Islam in Europe and Euro-Islam

Islam in Europe and
Euro-Islam Conference

Dr. Mozammel Haque

The one-day British-German Conference on ‘Beyond Multiculturalism: Islam in Europe and Euro-Islam’ organised jointly by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in London and the Democracy & Islam Programme at the University of Westminster, was held at the Westminster University recently, in the Boardroom of the University of Westminster, London.

These are challenging times for Europe’s Muslim communities. From one perspective, an increasing number of voices have been calling for the fashioning of a new Islamic consciousness in Europe, so-called ‘Euro-Islam’, which could both Muslims preserve their identity and fully integrate into Europe. It could even become an exportable commodity, inspiring Muslims elsewhere to adapt and embrace democracy and pluralism in more viable and adaptable forms.

Simultaneously, the multiculturalist environment which these voices want to embrace and celebrate has been under attack in Europe and the United States, precisely because some allege that it permits Islam and other ‘alien’ cultures a space for free self-expression, not always with welcome results.

In order to explore questions of ‘Islam in Europe’ and ‘Euro-Islam’, this conference brought together political decision-makers, academics and practitioners from Britain, Germany and elsewhere and, besides engaging with the negative experiences of European Muslims, plans to explore the more optimistic scenario: that of Muslims in Europe and the West contributing actively to the European pluralist experience, rather than being seen as a problem for multicultural pluralism, or at best, as (undeserving) beneficiaries.

This is the third German-British Conference on the subject of Islam organised in the last few years on the initiative of the German Embassy and in cooperation with political foundations and British universities. In May 2009, a conference took place at SOAS on ‘Integration of Muslim Communities in Germany and Britain – Success or Failure?’ In March, 2010 A Conference took place at King’s College on the theme ‘Political Islam and Public Policy.’ This year, 2011, the conference was titled: Beyond Multiculturalism: Islam in Europe and Euro-Islam’.

The welcome address was delivered by HE Georg Boomgaarden, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany. Another welcome address was delivered by Dr. Abdelwahab El-Affendi, Coordinator of the Democracy and Islam Programme, University of Westminster.

First Keynote address was delivered by Baroness Kishwer Falkner (Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Foreign and Commonwealth Office and for Home Office). Another Keynote address was delivered by Armin Laschet, Member of the State Parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia, former Minister for Integration of North-Rhine-Westphalia and member of the German National Islam Conference)

First Panel
There were four panels. The first Panel was on “Muslim communities in Europe: Multiculturalism vs. integration.” The multiculturalist environment has come under attack in Europe. An increasing number of voices have called on Muslim communities to better integrate and engage. The key questions addressed were: How much integration can be legitimately asked for, and where are the boundaries between integration and assimilation? Do Muslims have to choose between their own and a Western identity perceived as ‘other’ – or can the two blend into a Muslim Western identity?

Under the chair of Olivier McTenan, Director of Forward Thinking, Professor Tariq Modood, Director of the Research Centre for the Study of Ethnicity and Citizenship at the University of Bristol, spoke. The panel examined the debate on “Multiculturalism verses Integration”.

Second Panel
The Panel 2 was on “The image of Islam and how to objectify it?” The image of Islam has deteriorated since 9/11. Sometimes the understanding Europeans have about Islam is distorted or lacks adequate knowledge. In order to inject more objectivity into the debate, there has been, for example, a recent campaign promoting Islam as a faith which contributes positively to British society. The key questions addressed were: How can biased perceptions about Islam be countered? How can the media and the general public in Europe acquire a more balanced and comprehensive knowledge about Islam and the Muslim world?

Under the chair of Dr. Abdulwahab El-Affendi, coordinator of the Democracy and Islam Programme, University of Westminster, there were following speakers: Jorg Lau, Journalist for the German weekly newspaper Die Zeit; Farooq Murad, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain; Yousif Al-Khoei, Director, Al-Khoei Foundation. The panel was concerned with the Image of Islam and how to objectify it.

Third Panel
The Panel 3 was on “Aspects of radicalisation and how to counter it?” Violent and terrorist incidents in Europe with Islamist background have – albeit isolated – not been rooted out altogether. The key questions addressed were: Why do some apparently well-integrated European youth become attracted to extremist views? Why and when do some people cross from violent talk to violent action? How can European Muslims and non-Muslims as well as state and society cooperate in order to counter extremism? The panel was concerned with aspects of radicalisation and how to counter it?

Fourth Panel
The Panel 4 was on “‘Euro-Islam’: Contextualising Islam in secular societies.” ‘Euro-Islam’ has become a buzzword to describe a new Islamic consciousness in Europe, which could both help Muslims preserve their identity and fully integrate into Europe. It is directed against both ‘ghettoisation’ and assimilation. The key questions addressed were: Could ‘Euro-Islam’ be the way out of the stalemate between multiculturalism and assimilation? Could ‘Euro-Islam’ become an exportable commodity inspiring Muslims elsewhere to adapt and embrace democracy and pluralism in more viable and adaptable forms?

Under the chair of Kristiane Backer, author of the book From MTV to Mecca – How Islam Inspired My Life, the following were the speakers: Professor Tariq Ramadan, Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies, University of Oxford; Lord Professor Bhikhu Parekh, and Fiaz Moghul, Director of Faith Matters. The panel was concerned with “Euro-Islam in Secular Societies”.

Welcome Address by the Ambassador of
Germany in the United Kingdom
The German Ambassador said, “Today, about 4 million Muslims form Germany’s third-largest faith community, making up about 5% of the total population. This is significantly more than Britain’s 2 million Muslims, who make up about 3% of the British population.”

The German Federal Government set up the “German Islam Conference” in 2006 to improve integration. “The key issues are these: How can the different Muslim traditions and customs be brought into harmony with German law? How can the economic conditions of Muslims in Germany be improved? And how can prejudices on both sides be broken down?” said German Ambassador.

The very existence of the Conference is also a positive sign, said German Ambassador and added, “A sign that Islam and Muslims have become part of Germany, a part of German society.”

The German Ambassador said, “A study commissioned by the German Islam Conference on the integration of German Muslims has shown that Muslims are better integrated into German society than is often supposed. This is also confirmed by a Gallup survey of 2009, which found that Muslims in Germany (as in Britain) identify much more strongly with the state than the average population. Moreover, half of German Muslims – significantly more than the average population – were satisfied with their circumstances.”

Speaking about the image of Islam and Religious tolerance in Germany, the German Ambassador said, “last year a German opinion research institute conducted a survey on religious tolerance in several European countries. This found that over 80% of Germans were in favour of respect for all religions. However, only a third of German participants had a positive attitude towards Muslims, compared with over 50 per cent in France, the Netherlands and Denmark.”

The Ambassador also mentioned, “80% of participants in Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark associated the word “Islam” with discrimination against women, about 70% with fanaticism and about 60% with violence. Only in France were these negative associations significantly lower.”

“This difference in public opinion is contradicted by a survey published in January, conducted by the French opinion research institute Ifop and commissioned by Le Monde newspaper,” said the German Ambassador and mentioned, “This found that 42% of French and 40% of Germans see the presence of Islam in their countries as a “threat to national identity”. This negative attitude has, according to the survey, increased strongly in the last ten years.”

German Ambassador said that what is needed is more contact, getting to know each other. He also mentioned, “In Britain, it was Baroness Warsi who – likewise in January – publicly lamented that Islamophobia has become acceptable in society and sections of the media. Thus in both our countries we face similar questions and problems, which will be looked at by the second Panel.”

Speaking about Islamic organisations in Germany, the Ambassador said, less than 1% of the 4 million Muslims living in Germany – that is, only about 30,000 people – are members of Islamist organisations. Most of these organisations are legal. “In Germany associations can be banned if their aims or activities violate criminal law, or if they are directed against the constitutional order or the idea of international understanding,” said the Ambassador and added, “Islamist associations currently banned in Germany are Hizb-ut-Tahrir (banned since 2003, when it had about 300 members) and the Turkish “Caliph State” (banned since 2001, when it had about 1,100 members).”

