چکیده (انگلیسی):

Due to the huge expansion of the Islamic Civilization in the Medieval times, its scientific, philosophical and literary fruits were transmitted to Europe, first to Spain and then to Italy. The tolerance of Islam was evident in these regions where a spirit of freedom permitted Muslim, Christian, and Jewish scholars to mingle freely and pursue a cultural convivencia. However, many Western writers have ignored or distorted such a civilization by presenting a horrific and an exaggerated image of Islam and the Muslims. The main topic of the present paper has not been dealt with in depth. In this respect, it aims to trace three Western attitudes and review critical studies about the Medieval Islamic civilization, its direct or indirect impact on Western thought, and its manifestations in the Western literary writings, fiction or non-fiction, from the Medieval times to the present. The paper attempts an exploration of the prejudiced views of some works that embody previous Western biases against Islam and the Muslims, shedding light on how the constant falsification of the earlier images and stereotypes produced a myth that, according to Edward Said, was invented by the West, i.e., the primitive inferior "Other" in contrast with the civilized superior West. By mixing fiction with facts, many new myths are added. The paper is structured into three divisions. The first division is an introduction giving a historical background and dealing with two questions: What is the definition of civilization? What does this term characterize in Western writings that display the influence exerted by Medieval Muslim scholars and the changes they brought about? It is an attempt to explore how Western attitudes shaped by ancient stereotyping, prejudice and aversion are reflected in the portrayal of Islam that was conceived as heresy in the Medieval Ages and the Muslims who were viewed as pagan, infidel, violent and sensual. This distorted image was conveyed by Western writers’ own imagination and creativity. The second division is concerned with another type of 1