A Bridge Across Fear: An Interview With Tariq Ramadan: Muslims

6/3/2015
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RosemaryBechler
Abouttheauthor
RosemaryBechleristheEditorofopenDemocracy.
IwanttogobeyondtheperceptionthatIamonlydifferentfromyou,orthatdifferenceisthebeginningandtheend.
Inaninterviewofremarkablerangeandfrankness,theinfluentialSwissEgyptianphilosopher,teacherandwriter
TariqRamadantalkstoRosemaryBechlerofopenDemocracyabouthislifesproject:bringingMuslimsandEurope
hometoeachother.
openDemocracy:WhatisthepersonalbackgroundtoyourattempttoelaborateafullyEuropeanIslam?
TariqRamadan:IcomefromafamilywhereeverythingwasdrenchedinIslamicreferences,wheremyparentswere
totallyinvolvedintryingtoliveandteachasMuslims.
DuringthefirsttwentythreeyearsofmylifeinSwitzerland,IvisitedEgyptmanytimes,andmysoledreamwasto
returntowhatIconsideredmyhomecountry.ButslowlyIbegantofeelthatIbelongedelsewhere.Iwaslinkedtothe
principlesofIslam,butculturallyIwasmuchmoreEuropean.
TenyearsafterIgotmarried,IdecidedtotakemychildrenwithmetoEgyptandstudytheIslamicsciences.WhenI
returned,Ihadtheconstantfeelingthatsomethingwasmissing.Italkedtomanypeoplewhowantedtoremain
Muslim,butwhofeltanintimatecontradictionbetweenthewishandthepractice:howcanwebeMuslim?Especially
inFrance,thepressuresonthemwereverystrongtheheadscarfissuestartedthereasearlyas1989.
Irealisedthatweneededtwothings:arootedunderstandingofourreligion,andadeeperunderstandingofthe
westernenvironment.IstartedbyexploringtheIslamicteachings,rulesandprinciplesfromwithinandtoextractfrom
themwhatwasuniversal.Thiswasalsoapersonalodyssey:remainingaMusliminSwitzerlandmeantthatIcouldno
longersimplydrawonanEgyptianbelonging.
Ineededtoexplaintwothings,bothtomyselfandtoothers.First,howwasitpossibletolivetheseuniversal
principlesinanewcontextsecond,howtolinktheinsightsfrommystudyofwesternphilosophyandpolitical
sciencestoouruniversalvalues,preservingthematthesametimeashavingapersonalitytotallyrootedinthe
European?
Isoonrealisedthatthereweremajorobstacles,beginningwithaverysuperficialunderstandingofIslam.Toremaina
goodMusliminEurope,onefeltobligedtobeaPakistaniMuslimoraNorthAfricanMuslim.Thiswasareallimitation
forme.Butatthesametime,itwasanexperienceIsharedwiththegrassrootsMuslimorganisations,Muslimleaders
andthepeopletheyled.
openDemocracysEurope&IslamdebatecontainsawealthofperspectivesandargumentsfromAhdaf
SoueiftoNelcyaDelanoe,GillesKepeltoFuadNahdi,CemzdemirtoMonaAbaza,TariqModoodtoUsman
Sheikh
Tocreatebridgesbetweenthesetworealitiesistoriskbeingcriticisedbybothsides.ButthegreatmajorityofMuslim
organisationsinwhatIcallasilentrevolutionarefacingthischallenge.AmongthemaremanyMuslimwomen.
Duringthelastyear,Itrainedmorethan300Muslimleaders,manyofthemwomen.Itisgoingtobedifficultandslow,
butthisisthefuturebecauseitistheonlywaytorespectourselvesandtheOthertoo.
WhenpeoplelikewhatIamdoingtheysay:yourideasaregreatbutyouarealone!Whentheydontlikeittheysay:
becarefulofthismanbecausebehindhimtherearehugenumbersofpeople!TherealityisthatIamattheforefront
ofaprocessthatiscomingfromtheMuslimleadersthemselves.
http://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.opendemocracy.net%2Ffaitheurope_islam%2Farticle_2006.jsp%23.VW6KVly4v3Y.printfr
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Amatterofperception
openDemocracy:Yourprojectseemstoleadintwodifferentdirections.First,itinvolvesreformsyouwouldliketo
seeinwesterncountries.Second,itrequiresanautocritiqueoftheMuslimwayoflifeinitsbroadestsense.Soyou
arewalkingaratherprecarioustightrope,whereyouriskalienatingpeopleonallsides?
