The session has started. Join us with your questions.
Answer
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Name
mama
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Profession
Question
Asalamw alikum,
Do Europeans hate Islam? Or do they have no information about Islam?
Answer
Marwa:
Wa `alaykum alsalam wa rahmat Allah,
Thank you for your question. Personally, I think we would be committing a grave mistake to generalize. First of all, for the sake of accuracy, Europeans as a whole can never be lumped together like that. Like any other people, each person has his or her own peculiarities and individual opinions and characteristics. Having said that, let me speak from my personal opinion. From what I have seen and experienced throughout my life and especially on this trip is that Europeans generally do not have a problem with Islam per se. The situation is more complicated than that. There are many Europeans who are also Muslims, and many others who are not, but who have Muslim friends and family members. There are also some people out there who do hate Muslims. However, I believe that much of this hate is based on the fear of Muslims. Terrorist activities carried out by Muslims and the media's exploitation of this has made this fear very real and understandable.
In addition, and as an answer to your second question, there is a real need for Muslims to be able to express themselves better in order to be understood. Islam is generally a very misunderstood religion by both non-Muslims and Muslims themselves. There are many people who do have a lot of information about Islam, but unfortunately, many of them receive this information from the media, which is problematic.
Name
zaki
- Malaysia
Profession
research assistant
Question
As salam`alaykum
I guess you guys have done a great job in Denmark.
What is the real issue behind the caricatures actually?
Any mutual solution achieved?
Lastly, can you sum up your views about that discussion?
Thank you.
Answer
Waleikum Assalaam, brother
Thank you very much for your question, it is very important.
After speaking and listening to a number of people in Denmark, it became apparent to us that the problem of the cartoons was a sign that there was something very wrong going on. It was like an indication of a problematic situation the Muslims are going through.
The cartoons came in an overall anti-Muslim atmosphere that had been liberally portrayed in many parts of the Danish media. Social and economic problems were attributed by extreme right-wing thought to the immigrants, many of which were Muslim. Intellectuals who tried to advocate for immigrant rights were marginalized and cast aside as irrelevant and unrealistic in their judgments.
In addition, we were told by many Danes that there is a lack of clear knowledge on Islam and Muslims, which in itself helped such extremist attributions to go unchecked in mainstream media.
The cartoons, we learned, were in fact a deliberate provocation. However, in our discussion with Tøger Seidenfaden, Editor-in-Chief of Politiken, a leading newspaper which stood firmly against the publication of the cartoons, the issue is a domestic one, and could have remained so had the Prime Minister handled it better.
As for "solutions," it is important to point out that the purpose of our visit was mostly to listen and to understand the reality of what was going on, rather than engage in direct dialogue.
The only solution we can see from the issue as a whole is that both sides should learn more about each other, and that the media is the primary actor in this regard.
Name
Aishah Schwartz
- Egypt
Profession
Freelance Writer
Question
Assalamu Alaikum! Al-hamdulillah you are safely home from your journey. I was wondering about your reception in Denmark. Was your group well received, taunted, attacked? What was the most important lesson you brought back from this experience that you could share with us? What do you think Muslims could have done differently that would have been more effective when the whole issue of the cartoon came to light - and why is it that the noise didn't start until this particular infamous cartoon was published in Denmark when, in fact, similar caricatures were published in Egypt during Ramadan, 2005 (http://freedomforegyptians.blogspot.com/2006/02/egyptian-newspaper-pictures-that.html)?
Jazakallahu khayran for sharing your time and experiences with us.
Ma'Salaama,
~Aishah
Answer
Waleikum Assalaam, sister Aishah
In Denmark, we were quite warmly received, and as two Muslim women wearing hijab, perhaps we caught more attention than other journalists who came with us in the group from other media. Many had questions about our backgrounds and, of course, about IslamOnline.net and its mission.
We did not witness any form of racism or aggression from anyone. In fact, once when we were in a cafe and needed to find a place to pray, we recall how the waiters were very keen to help us despite the fact that they did not know why we had to pray at that specific time in that specific place!
Lessons learned... We certainly have to reach out and try to know each other out of a genuine desire to understand and learn. This is a concept that is stressed in the Qur'an where Allah says what means: "O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another. Lo! the noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is the best in conduct. Lo! Allah is Knower, Aware." (Al-Hujurat 13)
Also, unlike before, Muslims are now a permanent part of European society. More and more Muslim generations now take the European countries in which they were born, or where they spent most of their lives as their primary homes. We were impressed when we spoke to young Muslim Danes at how they were able to adhere to the religious values and preserve their identities as Muslims while at the same time feeling they were also very Danish. And we felt a bond, despite the different cultural backgrounds, and many times languages, that we spoke.
Therefore, we believe that Muslims should build on this bond to truly live the meaning of the word Ummah. They should arrange to get together and exchange experiences on the socities in which they live, which would enhance the Ummah's ability to respond to challenges.
