although attracted repulsive reviews at the time, it turned highly influential meriting a 50th anniversary symposium.
"He tended to have views that were unconventional and remarkably prescient. He would have a finger on the pulse of where events were headed," Boston Globe quotes James Perry, Huntington's former graduate student. And undoubtedly so!
He was a prophetically genius political scientist of our time. It may take a while to fill his shoes.
| If you like this essay: |
Stumble it
 |
digg it |
MA Khan is the editor of islam-watch.org website.
Name: Ibrahim
Date: Sunday January 04, 2009
Time: 05:47:42 -0500
Comment
Good article. However I disagree with the Hindu and Buddhist militant part. These attacks are acts of desperation of civilizations which are under attack from foreign dogmas which will stop at nothing short of complete annihilation of the native cultures. The work of Christian missionaries in South Asia is no secret. How they fool ordinary people is no mystery either. What you said about the Hindu attack on Christians was only a partial picture. These Missionaries were very much hand in glove with the local Ultras whom they are very well know to fund in order to further their cause of proselytization. In reality both the Christians and Muslims have the same goal, which is to spread their religion. While Christians are clever enough to do these activities in the guise of peaceful Missions, the Muslims use excessive force. However with advent of Polemics like Deedat and Naik, Christians have found their matches. In any case both the Semitic religions cannot find a place in the Asian world. Both these philosophies are intolerant of anything besides them. While the Christians may not say so upfront they will criticize people of other religions for following false Gods, and now that they don't find buyers for their God in Europe they are turning to countries in Africa and Asia. The truth is that in developed nations in Asia one will hardly find converts to either of these religions. It is only the poor and uneducated that they are able to fool. Today one can so called prayer halls all around India which are set up for only one purpose, i.e., convert the natives somehow. I say bygone you foreign Dogmas from my land.
Name: khanbhai, pls chk history of monoatheism they r the root of trouble
Date: Sunday January 04, 2009
Time: 05:51:43 -0500
Comment
dear sir, pls explore the torah/talmud/bible/koran they r the root of all trouble. we pagan hindus were the first to say: vasudhiva kutumbaka : the whole world is my family. but abraham started it all by hating the other people simply bcoz they believed in some god other than his imaginary deity. moses took it further by doing ethnic cleansing of hittite cannanite and other tribles simply bcoz they were not follower of his imagianry god, and killed the men and took the women as slaves etc....and jesus went 1 step further saying i am son of god,etc...and those who dont bow to me will be put in imaginary hell forever. so muhamed just took it 1 step further saying he is last prophet of imaginary allah and took the jew-christian bloodthirsty 1 step ahead. when jews and zorastrians came to india they were welcomes by kafirs hindus. we never clashed with them.but trouble started with the christians coming to india and killing millions and breaking temples. and so also the muslims. so root of all trouble is the jew-christian-islamic blood lust. send them back to arab lands let us all pagans and atheists live in peace. the root is judeo christianity islam, not india. pls dont say this.
Name: send the f*cking christians/muslims back to arab lands...we want peace
Date: Sunday January 04, 2009
Time: 05:57:27 -0500
Comment
send the f*cking christians/muslims back to arab lands...we want peace, we kafir pagan idolator believr and non believer we want peace. the christians r hand in glove with china backed maoist to break india same for muslims who r agent of saudi arabia. if we hindus dont protect ourself who will? how dare u say this mr. khan? pls send back all the f*cking christians/muslims to their original home lands and make india free from christianity/islam. we don't ened u killers here, we r peaceful people. till christianity/islam is not destroyed there is no world peace. christ shikan, allah shikan, koran shikan, arab shikan, islam shikan, kaba shikan, rome-pope shikan.
Name: continuum
Date: Sunday January 04, 2009
Time: 06:10:03 -0500
Comment
"Hinduism—historically an apolitical, tolerant creed—is becoming increasingly political, jingoistic and militant.....A Buddhist mob, led by monks, destroyed a church in July 2008." Well Cn you blame the Hindus and Buddhists alone? Christians have a habit of going around and demonizing every non-Christian just like Muslims and Christians have even made terrorist attacks against Hindus and Biddhists. I wonder why this point was NOT highlighted in the article. Buddhists in Sri-Lanka and Hindus in India are reacting to Christian violence for past 10 years. Orissa violence did not start without provocation for 10 years. A Christian member of parliament in India was arrested for plotting and murdering Hindu Swami Laxmananda. Similarly in Sri-Lanka Christian churches are involved with terrorist orgs like LTTE supplying arms to them. In Thailand, Buddhists are forced to do this because of repeated Islamic attacks. It is Christianity and Islam which is forcing Eastern religion followers to take actions.