TariqRamadan:Yes,butthemainfocusofmycritiqueisnotEuropeansocieties,whereIseenoobstacleto
MuslimsremainingMuslim,butonthewaythatMuslimsbehaviourisgovernedbyscripturalsourcesandalegal
inheritancewhichhastoberevisited.Thequestionis:howshouldwereadthesesources,thislegacy?
WhatIcallthereformistschoolofthoughtisnottheliteralist,thetraditionalist,ortherationalistone,ortheSufi
versionofthereformistpath.ItscentralargumentwithintheIslamicdiversityofthinkingisthatbecauseweliveina
newcontextitisimperativethatwereconsideroursources.Wearguethatwemustgraspthetextsandthecontexts
atoneandthesametime.
Foroverfifteenyears,IhavetriedtoassesswhatroomisavailablewithintheIslamiclegacytoextractnewthoughts
andinterpretationswithoutsacrificingrespectforourQuranandtheprophetictradition.Noteverythinghasyetbeen
revealed.Ibelievethatthissilence,whichencouragesustobecreative,iscomingfromGod.Iamnotaloneherea
wholereligiousandprophetictraditiontellsusthatitisfrommercythatGodremainssilentonsomesubjects.
Moreover,ournewenvironmentinEuropeortheUnitedStateshelpsustorereadthesources.Thisisnot,assome
maythink,anattempttowesterniseIslam.AsIseeit,whatIamdoingistranslatingsharia,searchingouttheway
towardsfaithfulness.Thisisnotaquestionoflawforme,butawayofremainingfaithfultomybeliefsandprinciples.
Thisismyfirstandmainconcern.
MysecondaryfocusisonthewaythatthisnewphaseforMuslimsinEuropeandtheUnitedStatesraisesaquestion
beyondintegration,namelyhowwecouldbearichnessforoursocietiesandmakearealcontribution.Thistaskhas
nothingtodowithacritiqueofwesternmores.WhatIamsaying,rather,isthatifyouhaveprinciples,youalsohave
anethicalcodewhicharisesfromthoseprinciples.Wecanusethoseethicsasactivecitizens,tohelpworkforthe
futurebettermentofmysociety.
Whatpreventsusfrombecomingtotallyinvolvedinoursocietiestodayisnotlegalframeworks,butamatterof
perception.TheverybadperceptionofMuslimsdeterminesthewaythatpeoplereadthelaw.Ifthatperception
changed,thereisconsiderablelatitudeinEuropeancountriestorespectMuslimsincludingtheirbeliefintheir
worship,andthepracticeoftheirfaith.
FourprinciplesofIslamicidentity
openDemocracy:YoudrawattentiontoatrapinthinkingaboutMuslims:thedualistorbinaryapproach.
Couldyousaymoreaboutthis?
TariqRamadan:Inourtraditionthereisanemphasisonusversusthem.Thiswasperfectlynormalaspartofthe
geostrategicrealityduringtheMiddleAges.Ifyoucomparemodels,societies,evendress,suchapolarisationcan
alwaysbefound.Itisnotjustwrongintodaysworldthemessagefromoursourcessuggeststhatthisisnottheright
approach.Asuperficialreadingofmodelscouldleadtobinaryconclusions,butmyreadingofthesourcesisthattheir
principlesremainthesame,eventhoughtheirtranslationintoanygivencultureorlanguagemaybedifferent.Ifwe
gorightbacktotheprinciples,wefindthatwehavesomethingincommon.
Forexample,Isaythatthewesttoday,indeedthewholeworld,isDaralShahada(thespacewherewebear
testimony).ThemessagetoMuslimsis:remainaMuslimifyouwantbearwitnesstothemessageofyourreligion
beforepeoplethisisasurgentinEuropeasitisanywhereelse!ButIwanttogobeyondtheperceptionthatIam
onlydifferentfromyou,orthatdifferenceisthebeginningandtheend.Yes,Iamdifferent.Butitissimplynot
sustainabletolivewiththisnotionthatascitizenswediffermorethanwehaveincommon.
WithintheMuslimcommunity,itismyprofoundexperiencethatsuchattitudesleadtopsychologicalproblems.Young
Muslimsinliteralistgroupsaretold:Europeisnotyourhome.ItisDaralHarb(therealmofwar).Itspeoplearenot
Muslims.ThesepeoplearedefiningMuslimidentityinopposition,sothatthelessyouarewesternisedthemoreyou
areMuslimised.Theythenrequireyoutobuildyouridentityagainstothers,notrelyingfirstandforemostonyourown
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principles.
