The Role of Orientalist Concepts about Prophet Muhammad in the East-West Relations

It is obvious that individual, social, communal, cultural or civilizational inter-relations based on concepts. The meaning and perceptions of concepts which both sides assume determine the relations. In terms of international relations, although, relatively, religion has put aside in modern era, it still continue to be effective. Approach to religion, prophethood and namely Prophet Muhammad has been playing important decisive role in the East-the West relations. In this regard, through centuries the West has been trying to understand and define Islam and Muslims. This efforts was started by clericals in theological terms and developed by Orientalism in its peak. The extant literature of this subject which claimed objective and unbiased, has some concepts such as “prophet”, “apostle”, “messenger”, “Arabian prophet” and “Islamic prophet” about Muhammad. It is insisted that such terms and concepts refers Muhammad and his prophethood objectively. Focusing such concepts of Orientalism, here, we tried to put light the intentions of the West and expectations of the East. This paper examines the Western Christian understanding of prophethood and draws parallel with the Islamic understanding of it. We believe that such kind of studies make great contribution to understand the East and the West each other and to better future for mankind