Name: Huntington's Prophecies shiting Genius
Date: Sunday January 04, 2009
Time: 06:59:33 -0500
Comment
Why do you as a nazi bushwhore, not advocate the arrest of the bushites, who criminally sold Saddam the WMD?
Name: MA Khan
Date: Sunday January 04, 2009
Time: 08:21:20 -0500
Comment
The comments expressed here, including that of my good friend Ibrahim, only prove Huntington correct one more time, more firmly. Huntington only predicted globally cultural jingoism and even militancy about ones religious, cultural, civilizational values would rise, would become the dominant factor in future clashes, instead of interstate wars of the olden days. He did not leave a judgement on whether this is bad or good. I personally embrace liberalism; I am very much in favor of defending liberal values, that include human rights and dignity of all humans, not only in my backyard but anywhere in the world. And I don't have to be bitter if people say 'I am being a liberal jingoist, militant or whatsoever'.
Name: To continuum
Date: Sunday January 04, 2009
Time: 11:52:05 -0500
Comment
--"Christians have a habit of going around and demonizing every non-Christian just like Muslims and Christians have even made terrorist attacks against Hindus and Biddhists."--This is not absolute truth. Jesus Himself foretold the coming of false teachers in His name out to deceive the unwary.
Name: Look and see. Read and understand.
Date: Sunday January 04, 2009
Time: 12:03:19 -0500
Comment
Some people can look but cannot see. Some people can read but cannot understand.
Name: continuum
Date: Sunday January 04, 2009
Time: 17:46:08 -0500
Comment
"The comments expressed here, including that of my good friend Ibrahim, only prove Huntington correct one more time, more firmly." This person for sure is a political genius.
Name: continuum
Date: Sunday January 04, 2009
Time: 17:59:28 -0500
Comment
"All others, islam and hindu especially,categorize others based upon their social level (kafirs and untouchables) as determined by the religious framework determining who is better than the other." Why do you lie ? Christian missionaries use theor huge loads of wealth for conversion. When Tsunami hit India, Sri-Lanka and Indonesia, these missionaries went to these parts and offered help under the condition that they convert to Christianity. Hindus from India, Buddhists from Sri-Lanka and even Muslims from Indonesia drove these missionaries away and were reported in major news papers. So please spare us the "holier than thou" attitude to us Hindus and Buddhists. Both these communities have been serving poor in their community and others silently without advertising. Do not write bull shit without evidence. http://in.rediff.com/news/2005/jan/24shoba.htm
Name: Philip Saenz
Date: Sunday January 04, 2009
Time: 18:30:27 -0500
Comment
The Hindus are not as confused as the Muslims, but they are nevertheless confused. True Christians don't demonize anyone. A true Christian teaches that everyone is created equal, that each person should be treated fairly. That is the main message that Christians wish to spread. The Hindus aren't as evil as Muslims, but they are unfair to human beings. They teach the cast system, and stay away from the "untouchables." Is that fair? Everyone is the child of the Creator. So everyone should be treated equally. Mother Teresa worked in India. While there Mother Teresa was a true Christian and a great example, who helped everyone, including the so-called untouchables. That is Christianity. Don't forget that I read the news that come over the internet. I also get reports from priests who come from India. Time and time again it's the Muslims who create much havoc. But the Hindus, especially the fundamentalist, uneducated Hindus, can also be quite wicked. Take notice who has made the greatest progress in medicine and inventions that benefit mankind. Nearly all of these inventions and medicines come from Christianity and the Jewish people, and not from the Muslims and Hindus. Why do Muslims and Hindus go to Christian countries to further their education? Of course you know that it's because the Christian countries and the Jews are far, far, far more advanced. It's okay when you come to my country to advance your brains. But be nice in my country, and you won't have any problems. We're much more civilized and orderly than you think, just as we also have the greatest universities and colleges. Thank you.
Name: continuum
Date: Sunday January 04, 2009
Time: 18:51:09 -0500
Comment
"The Hindus aren't as evil as Muslims, but they are unfair to human beings. They teach the cast system, and stay away from the "untouchables." Is that fair? " Didn't Christians justify slavery based on bible ? Christians are no better than the rest in terms of equality. Even these days black Americans are regularly discriminated in Jobs. Is this the equality ? What about Chicago ? Take a look at your place, it is so segregated that blacks live in South while whites live in North and rich Suburbs. Even the schools are so segregated. School sin black areas are so substandard. Please clean your own house before pointing at Hindus. Hindus work pro-actively through laws and Hindu orgs to solve this mess. What have you guys done ? Bloody, even your churches are segregated in places like Texas. They treat colored people like crap. As for education, yes, Scientifically West is advanced. This is the only reason Indians come to US, UK etc. Nobody goes to Israel to my knowledge. But, pray tell me what Christianity or Judaism has to do with this ? My criticism was on Christianity and Judaism, NOT the western countries. AS for medicines, India has its own pharmaceutical companies. We do not need your western medicines. India has its own space institutes, industries and research institutes. So do not talk like to us as though we are some backward country.
