Abbès Jirari
Muslim Presence in
Can it be a
Tributary to
Renewing
Civilization?
Publications Annadi AL JIRARI
-46-
Introduction
Some
Europeans consider that the Islamic presence in their countries creats numerous
problems, be they social, cultural or identity related. It goes without saying
that the objective reasons behind this negative perception requires a revision
of some situations, and thereby their improvement.
Indeed,
besides all that the Moslem participation has been accomplishing in
The
important feedback generated by its previous publication, in three languages,
in the ISESCO’s journal “Islam Today”(*)
urged me to republish it in this booklet so as to further circulate it among
the interested readers.
May God guide us
towards the right path.
corresponding to september 11th 2008
Abbes Jirari
The
presence of Muslims in
To answer
this question inevitably implies to tackle the very issue of the Muslim
presence in
The Muslim
presence in
But this
presence soon began to rise in standards thanks to the migrant intellectual,
creative, medical and technically specialised competent people who came to work
at universities, institutes, hospitals, etc. This shift conferred a new and
distinguished status on Muslims, leading in the last few years to their
ascension to high ranking administrative and political positions within
government. Statistics supplied by the United Nations and other sources -Arab
and foreign- prove that qualified people now represent one third of all
immigrants.
Yet,
migration for settlement and work in
Today, the
whole world, whether advanced or developing, is enduring this worrisome
situation and the confusion that has resulted from a series of events and
crises. This applies most particularly to the phenomenon of terrorism which
seems to cause officials to lose their senses and wisdom to the extent that
some of them - or most of them to be exact - tend to level random accusations
at Muslims, which they depict as living in a timeframe other than theirs,
unwilling and unable to integrate modern times. In truth, Muslims aspire to a
positive participation in the edification of the world and to a constructive
contribution to building its renewing civilization while ensuring the respect
of their own reality, of the teachings of their religion, their history, values
and perspective on life.
Muslims also understand the need to join ranks
with the Other, particularly Europeans, in order to discharge this mission and,
first and foremost, to preserve the civilization they share with them and which
has flourished on the coasts of the
Tolerance,
in its true sense and as advocated by Islam in old times and affirmed by modern
conventions, does not require the weaker party to surrender to the stronger
one, or give up in all submission and humiliation his specificity and what
makes him unique. It means finding the common denominators and points of
convergence in order to coexist in the light of this diversity, particularly
the cultural one. Difference in itself is a value that was highlighted by Islam
as one of the laws of nature and the universe.
Since
cultural diversity influences all other aspects of life, the political,
economic and social alike, this must be kept in mind whilst dealing with such
universal phenomena as globalisation. In fact, dealing with the reality of
globalisation requires a certain balance, and only such balance can help fulfil
common goals and grasp the prospects of the future desired.
Globalisation
does not and should not mean a new concept of citizenship with a universal
dimension that negates all frontiers and homelands, giving way to one homeland,
the world, often described as the village. Such a visualisation is rejected by
all those who take pride in their identity, including the Europeans who have
advocated and continue to advocate cultural exceptionalism, and the Muslims who
remain attached to their specificity, a specificity that is fed by many
components, of which the most important is religion. While in theory Europeans
do not give a lot of consideration to this component, it is in reality very
much present in their thoughts, even attaining degrees of radicalism among some
of them. The strong attachment of Muslims to their religion, on the other hand,
and to their identity in general and the specificity that this identity confers
on them, does not mean that they forego
or lag behind the caravan of modern times with all their products, requirements
and constraints.
Thus, and
in view of this deeply-entrenched religious element, and the impossibility of
replacing or abandoning it, any coexistence-oriented dialogue should steer
clear of faith and the specific rites and sanctities inherent to religion, and
evolve within the framework of values and transactions only. This would surely
help avoid conflicts and clashes and the resulting extremism that sooner or
later leads to violence. This violence can only further aggravate the division
that may exist within one and the same religion. This situation needs to be
addressed through an internal dialogue, either Islamic-Islamic or
Christian-Christian, in order to overcome any dividing sectarianism. Such
process presupposes that both parties take a critical look at their internal
affairs in order to reform them and remove all elements of difference dividing
them. By difference here we do not mean the positive phenomenon addressed
earlier in this article.
In their
internal dialogue, Muslims should focus on the equations they still have to
resolve, such as how to compromise between tradition and modernism, and between
originality and modernity. They need to address the causes behind the failure
of all reform movements and remedy them in order to place Muslim societies on
the course of progress and prosperity. To reach such solutions, they need to
adopt a reinvigorated vision, advanced approaches and, first and foremost, show
courage in criticism and in the expression of opinions.
