--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I do not think there is such a thing as a…" description: "\"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 i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/392/talal-asad-25475_civilization_i-do-not-think-there-is-such-a-thing-as_1137037.jpg" --- # I do not think there is such a thing as a "clash of… ![“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…” quote by Talal Asad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/392/talal-asad-25475_civilization_i-do-not-think-there-is-such-a-thing-as_1137037.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/392/talal-asad-25475_civilization_i-do-not-think-there-is-such-a-thing-as_1137037.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/392/talal-asad-25475_civilization_i-do-not-think-there-is-such-a-thing-as_1137037.jpg) > “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."” [Talal Asad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talal-asad/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The notion of a “clash of civilizations” oversimplifies Muslim identities and ignores the diversity within Muslim communities. **In simple terms:** Muslims are not a monolithic group. Key Takeaway Recognize Muslim diversity. Themes culture identity politics integration stereotypes Mood critical analytical Type political academic When to use this quote - policy analysis - community outreach - media critique - academic research Key Concepts postcolonial theory social anthropology political discourse Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions underlie “the problem of Muslims”? - How can policies respect pluralism? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on integration can marginalize Muslim voices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Clash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clash/) [Clash of civilizations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clash-of-civilizations/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Ironic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ironic/) [Islam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islam/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [ I can hardly believe what these 12 caricatures \[about Prophet Muhammad\] have caused in the world. We Danes feel like we have been placed… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-fogh-rasmussen/i-can-hardly-believe-what-these-12-caricatures-about-prophet-muhammad/) [Anders Fogh Rasmussen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-fogh-rasmussen/) > [I said I didn't respect religion... and anyone who believes in fairy tales to answer questions that we can't answer... So I don't respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-said-i-didn-t-respect-religion-and-anyone-who-believes-in-fairy/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I think that one of the things that is happening in the so-called "clash of civilizations" is that the confidence that was once obvious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-toback/i-think-that-one-of-the-things-that-is-happening-in-the-so-called/) [James Toback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-toback/) > [I reject the idea that there is some sort of existential "clash of civilizations." I am an interventionist, but not a militarist. War should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-henri-levy/i-reject-the-idea-that-there-is-some-sort-of-existential-clash-of/) [Bernard-Henri Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-henri-levy/) > [“Because history always teaches us that there will always be another demonized minority group who will become “the other” tomorrow. 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I believe in a clash of the civilized and the noncivilized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/i-don-t-actually-believe-in-a-clash-of-civilizations-i-believe-in-a/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [Most Muslims are well integrated, want to live under British law and prefer to send their children to mixed schools. They do not live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munira-mirza/most-muslims-are-well-integrated-want-to-live-under-british-law-and/) [Munira Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munira-mirza/) > [Film and TV shape how we see people, and so when Muslims are represented in a very one-note type of way, that's how you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iman-vellani/film-and-tv-shape-how-we-see-people-and-so-when-muslims-are/) [Iman Vellani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iman-vellani/) > [Non-Western immigrants, often Muslims, are over-represented in statistics of crime, of dependency on social benefits, that we have honour killings, that we have genital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/non-western-immigrants-often-muslims-are-over-represented-in/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) ## More by 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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talal-asad/the-propensity-to-intellectualize-is-itself-both-essential-and/) [Talal Asad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talal-asad/) > [Certainly in order to understand the natural world one needs clarity, logic, and the capacity for theory building. But that understanding tends to improve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talal-asad/certainly-in-order-to-understand-the-natural-world-one-needs-clarity/) [Talal Asad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talal-asad/i-think-the-approach-to-islam-as-a-tradition-is-helpful-tradition/) [Talal Asad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talal-asad/) > [Language has multiple uses, and is embedded in different forms of life. 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You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talal-asad/you-do-not-need-intellectuality-for-deep-faith-you-do-not-need-it-for/) [Talal Asad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talal-asad/) > [The Genealogical Science is a wonderful account of how old-fashioned race science has come to be re-defined by resort to the most recent developments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talal-asad/the-genealogical-science-is-a-wonderful-account-of-how-old-fashioned/) [Talal Asad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talal-asad/) > [In liberal society we claim that freedom of speech is sacred and therefore has an absolute character. But we know (or should know) that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talal-asad/in-liberal-society-we-claim-that-freedom-of-speech-is-sacred-and/) [Talal Asad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talal-asad/) > [“The construction of civilizational difference is not exclusive in any simple sense. The de-essentialization of Islam is paradigmatic for all thinking about the assimilation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talal-asad/the-construction-of-civilizational-difference-is-not-exclusive-in-any/) [Talal Asad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talal-asad/) > [For the law, the clarity of language and the finality of judgment is crucial, because you have to decide a case one way or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talal-asad/for-the-law-the-clarity-of-language-and-the-finality-of-judgment-is/) [Talal Asad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talal-asad/) > [You should never employ your intellect but only that it is not essential to exercise it in order to live a humane life. Language…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talal-asad/you-should-never-employ-your-intellect-but-only-that-it-is-not/) [Talal Asad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talal-asad/the-notion-of-humanity-as-a-form-of-transcendence-derives-i-think/) [Talal Asad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talal-asad/) > [Why is it that aggression in the name of God shocks secular liberal sensibilities, whereas the act of killing in the name of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talal-asad/why-is-it-that-aggression-in-the-name-of-god-shocks-secular-liberal/) [Talal Asad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talal-asad/) > [Tradition is an aspiration to connect the Self with the Other. One "internalizes" the Other as one acquires a sense of what one's own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talal-asad/tradition-is-an-aspiration-to-connect-the-self-with-the-other-one/) [Talal Asad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talal-asad/) > [I do not criticize religion as such, but I criticize the concept and the definition of "religion" - as I said in Genealogies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talal-asad/i-do-not-criticize-religion-as-such-but-i-criticize-the-concept-and/) [Talal Asad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talal-asad/) [Explore all 23 Talal Asad quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talal-asad/) ## More Civilization quotes > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. 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