“I do not think there is such a thing as a "clash of civilizations." When I say that Muslims as Muslims cannot be represented in the West, I was being ironic, and also referring to the fact that ninety percent of the time when people talk about "the problem of Muslims" in the West, it is to complain about the fact that Muslims have not "integrated."” PeopleThinkingFactsProblemCivilizationPercentWestComplainingIronicNinetyClashIntegratedReferringClash Of Civilizations Author:Talal Asad
“The notion of "humanity" as a form of transcendence derives, I think, from the conviction that intellectuality possesses an absolute power, from the demand that our best behavior depends on our ability to think abstractly, in terms of a universal rule, about something called humanity, that we need to understand humanity abstractly so that we can act responsibly towards those who represent it.” ThinkingNeedsFormHumanityTermAbilityDependsDemandBehaviorUniversalAbsolutesNotionConvictionTranscendenceAbsolute Power Author:Talal Asad
“The propensity to intellectualize is itself both essential and dangerous. I think in our modern world we are much more aware of its essential character than of its dangers, and that is why I think of it as being an expression of transcendence.” ThinkingWorldCharacterModernDangerousDangerExpressionEssentialsModern WorldTranscendencePropensity Author:Talal Asad
“I think the approach to Islam as a tradition is helpful. Tradition helps us to focus on questions about authority and temporality, and about the language used in relation to the two.” ThinkingTwoHelpingUsedLanguageFocusAuthorityApproachTraditionRelationIslamHelpfulTemporality Author:Talal Asad
“I think we need to think about Islamic tradition as a way of asking questions that cut across (and transgress) the assumptions of a purely secular world in which we already know how things stand for individual subjects as well as for societies.” ThinkingKnowsWorldWayNeedsWellsIndividualKnow HowCuttingSubjectsTraditionAskingAssumptionIslamicSecularAsking Questions Author:Talal Asad
