Understanding religions was never as vital

From the cultural point of view, if we draw a line between different aspects of religion such as foreign policies and cultural traits instead of mixing them up, hopefully there will be less confusion.

After the Sept 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, American historian Bernard Lewis wrote What Went Wrong?, which tells the long story of the battles between Christians and Muslims before the 12th Century, highlighting Muslims' great achievements and contributions to world civilizations.

"It (Islam) has achieved the highest level so far in human history in arts and sciences of civilizations. Inheriting the knowledge and skill of the ancient Middle East, of Greece and of Persia ... It is difficult to imagine modern literature or science without the one or the other," says Lewis. He also says the relationship between Islam and Europe changed after the Renaissance. So the historical view can offer a different angle to the subject that can prevent people from reaching the wrong conclusions.

Once a tragic event involving believers of different religions occurs people are not only shocked, but also confused about how to deal with or understand a religion like Islam. But if a person knows the long history of Islam and why it spread across the world, he/she can understand how it has influenced and impressed believers of other religions and thereby contributed to different communities and their cultures over the centuries.

The author is a researcher in philosophy at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.