German Ambassador said Islam is “historically not new. Judaism, Christianity and Islam have shaped Europe and the Middle East for over 1000 years.”
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Euro-Islam or Islam in Europe
In the Panel 4 on “Euro-Islam” the chair Kristiane Backer kicked the discussion by saying there is no European Islam; there is no Indonesian Islam; there is no Arabic Islam; Islam is Islam; but perhaps there is different experience of Islam. Then she asked Professor Tariq Ramadan to clear up this confusion. .

Professor Tariq Ramadan:
Professor Ramadan started by saying, my starting point: for all the European governments and for all the Western governments and for all the Muslims is to say, “In fact, if we come to the essence of Islam, there is only one Islam. As for principles or set of principles, or references, we have the Qur’an, the Prophetic Traditions, and then you have principles which are all the same, same prayer in Germany as we prayer in Pakistan; or in Egypt. We fast in the same way.”

Principle only one Islam; accepted diversity
“So as for the principles, there is only one Islam and now no one can deny the fact that there is an accepted diversity in Islam and the accepted diversity we have to be quite clear.”

Universality of Islam
“European Islam is to me Islamic as to the principles, European as to the culture, we have British Muslims are Muslims as far as the principles and British as for their culture,” said Professor Ramadan and emphasized, “we have to be assertive: the universality of Islam is to accept the universality of the principles and diversity of the culture.”

Beyond multiculturalism
Professor Ramadan spoke about multiculturalism and integration. He said, “Over the last few years we have this discussion, the rhetoric; multicultural failed, integration has failed; we have rhetoric of failure; saying that it does not work. I think that once again, here, we have to be consistent and clear what we are here talking about? What multiculturalism we are talking about? What we are actually addressing?”

“Now what we are facing, believe it or not, is the reality of the pluralistic society in Europe. We have common citizenship and different religious cultural backgrounds,” mentioned Professor Ramadan and said, “The only thing that we have now, we have to deal with it is pluralistic society. People are coming with different cultural backgrounds; different religious backgrounds and they have the same status. Now how we are going to deal with this? Are we serious about equality? Are we serious about taking into account diversity? Because all our Constitutions and when there is not clear constitutions, are all saying that we have to respect freedom of conscience, freedom of worship and the diversity of culture.”

Mentioning the problem Professor Ramadan said, “What should we do to be accepted as complete citizen when we have a Muslim background and a religious background. So there is a discourse, a rhetoric beyond culturalise, to religionise, to Islamise all the questions that we have.”

God is Omnipresent in Our Lives and Throughout the Universe

God is Omnipresent in Our Lives
And throughout the Universe

Dr. Mozammel Haque

Whether people believe in God or in the existence of God or not, the divine’s presence is eternal, universal and all-pervading and God will remain timelessly present in our lives and throughout the universe. Having said that, I have to acknowledge that there are some people who question the existence of God, who debated the presence of God. Non-believers or atheists have every right to believe in whatever ism or ideas they wish to believe in. Atheist Christopher Hitchens, terminally ill with cancer, recently challenged the former British Prime Minister Mr. Tony Blair to a televised debate in Canada about God.

Before the debate, the Canadian organizer arranged for a poll. The Ipsos poll, conducted in last September, found that Europe was the region most doubtful about the benefits of religion, with just 19% in Sweden agreeing that it was a force for good. At the other end of the scale, in Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, it was seen as a positive force by more than 90% of those questioned in the 23-country poll. Within North America, it is reported, there was a pronounced divide. In Canada only 36% agreed with the positive view of religion whereas 64% saw it as a negative force – figures almost exactly the reverse of those in the US.

Televised debate between Tony Blair
and Christopher Hitchens
A Televised debate took place in November 2010 between the former Prime Minister Mr Blair, Catholic convert, and Mr Christopher Hitchens, atheist and columnist. Mr. Blair defended religious faith as a force for good in the world during the televised debate. He argued that faith is a force for good.

During the debate, which was won by him by two to one, Mr. Blair, 57, who became a practicing Christian while studying at Oxford University, said: “It is undoubtedly true that people commit horrific acts of evil in the name of religion. It is also undoubtedly true that people do acts of extraordinary common good inspired by religion.”

Mr. Blair also told the 2,700-strong audience in Toronto, Canada the good done by faith-based organizations, including the millions of lives saved in Africa and care for the mentally ill, disabled and destitute, adding: “The proposition that religion is unadulterated poison is unsustainable. It can be destructive; it can also create a deep well of compassion and frequently does.”

Religious debate panel
In the week that atheist Christopher Hitchens challenged Tony Blair to a debate about God, Anushka Asthana, The Observer’s Policy editor, based in Westminster, conducted a religious debate with a panel of five leading thinkers, asking do we need a deity? The panelists were former Liberal-Democrat MP, Evan Harris; deputy director of the Muslim Institute and freelance journalist living in London, Samia Rahman; Labour MP for Dagenham Mr. Jon Cruddas; former editor of the Catholic Herald as well as former deputy editor of the New Statesman, Cristina Odone and a philosopher AC Grayling who has written a number of articles about the worth of religion including one for the New Statesman entitled The Empty Name of God.

Anushka Asthana enquired what would a world without religion look like? The Observer carried the whole religious panel debate in one of its Sunday issue in the middle of November 2010. Replying to this, Cristina Odone said, “"I must stress here that I embrace the concept of religion as faith rather than simply a structure like the Vatican or a synagogue. When I think of religion I think of the injunctions that it has given its followers. Repair the world, a Jewish commandment. Love thy neighbour as thyself, the most famous Christian commandment. And look upon charity as something that you must do every day that the sun rises, which is a Muslim injunction.”

She also mentioned, “When I think of religion I think of the injunctions that it has given its followers. Repair the world, a Jewish commandment. Love thy neighbour as thyself, the most famous Christian commandment. And look upon charity as something that you must do every day that the sun rises, which is a Muslim injunction. I think without such wonderful exhortations, our spirit would be the poorer and so would our society.”

Jon Cruddas replied, “I agree I think the generic element of all religions is the search for compassion. That’s quite a good departure point in terms of how you live your life..the search for virtue in our world.”

Even Harris said, “the real question is, ‘What would the world be like without organized religion’? Everyone has beliefs – it’s not reasonable to suggest that people wouldn’t have beliefs, mystical or otherwise. I think I’m with John Lennon on this, that it would be much better place in terms of peace.”

Samia Rahman said, “"I see religion and the practice of religion as often an extension of [an] individual's personality and their existing thoughts and beliefs and their characteristics. And so I see this oppositionality between belief and non-belief as almost a moot point. We have shared values. Religion offers many people a framework and a moral compass and they navigate through the framework and through the guidelines that their religion offers them and they come to their own conclusion and their own way of living.

"So I do have difficulty with the dichotomy between belief and non-belief and I think we can look at the intersections and where we do agree and gain something from that, rather than constantly positioning ourselves as the other," she mentioned.

Religion for Peace UK Lecture by
Oliver McTernan at the House of Lords
During the National Inter Faith Week from Sunday 21 to Saturday 27 November, 2010, many events, meetings and seminars were organised by different organisations. The Religion for Peace also organised a meeting at the House of Lords, on Wednesday, 24th of November, 2010 where the Religion for Peace UK Lecture entitled “Has Faith a Role to Play in Shaping Public and International Policy?” was delivered by Mr. Oliver McTernan, Director of Forward Thinking, London.

Referring to The Observer’s Religious Debate on Sunday: “Is religion a force for good or would we be happier without God?” and also a similar debate ran by The Economist online a few weeks ago, Mr. Oliver McTernan said, “Problem I find is the people involved in the public debate often frame their arguments in terms of unhelpful caricatures of the other. As a consequence we very often end up with a clash of perceptions rather than a more insightful understanding of the core issues and legitimate concerns that exist between believers and non-believers.”

