I am always interested in following up on what you are doing here and there and I ready your article on your latest trip to Ireland. The title of one of your lectures sounds really interesting, it was "Is religion relevant today?" would you tell me more about this debate and the content you provided through this very lecture.
Answer
Wa alaykum salaam, wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu.
Thank you for your question. It actually provides me with a very good opportunity to set the background for today's Live Dialogue.
In February I was invited to visit Ireland by FOSIS (Federation of Student Islamic Societies) Ireland. The tour included talks at University College, Dublin, Trinity College, Dublin, University College, Cork, National university of Ireland, Galway, Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin and at Cork Mosque and the Mosque of the Islamic Foundation of Ireland.
There was also a full da'wah Training Day at RCSI, and television and radio interviews on mainstream Irish programs. The tour also included meetings with the Anglican Primate of Ireland, Dr John Neill, and the Lord mayor of Dublin, the Lord mayor of Cork, the mayor of Limerick and the Mayor of Galway.
You can read about the tour on IslamOnline here:
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1226471481064&pagename=Zone-English-Euro_Muslims%2FEMELayout
You can also se a photo gallery of the tour by looking at my own website here:
http://www.idristawfiq.com/7-1gallery-Ireland%20Tour%20October%202008.html
Back to your question, then! The last talk of the tour was given at Ireland's prestigious Trinity College and, as you rightly say, it was called " Is religion relevant today?"
In a nutshell, what I said was that if all we mean by religion is going through the motions of empty rituals, then indeed it is quite irrelevant. A world thirsting for God does not need to be told about trivia.
If, on the other hand, we can speak to people about the deepest needs of their hearts and show them where true happiness can be found in this world and the next, then religion is more relevant today than ever. Islam addresses those very issues and answers those very questions.
Points of law are important, but we need to introduce a godless world to the concept of God first. Thy have all the time in the world to read about Shari'ah Law. As men and women of faith we need to touch people's hearts first.
I hope that this makes sense.
Name
Farukh
-
Profession
Question
Salamu Alikum Brother,
I wanted to know your coming plans and do you have any plans in London soon so that we would meet you and discuss some issues on Londoner Muslims with you?
Wsalam,
Farukh
Answer
Wa alaykum salaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu, brother.
In December, inshaAllah, I will be visiting Turkey for a meeting with the great Muslim writer and scholar Harun Yahya, as well as some other meetings. Later in the month I will be speaking at a Conference in Dubai. InshaAllah, I will visit the USA for a lecture tour in January.
I have no plans at the moment to visit the UK. My first scheduled visit is for a seminar in May, but I am always happy to be invited and will never turn down an invitation if it is physically possible. It would be a great opportunity to speak with British Muslims.
Maybe, brother, you could set something in motion, inshaAllah.
Name
Harry Balz
- Costa Rica
Profession
Question
Why do these three Irish Muslims require a spokesperson? Cannot they speak for themselves or are intellectually challenged?
Forget it; I've answered my own question.
Answer
Dear Sir,
Thank you for taking the time to visit www.islamonline.net and to pause for a while at our live Dialogue to answer a question. As a Muslim I am delighted to take the time to reply to you and show some of the courtesy and respect which is of the very essence of Islam.
The Muslims in Ireland are increasing in numbers very rapidly and are becoming a welcome and respected community within Irish society. I was told this repeatedly by civic and religious leaders during my own visit to the Irish republic last month.
One of the largest component groups of Muslims within the country are the large numbers of highly educated Medical students who are studying in Ireland's universities. These young people are becoming a very important voice within the young and vibrant community of Muslims in Ireland. They do, indeed, provide intellectual challenge to all open-minded and thinking people.
Name
Ihsan Khan
-
Profession
Question
What would really change Irish Muslims' stances to a better place, do the mosque sand the imams are only the people in charge of that or there are some people who must play their roles as well?
Answer
Asalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu.
You have hit the nail on the head!
I think we reveal a little of our understanding by talking about the mosques and the imams being in "charge." Leadership in Islam implies service, not being in charge or in control of others.
As Muslims we are brothers and sisters to one another, not just in name but in fact. All Muslims have a role to play in the community. It is the duty of our mosques to show leadership, but leadership based on service, which listens to the needs of Muslims and tries to answer those needs. There is no question of the mosques being "in charge" of anyone.
As Muslims, when our mosques and Muslim leaders do not give us the leadership we deserve we have the right to question their leadership. Islam in Ireland is still very young and the Muslim community is young. Leadership, based on knowledge and service, is still emerging and it will take time for strong leaders to find their voice.
