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Name
Abu Mannan
- United Kingdom
Profession
Question
In your perspective, what is the most difficult challenge that is facing da'wah in the West in this critical situation that Muslims are going through, and how can Muslims overcome this obstacle?
Answer
I think that the most difficult challenge is to avoid having a defensive posture (attitude) and to present Islam as a universal message having universal principles. That is why Muslims should know more about their own religion: first not to respond to the West, but to know who they are. If they are missing this step, they will be driven just to please the West and not to present what Islam really is and what as Muslims they stand for.
Name
Ekram
- United States
Profession
Question
Assalamu`alykum Brother Tariq, nice to see you on Islamonline. As everybody know, the discrimination against Muslims and violating their civil liberties are rising everyday. Some Muslims have started to think that there is no hope in Muslims living in this country and that they have to emigrate. This sometimes affects their children who choose to continue to live in their home they have been raised in. This also affects the Muslims negatively in the field of da'wah. From your experience, can you give us some tips on how to address those people?
Answer
Yes, the situation is not easy and there are discriminations and violations of civil liberties. This is a fact. However, I think we have to do exactly the opposite of what is expected from us by people promoting Islamophopia. It is now the time for us to study our religion, to know more about our environment in the West (laws, political and social institutions, social fabric) and to act within our societies as at the same time full citizens and convinced Muslims. It is high time for us to speak out, to ask for our rights, and to act against this discrimination. This should be done not only among Muslims or with Muslims, but we have to create now bridges with our fellow citizens from all the religious backgrounds. This is because we are not alone being disappointed and shocked by the way some local political authorities are treating Muslims and Arabs.
We will see very soon, insha'Allah, as it is already the case, more and more people from other faiths ready to work with us, because we did our work to let them know us better.
Name
Umm Anas
- Germany
Profession
Question
I find it difficult in this country to instill in my child the loyalty to his Muslim Ummah. I find it difficult especially when I talk to him about Palestine. Though he knows that Palestine is a holy land, I don't see him having the same kind of sorrow and influence when he sees or reads about what is going on in the Muslim territories. How can I solve this problem?
Answer
It is of course more difficult to someone living in the West to instill in his or her child the feeling that he or she should show concern towards Muslims throughout the world. First, we should avoid promoting a loyalty to Muslims based on emotions only. The access of our struggle is not to feel that we are emotionally linked with the Muslim Ummah. On the contrary, we should be spiritually linked to this ummah. The difference is huge. The first emotional link pushes you to think about the Muslims only because you are a Muslim yourself. But the spiritual link is based on the fact that you rely on Allah and the revealed principles of justice. Allah is Al-`Adl (Just) and He says in the Qur'an: "Allah commands justice." And this is what we have to teach our children. Wherever you are, whatever the society you live in, you cannot be beloved by Allah if you are not promoting justice and helping the oppressed people. This is why living in the West could be a trap, because if we only take from this society the money and comfort and forget to use our freedom to be the voice for the voiceless, we are going to be lost. This is parental "Jihad" (effort). We should be married to the spiritual teachings.
Name
nassima
- France
Profession
Question
Salam alaykum,
What do you think about the fact that in France muslim woman is forced to don't wear her hijab to make photographs of identities. What is the solution of this problem? Do we have to go to another country?
Answer
It is a real problem for now and for the future. No, we should not leave the country, because now millions of Muslims France is their country. This is why they have to try from within as citizens to open a dialogue with the authorities in order to make clear that their religion should be respected and that France is not in danger when Muslims are practicing their religion. It is going to be a very long process, very difficult: in the meantime, the Muslim women should try as much as possible to find a way at the local level to be accepted with the hijab or something covering their hair. Some sisters have found temporary solution and this is accepted because we are facing the darurah (necessity). This is does not mean that we have to stop to be active to make Islam better understood and better respected in France.
Name
Kareem
- Denmark
Profession
Question
Asslaamu Alaikum dear brother Tariq Ramadan, Thanks for you efforts, may Allah reward you for all you work. Is it possible to get some steps in how to make da'wa to the people in the west? Where should one start? How to answer “difficult/tricky questions”?
Answer
We don’t have to start with the difficult and tricky questions. Don't forget that we are facing something we can call a psychological warfare. Every two or three months, every year we are asked to respond to the same question: what about violence, what about women, what about secularism, what about democracy, and now of course what about terrorism, and we are pushed to say what Islam is not. It is up to us to start by explaining what Islam is and to start of course with the two main aspects of the Islamic teachings: Comprehensiveness and inclusiveness. That means that when we are with Allah we are trying to be with Him in every situation of our life and to be consistent with the spiritual teachings.
