Saudi writer Mahmoud Safar stresses the need to take a strong stand against the unfair treatment of Islam and Muslims appearing in writings from the West.

He attributes the distortion of Islam to the increasing tendency of writing about Islam without conducting an objective study and lack of understanding of the religion.

“The new book is on the present tendency of Western writers to attack Islam’s values and civilization, which in most cases are not based on objective and scientific studies,” he said in an interview.

Safar said Western writings about Islam contained misinterpretations, false accusations, and above all ignorance about the basic postulates of Islam.

“So I appeal to Western intellectuals to study Islam with objectivity before they start to write about it so that their writings are credible,” he said.

Replying to a question during an interview on whether the book was a message to the West, Safar said: “Yes. The book is a message to the West. It is a call to Western intellectuals to be fair and factual in their writings and views on Islam.”

He added that he was not referring to the views of the Orientalists or those who made critical studies on Islam.

Safar said he was concerned about those who wrote on Islam without making any special study of the religion, committing serious blunders.

“Their books distort Islam because they are far away from the reality of the religion and the state of Muslims,” he said, adding that they insulted Islam more than those who criticize Islam after making an objective study.

“I have, in fact, discussed the topic of the Sept. 11 bombings in New York before and after in detail in an earlier book. In this book I have presented Western writings on Islam on a comprehensive manner,” he said.

“I have also highlighted the major issues that impede the development of Islamic thought and the significance of portraying the true image of Islam in order to counter the wrong Western views on the religion.”

Safar is also critical of the negligence of Saudi intellectuals and researchers in countering the falsified presentation of Islam appearing in Western writings.

“Islam has not been defended in the way it should be. Ideas should be confronted with ideas and writings with writings. The shining picture of Islam should be put against Western cultural onslaughts against the religion. This is a serious lapse,” he said.

He also claimed Saudi and other Arab thinkers and writers have a historical and moral responsibility to counter such falsified presentations of Islam.