“Many secular intellectuals think that the real “clash of civilisations” is not between different religions but between superstition and modernity. This has been the underlining argument of a succession of bestselling books attacking religion and arguing that faith has no place in the public arena—Sam Harris’s “The End of Faith”, Richard Dawkins’s “The God Delusion” and Christopher Hitchens’s “God is not Great—How Religion Poisons Everything”. They argue with such passion that it reflects a religious intensity,” mentioned Mr. McTernan and said, “Another characteristic of such debates is very often a flawed logic: particular episodes or positions too often lead to general conclusions. An element of truth is so often made into the whole truth.”

Mr. McTernan said that if we are to have an enlightened and constructive debate on the role of faith in shaping public policy “we have to understand the motives and the genuine concerns of those who would argue that religion should be relegated to the purely private sphere of life,” he said.

In this connection, Mr. McTernan referred to an article in the Economist published in 2007, where the editor, John Micklethwait argued that part of that secular fury against religion playing any role in the public sphere, especially in Europe, comes simply from exasperation. He quoted, “After all” he wrote, “it has been a canon of progressive thought since the Enlightenment that modernity—that heady combination of science, learning and democracy—would kill religion. Plainly, this has not happened. Numbers about religious observance are notoriously untrustworthy, but most of them seem to indicate that any drift towards secularism has been halted, and some show religion to be on the increase. The proportion of people attached to the world’s four biggest religions—Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism—rose from 67% in 1900 to 73% in 2005 and may reach 80% by 2050”.

Mr. McTernan continued to quote Mr. Micklethwait who argued that what made their concern even greater is that from a secularist point of view, the wrong sorts of religion are flourishing, and in the wrong places. “In general, it is the tougher versions of religion that are doing best—the sort that claim Adam and Eve met 6,003 years ago. Some of the new converts are from the ranks of the underprivileged (Pentecostalism has spread rapidly in the favelas of Brazil), but many are not. American evangelicals tend to be well-educated and well-off. In India and Turkey religious parties have been driven by the up-and-coming bourgeoisie.”
Mr. McTernan fully endorsed John Micklethwait’s analysis

“One of the main obstacles that prevents a more enlightened public debate on the role of faith shaping policy is the gap in understanding exists between the western political/social thinking and the diverse faith communities within Europe. The post enlightenment social/political mindset is profoundly secularist and as such only reluctantly tolerates religion provided that it is seen as a purely individual and private affair. On the other hand believers feel themselves under attack and retreat into uncompromising hard line positions on social and moral issues,” said Mr. McTernan and added, “It has been said that the combination of Westphalia and the Enlightenment have been ‘a double whammy for religion’”.

Mr. McTernan also said, “The Enlightenment, the secularists argue, challenged the old religious certainties, making science the new paradigm of understanding the world. Religion lingers on as a comforting myth for those who need support in times of personal crisis but having been relegated from the mainstream to the backwaters it has ceased to have any impact on the social or political life in modern society.”

Mr.McTernan mentioned, “Thinkers like Marx, Freud and Durkheim who helped to shape modern political and social theory were greatly influenced by the projection theories of the Greeks that saw the gods as nothing other than an objectification of human needs and desires. Religion they argued is a social construct, the product of particular social conditions which when changed will eradicate the need for religion. Marx looked on religion as an economic tool, an ideology that legitimised social oppression. For Freud it was a psychological illness that perpetuated the need for security. For Durkheim it was society worshipping itself.”

“If this is the historical and philosophical framework that shapes current western social political thinking the simple message people of faith need to get across today is that religion matters and needs to be recognized as a genuine motivator in their lives and needs to be respected as such,” said Mr. McTernan and added, “This can only be achieved if there is a major paradigm shift in the way in which the secular and religious worlds relate to one another.”

Referring to our contemporary multi cultural faith society as Britain is today, Mr. McTernan said, “religious leaders need to challenge the fears and prejudices that have so often driven the relationships between the diverse traditions as well as the wider society, leading to suspicion and at times negative perceptions of one another, and to focus within their respective faith communities on those teachings that at least implicitly acknowledge the right of others to believe and to act differently. To uphold and to defend the right of others to make truth claims, different from their own, and to act upon them, provided that these are not detrimental to the rights and well being of others, would be a significant step in addressing the clash in understanding that now exists between believers and wider society.”

Mr. McTernan said, “The prime purpose of religious dogmas, worship, laws and community is to enable people to discover the transcendent – the divine presence- in the midst of the contemporary human experience. These are props, as it were, that are meant to point the way or sharpen our awareness of God’s presence in our lives. Only when people reach the mystical level of belief are they able to deal with the plurality of life without feeling threatened.”

Mr. McTernan maintained, “The political decision makers also need to reassess the marginalized role relegated to religion in the past. There is a real and urgent need to pay genuine attention to the religious values and concerns that shape people’s political thinking and actions.”

“That said I believe it is equally important that the political decision makers respect the boundaries between secular and religious life. No government should presume the right to interfere in matters of belief or to promote one theological interpretation to the detriment of others. These are internal matters of faith and should be respected as such,” said Mr. McTernan and added, “In Britain recently we have witnessed a deeply worrying trend with government ministers openly promoting what they judge to be a ‘moderate’, and therefore presumably a more politically acceptable, brand of Islam. It is almost as if we are slipping back into a Westphalia mode of thinking that gives the ruler that right to determine the faith and practices of his subjects. This lack of understanding and respect for the need for boundaries on both sides can only cause greater suspicion and tension within a society.”

Mr. McTernan also said, “There is a clear need to promote at every level of political decision making a dialogue aimed at promoting awareness and understanding that can help to reshape the secular mindset that tends to dismiss religion as a backward and repressive phenomenon.”

“Whether we regard ourselves as secular or religious, Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, or indeed a non believer, we share a common responsibility for the security and well being of the whole of humanity. None of us can afford to ignore the challenge of allowing events on the ground to create the level of polarization that could so easily allow the flawed theory of a clash of civilizations becoming a reality. At the global and national level we need to create space for a real and genuine dialogue,” said McTernan.

Mr. McTernan mentioned, “Our Western secularist way of thinking has great difficulty in comprehending how religious belief can profoundly shape peoples’ political and social values as well as their identity. In the West we have grown to separate a spiritual identity from a communal identity. The ‘believing but not belonging’ phenomenon observed by the American social scientist Robert Putnam is inconceivable within most of the religious traditions represented here tonight.”

McTernan said, “To believe is essentially to belong to a community. Any outside interference therefore in the community’s structures or governance risks being perceived as an attack on the faith itself. The failure to give sufficient attention to this fundamental fact that faith and community cannot be separated can lead to the deep suspicions of a government’s intentions. The boundaries between the responsibilities of government and the responsibilities of the faith community need to be recognised and respected by both sides.”

Role of Prophet Muhammad Peace be upon him in Inter Faith Relations

Professor Tariq Ramadan on Prophet
Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) Role in
Inter Faith Relations

Dr. Mozammel Haque

On the occasion of Inter Faith Week 2010, The Muslim Council of Britain’s (MCB) Interfaith Relations Committee celebrated the week by organising a meeting at the House of Lords on Wednesday, 24th of November, 2010 and Professor Tariq Ramadan was invited as a keynote speaker to lecture on “Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) Inter Faith Relations”.

Dr. Tariq Ramadan is a Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies at the University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. He has been involved in interfaith dialogue for 25 years and he is among the leading Islamic thinkers in the West, with a large following around the world. Professor Ramadan has written an exceedingly beautiful book on the life of the blessed Prophet, entitled The Messenger: The Meanings of the Life of Muhammad (Penguin: London, 2007).

Messenger’s life
Professor Ramadan at the very beginning of his speech said that for us, as Muslims, it is very important to come back to the essence of religion and for us, the best example is our Messenger, Peace be upon him. He said, “For us, as Muslims, the best example is the Messenger peace be upon him and to come to this essence is to come to the Seerah which is not only the verses of the Qur’an and the message but the way he understood and implemented during his life. For us, all the Muslims, the Messenger’s life is an example, and we have to follow up the footsteps of the Messenger, to be witnesses; because at the end of the day he said something which is important.”