Inclusiveness means that we are taking what is good from anyone, from anywhere, as long as it does not contradict our principles. It means explicitly that we have to understand that if we are a minority as to the number, we are in fact part of the majority as to the values. We have to choose the topic from which we have to start speaking about Islam. And the first topic we have to start with is faith and spirituality.
Name
Mourad
-
Profession
Engineer
Question
Could you expose your understanding to Da'wah in the West. What does it mean exactly and What's its scope? I guess that since we speak about da'wa IN the WEST it implies that it should be carried out in an adapted way to the western context. A way that takes into account the secular characteristic of the western society for example which imposes a particular approach. I remember that one day I've heard a guy motivating people to go out the mosque and speak directly with people and tell them about Islam. Do you think this is the right and efficient way to spread the Islam message ? Don't you think that da'wa in the West is something that is more complicated than going outside and tell people that Islam is good ?
Answer
We have first to agree on the content of the concept of da'wah. It does not mean to spread the message only; the deep meaning of da'wah is to bear witness to the message before mankind. Come to the Qur'an and read the verse where it is explicitly said that you have to invite the people to the way of God. It is said "with wisdom", and then "the good exhortation", and then "speak to them in the best manner".
The first dimension is wisdom, which is a way to act, to behave, and to be. So the best thing we have to do is to act according to our principles. That is to say to speak about Allah without speaking too much, but by acting at different levels as we have to act: with our neighbours, with our colleagues, at the social level, and with the political authorities. This is the first and the main field of da'wah understood as witness to the truth.
Afterwards, we can start speaking, and of course to speak to the Western people means that we have to study their environment, their culture, their history, and their collective psychology. It is not only a question of language; it is also a question of emotions and psychology.
Name
Zakaria
- Netherlands
Profession
Engenieer
Question
Dear Tariq Ramadan,
The most Muslims in the west see themselves and act as a minority. The society looks at them as foreigners, although there are generations born in the west.
My question is how can we spread a culture of citizenship among the Muslims first and then among the whole western society?
Answer
You are right, and this may be our main problem in the West. I am advocating the fact that to speak as a minority or to think of a fiqh of minority is but a temporary attitude. If we continue to speak as a minority, we are ourselves excluding ourselves from our own western society. And as you are saying citizenship is the field within which there is no minority or majority. There is no minority citizenship in the west, and Muslims should avoid accepting to be pushed in that way and to be considered as specific community and then criticized because they are nurturing the feeling of being a specific community.
So, it is our duty to promote this culture of citizenship nurtured by our religious teachings. It means to promote an ethics of citizenship, which is based on justice, equal citizenship, no discrimination, competence, and social and political accountability. Let us go a step forward and say clearly that our task is not to be integrated but to give and to contribute. Let the people around us feel that we are a richness and not only a problem for them.
Name
Abdelhamid
- Switzerland
Profession
PhD Physics
Question
Salam alikoum Dr. Tariq.
First, I would like to thank you for your revolutionary opinions with connection to the islam and muslim issues in non-muslim countries.
Could you please summarize what are the main differences between the european and the american attitudes towards muslims. Do you believe that after 11 Spt., Europe will be more closer to muslims than Amiricans. How can Muslims explore this opportunity (some divergences between Europe and USA) to defend their interests???.
Finaly, I have a secondary question in this dailogue, but it is very important for me:
I am a Dr. in Physics but I am strongly interested to pursue some studies in political and social sciences. Is it possible to carry this studies with correspondence with the Univ. of Friboug, knowing that I am working full time.
Baraka allahoufika wa Essalam alikoum
Answer
Your question is twofold. One aspect is to deal with American or European society. Of course there are differences, because these societies are different. But we can't say that the main challenges for Muslims are quite the same.
In both societies we have to deal with Islamic education, identity, loyalty, secularism, and our issues. So we can speak about western Muslims facing the same challenges and having the same opportunities in North America and in Europe. Now, if we speak about the political and jeo-strategic interests we have contradictory realities in America and in Europe, and it is very important for the European Muslims to take part in these debates in order to help the European policy not to follow blindly the American policy or to be more precise, the Bush Administration policy, especially in Palestine. In that field Muslims living in the States or living in Europe should find the respective and specific ways to promote justice.
Name
naaz
-
Profession
Question
Assalaamalaikum,
I am a doctor in dearborn ,michigan. actually i have to clear my usmle exams. right now i stay at home, i have absolutely no touch with any islamic activities. what should i do to get in touch. i would like to take active part in helping fellow Muslims .
Answer
I think that no one in the States and especially in the Dearborn can say he/she has no Islamic community around him or her. It is up to you to go to the nearest mosque or Islamic organization and to ask about their activities, and in one way or another, to contribute with your own skills. Muslims are those who give from what Allah has given them: it could be knowledge, it could be time, and it could be affection, and it could be money. It is your duty to find a way to give from what you have. To say that you don't have time is not an excuse.