In the meantime, all Muslims should play their part. The Muslims of Ireland still have the chance to avoid the mistakes made by Muslims in other European countries. Inshallah, by working together thy will make opportunities happen.
Name
Ibrahim
- Italy
Profession
Question
Do you think that Irish Muslims' representation problem can be solved by participating in the political spectrum?
Answer
Asalaamu alaykum, brother.
Your question adds a new angle to our discussion.
I firmly believe that Muslims should play a full role in the societies in which they live. This should, of course, mean taking part in the political process, with Muslims voting in elections and standing for elected office.
When I was in Ireland just recently I had a very cordial meeting with the Lord mayor of Cork. He told me that Cork had already had a Jewish Lord Mayor and that he saw no reason why a Muslim would not become Lord Mayor.
The Lord Mayor, though, represents ALL the citizens, not just Jews or Muslims, so any Muslim elected to office would speak on behalf of all the citizens, and not just limit his interests to Islam.
By the way, at that same meeting the Lord Mayor invited the Muslims of Cork to attend a special civic reception in City Hall. think that such a civic reception would be a marvelous opportunity for the Muslims of Cork to show their involvement in the community and to show its elected leaders that they are willing to play a full part in Irish life. I hope that Cork's Muslims will take advantage of this generous invitation. I am at their disposal if I can be of any help in advising about this - and make this quit clear to the imam of Cork Mosque, who - very graciously - welcomed me when I spoke to his community in the mosque.
I hope, too, that his idea of a Conference to be held in Cork will come to fruition, inshaAllah.
Name
Um Salman
-
Profession
Question
Is representation a crucial challenge faced by Irish Muslims nowadays and what are the big names of their umbrella organizations? Also are some of them affiliated to MCB as the biggest Muslim umbrella in UK?
Answer
Asalaamu alaykum and thank you for your question.
The Republic of Ireland is not a part of the UK, so I don't think that the Muslim Council of Britain operates there.
There are, in fact, no big names to mention. The two major mosques in Dublin are run respectively by the Islamic Foundation of Ireland and the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland. There is a council of imams, which aims to find some consensus on things such as the timing of Ramadan.
From what I saw, in terms of leadership
there was very little - even though the opportunities for the growth of Islam are truly immense in Ireland. This seems to me the biggest challenge faced by Irish Muslims. They are in need of well-educated and visionary leaders who can take Islam to the next level in Ireland.
As a well-established body, with support from the UK, I think that FOSIS has a crucial role to play. Young people often do not carry with them a lot of the baggage that many of us older people seem to bring with us from the past. I think that FOSIS can coordinate vents with the mosque leadership and mosque structures.
Name
Fiona
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Profession
Question
Can you please explain your question? What do u mean by who speaks for Irish muslims?
Answer
Asalaamu alaykum, sister.
I think that the topic of this Live Dialogue is meant to ask where the leadership is in Ireland for the growing Muslim community.
In other words, who are the leaders? Who will take the Muslim community forward? Who will coordinate the efforts to tell the rest of Ireland about Islam? Who will organize the training days and the conferences? Who will set in motion the educational projects which a growing Muslim community needs to have?
Muslims need to be well led and well represented. They deserve this. As one new to Islam you ,yourself, need to have someone to turn to for the right advice and the right vision for the future.
InshaAllah, by asking this question we will set in motion a debate about this topic.
Name
Taher Khan
- United Kingdom
Profession
Question
Salam Brother,
How do you evaluate the stance of Irish Muslims compared to both Scottish and British Muslims in cases of representation, challenges, discrimination, integration and affiliation and Islamic education?
Answer
Asalaamu alaykum, brother.
Compared to Scotland and the rest of the UK, Ireland's Muslims are just starting out. The numbers of Muslims in Ireland are still small - maybe 40,000 - and they have mostly only been there since the last decade
This is by no means a bad thing. I think that the future of Islam in Ireland is very bright and Ireland's Muslims have the chance to avoid many of the mistakes made by Muslims in Britain.
Thy have not yet splintered into ethnically based mosques and Islamic Centres - but without good leadership this will surely happen. It is always easier to retreat into our cultural backgrounds than to confront the challenges which face us.
All the things you mention - representation, challenges, discrimination, integration and affiliation and Islamic education - will need to be addressed in the coming months and years.
I feel that the most important thing, though, to establish right from the start is the Muslim identity. This is defined by prayer and by adherence to the Qur'an and the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet (PBUH). We shouldn't forget this in our desire to become respectable members of Irish society - as Muslims in other European countries seem to have done.
