According to Talal Asad, ever since the Iranian
revolution of 1979, Muslims have become a focus of attention. Nonetheless, the
world is watching Muslims after 9/11. The media, policy makers and public at
large are interested, unfortunately, from a security paradigm creating an
‘Islamophobia’ environment.
As a matter of fact, Europe and its liberal secularity
hold incompatible towards Islam and its religion-national model. Thus, both
sides experience feelings such as anxiety and threat since permanent
coexistence with an overdose of cultural myths settled. Therefore, It is clear
that dialogue between both groups needs imperatively to remove the bias in the
eyes. Who is who? /Who is not who?
Accordingly, it comes as a concern how to create a
multicultural scenario when there are existing barriers. A first point then
displays: we are living in a binary/single truth society, which counter or
diminish the ‘other’. Therefore, how the Muslim question is featured is not
even accurately focused yet since it is being focused from nation-state system/assimilation
perspective.
The European nation-state system it is described primarily
based upon a national homogeneous population, which it clashes with
multiculturalism. In effect, in accordance with Barnor Hesse, the multicultural
reveals the impossibility of full national representation. Hence a core query
goes to the Muslim question instead of an answer: Is Europe the ideal territory
for a multicultural project?
Likewise, it is clear for Muslims immigrants in Europe
to know what is sensitive for these group now that they have settled but neither
blaming nor victimizing will cause change for good. Not.
In addition, academia has already said enough about
both realities therefore comes to individuals to take in account what it has
been stated and researched: living in diversity means living in a harmonious
difference.
In sum, it turns axiomatic that the key for all this
cultural issue is to learn. As simple as learn from the ‘other’. Ethnocentrism
from both sides has shown to be a clear failure. Indeed, tension has increased
such as cultural myths and stereotypes. We only know ourselves! And the ‘other?
Nonetheless, in this regard, I believe Muslims have
much more to do. As a culture assessed by national discourses the best way to
response is with consensus. Tariq Ramadan claims that a matter of integrating,
making one’s own all that people have produced that is good, just,
humane—intellectually, scientifically, socially, politically, economically,
culturally, and so on. In that sense, reconciliation and integration is the first
step to find ways. The road is just starting…