In its true
sense, dialogue takes many forms, such as discussion, debate, conversation,
review and argumentation. One of them is the style of argumentation often used
in the Holy Quran where gentle ways are advocated in addressing the People of
the Book. This approach is associated with defending righteousness and
responding to those who reject or fight it. It is important to adhere to the
positive dimensions of these forms of dialogue without falling in the trap of
contention and quarrelling. These dimensions aim to encourage the expression of
opinion in all freedom, and to achieve rapprochement between the differing
parties without hostility or extremism.
There have
always been among Muslims some belligerent and extremist individuals, or even
radical and fanatic groups whose stance contrasted with that of the general
public. But this should not be held against all Muslims, let alone against
Islam. In fact, even Christianity experienced and still experiences division
and bursts of fanaticism such as the conflicts opposing Catholics, Protestants
and Orthodox Christians. Such radicalism today is taking on more serious forms nainly
through some groups of evangelism which are attempting in all arrogance and
violence, and through a strange alliance with Zionism, to spread fear and
terror in the world. Their designs are manifest in the events and catastrophes
suffered by Muslims and by others in many parts of the world.
However,
when we speak of
It is of
paramount importance to distinguish between the general peace-loving public of
Muslims who apply moderation and tolerance in their religion, and a party of
people who took a path of extremism which led some of them to violence. Such a
phenomenon has become universal, fed or fuelled by contextual factors such as
poverty, illiteracy, marginalisation, divergence in stances and approaches, and
other factors that are too many to address in detail here. The first
manifestations of this phenomenon emerged early in the history of Islam when
the Khawarij took a stand against the institution of the State.
Nor is this
phenomenon exclusive to Muslims. It is found in many other religions and
doctrines. Thus, recognising the extremism of some Muslims should not lead to
the generalisation of the label of violence to all Muslims, and even worse, to
the association of Islam itself and the Holy Book with this violence. Since it
would be an absurdity to try and engage in a dialogue about faiths, an
impossible feat considering the special ties between followers and Creator that
these faiths embody, it is essential to exercise caution as to the call for the
unity of all religions, a call made with the premise that all religions can be
traced back to Abraham, peace be upon him. Those who make such calls confine
themselves within the sole parameters of faith in God, the day of judgement and
moral conduct. They seek to annihilate all these religions, particularly Islam,
the late of all religions, as a faith, a charia and a code of conduct.
On a
different note, and since the time of the Prophet, the history of Islam has
abounded with instances of dialogue to which Muslims were party. Some of these
took place at official gatherings and academic circles and others were even
held inside mosques. There is little need for examples since the phenomenon has
always been common, frequent and known throughout the times, although it was
somewhat undermined under colonialism and in modern times as a result of all
the challenges they brought. Notwithstanding this, and at such times of
globalisation, the ongoing talk about the need for communication and mutual
acquaintance is rather strange when all information or knowledge barriers have
disappeared.
Despite
obstacles and difficulties, dialogue has taken various forms and shapes over
the past century. The most important of these were the symposia and conferences
organised with the aim of bringing the followers of the three divine religions,
particularly Muslims and Christians, closer together. One eloquent example is
the “Light of the World” document which was drawn up in the sixties of the
previous century in an attempt to highlight the human values advocated by the
two religions. This document was issued by the Masonic Foundation during the
time of Pope Paul VI following numerous meetings between officials from both
sides. Failure to adopt use moral values as their basis explains the failure of
many of these gatherings which sought to tackle issues related to faith, the
faith which as we stressed earlier no party can possibly forfeit.
Such futile
pursuit is likely to eclipse the real problems of the age and what humanity
endures in poverty, ignorance, disease, the myriad other manifestations of
backwardness, and the ensuing injustice, hegemony, extremism and violence. It
is also likely to lead us away from the values common to both religions and
that may help us overcome these problems or at least grasp their gist in order
to find the appropriate solutions. Once this is achieved, it would help spread
takaful, complementarity and justice, bring ranks closer around modern issues
and challenges, prevent the escalation of trouble, and help avoid extremism and
terrorism. It would also favour security, stability, serenity and peace in the
world, as apposed to designs to politically, economically and culturally
control and standardise the world, which is exactly what the United States of
America is endeavouring to achieve by imposing the logic of force. This
situation clearly shows that the onslaught targeting Islam and Muslims is not
primarily aimed at annihilating this religion considering its strength, its
wide reach and the uncompromising attachment of its followers to it. Instead,
it seeks to control these followers, steer them towards that which will weaken
them, keep them confined within the role of backward dependents, and serve the
best interests of their enemies.
No
beautiful hopes and aspirations can be fulfilled unless the Muslims achieve a
positive presence that can be a tributary of and enrich the new world
civilization. This requires certain conditions that are binding to all parties.