Faith should be visible
“We are all talking about faith; we are all celebrating faith; it is important. We very often speak about faith is something which is in our hearts;” said Professor Ramadan and added, “but when you follow the Messenger faith should be visible; it should be visible. Prophet came with revelations to make faith visible into our understanding but also of behaviour. So this is why it is important for us to understand that.”

Final message, diversity is our faith, our destiny
Professor Ramadan mentioned, “From an Islamic viewpoint, it is very important to understand what he said about the previous scriptures, about the previous Messengers and messages. The final Messenger is saying that it is not the only message; the final message and the Messenger respects all the Messengers. This is something which is central to the last Messenger who is telling you that you have to deal with diversity. Diversity is your faith; diversity is destiny and after diversity you have to learn first to understand and know yourself and to know the other. The verse quoted here means, ‘We made you tribes and nations for you to know each other.’”

Professor Ramadan also mentioned, “In between the conflict and knowledge there is humility. Diversity to understand that you do not understand the whole truth. Truth does not belong to you but you belong to Truth. You are trying to express the Truth. You can get that understanding from the very beginning and it is very important thing. Then also for our consistency out of this behaviour to get another understanding what the message is saying about other traditions; for other religions and for other messengers, it is very important.”

Tolerance is not enough
Professor Ramadan said that when he went through Prophet’s life and he wrote Book on “The Messenger: The Meaning of the Life of Muhammad”, he just realised two or three things which he put into two main important lessons; “first one is that through this life what you get is that tolerance is not enough; tolerance is a rational positioning; is that I tolerate your presence with my mind because I have no means to remove you from the picture and the very essence of tolerance is suffering of the presence of the other.”

Accept the Will of God
“This is the very meaning of tolerance from the Islamic viewpoint; you will find exactly the same in Christianity, in Judaism, in Hinduism and in Buddhism. You have to even accept beyond that,” said Professor Ramadan and added, “The acceptance is to accept the Will of God and God wants the diversity. He wants the diversity as your destiny; so you have to go from acceptance towards respect and the difference between acceptance and respect that you have to personally committed to this presence of the other, meaning respect is based on the knowledge of the other.”

Knowledge, listening and talk
It is important to understand every single step of the Prophet’s life. Professor Ramadan said, “It is not only to accept what God is showing but your deep acceptance through the spirituality to go towards knowledge, to know the other and to know the other is not for you to talk only but is for you also to listen, based on knowledge; listening what the people has to say. Dialogue is not I talk and you listen that talk; but I will listen.”

We have a message, There is one God
Professor Ramadan reminded the stories of Moses. According to the Qur’an, when Moses is facing the Christians, they are asking him: are you going to speak first or us? Show me what you have to say. Professor Ramadan said, “Even in the dialogue, the very beginning is to listen. So we get this overall understanding. When we come to the life of Messenger here we have message and we have behaviour. We have a way of dealing with it; we have a witness of this; we have an example and we have a model. What is important here is for us, that the Prophet peace be upon him was repeating and that comes a new message, what was coming before and for us the essential thing that was there that there is one God, the one God, it is the central, the Tawheed. This is why it is understood Ahlul Kitab, the people who were following Book that was revealed, are following this very message that there is one God.”

There is meaning in our life
“And there is one God means that there is meaning in our life. Professor Ramadan wanted to stress on this. He said, “Very often in our interfaith dialogue, Islah, life has a meaning. We are coming from God and to Him we are going back; so it means that we have a responsibility to keep this meaning. When Prophet peace be upon him came to Madina, what he did in Madina? In Madina when he was dealing with society is not just doing the is doing in the night is to change during the day. So there is a connection here between the spirituality and faith in action.”

Seerah of the Prophet – humility
What teaching we get from diversity? From this diversity what should we do and why it is important? Professor Ramadan said, “The first teaching of diversity that we had is the important of Seerah of the Messenger, the Prophet peace be upon him is really humility; is at the same time to belief that you have the Truth and you follow the Truth; because you are the believers and that this is the Truth that He is the Truth. So following something that I deeply belief in Truth but the Truth is telling me there are other religions and the other ways; so you have to deal with this diversity that it will help you to be better yourselves.”

“Someone telling us I am not learning despite of respecting, despite of their differences because they are different, your differences help me to be better. So the fact that you are helping me to know who I want to be,” said Professor Ramadan and added, “So the difference is an asset, as it could be if you don’t have faith, if you don’t have some understanding, something could be a liability, a problem and a challenge per se.

Confirmation of faith
Then Professor Ramadan mentioned some of the teachings we learned from the very beginning is that when the Messenger was first trying to get them answer; he left the people and went to Hera and he was asking God to give him an answer. “The first confirmation just after the first revelation that there is something what you are saying right, there is something what you got;” mentioned Professor Ramadan and said, “So confirming the very essence of faith and saying something that you will never and we should never forget, because something you are coming with Truth, as oath and love and you are going to be loved by people. Face animosity, face enemy. We have to be clear on that. We should spread peace knowing that some responses as we can see today are not outgoing with full of love. So this is the starting point.”

Face animosity, face enemy
Professor Ramadan also reminded, “It’s a Christian telling to a Muslim, the last Messenger that the people are going to reject what you are coming with because some people are moved by interest, money, power. Know that your responsibility: if you are coming with meaning is to resist this obsession of power, this idolatry. Idolatry is exacting this. So you got this from the Christian. The Messenger did not understand at the beginning; he said: ‘Are they going to reject me?’ He said, ‘yes, this is the fate of the Messenger.’ So it’s a Christian teaching and just telling that you are following the steps of a long tradition.”

Question of meaning
Then oppression really and eventually came and after the oppression, what did the Messenger say and what did he do? Professor Ramadan said, “Wahi, this revelation, this inspiration coming from God, ‘Go to the Christian ruler; he is working with justice,’ saying to the Muslims it is not a question of love; it is a question of meaning, go and he will protect you; because he is a believer and he is acting as a just ruler.”

Halful Fadul Pact
Professor Ramadan mentioned another agreement, Halful Fadul pact which was made before the arrival of Islam. Professor Ramadan said, “Remember that when after years the Prophet got the revelation he said one day I was in a home and in this home was a jadal; we had a pact - the pact of the future, the Halful Fadul. It was all about justice; it was before Islam; but if now myself as a Muslim, I had to come back to this Pact, I will come back to it; why? Because it was before Islam but it is Islamic principle; telling you that it was not you follow only what is coming from your religion, because some principles are coming from outside; they are rooted in your tradition but coming from other people.”

Principles are principles from wherever they come
“You can find them in Christianity, you can find them in Judaism, you can find them in Jewish, Christian people, Hindu people, Buddhist people and even non-religious people and non-believers sometimes they abide by principles that you will find them what we are losing; this diversity could help you and this is what he was saying about Halful Fadul telling to Muslims: be careful principles are principles from wherever they come,” said Professor Ramadan.

Asking the Christians to come
Professor Ramadan mentioned some of the things which need education and understanding. He said we can get this from the life of the Prophet peace be upon him. He said, “We can get this teaching from his life and then also some of the stories that we had asking the Christians to come and the verse was just quoted now, Ya Ahlil Kitab, O, People of the Book, come to the common world; we have to talk and we want to listen. Then access is this that there is one God; but let us come together. It was said in some of the Traditions that you pray within the Mosque. It was allowed that the prophet and there was discussions mainstream is saying it happened this respect towards Christianity; and look at this because you are referring Khalifa Omar to Jerusalem and al-Quds; he refused to pray in the Church; why?”

Prophet allowed Christians to pray in Mosque and
Omar refused to pray in Church
Professor Ramadan narrated, “The Prophet peace be upon him welcomed the Christians and he let them to pray within the Mosque; but when Omar went to al-Quds he refused to pray in the Church and he said people after me win here and they will agree to destroy the Church; sending the message that we value the very essence of what the Church is, he knew human beings. The human beings are sometimes distorted memory and distorted respect. Here we have again story coming with someone who was Companion of the Messenger and telling us how we have to act and more than that.”