Name
Omar hayat
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Profession
student
Question
I would like to know if there is any law in Denmark that entails taking action against people who deliberately hurt sentiments of the followers of any religion. If yes, then why not we Muslims at least make a group of law experts and send them to Denmark and pursue our case legally in their courts, so that the cartoonist at least gets some sort of punishment? This is the least we can do.
Answer
There is a law in Denmark that prohibits the incitement of hatred against people of all races, ethnicities, and beliefs. However, it is very open to interpretation in their view. According to Anne Knudsen, Editor-in-Chief of the weekly Weekendavisen, the only time in which the law was implemented was in the 1930s.
Muslims in Denmark have in fact taken the case to the courts, but the judge rejected the case, based on his interpretation of the cartoons, which he evaluated as not being an attack on the actual belief (this was refuted as short-sighted, since there are questions on whether or not Islamic scholars were actually consulted before the judge made that evaluation).
Name
Ayman
- Lebanon
Profession
Engineer
Question
Assalamo alaykum,
Do not you think that the recent conference held in Denmark had some disadvantages? Regardless of whether they were less or more than the advantages (which I do believe they were many alhamdoliAllah [thank God]), what do you think about the idea which states that, by disregarding and ignoring the Islamic groups in Denmark, the conference has indirectly put the Danish Muslims -- who are the main core as they were the first to show reaction to the publications -- in a worse situation?
Would the Danes from now on say that the Danish Muslims are not as the traditional and civilized Muslims we have met in the conference? Couldn't this be a future outcome, especially for political uses and actions?
Jazakom Allah kheir
Answer
Waleikum assalaam, brother
It would be difficult for us to provide you with a direct and fair judgment of the results or details of the conference, as we did not attend it. We have heard varying opinions about the conference itself from both Danes and Muslims.
The disadvantage of disregarding or ignoring Danish Muslims were often discussed before the conference, and the impression we got was that most participants were quite aware of such danger, and efforts were paid at avoiding it.
Some Danish Muslims and imams that we spoke to felt that they were in fact deliberately being ignored by the government, and they were clearly hurt.
As a website, we learned from this trip that, in order to approach any issue pertaining to Muslims living in any non-Muslim society for coverage, it is important that we start with the Muslims themselves. We have to first learn what they have done in an attempt to deal with that issue. We believe that the active youth among them, especially, would have a better understanding of the society in which they live, of the uniqueness of its culture, and the dynamics that lie behind issues that affect them.
In answering the second part of your question, it is important to note that the Muslims we have met there, especially the young generation, are capable of providing the right image about Islam. They are very active and dynamic in raising awareness about Islam and Muslims. And they themselves set very good examples of behavior that we learned from.
Name
Hany Ramadan
- Egypt
Profession
Question
Assalmu Aleikom Dear sisters,
Thank you very much indeed for giving us such an opportunity to closely get to know more about the real situation in Denmark now.
My questions are:
1- How did you find the dialogue with the Danish part? And what are the main results of the visit in general?
2- Were the Danish really interested in talks with Muslims? Or did they just want to keep justifying their stand based on the "freedom of whatsoever" excuse.
Thank you in advance, and may Allah The Almighty help you and grant you the best rewards for your efforts.
Keep up the good job.
Best regards.
Answer
Thank you, brother, for your question.
As for the first question, please refer to our previous answers.
In answering your second question, it would be wrong to generalize on Danish attitudes towards the issue, as we sensed from the discussions that we held. Some Danes ARE very interested in talking to Muslims and in understanding their perspective. Others remained emotional, and genuinely could not understand why Muslims were offended.
Many Danes that we met stood against the cartoons but curiously upheld the newspaper's right to publish them, even if they disagreed with the act and considered it offensive.
Other Danes refused to attribute the cartoons to freedom of expression. They argued that freedom of expression was abused, and that what happened was irresponsible.
Name
Muhamed Abdul Haq
- Pakistan
Profession
Question
What is the environment like in denmark after all these global protests and boycotts? Are the Danish people taking this matter into consideration, or treating it as a show of Islamic fundamentalism?
Answer
Here we have to highlight the role of media in this whole incident. There was too much focus on individual violent reactions such as the burning of the embassies, flags, and the death threats. This has, unfortunately, clouded their perception of Muslim reaction, and many have started to view even the non-violent means of protests such as the boycott in a negative way.
Danish Muslims told us that the violent demonstrations that took place in some parts of the Muslim world were very detrimental as Danish Muslims are the ones who pay the price. These actions give fodder to the extreme-right wing party in Denmark to incite more hatred against Muslims. Therefore, the result was that the violence led to less understanding, creating more problems and offering no solutions.
Name
SALEH
- Saudi Arabia
Profession
Question
The Danish people that were participating the dialogue, what was their idea or reaction toward the cartoons after the meeting took place?
Answer
Although we did not participate in any official dialogue initiatives, the Danes we met had varying attitudes towards the cartoons.
As we have mentioned before, some believed that the cartoons were a deliberate provocation and were an abuse of freedom of speech. Others thought that the newspaper was well within its rights and could not understand why Muslims were so offended.