Name
Ahmed Saeid
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Profession
Question
How did you find Irish Muslims' lives, iman and do you think the Irish government is back Islam and Muslims in Ireland?
Answer
Asalaamu alaykum, brother.
I was truly delighted to see a Muslim community that is yearning to grow. In the student groups I met I saw faith-filled men and women wanting to tell the whole of Ireland about Islam and wanting to tell the rest of the Muslim community that it cannot go forward without sticking firmly to the basics.
I heard from both civic and religious leaders in Ireland of the respect they have for the Muslim community. You must remember that Ireland has not seen any of the excesses associated with Islam which have been seen in other countries. It is for this reason that Irish people are still keen to know more. They want to know about Islam and Muslims.
Islam, then, has a great chance in this country. Muslims should not throw away the chance they are being given. My fear is that without good leadership, many of the opportunities being offered will be wasted
Name
Lorraine
- Ireland
Profession
Question
Asalaamu alaykum. I am an Irish muslim in my twenties, I converted a year ago. I find the question this dialogue poses very interesting. It is very important to me particularly as a new muslim to have a sense of being part of a greater community of Irish muslims. Alhumdulilah I have some great muslim friends who have been very welcoming to me. I guess I'm wondering how myself and other muslims can be better representatives for the irish muslim community.
Answer
Asalaamu alaykum, sister.
Your question needs to be heard by the other members of the Irish Muslim community so that together you can work out an answer.
I suggest that FOSIS and others forward the content of this Live Dialogue officially to all the imams in Ireland so that it becomes a question that is talked about openly - and receives their answer. It may even be the subject of the Conference being proposed by our dear brother, the imam of Cork Mosque.
We are not criticizing anyone here and we have nothing but esteem for those whose privilege it is to be in positions of leadership. We are just asking how the Irish Muslims can be even BETTER Irish Muslims, comfortable in their Irish home and comfortable with their Islamic faith. There are enough people within the Muslim community in Ireland to share their education, and expertise in doing this.
You are quite right, sister, to feel that as Muslims we are not on our own but are part of a much wider Muslim community.
Name
ahmed
- Ireland
Profession
student
Question
Salaam, brother Idris. I believe that in one of your books you talk about Islam in Ireland. Is this true? And if so, why?
Answer
Asalaamu alaykum, brothr,
and thank you for your question.
In one of my books, Talking to Muslims in the West, I do write about Ireland’s Muslims. I was prompted to do this because I see the situation of Islam in Ireland as a model for the growth of other Irish communities in the world.
Two years ago I was interviewed by Mary Fitzgerald of The Irish Times (you can read the interview here:
http://www.idristawfiq.com/On%20the%20road.html ).
After that interview I started looking into the history of Islam in Ireland, which is so new, and to ask what are the challenges and the opportunities for Muslims there.
In February of this year I visited Belfast for the first time and spoke at Queen’s University at the invitation of FOSIS. That talk prompted FOSIS to invite me in October for a national tour. Even before visiting for the tour I could see the great potential for speaking to Irish people about Islam – since Ireland has been for so long a land of deep faith. My visit only confirmed this belief. I think that Islam in Ireland has a great future and that we can all learn lessons from its growth in the Emerald Isle.
I can only repeat my thanks to FOSIS for all the kindness I experienced during my tour and to encourage these wonderful young men and women never to give up but to hold fast to the rope of Allah in telling their countrymen about the sweet and beautiful message of Islam.
Name
Ahmed
- Ireland
Profession
Question
Salams brother Idris,
Mentioning the leadership issue, what is the actions and plans of the Muslim community in Irland to bring up a well-educated and leadership-skilled young generation, and what is your own deeds in this regard?
Answer
Wa alaykum salaam, brother.
There may be some secret plan that I nothing about, but as far as I am aware there is no such plan to bring up a well-educated and leadership-skilled young generation.
A community that invests time and energy in its young people has a future. A community that does not has no future at all.
The fact that you ask the question, though, is the beginning for such a plan to take shape. You should not stop asking until you see the plan in action.
I am at your disposal, as far as time and distance will allow, and am happy to help in any way, inshaAllah.
Name
Editor
-
Profession
Answer
This session has come to an end.
We would like to thank Brother Idris Tawfiq for speaking to IslamOnline.net viewers today, and we also thank all those who participated in this dialogue.
We apologize for not being able to accommodate any further questions. We request our readers to join us in the upcoming sessions.