Madina Agreement with Jews – equality
Then Professor Ramadan also mentioned about the Madina Covenant with the Jews. He said, “When the Messenger arrived in Madina and he said to the Jewish tribes that he wanted to come into a common agreement; equality, respecting them; la ikraha fith deen; I am not going to convert people; respect who you are; so we have a common agreement. So this would be something which has to do with the rule of law; that we abide by the same law; same rights and the same duties at the same time.”

Political struggle
“Even after this, in some of the struggles with some of the Christians or Jewish tribes, the Messenger was able to differentiate between political reasons and the essence of mutual respect protecting some of the Jewish tribes while having problems with other tribes but he was not confusing,” mentioned Professor Ramadan and said, “It is very important for us not to confuse political struggle and not respecting the freedom of religion of the other. So I think this is something which is coming from his life and to end with this example in Madina and this is very essence of diversity and equality.”

Self-critical is important
Professor Ramadan said, “Self-critical is important. We are not coming back to the past to forget the failures of the present; we are coming back to the past to know our responsibility to change the present; it is the past to change the present and it is not the past to forget the failures of the present. This is something which is quite important in the critical thinking that is very important as Muslims.”

Secular society
Speaking about secular society, Professor Ramadan said, “We have to reach out, we have a responsibility to reach out within our society and to stop of talking about secular society which is not concerned with religion. Secular society does not mean that there is no religion; secular society means there is a neutral space where we respect each other, it is not disappear. So the people who are transforming a secular society into an ideology of secularism you have to disappear; it is dangerous for all of us.”

Love and Family
Then Professor Ramadan mentioned about his experience in South America when he met people who are connected to the Roman Catholic Church. Professor Ramadan said, “We are talking about love. If you love God, at the end of the verse is, God will love you. When you look at the Messenger and the Prophet, peace be upon him, it is all about loving God. It is just to serve Him because he loves Him. We have to come with this.”

Professor Ramadan also spoke about family. He said, “Come back to the centrality of family and I don’t know what you feel about this; but Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, we all care about the very essence of family life in our society and its future. We are following into the footsteps of people who told them: be careful about your wives, your husbands, your kids.”

Superficial of understanding of Religion
Professor Ramadan mentioned his dialogue recently with someone who wrote a book saying God is not Great. “Which kind of meaning? What are you attacking?” said Professor Ramadan and added, “Sometimes it is very much a question of people of misunderstanding and the very superficial of understanding of religion. People sometimes are rejecting religion because they have a very superficial understanding and we have to come to our principles to say this.”

Final word on Interfaith
Professor Ramadan said the final word on interfaith dialogue is “We have to work on this. Interfaith dialogue is not speaking about the common values, it is to put in the middle, challenges, projects and we have to be involved together and to come us together with our respective values.”

Say [O Messenger]: If you love God, follow me; God will love you - Al-Qur'an

“Say [O Messenger]: If you love God, follow me:
God will love you.” – Al-Qur’an

Dr. Mozammel Haque

The Messenger taught his Companions to love God, and the Qur’an taught them in return: “Say [O Messenger]: If you love God, follow me: God will love you and forgive you your sins.” (Al-Qur’an; 3:31)

This is the month of Rabi al-Awwal, when Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the last and final Prophet of Almighty Allah, was born in Makkah. The Holy Qur’an, the Final Revealed Book, was revealed to him through Angel Gabriel. I was reading a book: The Messenger: The Meanings of the Life of Muhammad, (peace be upon him) by Tariq Ramadan and I am presenting some of his thoughts and ideas through this column, as promised earlier. “He (The Prophet) received and transmitted the last revealed book, the Qur’an, which repeatedly insists on the eminent and singular position of the Messenger of God, all at once a prophet, a bearer of news, a model, and a guide. He was but a man, yet he acted to transform the world in the light of Revelation and inspirations he received from God, but also fully accepted his own humanity in what makes Muhammad an example and a guide for the Muslim faithful.” (page ix)

Intimate relationship of trust and love
While pointing out the intimate relationship of love and trust, Professor Ramadan wrote: The essence of the Islamic message is wholly expressed in this intimate relationship of trust and love with the Most High, establishing a direct link between the individual and his or her Creator, Who has chosen to demonstrate exemplary behaviour through a messenger, a human being, whom He has set as a model. Three verses were later to synthesize the exact substance of this teaching: “When My servants as you concerning Me; I am indeed close [to them]: I respond to the prayer of every supplicant when he or she calls on Me.” (Al-Qur’an; 2:186)

The Prophet (peace be upon him), at the heart of this intimate relationship, opens the way: Allah the Almighty said: “Say: If you love God, follow me: God will love you and forgive you your sins.” (Al-Qur’an; 3:31)

The Prophet is the epitome of the human being aspiring to the divine beyond the finitude of life: Al-Qur’an says: “You have indeed in the Messenger of God an excellent example for the person who hopes in [aspires to get close to] God and the final Day and who remembers God intensely.” (Al-Qur’an; 33:21)

Not to compromise principles for wealth and power
In the early years in Makkah when the situation was getting increasingly difficult for Muslims, when insults, rejection, and ill-treatment became the rule, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) began looking for a solution to alleviate the trials and suffering endured by the first Muslims. He was thought of approaching Walid, the chief of the Makhzum clan. Professor Ramadan wrote the story thus: “While he was setting forth his arguments and trying to win Walid’s support, the Prophet was interrupted by a blind man, poor and old, who had already converted to Islam and was asking him to recite some surahs from the Qur’an for him. Muhammad first turned aside calmly, but he soon became irritated by the insistence of this old man, who was preventing him from presenting his case to Walid. The chief, full of contempt, eventually refused even to hear the matter. A surah was to be revealed as a result of this incident, requiring Muslims to draw a lesson from it for eternity:

“In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. He (the Prophet] frowned and turned away, because the blind man came to him. But what could you tell but that perhaps he might grow in purity? Or that he might receive admonition, and the reminder might profit him? As to one who regards himself as self-sufficient, you attend to him, though it is no blame to you if he does not grow in purity. But as to he who came to you striving earnestly, and with fear [in his heart], of him you were unmindful. By no means [should it be so]! For it is indeed a message of remembrance. Therefore let who will, keep it in remembrance.” (Al-Qur’an; 80:1-12)

“The Prophet, moved by his desire to protect his community, is here reproached by his Educator, who teaches him never to turn away from a human being, regardless of whatever difficult circumstances the Prophet might be facing, even though the person might be poor, old and blind. Seeking the protection of a person of distinction, socially and politically useful, Muhammad (peace be upon him) had neglected a poor man, apparently of no significance to his cause, who was asking for spiritual solace; this mistake, this moral slip, is recorded in the Qur’an, which through this story teaches Muslims never to neglect a human being, never to turn away from the poor and needy, but rather to serve and love them. The Prophet was never to forget this teaching, and he repeatedly invoked God, saying: “O God, we implore You to grant us piety, dignity, [spiritual], wealth, and love of the poor.”

Commenting on this Professor Ramadan wrote: “No one must ever let power or social, economic, or political interests turn him or her away from other human beings, from the attention they deserve and the respect they are entitled to. Nothing must ever lead a person to compromise this principle of faith in favour of a political strategy aimed at saving or protecting a community from some peril. The freely offered, sincere heart of a poor, powerless individual is worth a thousand times more in the sight of God than the assiduously courted, self-interested heart of a rich one.” (page 48-49).

“History, with its many examples of how the thirst for power and wealth has led individuals to compromise their principles, has since taught us how true this intuition was. In this respect, another of the Prophet’s warnings echoes in our minds, addressing his spiritual community for the centuries to come: “For every [spiritual] community there is an object of discord, tension, and disorder [fitnah], and for my community, this object is money.”, quoted by Professor Ramadan (page 49).