There was a lot of talk by some Danes about the interpretations of each cartoon and whether or not it was intentionally offensive.
Name
abdulhadi
- Nigeria
Profession
chemist
Question
Do you think the Denmark cartoon crisis has increased the universal brotherhood of Islam?
Answer
Definitely. Muslims all over the world, whether they were practicing or non-practicing, felt that they had to stand up to be counted. This is in and of itself a positive result that we need to build on.
Some Muslims in Denmark told us that this was merely a wake-up call and that we should use it as a starting point to move forward in improving ourselves and our conditions as Muslims.
Name
Rasha
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Profession
Question
Dear Sisters,
Could you briefly describe how Muslims are there? How do they interact with others? And in your point of view, to what extent do people there know Islam and its teaching?
Answer
Thank you Rasha for your questions. Please refer to our previous answers.
Name
njm
- United States
Profession
Question
Salaam.
Are efforts underway in Dnmark for them to understand Islam? If so, are people willing to understand islam or have preformed negative views about Islam and do not want to change?
Answer
Wa alaykum alsalam wa rahmat Allah,
Yes, there are serious and truly innovative initiatives by Danish Muslims to raise awareness of Islam.
One such intiative is the "Book a Muslim" project that a group called "The Network" have started. This project gives Danes the opportunity to learn more about Islam by "booking" a Muslim who would talk to them about Islam and Muslims. According to The Network, this project has been very successful and reactions have been positive.
However, Muslims there told us that, before this crisis, there was no real interest in neither Islam nor Muslims in Denmark. This in itself may have contributed to the problem. But this attitude has changed now.
Name
Hassan
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Profession
Question
How are Muslims treated in Denmark after all what happened?
Answer
Whoa! What a loaded question! When we were in Denmark, we were very keen on speaking to the Muslims in the streets to find out how they are living their daily lives. Again, responses were varied.
Some Muslims, especially young women, told us that they did in fact face a lot of racism. They were subjected to physical abuse in the streets, even though some of them were not wearing the hijab. Some were actually beaten and others had their hijabs pulled from their heads. Some of the abuse was verbal with the word "perker," which is the Danish equivalent of "nigger" being used. Much of this abuse came from old people who are still unable to accept "foreigners" in their midst.
Although in Denmark there are no laws that prevent women wearing the hijab from working, we found that a common complaint from young Muslim women wearing the hijab was that they were continuously being refused employment because of their hijab. They told us that although prospective employers would be impressed by their CVs and phone interviews, as soon as they met them, they would refuse to employ them, saying directly that it was because of their hijab. One girl told us that she applied to 158 jobs and was refused because of her hijab. Some girls told us that to save the time and effort that it takes to go through the interview process, they place their pictures on the CVs so that the employers would know beforehand.
On the other hand, we also met a lot of Muslims, some of them women wearing the hijab, who had not experienced racism or discrimination.
However, Muslims there feel that they are tired of always being put under scrutiny. They wanted to be simply regarded as Danes.
Name
Fareeha
- United States
Profession
Question
Assalamu alykum
Which aspects of our religion are the most understood in the Western culture? Snd how can we Muslims living in the United States or Europe enlighten people around us regarding those?
Answer
Wa alaykum alsalam wa rahmat Allah,
The most important thing that Muslims need to know is that no matter how many times and how eloquently they explain to others what Islam is and what Muslims believe, nothing is as effective as conduct. Many non-Muslims are tired of hearing about the ideals of Islam when they do not see them practiced by Muslims.
The best way Muslims can explain their beliefs is by providing a living and sincere example.
This current situation of the cartoons showed that Muslim actions give those who are intolerant a chance to ridicule what is most loved and cherished.
Explaining who the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is and what he means to Muslims is important. However, what is more important is for Muslims to follow his teachings. By doing that, Muslims gain respect for themselves and for the Prophet (peace be upon him).
Name
Enam
- United States
Profession
student
Question
Asalamuikum
I just wanted to ask, do you think that what the Muslims did around the world --bombing buildings, hurting people, burning flags -- necessary in order to express anger at the cartoons? Also would prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) ask the Muslims to defend him? I mean, don't we have to go settle this issue in a good manner? What about the real issues -- Muslims dying, hunger, dawah? We need community service and dawah today in order to establish Islam. It's not who will do it but how? Can you please tell mew why are all the ulamas concerned about who says what instead of talking about islam? Ulamas today make Islam hard.
Answer
Wa alaykum alsalam wa rahmat Allah,
Certainly, some Muslim reactions have elicited confusion and offense. Also, the media's focus on such actions more than others played a significant role in alienating the public from the Muslim cause. However, in genuine attempts to understand each other's grievances, it is important to highlight the fact that Muslims in many parts of the world have been feeling oppressed and humiliated for various reasons, and from different directions.
To many, the reaction is a sign of piled up frustration, coming from people who do not have the awareness or the means to channel their feelings more effectively.
We are not saying this to justify such actions, yet in order to find solutions one must sincerely analyze the historical and socio-political context of any given situation.