Name: Isshaq
Date: Sunday January 04, 2009
Time: 20:42:59 -0500
Comment
Huntington's Prophecies are a riddle. This is obviously a question for god to decide, but god is a creature of human opinion. For there to be no clash we would have to agree but to agree we would all have to admit that we are wrong to a degree. This clash of our opinion of god, this clash of our cultures is simply the inability of people to see themselves as imperfect and human. This then is not a clash of either God or culture or civilization but a clash of vanity. But a title such as "clash of vanities" would not have sold one book for Huntington and his prophecies would be unknown. Consider that even calling them prophecies or saying that a man, such a Huntington could be a prophet offends the vanity of some who call themselves religeous. It is a riddle.
Name: non believer
Date: Monday January 05, 2009
Time: 03:19:48 -0500
Comment
The problem with all believers is that they all have a fixed notion "my god is god, your god is devil". They don't want to come out of it and look. If god were to be there, and he were to be kind, merciful, beneficent, etc., Why he/she/it is not preventing slaughter of innocents, Thriving of dishonest, etc. In India religious wars were rare because each man could worship his god in whatever way he wanted and it was acceptable. But the three religions of the east Europe/Central Asia have been fighting wars all through the ages because of not having a live and let live attitude. 'The prophet'? from my community got the only truth and all else is lie is causing the problem. Is knowledge so limited that it could all be written in one book and could be spread through one person. Come out of the web and you will get the true picture. Earth is a sphere got proved when we looked at it from outer space. Come out of the belief that my religion is great and look at your religion you will know its true shape and colours.
Name: Osho Says already
Date: Monday January 05, 2009
Time: 09:28:33 -0500
Comment
There is no true civilisation happen in the world till date. Otherwise there should not be war, fighting etc. everywhere. It is not wise to bind with any religion, cast ,country etc. We must be above of this ideology. Which hamper our relation to each other. We must become "Zorba the Buddha". Which have scientific mind ,loving heart and meditative attitude. For more you can read at www.oshoworld.com. Thanks
Folks, keep the discussions on topic; don't make it a dual between you and your opponent either. I am sorry to say that some of the commenters post here like spamming. -- Editor.
Name: Andrew Stunich
Date: Monday January 05, 2009
Time: 19:35:55 -0500
Comment
Great article Mr. Khan.
Name: Huntington was great geneous.But
Date: Tuesday January 06, 2009
Time: 03:04:38 -0500
Comment
Huntington was great geneous.But we should not allow the clash to happen.If islam is eleimated with in few years we can prevent the clash between civilizaton.there was no faith clash before advent of islam.
Name: vbv
Date: Tuesday January 06, 2009
Time: 03:26:31 -0500
Comment
Philip Saenz - you are ignorant and biased. Who are these 'priests' who bring lies to you? Obviously the missioneries and the evangelists , who go about spreading falsehoods about our religion and culture , demonising it . They spread the canard that we are spiritually doomed if we don't convert to christianity, that we are 'devil-worshippers', we are doomed to go to hell and so on. This is my personal knowledge in India , not like you sitting 10,000 miles away in Europe or America. These evangelical missioneries are responsible for the turmoil in the North Eastern part of India where they have managed to convert the majority of the people to christianity and sow the seeds of dissensions ,instiogating them to secede from the country - I am talking of Mizoram and Nagaland , which are the handiworks of such christian missionaries. Can any country tolerate sedition? Even you who have usurped the land of the original natives of the Ameriac ,especially the US , having reduced them to a miniscule minority living in 'reserved areas' like aliens in a country which is actually theirs for thousands of years. You have systematically decimated them by your genocides ever since you landed in their country ,romanticising their buckaneers,killers ,cowboys shooting "them injuns" gleefully! Now don't pontificate with your sanctimonious hypocrisy! The world kinows how christianity was in the middle ages,which was the "golden age" of christianity running amock burning 'heretics' at stake ,carrying out mass pogroms of 'convert or face torture and death' and son . Science has succeeded in the Western countries because of secular values and not christianity,which was no better than islam in any way. Scientists and intellectuals had fought bravely against christian orthodoxy and backwardness, which is recorded in history . So don't try to obfuscate. Hinduism is not a missionery creed or cult saying that if you don't belive in us you will go to hell , like in monotheistic cults with an intolerant ,tyrannical "god".It allows you to explore yourself within ,not based on belief in any deity. For after all advaita philosophy ,or non-dualistic philosophy looks beyond deities at the ultimate reality or Truth ,not in any "god". The underlying philosophy of hinduism or sanathana dharma(which is the correct name) is righteousness,not belief in any deity,which is why the doctrine of karma plays the most important role in anyone's life. The object is not a lewd "heaven" after death ,but to merge in the Ultimate Reality which is unborn,uncreate ,in eternal Bliss above the pains of birh and death. The state of "Nirvana" ,as Budhists would say when you are one with the Ultimate Reality which in Upanishads and Vedads is called the "Brahman" that which pervades the cosmos and beyond . There is no 'heaven with drinking and debauchery or hell with eternal torture in fire in Hinduism. We shape our destiny withour actions , be righteous and good to all you shall attain "Nirvana" , or else face the endless turmoil of birth and death. That seems to be more logical than a supecop in cloud 9 declaring that thou shalt not do this and that ,insulting human intelligence!