ThisiswhyitissoimportanttosaythattheMuslimidentityisnotbasedonsuperficialprinciples.InmybookToBea
EuropeanMuslimIshowedhowthefourprinciplesofIslamicidentityaretotallyopen:grace,practiceandspirituality
religion(understandingthetextandthecontext)educationandtransmissionactionandparticipation.
ForopenDemocracysdiscussionoftheproblemsofMuslimsinSwitzerland,see:
FrancisPiccand,IslaminSwitzerland:dialoguebetweencultures
(January2003)
FrancisPiccandandAmiraHafnaalJabaji,IslaminSwitzerland:thediscussion
(January2003)
YoucanhaveanyculturaldressEuropean,African,AmericanorAsianbuttheseprinciplesareopen.Icancometo
Switzerland,ortoFrenchcultureorliterature,andtakeownershipofeverythingthatdoesnotcontradictthese
principles.Thisreachesbeyondthebinaryvision.Irefertoitastheprincipleofintegration.Everythingwhichisgood
ismineifyouhaveabadidea,itremainsyours!Thesourceofagoodideadoesntmatter:whatisimportantisthatit
isgood.Thisiswhatweneedtounderstandfirstaboutourpracticalanddailylives.
openDemocracy:Isthiswhereyouidentifyanothertrap,inrelationtodiversity,oneyoucharacteriseasminority
thinking?
TariqRamadan:WhenyouliveintheEuropeanlandscapeandcometounderstanditssocialfabric,youarenota
minoritycitizen.Youare,simply,acitizen.Thisiswherewemustaffirmthatwehavevaluesthatcomefromthe
Islamictradition,andthatthesevaluesareheldincommonwithourfellowcitizensandwiththewholeofsociety.
WhenIcallforsocialjusticetoremoveracismanddiscriminationfromEuropeansocieties,Iaminvokingmajority
notminorityvalues.
Ispendalotoftimewithgreenparties,discussingbioethics,socialjustice,discriminationandracism,precisely
becauseIunderstandtheseproblemswehaveincommon.Iamspeakinghereasacitizenthesameasyou,andas
muchasyou.
Ithinkthatgovernments,andindeedthemajorityofthepopulation,oftentryandpushMuslimsintospeakingand
feelingasminorities.TheEuropeanCouncilforFatwaandResearch,setupin1997,isanexample.Ithasproposed
somethingcalledfiqhalaqalliyyat(thelawandjurisprudenceofminorities).Ihavearealdoctrinalproblemwiththis
notion.Thereisnosuchthingasaminorityanswerandadifferentmajorityanswer.Wehavetospeakascitizens.
Adialogueinpluralism
openDemocracy:Youtalkalotaboutdialogue.IsarealexchangebetweenMuslimsandnonMuslimsasimportant
toyouasthatwithintheMuslimcommunity?Isthisthebasisofyourcriticismoffaithbasedschools?
TariqRamadan:Ispentthesummersofmyyouthworkingwithsolidarityorganisations,alongsideChristians,
Buddhists,JewsinIndia,AfricaandSouthAmerica.Ilearnedfromthisexperiencehowessentialitistodetach
yourselffromyourownviewpoint,toseeyourownstartingpointinperspectiveandtorequirethesameofyour
interlocutor.Onlyifthisispossibleisdialoguemeaningful.
Iamtotallyagainsttheconceptoftolerance.Ittoooftenmeans:Iacceptthatyouarehere,becauseIhaveno
choice.Iignoreyou,butIsufferyourpresence.Thisisnowayforward.Respectmeansmutualknowledge,andnot
onlywhatyoucangleanfromtheothersholybook.NoonecaneverknowmebyreadingtheQuran.SomeMuslims
merelyglanceattheBibleandpointtowhattheyseeashorriblediscrepancies.Butthepointisthatthebookisthe
bookthereadingofthebookissomethingelse.OsamabinLadenisreadingthesamebookasme:butnotinthe
sameway!
openDemocracyprofilesthemilitantAntwerpleaderDyabAbouJahjahandexplainsthebackgroundofhisArab
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EuropeanLeague:
DirkJacobs,Receiveortakerights(October2003)
NickRyan,Betweenfireandsword:Antwerpschoice(May2004)
RosemaryBechler,Everyoneisafraid:theworldaccordingtoAbouJahjah(May2004)
Ofcourse,culturecanalsobeaproblem,andsometimeshardtoknowhowtodealwith.Ifyoubecomeobsessedby
thesecultures,yourfellowcitizensbegintogetjumpy.ButpeopleneedtounderstandthatallthesenorthAfricansor
Pakistanipeopleamongstuspresentnokindofriskforthedominantculture,butanasset,becausediversityisso
vital.
