EAST AND WEST AND ORIENTALISM: ISLAM–WEST RELATIONS IN THE CONTEXT OF EDWARD SAID

Abstract

The relationship between the East and the West cannot be understood merely in terms of geographical difference; it is deeply connected with knowledge, representation, power, culture, colonialism, identity, and the construction of civilizational perceptions. This article examines Orientalism, particularly the relationship between Islam and the West, through the critical framework of Edward W. Said. Said’s Orientalism (1978) demonstrates how the Orient was represented in Western academic, literary, cultural, and political discourse as the “Other,” often through binary oppositions between the West and the East, reason and emotion, modernity and tradition, and civilization and backwardness. The study explores how such representations contributed to the construction of a particular image of the East and how knowledge production became interconnected with institutional authority and power. Special attention is given to the representation of Islam in Western discourse, where Islam has frequently been treated as a homogeneous and politically charged entity despite the historical, cultural, and social diversity of Muslim societies. The article also examines Said’s Covering Islam (1981), particularly its analysis of the role of media, experts, and political discourse in shaping contemporary perceptions of Islam and the Muslim world. Furthermore, the study discusses concepts such as Othering, essentialism, representation, discourse, hegemony, and authority of representation. It also acknowledges major criticisms of Said’s Orientalism and emphasizes the need for a balanced and critically informed reading of his work. Finally, the article considers the relevance of Said’s framework to Urdu literary studies, contemporary media, digital Orientalism, and the question of self-representation in the twenty-first century.