Begin every act invoking the Name
of Allah the Almighty
While writing the biography of the Prophet (peace be upon him), Professor Ramadan mentioned another incident. The Quraysh were at a loss about how to prevent the Prophet’s message from spreading further. They decided to send a delegation to Yathrib to ask Jewish dignitaries. The Rabbis suggested the people of Makkah should ask him three key questions. Back in Makkah, they went to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and asked him the three questions. The Prophet replied almost instantly: “I shall answer your questions tomorrow!” (page 57)

But the next day, the Angel Gabriel did not appear. There was no Revelation. Nor did the Angel come the day after. Professor Ramadan said, “Two weeks later, he received a Revelation and an explanation: “Never say of anything, “I shall do that tomorrow,” except: “If God so wills,” and remember your Lord [Rabb, “Educator”] when you forget, and say: “I hope that my Lord will guide me ever closer than this to the right course.” (Al-Qur’an; 18:23-24)

“This Revelation once again involved and a teaching: it reminded the Prophet that his status, his knowledge, and his fate depended on his Rabb, on the One and Sovereign God, and that he must never forget it. This is how one should understand the meaning of the phrase Insha Allah, “if God so wills”: it expresses the awareness of limits, the feeling of humility of one who acts while knowing that beyond what he or she can do or say, God alone has the power to make things happen. This is by no means a fatalistic message: it implies not that one should not act but, on the contrary, that one should never stop acting while always being aware in one’s mind and heart of the real limits of human power. For the second time, the Prophet was called to account by the Transcendent. Whatever adversity one faces, one’s strength and freedom on earth consist in remaining constantly aware of one’s dependence on the Creator.” (page 57)

“Only later was the Prophet to receive the answers to the three questions he had been asked. The delay was paradoxically to strengthen the believers’ conviction and to baffle the Prophet’s interlocutors: his initial inability to answer and then the belated communication of Revelation proved that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was not the author of the Book that was being constituted and that he did actually depend on his Rabb’s will,” wrote Professor Ramadan (Page 58).

Remember God’s Infinite Power and never
pronounce final judgement on anybody
While narrating the story of Umar’s conversion, Professor Ramadan wrote: Umar had gone out of his home determined to kill the Prophet, blinded by his absolute negation of the One God; there he was, a few hours later, changed, transformed, as the result of a conversion induced by a text and the meaning of God. He was to become one of the most faithful Companions of the man he had wished dead.”

Commenting on Umar’s conversion, Professor Ramadan wrote: “This heart’s revolution was a sign, and it carried a twofold teaching: that nothing is impossible for God, and that one should not pronounce final judgements on anything or anybody. This was a reminder of the need of humility in all circumstances: for a human being, remembering God’s infinite power should mean healthy self-doubt as to oneself and suspending one’s judgement as to others. Thus, the more he moved forward with God, every day becoming more of a model for his Companions and for eternity, the more the Prophet was attaining humility and modesty as expressed in being, knowledge, and judgement.” (Page 65).

Dr Naseef Attends Reviving Islamic Spirit Conference in Toronto

WMC President Attends Reviving the Islamic
Spirit Conference in Toronto, Canada

Dr. Mozammel Haque

Dr. Abdullah Omar Naseef, the President of the World Muslim Congress (WMC) attended the three-day Reviving the Islamic Spirit Conference (RIS) in Toronto, Canada, recently. More than 17,000 people from USA, Canada, Denmark, Australia, South Africa and around the world also attended the RIS Conference to listen the lectures delivered by illustrious scholars from around the globe.. After returning back from Canada, Dr. Naseef gave me an interview about this conference.

The 8th annual Reviving the Islamic Spirit convention hosted this year special guest speaker Yusuf Islam (formerly known as Cat Stevens). This was his first Canadian engagement in nearly a decade. Speakers included, among others, over 20 leading professors, Islamic scholars, and community workers. Interestingly, seven embraced Islam at some point in their lives.

Among the speakers included: Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens, who is a widely respected philanthropist, educator and musician; Hamza Yusuf, founder of Zaytuna College, America’s first Muslim College, who met Pope Benedict XVI to promote Muslim and Christian Dialogue; Professor Tariq Ramadan, Oxford Professor, author and named by Time Magazine as one of the world’s 100 most influential people; Abdal Hakim Jackson, Law Professor of the University of Michigan and author of “Islam and the Blackamerican”; Zaid Shakir, leading US Scholar, lecturer and author, known for his grassroots anti-drug campaigning.

Zainab Alwani, Researcher on female Islamic scholarship and author on domestic violence; Aisha Al-Adawiya, Executive Director of human rights group Women in Islam; Jamal Badawi, Professor of St. Mary’s University, NS, Management, and leading Canadian scholar; Liberal MP, John McCallum also addressed the 17,000 attendees.

Uniqueness of the convention
The convention is unique as it is completely organized and managed by the youth. The theme of the convention is ‘SOS: Saving the Ship of Humanity’

“When a ship is lost at sea, is in imminent danger of sinking, or if it has been hijacked, the captain sends out an SOS,” according to the RIS website. “Our planet is currently sending out an SOS.” “It is time for us to mobilize all of our resources to help save the ship of humanity, before it sinks, or is forever lost at sea.”

Since first held in 2003, the convention has become one of North America’s high-profile Muslim gatherings. It has grown from 3,500 attendees in its first year to over 15,000 in 2008, making it one of the largest Muslim conventions in North America.

Speakers and their messages
On the first day of the Conference on Friday, 25 December, there were eight sessions and on each session there was a subject spoke by one renowned scholar. Imam Zaid Shakir gave a sermon on “Saving Our Souls.” Imam Johari Abdul Malik and Dr. Jamal Badawi lectured on “Sending Out An SOS: Contemporary Relevance of the Islamic Message.” This was followed by Ustad Amr Khaled with “Strangers or Fellow Travelers: How Islam Removes the Causes of Alienation in Modern Societies.”

After Maghreb prayer, in the third session, Dr. Tareq Suwaidan spoke on “Do Not Disrupt the Balance: Striking the Balance between Religion and Science.” In the fourth session, Sheikh Habib Ali Al Jifri spoke on “A Young Person Dedicated to the Worship of Allah: The Youth Around Muhammad, Peace Upon Him.” His speech gave many great examples of the youth as related through Hadith.

In the fifth session, Professor Tariq Ramadan spoke on “Where Then Are You Going? Tough Questions for Today's Youth.” The point he made in this speech, besides other points, was that when Muslims discuss Islam to others it is prudent to remember this is a message that was sent to all. There is no "Us" against "Them," or an "Us and Them." “Humanity is one and the message of Islam was sent for all. He spoke directly to the youth reminding them that if they are getting the messages that blowing themselves up or hurting others is the way of Islam they are mislead. Muslims speak out about injustice wherever they find it using means that are useful. He also encouraged the youth to speak out and share their issues so that, the scholars can address their concerns. Reported by Heather Laird in Michigan Islamic Examiner on 25 December.

In the sixth session, Yusuf Islam spoke on “On this Boat Called Near and Far.” The title of his speech is also the title of his new album. Dr. Yusuf Islam spoke of his life journey of discovery. How he discovered his relationship with God and ultimately Islam. Heather Laird reported in SE Michigan Islamic Examiner on 25 December: He sang a few lyrics of some of his old and some of his new music. It was so touching and memorable to this Examiner that it brought tears to my eyes. Most can remember one of Yusuf Islam's songs touching their lives in one way or another. For this Examiner, his journey reminded me much of my own.

Friday evening lectures finished with the renowned Sheikh Hamza Yusuf who spoke on “Walk on Water: The Three Faces of Jesus.” Sheikh Hamza named one of the most influential Muslims in the World in the top 50 out of a list of 500, has recently published a book entitled, Walk on Water. He discussed in his speech how important Jesus is to Muslims. Heather Laird reported in SE Michigan Islamic Examiner on 25 December: ‘Jesus is mentioned in the Qu'ran 93 times whereas the Prophet Mohammed is only mentioned three times. He provided clarity around the often misinterpreted understanding of the verses in Qur'an speaking of Jews and Christians, explaining how most of the time these verses are speaking directly to passages in the Talmud and Bible and those educated in the respected theologies understand them. He discussed the different ways in which Jesus has been perceived by Jews, Christians and then Muslims over history.’

