PARIS,
September 30 (IslamOnline.net) - Islam does not pose a threat to
secularism and French Muslims are taking initiatives in coping with the
country's secular laws, French orientalist Bruno Etienne maintained.
Speaking
to IslamOnline.net, he said that France's five million Muslims, a
recognized minority, are expected to comply with the country's
secularism, which is rather a positive challenge for them.
Etienne
praised moderate Muslim youths and activists, like Tareq Ramadan,
"for their earnest efforts in understanding and explaining true
Islam, which will definitely play a key role in drawing up the future
picture of Islam in Europe."
Ramadan
is professor of philosophy and Islamic studies in Geneva College and one
of the leading writers on the future of Islam and Muslims in the West,
particularly Europe.
"These
youths do realize that they are living in Europe and have to get by in a
way that does not run counter to their religion," Etienne said.
The
French orientalist cited polygamy as a case in point.
"Muslims
in Europe have tackled the controversial issue of polygamy in accordance
with the Qur'an and relevant French laws prohibiting it.
"They
said a man can marry up to four women if he can treat them all equally.
And we, as Muslims living in Europe, are expected to respect French laws
as we do with our religion, so let's be committed to one wife,"
Etienne quoted Muslims as saying based on the belief they could not
treat more that one wife on equal footing.
No
Radicalism
Etienne
also denied that French Muslim youths were adopting radical views and
that after the 9-11 attacks the French people developed poor opinion of
Muslims.
"A
public opinion survey I made showed that the French people did not
change their views about Islam after the September attacks. They got
bored with extremist views but not with Islam," he asserted.
The
French orientalist further voiced his opposition to a law banning hijab
in state schools.
"We
have to admit that there are some problems that emerged due to
misunderstandings of religion. For instance, Muslim girls refuse to
attend certain classes because they consider them against their
religious beliefs. In a nutshell, Hijab is not the problem," he
said.
