The Straits TimesA European form of Islam can lead the way for the religion in the world at large. But it requires that European problems be solved at the European level, says Muslim scholar Tariq Ramadan
By Jacob Hein For The Straits Times
GENEVA – WHILE the Danish government may have stubbornly defended its people’s right to exercise freedom of speech during the Prophet Muhammad cartoon controversy, the Danes themselves are displaying signs of uncertainty and unease in the aftermath of worldwide, vociferous Muslim protests.
Promotional posters for an educational book on Islam entitled What Is Islam, portraying the religion as inherently peaceful, were abruptly withdrawn in Copenhagen in March for fear that the posters, which merely reproduce the book’s icon-free front cover, might offend Muslim sentiments.
The Norwegian-Pakistani stand-up comedienne, Shabana Rehman, who is known for her relaxed attitude towards the sacred, simultaneously saw her show at a leading Danish theatre cancelled.
Swiss philosophy professor and Muslim scholar Tariq Ramadan has warned against this kind of self-censorship.
The grandson of Muslim Brotherhood founder Hassan al-Banna, Mr Ramadan, named by Time Magazine as one of the hundred innovators of the millennium and seen by some as a Muslim Martin Luther, calls for European Muslims not to be satisfied with an atmosphere where people are scared of criticising Islam.
This will benefit neither the society nor Muslims, he stresses. ‘As Muslims, we need to accept criticism more openly and to maintain a critical distance instead of reacting emotionally to conflicts.’
At the same time, he explains, Europe is witnessing a debate on how to relate to religious issues and how to use its freedom of expression. The Muslim presence in Europe has created new sentiments which Europeans must acknowledge while subjecting them to debate and critique.
‘If we can come together in Europe, Muslims and non-Muslims, and show that we have common values, that we share a richness, we can have a tremendous impact in the Muslim majority countries,’ says Mr Ramadan, explaining how he has been able to help stage a women’s rights seminar in Niger, a sign that Muslim feminism is spreading outside of Europe.
‘We managed to have women speak in front of male audiences. It was the first time. And they challenged the men, saying if you are discriminating us, using the name of Islam, you don’t understand what Islam is all about.
‘In my travels to Niger as well as to Pakistan, Indonesia and Morocco, it has become clear to me that Muslims there listen attentively to the voices coming from Muslims in Europe.’
And these voices may be markedly different from the voices of Muslims outside Europe. After all, none of the violent reactions, including the burning of flags and embassies, took place in Europe, where democratically-sanctioned reactions such as lawsuits, debate and peaceful demonstrations were the order of the day.
Having called on Muslims in Europe to embrace European values and legal frameworks and to distance themselves from Arab leaders, are these European-flavoured reactions not pleasing to Mr Ramadan ?
‘Yes, but we must understand that in order for a European Islam to be influential outside Europe, we need to solve European problems at the European level. If we fail to do that, we are sending a message that Muslims and Christians cannot live together and that there is going to be a clash,’ he points out.
According to Mr Ramadan, the recent controversy could and should have been solved diplomatically – at the national level.
‘When the Danish Prime Minister refused to meet the 12 Muslim ambassadors, he opened a door to those who wanted to escalate the conflict and take it outside of Europe,’ he says. ‘He failed to solve it at the national level.’
But while Mr Ramadan is advocating dialogue and peaceful understanding in Europe, others such as writer Salman Rushdie and Somali-born Dutch politician Ayaan Hirsi Ali, author of the controversial script leading to the murder of film-maker Theo Van Gogh, warns that we are witnessing a worldwide Islamic totalitarianism. Both authors have received death threats for saying and writing what they do, so the unpleasant question imposes itself : Is Islam really open to criticism at all ?
‘This is a central question and the answer is, ‘yes’, Islam is open to criticism. But it is also a question of how we criticise. When Ayaan Hirsi Ali claims her right to denounce the Prophet as a paedophile, I mean, what is she doing ? If you want to provoke just to provoke, then fine, go ahead and do it. But you are closing the door before you open it.
‘Salman Rushdie has said that Islam needs reforms. I agree. But no one listens to Rushdie in the Muslim world. If you want to reform, you need to engage in dialogue and to criticise without intending to provoke or insult.’
So while Mr Ramadan calls on European Muslims to accept criticism, he also stresses that non-Muslims in Europe must acknowledge the Muslim presence and the changing sensibilities.
