Hamza Yusuf

Hamza Yusuf, an American who converted to Islam in 1977 and subsequently traveled to the Middle East and Africa to study Arabic and Islam, is director of the Zaytouna Institute, a California-based school dedicated to the revival of the traditional teaching methods and sciences of Islam. In the following viewpoint he argues that Western criticisms of Islam are based on ignorance and prejudice. In fact, he contends, Islam is compatible with core Western values. He rejects the notion of an inevitable “clash” between Islamic and Western societies.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What responses does Yusuf make to complaints about the role of women in Islam?
2. What comparison does the author make between Western attitudes toward Muslims and Jews?
3. Why does Yusuf reject the “clash of civilizations...