The question of “Islam” and liberal democracy

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…