Islamicvaluesanduniversalrights
openDemocracy:WhenthereisacontestbetweenIslamicvaluesandthehumanrightsprinciplesenshrinedin
someEuropeanconstitutions,whichtakepriority?
TariqRamadan:Whenyoureachthelevelofuniversality,priorityorprecedencedoesntwork.So,ifyouaskme
whetherornottheUniversalDeclarationofHumanRightsisasuniversalastheseIslamicvalueswearetalking
aboutIwilltellyouyesnoproblem!.TheonlyproblemforMuslimsconcernstheprecisewayyouapplythese
principles.
Theuniversaldeclarationspecifiesthatsomeonecanchangehisorherreligion.Peopleoftensaythatthisisnot
permittedinIslam.Thereareargumentsonbothsides,andthereareIslamicscholarsandulamwhosaythatitis
possible.Iagreewiththem:youcannotlabelorcategoriseuniversality.
IwasagainsttheUniversalIslamicDeclarationofHumanRightsespeciallywheneachparagraphendsaccordingto
thesharia.Atthelevelofuniversality,westernandIslamicvaluesareconverging.Forme,justiceandequalitycome
frommyIslamicteaching:ithasreachedthelevelwheretheseuniversalvaluesarethesameforyouastheyarefor
me.
openDemocracy:ButdoesntthisevadesomeofthemostcontroversiallegalandmoralquestionswhereIslamasa
politicalsystem,includingthesharia,conflictswithwesternvalues?
TariqRamadan:WhatisIslamasapoliticalsystem?AlltheconceptsIusehaveaveryspecificdefinition.Sharia,by
mydefinition,isnotlaw.Wemustthinkaboutthelawwhentryingtobefaithfultoaspecificgoalbutshariais
somethingextractedbyhumanrationalityinordertopavethewaytowardsfaithfulness.HereIrejectthenotionofal
fiqh(thebodyoflaw)comingfirst.Itisnotfirstforme.
Oneinterpretationofourlawsassertsthatduringafamineitisnotpossibletoapplythepunishmentofcuttingoffof
hands.SomeMuslimsseeinthisaproofthatlawscanadaptorimprove.Mypointisdifferent:thatthisrulingwas
sayingthatinthenameofourgoals,theliteralunderstandingofthisrulewaswrong.Thisisasystemofvalues,and
notapoliticalsystem.
Withinthiswholesystem,Idifferentiatebetweenprinciplesandmodels.Forexample,fromtheGreekconceptof
democracywetakeatleastfourprinciples:stateoflawequalcitizenshipuniversalsuffrageandaccountabilitythe
mainuniversalprinciplesinthewesternmodelofdemocracy.ThesefourprinciplescanalsobeextractedfromIslam,
mergingatthatpointwiththeuniversalityofthissystem.
Iwanttosustainthesefourprinciples,buttoelaboratespecificmodelsintheIslamicworldthatrespectthem.Every
societyshouldrespectitsculture,itsmemoryanditscollectivepsychology.Aspecificmodelthatembodies
established,respectedprinciplesistheaim.
ThisiswhatIsaytotheliteralists(suchastheHizbutTahrir):whatisthispoliticalsystemyoutalkabout?Wehaveto
respectsomeuniversalprinciples,butthereisnoIslamicstate.Toimitatewhatwasdonein7thcenturyMedinaisnot
onlyadream.Itisalie.Youcannotdothatnow.
openDemocracy:ThewesternEuropeandemocratictraditionwasbornofaconfrontationwithreligion,the
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JudeoChristiantradition.Manywhorespectyourclearoppositiontoliteralreadingsofsharialawandtoautocratic
regimesintheworldofIslammightfeelthatyoucreateproblemsforyourfollowersbyavoidingthis?
TariqRamadan:ThisisaselectiveinterpretationthatignoresthepartplayedbytheProtestanttradition,emphasised
byMaxWeber.Westerndemocracieswereindeedallfoundedthroughareactionagainstreligion,butreligionstoo
fedintothisreality.