‘I am not disputing the freedom of speech and I am not asking for changes to the legal framework to protect religious sentiments. What I am saying is that to draw the Prophet with a bomb in his turban – this is not the right way to exercise your right. It is perceived as an insult and no constructive dialogue will evolve from this insult,’ he reminds.
The writer is a Geneva-based Danish journalist.
–Source : The Straits Times
Dear teacher, wish one day we can do more than reading your articles and going to work with a nice feeling and a good will..wish we can participate one day in the constructive debate on Islam ..we all want it.Thabata Alla Khotak.Rana
Reading our brother’s articles is a great step as well as feeling good after reading them.But You are right,something more than that has to be done. Some « acting » has to be done. I think it will be good to start by asking onself « How can I handle with all that in my daily routine…with my heart to start.Am I really trying to deepen my faith in order to be near to The Merciful. Am I really trying to educate myself and trying to be helful to the others.Really helful to those who need my smile, my attention, my kindness, my times, my money and mostly my kind words.Am I really trying to think about them much more while trying to think about myself a little bit lesser. Is something really changing in my life?…I think it really would fine by starting with that… and, Allah willing, the more one proceeds, the straighter the way…incha Allah…May THe Light be with you !
I totally agree with you, if each of us works on him self and does his best with people around him, that’s a great step.But there are problems facing us muslims in europe, many questions around us asked by muslims and non-muslims but also different speeches and answers ..this make us sometimes get far from any debate on Islam why ? because is sometimes easier to convince a non-muslim than a muslim about a logic idea in Islam.So it seems to me that we can talk or think about: 1- how to work on ourself ( self eduaction and doing good )2-around us between muslims how to agree about at least the principles and if not to agree at least not to hate ..but to respect (when is in the limit)..3-around us with non muslim (i can say this will be included in 1and 2) because once educated and know rights and duties in europe it’s easy to live as a muslim (or almost).
So I think we first need a debate on Islam between muslims, how to respect differences between each other, how to keep love between us when we disagree.At least if we cann’t make agreement ..we try to look for more love and less prejudice between us.Baraka Allaho Feekom.Rana
Salaam,I am glad to see that not only you got my point you also shed on yours more light. I totally agree with you. Nethertheless, I need to put you that question: As far as putting into practise that constructive debate on islam is concerned isn’t there any field or framework enabling you to go beyond brother Tariq’s articles reading in your surroundings…in your soceity? Peace be with you !
Salamo Alikom, frankly »going beyond brother Tariq’s articles reading in my surrounding »..I did that sometimes but just with really few people who know him and have interest in discussing his ideas..and through an intermediate I suggested to the Islamic foundation in my soceity to invite our brother Tariq for a conference in two occasions..Allaho Allam why they didn’t.I maybe could do more and now Iam seriously thinking about it, thank you for motivation.Maybe others think that Tariq Ramadhan or an other scholar ..is the same..all will talk.But I see that what he is telling and thinking is an innovation which break the traditions and shows the pure logic of our religion with a big courage ..that’s why i think that we need him to show us right islamic way (without touchs) and he needs us to support his voice or his voice need to be supported.How? I will think about it ..I will do my best ..and who has any idea or suggestion ..welcome..Jazakom Allaho Khayr.Rana
Aleykoum salam Rana, Thank your for frank response. You said « he needs us to support his voice or his voice need to be supported.How? » I think that voice is not his it is ours. Tariq’s voice is the voice of every human being promoting justice, peace,respect on Earth. It is the voice of muslim fellows who are willing to reconcile themselves with Alllah and His creatures…All of them…It is the voice of all those who prefer cutural pluralism to civilization clash. Tariq only did one thing. He succeeded to make that voice of ours heard and understood by many of us. But for the time being I think as you that we have been enjoying that voice of us too much whitout really bringing our input to that constructive debate on Islam. Al hamdou lillah I thank I have got some ideas that maybe can answers the very question you put « how? ». You may e-mail me at [email protected] for futher explanation.Welcome to anyone interested. May Allah be with you! Thank you !
« Two men were chatting in a very far place; they have seen it but had no possibility to reach the town to testify. We consider our previous declaration wrong; Eid will be backwarded one day. » This text was not written in the 13th century, and it was not written in the South Pole; No, it was few days ago, in the middle of or new world.
