Encyclopedia of Islam

Christianity and Islam

  

143  J

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has been much more positive. Large communities 

in the Americas and even more significant ones 

in Europe are having the effect of changing the 

way Muslims experience and understand their 

religion as well as creating greater opportunity 

for interreligious communication and 

dialogUe

(or conflict in some cases). New to interpreting 

approaches Islam and interpretations that take 

these new experiences into account are enrich-

ing the Muslim intellectual repertoire in ways 

that will almost certainly have great impact in 

the years to come. In light of this ongoing and 

increasing mingling of peoples and religions, a 

“clash of civilizations” between Islam and the 

West is actually very unlikely, although conflicts 

based on specific grievances in Muslim-majority 

countries are likely to continue to have an impact 

on interreligious relations.

See also 

colonialism

; 

dhimmi

; e

Urope

; J

Udaism

and

 i

slam

; U

nited

 s

tates

; l

atin

 a

merica

.

John Iskander