Comment is freeTariq Ramadan’s latest book provides a blueprint for how Muslims in the west can negotiate their different identities
Ramadan, by contrast, talked non-stop about being a Muslim in 21st-century western societies, even asking his audience to stop clapping because "I have lots to get through and, like you, very little time." The latest book by Tony Blair’s favourite Islamic scholar is especially designed for people with only a few moments to spare. "What I Believe" is billed as a short "work of clarification, a deliberately accessible presentation of the basic ideas I have been defending for more than 20 years." Anybody attempting to reconcile the teachings of Islam with life in a liberal, increasingly secular democracy like Britain would certainly do well to spend some time reading the book.
Ramadan, the Oxford University theology professor and radical reformist, points to a growing negativity in perceptions of ordinary Muslims since the 9/11 terrorist attacks on America. Other "crises" causing resentment have ranged from the Danish cartoons affair – when artists were threatened with death for insulting the prophet – to the headscarf controversy still raging in France as part of a divisive "national identity" debate. Ramadan singles out remarks by Pope Benedict XVI who, in his Regensburg address of 2006 about the founding of European civilisation, all but excluded the Islamic contribution. "The list is getting longer and longer," writes Ramadan, pointing to Muslims feeling "stigmatisation and constant pressure".
The key to coping with such problems (ones which Ramadan, predictably but fairly, blames the media for magnifying into "juicy" scare stories) is "to resist the temptation to reduce one’s identity to a single dimension". This means that western Muslims should not emphasise their religion as their unique defining characteristic. Instead, he writes, "our identities are multiple and constantly on the move". He urges members of marginalised communities to be "creative" in every field of life, to "fully participate in citizenship" and to escape the "minority reflex".
Ramadan – whose academic background extends to a distinctly non-Islamic PhD on Nietzsche – sees societies achieving, as in his own studies, "a true philosophy of pluralism". This would mix a loyalty to classical religious texts with the imperatives of life in modern, multicultural, western societies. Such confident advice is particularly clear as it relates to Muslim women, with Ramadan attacking "literalists" who propagate horrors including female circumcision, forced marriages, honour killings and domestic violence. He says "Women must be present in the religious community’s decision circles, in organisations, in mosque managing bodies, and other places."
"Things should be shaken up so that women can recover their proper place, but women themselves must also get organised." Such an emphasis on rights and responsibilities runs throughout "What I Believe", with Ramadan arguing that religious and cultural ghettoes benefit nobody. That said, he dislikes the word "integration" because, by definition, it "highlights differences, it defines caricatured entities, and maintains the idea that after several generations certain citizens remain guests, who are too different, who perpetually need to ‘adapt’."
Ramadan says that, on the contrary, being a Muslim should be about striving to feel "comfortable and at home" in whichever society one finds oneself. Filling in the gaps left by the pope at Regensburg, he mentions the Islamic thinkers "who deeply contributed to both Europe and the west at large, nurturing and enriching them with their critical reflections."
Ramadan wants to resume this tradition, emphasising this shared past in everything from school curricula to official histories. He is only too well aware of the discrimination faced by western Muslims in their day-to-day lives, calling for a "genuine jihad" battling for mutual understanding and trust between communities.
It is a high ideal, but the book is not a naive one. Ramadan understands the modern world, and his religion’s place within it: this book makes this abundantly clear.
SOURCE : The Guardian
To tell you the truth I think women are already recovering their place in the public domain; this is a proces that’s going on and that will only keep going on with the new generation. I think the point is also to manage this freedom and activeness in the right direction. When I look at the new generation of Moroccan girls I fear they might go in the direction many of our boys did: confusing freedom with excess and lack of responsibility.
A comment on the following paragraph – hopefully Dr. Ramadan can set the record straight:
<< Such confident advice is particularly clear as it relates to Muslim women, with Ramadan attacking "literalists" who propagate horrors including female circumcision, forced marriages, honour killings and domestic violence. He says "Women must be present in the religious community’s decision circles, in organisations, in mosque managing bodies, and other places." >>
If the term “literalists” refers to those who adhere to the text and the doctrine outlined in the Divine Sources of Guidance, then the practices mentioned in the above statement are cultural in nature and are a result of complete ignorance and disregard of the Islamic guidance. They are certainly not being propagated by the “literalists”. In fact they are not being propagated by anyone but they exist in the vacuum created by lack of knowledge. Perhaps Dr. Ramadan can correct this understanding. The proper approach to defending Islam and clearing its name from such abhorrent practices should be by emphasizing its positive aspects and criticizing the practices themselves rather than using it as an opportunity to attack certain groups or elements of the Muslim societies. Knowing Dr. Ramadan and his outstanding contribution and great intellect it’s very doubtful that he meant it this way. Nonetheless the article seems to allude to this.
Mohamed Ibrahim, NH USA
I am a convert of 10 years with 4 children. My husband is educated and still chose to repress and beat me. This seems so prevalent in Muslim marriages from my experience. What is Islam’s forte, the multiculturalism is also its downfall as often different nationalities don’t mix in the true spirit of Islam. I never felt accepted as a White Muslim, just for novelty value and my children feel alienated. Churches embrace all colours and backgrounds. Mosques/communities just exacerbate the minority reflex.
Dr Ramadan’s uphill struggle continues…. Good luck to him he is an inspiration.
This is so sad. I´m not a convert but I know what you mean, muslims really need to open up to marriages outside of their own ethnicity. In my experience it’s mainly the older first generation that makes it difficult. I’ve had many discussions with my parents about this. They will never say they won’t accept someone of another race/ethnicity because they know that’s racist, but they make it about understanding, language, and the parents of the convert not being muslim. If someone does marry a convert they will not make it easy on that person. I know a woman who married a Moroccan man, she had so much to struggle for her place in that family that she has now become more Moroccan than me: she even speaks Berber (not Arabic) better than me. More catholic than the pope? Not to disrespect her or other converts who do this, but she found herself forced to behave like this. Our parents think it’s a succes story, not (primarily)because she is such a good muslim (which she is), but because she is so Berber like them. But I think it’s sad, because she is forced to give up her own identity to gain some respect. We don’t like it when non-muslims expect that from us, but we do the same with others. And like everyhing Moroccan is so great; we could use some outside influences! That’s just my opinion… and one day I will convince my parents;-)
Been there… it’s messy. Many muslims tend to be racist in practice while they glorify the universality of islam. Good luck to the new, (hopefully) more enlightened generations, because I agree that some fusion will do all involved good. And the first generation of muslims often is really misguided indeed.