On the Second day of the Conference on Saturday, 26 December, there were seven sessions, such as Session 9; Tayyiba Taylor and Imam Tahir Anwar spoke on the topic of The Believing Men and Women are Each others Protecting Friends: Men and Women United for Change’.

In session 10, Shaykh Abdallah Bin Bayyah, the former minister of justice of Mauritania and a member of the Islamic Fiqh Council, translated by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, spoke on ‘Purification of the Soul” A Blameworthy Innovation or the Heart of Islam’. Shaykh said that Muslim youth must not forget the spiritual legacy of their predecessors but must reconnect with that tradition. In session 11, Imam Yasir Fazaga and Shaykh Sulaiman Mulla spoke on the topic of ‘Rediscovering our Moral Compass: Finding our Spiritual Coordinates’.

In session 12, Dr. Tarek Al-Suwaidan, a leading scholar and public speaker from Kuwait, spoke on ‘Imam Ali: A Role Model for Our Youth.’ He spoke on Islam and the Modern World. He stated that scientific facts can never contradict Islam but scientific theories can. He said the distinction should always be kept in mind. In session 13, Dr. Zainab Alwani and Imam Zaid Shakir spoke on the topic of ‘The Apple’s Rotten Core: The Social Implications of Domestic Violence’.

In session 14, Dr. Abdal Hakim Jackson and Professor Tariq Ramadan spoke on ‘The New We: Muslims in Future of Western Society’.

In session 15, Yusuf Islam, Habib Ali Al-Jifri and Shaykh Hamza Yusuf spoke on ‘SOS: Saving the Ship of Humanity.

On the third day of the Conference, on Sunday, 27 December, there were nine sessions and on each session there was one topic but the last session 24 there was a special message for the audience.

In session 16, Sister Aisha Al-Adawiyyah and Dr. Abdal Hakim Murad spoke on ‘Freeing Our Mosques’. Sr. Aisha, a native of New York City, New York, spoke of the needs of the communities and their relationship with the mosques. Heather Laird reported in SE Michigan Islamic Examiner, on 28 December: “One particular note was the need to deal with no tolerance toward issues like domestic violence.

Dr. Abdul Hakim Murad, a native of Cambridge, Great Britain, spoke on what mosques are supposed to be. He elaborated that mosques are not supposed to be hyphenated with some tradition, race or ethnicity, i.e., this is the Somali-mosque. But, rather, mosques are supposed to be freely attended with the diversity of all communities and not at the exclusion of anyone. He mentioned about the mosque in his own town of Cambridge. While discussing about this mosque, he said it is one where even those who are not Muslim like to come and sit for the peace they feel there. It is diverse with nearly 70 different nationalities all praying there. And it has been blessed to the point where in the last few years it has more than doubled in size, largely due to an indigenous population and so they are building a new one down the road.”

In Session 17, Professor Tariq Ramadan spoke on “Read: A Simple Command of Profound Implications”. In his speech Professor Ramadan focused on the attributes of God and how we need to access them. Laird again reported, “He discussed the need for critical thinking and to not follow anyone blindly.”If you like what someone has said, don't just take it because you like it" he said, "but rather find out for yourself.” Dr. Ramadan recently published a book entitled What I Believe. Many of his thoughts from his speeches at this conference can be found in the pages of this book.”

In Session 18, Dr. Abdal Hakim Jackson spoke on “He Made you into Nations and Tribes to know one another: The Social Implications of Race Relations. This was a powerful speech to end the morning sessions. Laird reported, “Dr. Jackson spoke of the differentiating between white supremacist and white racist. He was asked to elaborate on the question of the increase in white supremacist groups after September 11, 2001. He said that groups like the KKK were not, to him, white supremacist groups, but rather white racist groups. To be a supremacist group you have to be able to effect the people's own self-image and feelings of worth. “

Laird also reported, “He continued to point out that white people themselves have been some of the biggest critics of white supremacy, and directed the audience to the writings of Theodore Allen. He asked people to understand that the majority of whites have been victims themselves to white supremacy, especially poor whites.”

In Session 20, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf spoke on “The Muslim World: A SWOT Analysis”. Hamza Yusuf encouraged people to know one another and try to understand one another before reaching conclusions about one another.

In Session 21, Sheikh Abdalla Idris Ali and Sheikh Sulaiman Mulla spoke on "Is the Generation Gap Real?: Social Reality or Anarchist Myth." In Session 22, Imam Zaid Shakir spoke on "Overkill: How Many Times Do We Need To Destroy The Earth?" He spoke to the environmental destruction of the Earth. After Imam Zaid, in Session 23, Dr. Tareq Suwaidan spoke on "A Quest for Dialogue: Islam's Contribution to a New Civilizing Discourse."

Message of the Convention: United We Stand
Speakers at a three day Islamic Convention held in Toronto on the weekend urged Muslims to live up to their responsibility to save the world. In the finale session of the conference Sheikh Abdallah Bin Bayyah translated by Sheikh Hamza Yusuf offered many advices to the Muslim community. And then for an explosive finish Sheikh Abdalla Idris Ali, Dr. Jamal Badawi, Dr. Abdal Hakim Murad, Sheikh Sulaiman Mulla, Dr. Sherman Abdal Hakim Jackson, Imam Zaid Shakir, Dr. Yusuf Islam, Dr. Tareq Suwaidan, Habib Ali Al Jifri and Sheikh Hamza Yusuf each spoke for about 5-7 minutes with a message on "United We Stand."

History of the Convention
The first conference was held in 2003, and has since become one of North America's largest Islamic conferences. Though it is not a rival of the ISNA convention in the United States, but it is, no doubt, a similar convention in North America.. The conference has grown from 3,500 attendees in its first year to over 15,000 in 2006, making it the largest Islamic conference in Canada. The conference have been structured since the beginning around a specific central theme, which have included the life of the prophet Muhammad, Canadian-Muslim identity, and Islamic civilization.

"Reviving the Islamic Spirit" convention is an attempt by the youth to help overcome new challenges of communication and integration. According to the organizers, “The convention aims to promote stronger ties within the North American Society through reviving the Islamic tradition of education, tolerance and introspection, and across cultural lines through points of commonality and respect. Furthermore, the convention will be a celebration of our identity and Islamic faith. To help attain these ideals, the convention will feature a wide range of voices from various parts of the world.”

Swiss Minaret ban: Response and Reaction

Swiss Minaret ban: Reaction and Response
from People of different colours

Dr. Mozammel Haque

The proposal to ban the building of minarets had been put forward by the Swiss People's Party, (SVP), the largest party in Parliament, which says minarets are a sign of Islamisation. More than 57% of voters and 22 out of 26 cantons - or provinces - voted in favour of the ban.

“The last surveys suggested around 34% of the Swiss population would vote for this shocking initiative. Last Friday, in a meeting organised in Lausanne, more than 800 students, professors and citizens were in no doubt that the referendum would see the motion rejected, and instead were focused on how to turn this silly initiative into a more positive future,” tracing the background, Professor Dr. Tariq Ramadan wrote in The Guardian, London, on Sunday, 29 November, 2009.

Professor Ramadan observed, “Today that confidence was shattered, as 57% of the Swiss population did as the Union Démocratique du Centre (UDC) had urged them to – a worrying sign that this Populist Party may be closest to the people’s fears and expectations. For the first time since 1893 an initiative that singles out one community, with a clear discriminatory essence, has been approved in Switzerland. One can hope that the ban will be rejected at the European level, but that makes the result no less alarming. What is happening in Switzerland, the land of my birth?”

That is the opinion and observation of no less a person than the son of the soil, a renowned scholar and Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Oxford. But, of course, he is a Muslim by religion and practice. But people of other religious faith also denounced the ban.