Inanycase,anyattemptnoworinthefuturetocutMuslimcommunitiesofffromtheirreligiousframeofreferencewill
fail.LookatEuropeandAmericatoday.WhenMuslimsarrivedthere,manybelievedtheywouldbeassimilatedand
forgetallaboutreligionintwoorthreegenerations.Exactlytheoppositeishappening.Peoplearereturningtotheir
religiousroots.So,facereality!
Youcan,ifyouwant,trytopersuadepeoplethattoliveinademocracymeansputtingtheirreligionaside.Butthey
willtellyouthattheyarenotreadytodothat.Iamnotreadytodothat.Iwasbornhere.Ihavestudiedwestern
philosophy.Ifeelmyselftotallyintegratedintowesternsociety.ButIdontwanttoforgomytradition.
IsitpossibletofindnewanswersthathelpmetobeatoncetotallyMuslimandtotallyacitizen?Isay:yes,butby
recognisingthatmyinvolvementinsocietyisbasednotonreligion,butonaspecificethics.
TheEuropeansyouinvokeareactuallydoingthesamething.Theycouldbeagnostic,atheist,Marxist,Christian,or
Jewishnourishedbytheirconvictionsintheirdailylivesascitizens.SoamIsowhatistheproblem?Iamtryingto
takefrommyconvictions,valuesandethicsthingsthathelpmetobetotallyinvolvedinmysociety.ThatiswhatI
meanbytheethicsofcitizenship.
openDemocracyauthorsdebatetheargumentsoverFrancesbanonreligiousapparelinschools:
JohannesWillms,Franceunveiled:makingMuslimsintocitizens?(February2004)
PatrickWeil,Anationindiversity:France,Muslimsandtheheadscarf(March2004)
SvendWhite,Hijabhysteria:FranceanditsMuslims(April2004)
Howwoulditwork?AnexampleisthewaythatcertainBritishMuslimsinstructotherstovoteonlyforMuslims.This
communitarianapproachiscommonthroughoutEuropeandAmerica.ButIarguetheexactopposite.Inthenameof
yourtradition,youhavetofindthosepeoplewhoaremostcompetent,whoareaccountable,andhavethedeepest
integrity.ThesevaluesarenotincontradictionwithIslam,butmorethanthat,theyaretotallyrootedinthetraditionof
citizenshipinthiscountry.SoyouhavetovoteforaMuslimornonMuslimhavingthesequalities.Thisiswhatan
ethicsofcitizenshipis.
TherelevantpointisnotwhereIcomefrominproposingthispoint,butwhereIamleadingpeopleto:the
understandingthattheyarepartofthesesocieties.
Thepublicandtheprivate
openDemocracy:DoesntyouremphasisthatyoucanbesimultaneouslyagoodMuslimandagoodcitizenreimport
theveryprivatisationofreligionthatisstandardinwestern,butnotMuslim,societies?Doesntitinturnputyouat
oddswithalotofIslamicteaching?
TariqRamadan:Thisperceptionofprivateandpublicspheresisnotmine.Inthewesternpublicspheretoday,
religionisvisible(shoulditbelessvisible,bytheway?),asarevalues,dogma,andpracticesthatpertaintothemost
intimateaspectsofpeoplesprivatelife.Theseneedtoberespected,butsomustthecollectiverationalitythatasa
wholeconstitutesthepublicsphere.
Inthisregard,thereisabsolutelynoproblemwithinIslam.FromIslamsverybeginnings,thereisacleardistinction
betweenthesphereofworship(therelationshiptoGod)andthepublicsphere(therelationshiptopeople).Thereisa
distinctioninIslam,butthereisnodivorce.
So,whenlivingasaEuropeancitizen,IrespectthepublicsphereandthereIamnourishedandinspiredbymyown
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convictions.IamwithGodonFriday,butalsoonSaturday,onSundayandonMondaynotbyimposingdogmas,but
byhavingacertainwayoflifefaithfultomyethics.Iamspeakingfromwithinandtryingtobeconsistent.
Consistencyisthebestwaytolive.
ThemainproblemforMuslimsnowisthattheirpracticesaremorevisiblethanthoseofChristiansorJews.Takethe
monthofRamadan:ifweweretomeetinOctoberorNovember,itwouldnotbepossibleformetositwithyouhere.
ItisvisiblethatIampractisingmyreligion.AmIthenathreattothepublicsphere?Notatall.Thepublicsphere,after
all,isnottellingyoutobeinvisible.Itissayingonlythatyoumustrespectthecollectiverationalityorganisingour
sphere.Iamdoingthat.
