Jalaluddin Rumi - Lecturer in Islamic/Religious Studies at State Islamic University (UIN) Sunan Kalijaga, Yogyakarta

The traditional view on the clash of civilizatiins favors and anticipates the outbreak of wars owing to dissimilar and rigid views of other peoples and their cultural constructs. Such a view is extended to the Islamic religion, too. The basis of this widely-held misconception is ascribed to the role of shariah and its various functions in certain Muslim communities. Such an inflexible and rigid view of shariah misrepresents and defames Islam, as there have been some extremist movements here and there in Muslim communities. One of the origins of such an unfavorable depiction of Islam is its followers'  religious illiteracy, often followed by self-marginalization. A major conclusion is that Muslims should realize that Islam is flexible enough to favor and promote peaceful co-existence.

global co-existence, Shariah, Islamic religious literacy, socio-religious flexibility