Religious leaders across the world have criticised Switzerland's referendum vote to ban the building of minarets. The Vatican has condemned the Swiss ban on the construction of Islamic minarets as a 'blow to freedom of religion'. The Vatican on Monday, 30 November, 2009, endorsed a statement by the conference of Swiss Bishops criticising the vote for heightening "the problems of cohabitation between religions and cultures". Muslim figureheads from Indonesia and Egypt, as well as Switzerland were denouncing the vote as a blow to religious freedom. Egypt's Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa described the ban as an insult to the feelings of the Muslim community in Switzerland and elsewhere.

Not only the religious leaders of different faith groups have condemned the action, but political leaders of different countries distaste the action. The government opposed the ban, saying it would harm Switzerland's image, particularly in the Muslim world. France's Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner was "scandalised" by the Swiss decision and said it represented a "show of intolerance.” He said it was a "negative" move because banning the construction of Muslim mosque towers amounts to "oppressing a religion".

He told France's RTL radio: "I hope that the Swiss will go back on this decision rather quickly.”

The Amnesty International said, Swiss minaret ban would be discrimination against religion. A ban on the construction of minarets would breach Switzerland’s obligations to uphold freedom of religion, Amnesty International said ahead of a referendum on Sunday 29 November 2009 on a constitutional amendment. “Contrary to the claims of the initiators of the referendum, a general prohibition of the construction of minarets would violate the right of Muslims in Switzerland to manifest their religion,” said Nicola Duckworth, Europe and Central Asia Programme Director at Amnesty International. She also added: “A ban on the construction of minarets while, for example, allowing those of church spires would constitute discrimination on the basis of religion.”

Switzerland is home to some 400,000 Muslims and has just four minarets. After Christianity, Islam is the most widespread religion in Switzerland, but it remains relatively hidden.

Response from Britons, Muslim and non-Muslim
Muslim groups in Switzerland and abroad condemned the vote as anti-Islamic. Irrespective of colour, ethnicity and religious affiliations, British people, from the Parliament to the leaders of the community and religious and non-religious groups and academic scholar, were united in their denunciation of the vote to ban the construction of minarets.

Lord Nazir Ahmed of Rotherham
Lord Nazir Ahmed of Rotherham, Peer of the House of Lords of the British Parliament said, “The general consensus in the Muslim community is that the minaret ban in Switzerland is a radical, alarmist and deplorable act of Islamophobia.”

“I understand that Switzerland is party to both the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and to the European Convention on Human Rights. In my view, the Minaret Ban is a blatant breach of the civil liberties set forth in these conventions and has placed Switzerland on a collision course with its international human rights obligations,” Lord Ahmed said.

Lord Ahmed argued, “The Muslim community of Switzerland should in no way be denied the rights and facilities to practice their faith; nor should the ban be used to pursue the Swiss government’s hidden avenue of frustration with Moammar Gaddafi and the Libyan crisis. The 300,000 ordinary, practicing Muslims of Switzerland should not be made victims of the political games being waged by Switzerland against Libya.”

Lord Ahmed also observed, “The mere idea of a minaret leading to extremism reveals the clearly discriminatory bias that underpins this decision. Rather than pose a security threat, religious monuments enrich society and promote a collective identity. In contrast, the minaret ban shows the Swiss Government utilizing scare mongering tactics and playing the ‘Muslim card’ in populist political point scoring. This fans the fires of hatred and creates a needless clash of civilizations.”

“Switzerland’s actions will fundamentally influence its reputation in the eyes of Muslims around the globe. As a member of the UK Parliament and Muslim community, I stand by any decisions the greater Muslim community might make concerning withdrawal from business and banking in Switzerland,” maintained Lord Ahmed and urged the “Swiss government to review their decision as this could have long lasting consequences on your country’s relations with the 1.5 billion Muslims in the world.”

Ken Livingstone, former Mayor of London
Former London Mayor, Ken Livingstone, said: "The ban on minarets in Switzerland, a country that only has four minarets, is an attack not only on Muslims, but on the most basic freedoms in society.” “Let this referendum be a rallying call for all democrats - we must challenge Islamophobia and racism if we are to stop the far right,” he added.

Dr Edie Friedman, Jewish Council for Racial Equality
Dr Edie Friedman, Executive Director of the Jewish Council for Racial Equality said: “It is a very sad day when such an important religious symbol is put to the vote. That anyone should even consider this is unbelievable. This could have very dangerous consequences, sending out the wrong message to the rest of the world. Far from cementing positive relations between people, this can only sew division and disharmony. I hope that common sense prevails, this decision is reversed and building a cohesive society in Switzerland is taken up with renewed vigour.”

Bruce Kent, Vice President of Pax Christi
Bruce Kent, Vice President of Pax Christi, said: “I am dismayed at this decision which is manifestly discriminatory. As a Christian, I live in an area where we have a beautiful mosque and minaret which cause no offence to anybody and contribute to the beauty of the environment.”

Dr. Muhammad Abdul Bari, Muslim Council of Britain
Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), Dr. Muhammad Abdul Bari, said in a statement, “The Swiss referendum results show how far and how quickly Europe is moving in the wrong direction in its attitudes and policies towards Muslims and other minority groups in Europe.”
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“Mosques and minarets in our European cities are manifestations of the proudly indigenous nature of Islam in Europe. It is tragic that the far right is stripping away at our illustrious heritage of coexistence between different faiths and cultures in Europe and replacing it with their warped and xenophobic outlook,” he said and added, “This is no less than a battle of ideas for the future of a plural and progressive Europe.”

Dr. Syed Aziz Pasha, Union of Muslim Organisations
Dr. Syed Aziz Pasha, General Secretary of the Union of Muslim Organisations (UMO) of UK & Eire, said, “The British Muslims are shocked to learn that the Swiss people has expressed their hostility for such a measure. Either it is sheer ignorance or Islamophobia that the whole affair is a disgusting phenomenon. It is difficult to understand in the modern liberal atmosphere which is prevailing in the West.”

“The Swiss government should ignore this decision because it contravenes the provision of the European Convention of Human Rights to which it is a signatory,” Dr. Pasha said and added, “Succinctly; it is in the interest of Switzerland not to antagonize the religious sensibilities of 1.5 billion Muslims throughout the world.”

“The Swiss people must understand that the minarets of the Mosques are symbols of Sovereignty of Allah and the brotherhood of all human beings as enunciated in the Qur’an,” Dr. Pasha argued.

Swiss-born Professor Tariq Ramadan
Writing in The Guardian, Swiss born Professor Tariq Ramadan, Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Oxford, said, “Every European country has its specific symbols or topics through which European Muslims are targeted. In France it is the headscarf or burka; in Germany, mosques; in Britain, violence; cartoons in Denmark; homosexuality in the Netherlands – and so on. It is important to look beyond these symbols and understand what is really happening in Europe in general and in Switzerland in particular: while European countries and citizens are going through a real and deep identity crisis, the new visibility of Muslims is problematic – and it is scary.”

Tariq Ramadan, a Swiss citizen, is professor of contemporary Islamic studies at Oxford University, maintained, “Over the last two decades Islam has become connected to so many controversial debates – violence, extremism, freedom of speech, gender discrimination, forced marriage, to name a few – it is difficult for ordinary citizens to embrace this new Muslim presence as a positive factor. There is a great deal of fear and a palpable mistrust. Who are they? What do they want? And the questions are charged with further suspicion as the idea of Islam being an expansionist religion is intoned. Do these people want to Islamise our country?”

According to Tariq Ramadan, the solution lies in the following, “I have been repeating for years to Muslim people that they have to be positively visible, active and proactive within their respective western societies. In Switzerland, over the past few months, Muslims have striven to remain hidden in order to avoid a clash. It would have been more useful to create new alliances with all these Swiss organisations and political parties that were clearly against the initiative.”

Tariq Ramadan, a Swiss citizen, is professor of contemporary Islamic studies at Oxford University. His most recent book is What I Believe