The most important of these is the need to improve conditions within Muslim
societies in such a way as to favour their stability, safety and serenity, all
of which entails the generation of a true human and material development within
these societies. Such goal cannot be reached without a serious endeavour to
solve the political, economic and social problems that most of these societies
endure. It also goes through removing all the causes of conflict plaguing
Muslims, particularly in
If such
actions are accompanied by a measure of frankness that is conducive to
reconciliation, they might create an environment propitious to cooperation by
correcting history and purifying it of all events endured by the Muslims, be it
the Crusades, the inquisition trials or the colonial era. It would also involve
the presentation of an apology for such events in order to erase their remnants
and all factors of hatred and hostility. This apology should also extend to the
acts still being perpetrated today, including the desecration of the Holy
Quran, the attempt to alter its wording and, as happened recently, the
distortion of the image of the Prophet (PBUH). No less damaging are the
statements made recently by some officials who claim that Islamic values cannot
rise to the standard of the Western ones. These insinuations reached their
paroxysm last year when His Holiness Pope Benedict uttered provocative words
against Islam and Muslims and the culture and civilization they edified.
Clearing
the air of such pollutants can help reinstate trust between Muslims and others
on the basis of mutual recognition and acceptance despite differences in
traits, identity components and religious, historical and cultural personality.
This also presupposes the absence of superiority sentiments and control urges,
the existence of tolerance and coexistence, the adoption of everything that
could favour rapprochement and harmony, and the rejection of all the factors of
division and strife, with a new spirit born out of serenity and of which the
importance cannot be denied in interaction that has cooperation as both its
basis and its goal.
In order
for this positive cooperation to become a reality, it will be essential to lay
emphasis on the element of human values which converge with the divine ones
advocated by Islam and other religions, as only such values can bring religions
closer. It is also necessary to embrace the intellectual and scientific
orientations that these values promote and that are further advocated by modern
thought in view of their universal dimension and the intellectual development
and industrial and commercial progress they give rise to. Such orientations
were not unknown to Muslims when they were edifying civilization and culture in
their times of apogee.
It is
equally essential to consider all this through a long term vision of the
relations between Muslims and others. This would serve to keep these relations
sound and also to protect the future of humanity from annihilation by fostering
love and brotherliness, which facilitates tolerance and co-existence, and by
shunning the hatred and resentment which motivate hegemony and aggression.
Such vision
cannot become a reality if we fail to remove the barriers preventing Muslims
from penetrating the progress-conducive fields of production and from keeping
pace with modern developments. Muslims need not remain mere consumers of
products to which the key remains in the hands of the West. This despite the
wealth available in their own countries, their strategic situation and their
rich human resources forced to join the immigrant workforce in Europe, thus
significantly contributing to the progress and development achieved by these
countries.
It is
necessary to open up more fields before these resources and encourage the
moderate trend advocated by a number of Muslim scholars and thinkers. Such
trend strives to cast light on the real face of Islam and make its voice heard
in the Islamic world and even in Western countries where the need of a proper
understanding of this religion is rather dire. There is indubitably a strong
desire within these countries for such knowledge, in the hope that it might
alleviate the intensity of the current juncture.
There is an
equally noticeable eagerness to study Islam and learn its principles. This
eagerness exists not only among the general public or the intellectuals, but
also among the Christian clergy who so far have been fighting Islam out of
ignorance.
This also
applies to a tendency noted among European and American political leaders who
have realised the worth of Islam and the importance of the Muslim presence in
various fields. But, despite such awareness, they remain apprehensive about
possible acts of terrorism which they attribute, erroneously and unjustly, to
Islam and Muslims who are in equal need for properly understanding the religion
of the Other.
Unfortunately,
the keen interest that Christians, Europeans and Americans alike, have begun to
take in Islam and the conversion to this religion of some of them, has prompted
the Vatican and other church ecclesiastics, and even some thinkers and
politicians, to voice their alarm at the spread of Islam in the West and warn
against this religion. Some have even urged for banning Islam in their
countries and for punishing those who convert to it, in total denial of the
fact that Islam is one of the divine religions, their seal and the one religion
that recognises all others.
This occurs
at a time when the notion of dialogue is becoming a leitmotiv at eastern and
western pulpits, including those advocating a dialogue of faith based on solid
and objective foundations agreed to by all. This call for this dialogue is
motivated by a desire to reveal the true essence of these religions, bring them
closer together and instate cooperation within a framework of mutual respect
and esteem, propelled by a desire to acquire a proper knowledge of religions,
and careful not to tackle matters inherent to the essence of faith itself.