Basically, I still do not understand the way by which a small group of people has dominated our life, the Muslims are still suffering the over-existence of jurisprudents « Fukaha’a » in every detail of their lives, yet they would have some role as instructors, but this has become very annoying since they have « trapped » many people pretending they own the absolute truth.
Every Islamic feast (Eid), Muslims never reach a final decision on what to be followed and how. The above mentioned statement shows clearly how deep the Islamic mental and ideological crisis is. Although proven long time ago, still some « sheikhs » in Saudi Arabia refuse the fact that Earth rotates around the sun depending on their understanding of a Quranic verse (in surat Yasseen). How can you convince such people to believe in telescopes or the astronomical calculations? Why do we still need these people? Historically, many have suffered or exiled asking such questions.
Meanwhile, many traditional Islamists praise the so-called « Islamic unity » although Muslims had rarely united their own occasions not to mention any economic or political attitudes. This conceived unity does not exist at any level between Muslims along their countries or places of emigration. Until now, no conventional position was taken towards major problems like hijab, women, government, and polygamy due to the vast diversity of Islamic sects and schools.
Since the degradation of Islamic civilization more than one thousand years ago, the power of clerks started to expand within the society accompanied by the withdrawal of mind and reasonable thinking, many schools appeared calling for the retraction from society and politics, these schools have settled the dictatorship of both clerks (sheikhs) and rulers (caliphates at that time, presidents and kings today); gradually, the Muslim mind was stuck between the two totalitarian authorities who have marginalized him and kept him living the 10th century in the 21st. However, many attempts took place by courage intellectuals like Averroes who has called for a new interpretation but the result was the supremacy of the alliance of traditional islamists and rulers who buried (in fact, burnt) all his great works, accusing him of atheism which is still a valid charge until today (Naser Hamed Abu Zeid is a living example).
How many years, centuries should we spend looking for the freedom of our minds? The Muslim feels himself chained by many levels of restrictions, the authorized (halal) areas are much narrower than the prohibited (haram) ones, and this is the reason why he lives the inconsistency in every part of his life, he is always waiting for the legal opinion (fatwa) to do or do not, even for the very small actions in his life, he is always dominated by somebody, father in the family, teachers in schools, managers at work , policemen and intelligence in streets, sheikhs everywhere, and the devil in him, how can such a mind create or invent? The doctrine of blind obedience has destroyed the Muslim’s mind and turned it into gelatinous substance in the suspected hands of clerks.
The question of determining the Eid is a result of hundreds of years, a result of deteriorated ages in which our grandfathers have shared the crime, still we are the victims, but I refuse to live mind-blinded, I refuse the domination of people who are still living the 10th century, not only mentally but also formally, I refuse to hear « fatwas » about landing on the Moon from people who do not know what a plane is, I refuse to accept any economic speculation from people who only know about dates and camels, I never acknowledge any authority on my mind and right to believe, think, read, write, and act.
Dear « Mufti », if you believe in illusions, so I don’t; if you follow the moon sight, so I don’t; if you are blind, so I’m not; if you are a Muslim, so I’m not.
Narcissism is a pattern of traits and behaviors which signify infatuation and obsession with one’s self to the exclusion of all others and the egotistic and ruthless pursuit of one’s gratification, dominance and ambition.
Narcissism is named after the ancient Greek myth of Narcissus who was a handsome Greek youth who rejected the desperate advances of the nymph Echo. In punishment of his cruelty, he was doomed to fall in love with his own reflection in a pool of water. Unable to consummate his love, he pined away and changed into the flower that bears his name to this very day (narjes in Arabic).
Those of us who know a thing or two about human psychology and behavior consider narcissists among the most difficult people to deal with. These people usually believe that they are right and everyone else is wrong. They believe that they are smarter and more attractive than anyone else. The most difficult aspect is that they lack the capacity to reflect on their own lives: (stepping out of oneself and examining oneself).
When confronted by other people they either dismiss their confrontation, or become extremely defensive, enraged and look for revenge. Of course this terminology is usually used to describe individuals. But I am suggesting a model where we examine the same style of pathology but in cultures and societies.
I believe that our culture(s) in the Middle East fit the criteria that we usually apply to narcissists. In general, people in our culture are not used to examining themselves. They are too fragile to tolerate acknowledging their weaknesses. They lack objectivity when they -as a society or as individuals- try to problem-solve. We believe that we are better than everyone else on earth, we believe that all of our problems are “imposed on us”, we are always the “victims” of other people “plots” to control. If one us tried to remind the group of our responsibilities, he or she would be forced to shut up in the name of “political party, religion, family…”
Societies – like individuals- are always faced with problems. Authorities in these societies deal with their citizens in a distinctive pattern specific to that culture. These patterns are the “collective” patterns of how the “sum of these individuals” is raised at home as children and how they in turn raise their own children.