Name: to the intolerant ones
Date: Tuesday January 06, 2009
Time: 10:06:54 -0500
Comment
If all of you could accept that you have the right to preach anything you want in the civilized western culture, even if you want to say that a cow is your god, we dont have a problem with that, we wont kill you, but if we send missionaries with different ideas than the one you have, to preach what we believe is the only and true God, teach how to farm and be economically independent to increase health to your family and village, then you try to kill everybody? Is for sure because the one that has dominion over your mind-set oposes the the way, the truth and the life, Jesus Christ, the son of God Jehova. Satan and his forces will never give up to destroy human kind, by blinding you, is a form of death, spiritual eternal death. I do pray that one day you all can come to believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. God Bless you all.
Name: to intolerant christian
Date: Tuesday January 06, 2009
Time: 14:19:37 -0500
Comment
The above is an example of intolerant christian, who think they are better than everybody else... Western nations are no better than other Eastern nations in moral standing.. infact they are worse... You can shove your god jesus up your ass... we do not need dead jew on a stick...
Name:
Date: Tuesday January 06, 2009
Time: 16:06:04 -0500
Comment
" annoyed by Christian proselytization, they have been attacking and persecuting Christians. "- Well, the Christians have at that-worse, theydd institute the policy of "No tickee-no washee"-i.e. if you don't convert, you don't get the goodies."--- The whole gamut of Huntington's thesis—i.e., emergence of conflicts amongst different peoples inspired by cultural and religious differences—is turning a reality; it will only get worse in coming decades.--Dear, dear, I'm afraid we're all going to have to put religions to one side.It's about TIME!
Name: al
Date: Tuesday January 06, 2009
Time: 16:11:47 -0500
Comment
I'm afraid we're all going to have to put religions to one side. It's about TIME!---I have to laugh when people say, "The 3 Great Religions of the world." --Religions handed to us by the Custodians, the powerbrokers of this world to keep us divided and at each other's throats - a good way for tptb to keep in control- because we're too many for them to handle. Imagine what the world would be if we were all UNITED!IMAGINE!
Name: To Philip Saenz
Date: Wednesday January 07, 2009
Time: 04:08:00 -0500
Comment
You idiot ,don't pontificate sanctimoniously. It is christians who spread lies like WMD in Iraq just to loot the oil reserves,reputedly the second largest in the world! You have the gall to prescribe how people should behave in "my country" when you can destroy a civilization in Iraq, shit in your pants when it comes to Iran and North Korea,play pals with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan from where all islamic terrorism emanates - you damn immoral and unprincipled ,racist bastards look into your own dirty selves before you advise others!
Name: lw1
Date: Friday January 09, 2009
Time: 13:38:07 -0500
Comment
There was an exchange of religious and philosophical ideas between India and Greece about a thousand years before the advent of Islam.Socrates among others was a vegetarian.With the coming of Islam, there was burning of books other than the Quran,demolishing libraries and universities and killing thousands of people who were spreading knowledge among millions of other people killed.It is only good fortune that resilience and tolerance of Hinduism,Jainism and Buddism and failure of Muslims to convert the whole of the sub-continent that saved knowledge from Hinduism,Jainism and Buddhism.The Muslims would have burnt all the books if they had full control.Luckily that knowledge was partly at least saved.I feel sad that when the greatest threat to the world is Islam people are distracted by other issues.Lots of mistakes in the Quran can be found if you refer to the Greek philosophers- Muslims need the courage to do it.