Name
Abdul Shukkoor. K. H.
- India
Profession
Software
Question
We are lucky to be born as muslims, live as muslims and die as muslims. I would like know about the people who are born nonmuslims, live without any contact with muslims, and are not aware of Islam (eg. Some tribes in Africa, poor people in predominantly non muslim countries). Are they born destined not to end up in Paradise?
Answer
Allahu'Alam. No one knows about the destiny of the people, and even about his or her own destiny. Nevertheless what we know is what we have to let the people around us know what is the true message of Islam. Instead of wasting our time with questions we can't answer, we better focus on what we have to do. That is to say to be witness to the Islamic message before mankind. Beyond that, Allahu'Alam once again.
Name
'Abdul Wadűd
- Sweden
Profession
Student
Question
Salâm!
When islam came to India, China, Iran, Spain, Southeastasia it merged with the local culture creating a distinct 'indian islam', 'chinese islam' etc. Is it likely that this process will take place among muslims i Western Europe given that muslims come from so many different countries and that the European countries also differ much. Will there ever be an 'Euroislam'?
As for myself I see this as a condition for a islamic presence here in Europe in the long term. Probably the only way to make people here comfortable with islam as well as the best way to invite them to it.
Thank You.
Answer
This is a very important question, and we have to be very precise. There is only one Islam as for the principles and what we know as the two fields of Al-`Aqeedah, or the creed, and Al-'Ibadaat, or worship on which we can add the revealed rules dealing with social affairs (Mu'amalaat). Now, based on these principles is telling us that we can take from all the cultures what does not contradict our rules. It means that there is only one Islam but there are many Islamic cultures. So if we speak about a European Muslim or "EuroIslam" (I don't like very much this last concept because it is confusing) on the cultural aspect, it is not a problem as long as we are respecting the common Islamic principles. We should not accept to diminish the respect of the Islamic principles in order to promote a European Islamic culture, but we should have both: a European Islamic culture relying on the Islamic principles. I agree with you this is the only way forward. Allah knows best.
Name
Khurshid
- Guyana
Profession
Question
Do you think we need to renew or adopt a different approach of da'wah in addressing the Western society in a way that suits the time, place and circumstance? If yes, what should be the characteristics of this new approach?
Answer
The process of renewing and adapting is as old as Islam is. So, for each society we need both: The rooted understanding of our religion and deep and wide knowledge of our environment. This is the duty of the people of this environment to become what I call 'Ulama' Al-Waqi', or scholars of the environment. After Allah, no one could give these kind of answers but the people living in their specific environment. Know your religion and find you way.
Name
Barry
- United States
Profession
musician
Question
Dear Brother Tariq
We hear a lot of talk in the US media about "wahhabi Islam" although I find some of their views to be questionable. I do not see any position that calls one to violence against civilians. I recently was reading about Russia in the 1800's and its seems they were saying the same things about the "sufis" . In your view, is this an attemp to find divergent views within the Ummah and to exploit and use them to cause more disunity to acheive stratigic goals. Or, do we as Muslims need to seriously challenge some of the views and methods of our brothers. I think its a little of both.Whats your thoughts.
May Allah continue to bless you in your work.
Answer
You are making a very important point and we as Muslims are accepting very easily the way people are defining some of the contemporary Islamic trends. It is very frequent today to hear Muslims and non-Muslims alike speaking about "wahabi" without knowing who they speak about. So, it is very important for us to come to an intrinsic understanding of the differences between the different trends among Muslims.
The great majority of the salafi is not all of them are not advocating violence, but a literal reading of the sources we can disagree with them in some issues, but we have to respect them as long as they are not saying something which is against the Islamic teachings. But to insult some groups and to say about them things that are not true is not fair, even though it is to please the western ears. We should explain to the west what is going on and not to mislead them with superficial statements about the Islamic trends in the world. And to end, we should also be clear in condemning what some Muslims are saying or doing in the name of Islam. We are not criticizing Islam when we criticize some Muslims. But quite the opposite, it is the dignity of the Muslims to say, out of wisdom, that some Muslims are not respecting the Islamic teachings.
As we are living in the West, whose abode I call Dar Ash-Shahada (abode of witness), it is our responsibility to spread the right information about Islam and Muslims and to be self-critical in order not to sell our religion but to behave as we are recommended.
Name
Editor
-
Profession
Answer
Finally, we would like to thank our guest for speaking to IslamOnline viewers today, and we also thank all those who participated in this dialogue. We apologize for not being able to accommodate all the questions within the time allocated to this session. We request our readers to join us in the upcoming sessions.