Religion is, after all, the bond linking Man to his Creator and only the
Creator can judge and demand accounts. Diversity is a law of the universe
created by Allah and is the product of divine will. It is not born from the
preconceived ideas the followers of a given religion might entertain, namely
that they and only they are right, that their religion holds the key to the
ultimate truth, and that those who embrace other religions become de facto the
enemy. This necessitates that we move away from the misleading notion that the
West's civilization and culture are superior and that they generated new, until
then unknown, values, a notion where the Other is seen as a mere consumer who
can take no credit for these values, nor can his own heritage or even
humanity's legacy.
A
civilization emerges and thrives thanks to its myriad components, no matter how
small these components are. Therefore, the European civilization which has
achieved tremendous progress and surpassed other civilizations in all fields,
cannot possibly continue to grow and prosper if it persists in denying the role
of the Islamic civilization in enriching it, or in ignoring what Muslims can
offer today, projecting in the process a stereotypical image of Muslims, an
image that does nothing but confirms Europe's determination to ignore Muslims
and deprive them of their rightful recognition.
Any attempt
to turn a blind eye to this role or undermine its contribution will be
tantamount to denying the richness that diversity and plurality can offer if
given a chance at give and take, in a spirit of tolerance, co-existence,
solidarity and open-mindedness, and consequently consolidate ties and
strengthen bonds.
There is
perhaps no need to reiterate that this correlation, these solid bonds and the
ensuing civilization and culture are enough, if we were take the time to ponder
them, to reinstate our trust in ourselves and in our full capacities. They are
enough to pave the way for such ties and bonds to ensure the continuity of the
elements common to all civilizations and cultures. What it takes are a new
vision, progressive concepts and an unbiased drive, and a sound awareness of
the worth of these common aspects, with no prejudices to negate what is
positive in our history. Consideration should be taken of the advantages of
globalization and the values it champions and which do not clash with what we,
Muslims and Europeans alike, advocate, the specificity of our identity that we
are attached to, the freedom, democracy, plurality and respect of human rights
that we aspire to, and what all this generates in terms of opportunities for
constructive and fruitful cooperation.
Vast
horizons open up before this cooperation which will make it possible to
overcome challenges and spread peace. It will also help enforce the human
rights that elevate man's status, enable him to ascend to the honourable
position that Allah has reserved for Adam's progeny, and encourage him to seek
further communion with his environment.
This
communion is one of the fundaments of civilization. It takes the shape of
openness, interaction, solidarity and complementarity, and of coexistence and
tolerance, far from any clash or conflict. Civilization per se is human, and as
such it is one and not plural, although the stages of its development are many
and the phases of its evolution through time are myriad. This diversity lies in
what people, evolving at any given time, generate by way of innovation,
creativity and production, the values and principles they believe in and the
legacy they leave behind. Such legacy benefits individuals and societies,
selecting for foundation the mutual acquaintance which leads to reciprocal
recognition and cooperation through a process of give-and-take.
To achieve
all of this, starting with the desired knowledge of religions and what such
knowledge can bring about, we believe that civilizational and cultural dialogue
should be permanently open, and that it should become an opportunity to
highlight the various opinions on the issues pertaining to dialogue and
expressed by thinkers, politicians, economists, academicians, civil society
associations and non-governmental organisations.
However,
all of this will fail to fulfil the desired goals if it is not bolstered by
good conduct on the part of all parties. For Muslims, such conduct will project
a shining image of Islam. This responsibility is certainly shared by all
Muslims, particularly those living in the European countries that have become
for them vast platforms where they interact and mingle with the original
inhabitants.
The Muslim
presence in these countries has long ago surpassed the concept of minority to
become a phenomenon that can only be visualised within a framework of
citizenship. After three or more decades, Muslims have become part and parcel
of these countries, an integrated part and a component whose contribution to
advancing and enriching culture and civilization cannot be denied. Once this
truth has been acknowledged, accepted and positively implemented, a solution
will be found for the complex equation requiring much pondering, patience and
wisdom. In this equation, the Muslim living in
One of the
priorities of such approach is achieving a balance between all parties and
instating mutual trust among them, giving precedence to the supreme interests
of the country but without undermining social interactions in their material
and beneficial manifestations. Doubts are cast on this possibility by those who
are hostile to immigrants. It is equally important to remember that the reality
of mixed marriages and the succession of generations shows that the right to
citizenship has been obtained in a sound manner, despite the existence of some
exceptions that mar the picture. These exceptions may eventually disappear if
fewer constraints are placed on the visa, residence or work permit procedures,
and if fewer hardships are suffered by those wishing to immigrate and the
immigrants whose situations are not regular yet. If all the immigrants are able
to freely perform the rites of their religion, as are the Europeans who have
started to immigrate to Muslim countries, especially in
That is the
responsibility of the scholars of Islamic Ummah who should closely monitor the
reality of Muslims in non-Muslim countries.