True,IcanbecriticisedbyMuslims,butmychallengeisinspeakingtotheSalafi,thetraditionalistsorsomeother
radicalgroups,fromwithin.Iinvitethemtotellmetheirproblems,sothatIcanquotetheversesoftheQuran,the
hadith,andaskthemtogivemetheirfurtherproofs.Today,anycredenceIpossesswithintheMuslimcommunity
comesdirectlyfromthatencounter.
TheFrenchculturewars
openDemocracy:TherehasbeenabarrageofcriticismdirectedagainstyouinFrance.Thereactiontoyour
statement,CriticismoftheNewCommunitarianIntellectual,includedaccusationsofantisemitism.Yourpartnership
withtheantiglobalisationmovementwasalsoatarget.Howdoyoureadthis?
TariqRamadan:ForthelasttenyearsIhavecriticisedeveryslightmanifestationofantisemitisminthenameof
Islam.AnAmericanjournalistwhospentaweekwithmetestifiedthatattheverymomentIwascalledantisemitic,I
characterisedsuchattitudesasunIslamicbeforethousandsofMuslims.
ItmustbepossibleforustobecriticaltowardsIsraelwithoutbecomingJudeophobicorantisemitic(orindeed,
IslamophobicinthecaseofcriticismofSaudiArabia).Icantstressthisenough.Igivenosupporttowardsanykindof
antisemitismorracism.Thereisnohierarchybetweenracisms.Wehavetostruggleagainsteverymanifestationof
thisstuff.
IknewthatCriticismoftheNewCommunitarianIntellectualwouldprovokeareaction,althoughIhadnoideathatit
wouldbesoextremefivemonthsofconstantbarracking,withoutpause.(Itstitledidnot,bytheway,mentionthe
wordJewish,andIknewthatPierreAndreTaguieffatleastthepersonwhosaidthreemillionMuslimsrepresent
threemillionpotentialextremistswasnothimselfJewish.)
WhatIwantedtopointoutwasthattheseerstwhileuniversalistintellectualswerenowbecoming
communitarianinaquitespecificway,andtargetingtheMuslimcommunityasthesourceofanew
antiSemitisminEurope.Thelastsentenceofmyconcludingparagraphwasquiteclear:Thefuturebelongsto
thosewhofromtheJewish,Christian,Muslimoratheistagorawillriseupfromtheirrespectivecommunities,and
cometogetheronacommongroundagainstanyandeveryformofracism.
Theaccusationofantisemitismthatimmediatelydescendedonmedidnotachieveitspurposewithmy
antiglobalisationpartners.Itsauthorsthenfoundfreshammunitioninmygrandfatherandbrother,theninmyviews
onwomenandfeminism,finallyinmyrelationshipwithradicalgroups.Insteadofansweringmychallengetothem,
theysoughttodestroyme.
Afterwhathappenedtomeinthelastfivemonths,manyMuslimsarethinkingandsaying:Iftheydontwanttospeak
toyoutheywontspeaktoanyofus!TheyknowhowmuchIamcriticisedfromwithintheMuslimcommunitybyits
moreliteralistelements.
Thequestionnowishowtomoveonfromthissimplisticbranding?Astartliesinthewaythatthisarticlehashelped
metocarrysomeclarifyingdistinctionsandformulationsintotheMuslimcommunityaswellastoarticulatethe
groundwherewehavetostandupforourrights,andnotletourselvesbevictimised.Thiswasareallyformative
period:inmanyways,agreatexperience!
America,Europeandthefuture
openDemocracy:YouwillsoonbeginaprofessorshipatNotreDameUniversityintheUnitedStates.Whatnew
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opportunitiesdoesthisaffordyou?
TariqRamadan:ForthelastfiveyearsIhavebeenveryinvolvedinAmericanMuslimorganisations,andparticularly
AfroAmericanorganisations.Theseareveryimportantforme.ButIwillremainclosetotherealityofEuropeas
directorofanewprogrammeReligion,ConflictandPeacebuildingandmaintainmyofficeinParis.Indeeditisvital
thatthesecontrastingwesternexperiencesareputsidebyside.ThisiswhatIwant:tobringpeoplefromEurope
togetherwiththoseinNorthAmericatwoorthreetimesayeartoarriveatasharedunderstandingofhowwecan
changethings.
Thisisthefuture!Ofcourse,IdontknowhowlongIwillstay,becauseitisnotnecessarilythateasyforaMuslimto
liveinNorthAmericanowadays.Letsseehowitgoes.
PhotographsbyMichaelRebehn,designbySimonTicknerforopenDemocracy.
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