If parents treat their children as extensions of themselves, dismiss their opinions, intimidate them and force them to “comply” with family/society norms without any explanation or respect for their individuality, we end up with children -and later on adults- who are not used to questioning authority and just follow what everyone around them is telling them to do.
BUT, if parents taught their children to respect themselves, believe in their abilities and are assertive and comfortable in saying what they are thinking about. These parents teach the children the norms of their society but they give them enough freedom to question and learn why these norms are implemented. This way we end up with children that belong to the society because they want to, they feel that they have the power to change the norms of their society while working with others, they are not afraid of saying what they are thinking without worrying that their lives would be threatened if they disagreed with the rest of the group.
I believe that the majority (of course not all) of children in Middle Eastern society (ies) are taught to ignore their natural curiosity, to not ask questions, to comply with the rules and regulations enforced upon them either by emotional manipulation or by physical abuse. This generational brain washing stalled their creativity and limited their horizons, and made a generation after generation of narcissists that breed more and more narcissists.
Last note: the suicide bomber is the ultimate narcissist.
The difference between us and you
We make fun of everything including ourselves
You can’t take yourselves lightly
We respect all people even if they are different from us
You want to kill whoever is different from you
We explore things
You believe that you already know everything
We always try to know our positives and negatives
You think you are full of positives and with no negatives
We are self conscious
You are self absorbed
We invent things
You use the things we invent
We feel sorry for you
You hate us, are jealous of our progress
We forget that you exist until you create problems-again
You are obsessed with your theories about us
We value the person, any person
You value one person and only that person
We value the person for his or her work
You value the person who comply with your values only
We take responsibility for our errors
You blame us for your errors
We open our homes for you
You think that we are stupid and you take advantage of that
Voila la réponse d’un autre Danois qui réprésente la majorité:
Publié dans le journal danois EXTRABLADET (lettres de lecteurs),
Désolés pour vous donner l’abri et de l’assistance financière.
Désolés pour vous donner une éducation gratuite.
Désolés pour vous aider avec des subventions.
Désolés pour vous laisser pratiquer votre propre religion dans notre pays Chrétien !
Désolés pour avoir envoyer d’aide à votre pays.
Désolés pour ne pas exiger la vengeance en sang pour les meurtres des nos compatriotes par des musulmans.
Désolés pour ne pas courir autour avec des ceintures d’explosifs sur nos corps quand nous nous sentons bousculé et poussé.
Désolés pour ne pas faire juste ce que votre religion indique, mais pas des excuses pour la pratique de la liberté d’expression dans Notre propre pays avec des lois qui nous indique que nous sommes libres de parler et de s’exprimer.
Cette excuse vous n’obtiendrez jamais!
Mon conseil pour les Musulmans vivant en Europe, Amérique du Nord, Amérique du Sud, Pôle Nord et Mars : vous perdez les pays les plus tolérants dans le monde et je sais que je sais que 99.999 % d’entre vous sont comme n’importe qui d’autre en aimant la paix, mais vous avez sans doute besoin de faire quelque chose de votre image dans le monde. On peut commencer avec le respect des 10 commandements que Dieu nous a donnés est un bon début pour vous.
L’Islam vous a plongés dans le fanatisme, l’illettrisme, la Pauvreté et la corruption, et vous voudriez entraîner le monde dans cet abîme.
Désolée pour l’image que certains donnent de l’Islam.
Désolée de votre ignorance de l’Islam.
Désolée de votre vision réductrice des problèmes de société.
Désolée de vous rappeller que l’occident à une énorme dette envers le monde musulman dont il a exploité les richesses et qu’il continue de faire et à quel prix!
Désolée de vous dire que ce que reçoivent les citoyens musulmans n’est pas un don mais un droit.
Désolée de vous dire que le citoyen musulman est un citoyen à part entière tout comme vous et qu’il est chez lui.
Désolée que vous confondiez liberté d’expression avec ignorance, bêtise et suffisance.
Vous devriez peut-être relire vous aussi les dix commandements et les méditer.
Salam à vous.