In our modern world, the frequency of terrorist activity and the ever-present threat of attacks have greatly affected the way Western culture has come to view the Islamic religion. Distorted by the media, perceptions of society have returned to those of its European predecessors. It appears that the negative attitude toward Islam that so defines the current political landscape dates back to the Early Middle Ages, and because it is such a widespread and powerful force, it is important to examine the roots of this idea regarding evil. Just as today, although to a much lesser extent, the Western Europeans in The Song of Roland and the Muslims in the Quran believe that their doctrines are so different that peaceful coexistence seems impossible when in reality their beliefs, notably regarding the notion of evil, are very similar. For both cultures, evil is defined as the rejection of God's will; however, by examining the intricacies of their notions of evil, further similarities will be revealed. This essay will discuss how Islamic and Western European cultures conceptualize evil in their respective texts, which will enhance understanding of the long-standing rivalry that exists between these cultures, as their poorly understood notions of each other others obscure the fact that many of their beliefs are the same. Both Islam and Christianity focus on notions of deception, namely hypocrisy and trickery, and the bartering of one's soul for material goods and personal glory as the sources of evil; therefore, their values ​​are not as different as they misperceive, but they are essentially the same. Say no to plagiarism. Get Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get Original Essay In the Quran, evil comes in many forms, one of which is deception, which consists of three actions: accepting and then renouncing the faith, falsely presenting oneself as a believer and trying to hide God's revelations. The Quran censures people who commit such acts by saying that those who "break his covenant after having accepted it and tear to pieces what he has ordained for the united... these will surely be the losers" (2.12) . We must also be wary of “those who conceal the clear proofs and the guidance that We have revealed” (2:25) because they try to lead believers away from the path of God. All of these forbidden actions can result in the corruption of followers, which seems to be what the Quran fears most about the practice of deception. This statement applies less to the Qur'an's notion of hypocrisy, which says that hypocrites "deceive no one except themselves, although they do not perceive it" (2.11). Here the Qur'an expresses two notions regarding hypocrisy: that the faithful are strong enough to discern truth from fiction, and that this evil dulls the sense of perception, a result developed by comparing hypocrites to "beasts who call as best we can, we hear only a cry and a cry" (2.26), deafened and blinded by their wickedness. In the same realm of hypocrisy, those who pretend to be faithful for their personal benefit are also evil , for God "will not forgive those who do evil, and when death comes to them, he will say, 'Now we repent'" (4.62) according to the described negative consequences of such deception, he! It is obvious that such acts are condemned. Insincere proclamation of faith for personal gain is also evil in The Song of Roland. In this text, evil is identified with the Saracens who refuse to submit to the law.Christianity; therefore, their every action can also be considered bad. This is true of the pagan king Marsile, who sends ten envoys to tell the Christian emperor Charlemagne, "that before a single month has passed, I will bring to France a thousand of my men, convert there” (Roland.82-81) when in reality he has no intention of keeping this promise. This is not the first time Marsile has shown treachery; as Roland recalls, he once sent a message of peace, but when Charlemagne "sent two counts as envoys to the king...they left their heads on a hill near Haltilies" (207-9)! With this history of deception, it is appropriate, even imperative, that a pagan be made an example of and punished for the crimes of his loved ones. This happens when a Saracen feigns death and attempts to steal Roland, who “strikes the helmet...breaks the skull and bones; he tears out both eyes from the pagan's head and sends the body crashing to the ground” (2288-91). . This horror shows that deception is not only useless, but harmful to the person who commits such a crime. Just as deception is condemned in both the Song of Roland and the Quran, so is the act of bartering, namely one's soul or morality for material goods and personal glory. Written in a world where evil is equated with the love of goods obtained through trade for God, the Quran says of these infidels: “Evil is that for which they have bartered their souls” (Quran.2.18). Here the term “barter” is introduced as a means by which evil can be obtained. He continues by denouncing “those who trade leadership for error and forgiveness for punishment. How firmly they seek the fire…[and those who] throw the Scriptures over their backs and sell them for a pittance…Evil was their market. " (2.27-3.59). Looking at these quotes in the historical context in which they were written, it is appropriate to view bartering in this negative light. Mohammed, the chief preacher of the Quran, was a social critic born into a family Meccan trader. Dissatisfied with his wicked society, he attributed his ills to the very barter that ruled it. Reflecting these thoughts, the Qur'an says: "They sell the revelations of God for trifling gain and forbid others from his path. what they do” (9.134), reproaching the evil traders In The Song of Roland, barter is also condemned since the two symbols of evil, Marsile and the traitor Ganelon, put their own countrymen at stake for their personal glory. Marsilius does this twice. He first offers twenty pagan hostages to Charlemagne, saying: “We will have to return the sons that our wives have given birth to – death is certain but I will send mine” (Roland. 42-3). ). Then he trades his people and lands with the pagan Baligant to fulfill his personal quest to defeat Charlemagne, saying: “Baligant has rights in Spain; he will have my kingdom” (2747-8). This barter is not exclusive to the sovereign of the pagans; his subjects share this susceptibility to exchange evil for material wealth when Marsile promises: "If you persuade the king, much gold and silver will be your thanks from me, fiefs and lands" (74-6) . The pagans' response: "That is all we need" (77) shows that they only care about their reward and not the evil means they must use to obtain it. Ganelon also succumbs to the lure of barter when he exchanges the life of twenty thousand Francs for land and the recovery of his honor by killing Roland, who made him "suffer such pain that he almost broke with rage" ( 304-5). From this description of such intense anger, Ganelon's motive is obviously the humiliation he endured from.