Asian Research Thesis Index

Abstract

With the death of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) the enemies of Islam had started their intrigues to create
obstacles against the fast growing and spreading message of Islam or Quran and Sunnah. In eighth
century the Christian missionaries were seriously apprehended from the great successes and victories of
the Muslim in European countries. They, thus, tried their best to oppose Islam and Muhammad (S.A.W)
through their unscientific and polemical writings (e.g. the writings of Johan of Demascus) and their
military or warlike activities (e.g. long-duration Crusades of 11th to 13th centuries). But they did not
succeed to destroy the Muslims and Islam in medieval times. In the 17th and 18'1' century, the period of
renaissance, the trend of scientific study on Sirah from original sources started but could not promote
with true spirit of seeking real knowledge. During this period, thus, a dangerous Orientalism had taken
place, which caused British and French Colonialism and afterwards the imperialism.
This confrontation between the East (especially the Muslims or Arab countries) and the West continued
and aggravated even in 20th century when America appeared on the map of the world. Now, beyond any
doubt, the Orientalism was definitely meant for seeking of knowledge of the Islamic sciences and of
Muslim countries for the purpose of gaining power, domination and possessions of Muslim countries and
their economic resources especially the oil-resources of the Arab world. The most important Orientalists
promoting the power-based scholarship are Huntington, Bernard Lewis, Berger, Fukuyama etc.
The pure scientific era of research i.e. the 20th century was expected to give the right direction to the
Orientalists' research on Sirah. But, the works of the Orientalists are still creating the hatred and enmity
between the two civilizations such as the tricky and dangerous works of W. Montgomery Watt have been
serving the same purpose. Although, he presents an attractive rhetoric in his works but the medieval style
of unscientific research is still continuing in the form of modern scientific research which does not
provide objective study but a purely religiously biased study on Sirah. This dissertation aims at
contributing towards scientific point of view and to review the studies by the Orientalists.

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