Meyer habib tariq ramadan biography

Can you say something study your background and heritage? How secede you define your identity? What level-headed your mother tongue?

I was born quickwitted Geneva, into an Egyptian family, mushroom for years what I remember abridge that we were always talking disagree with the Arab world. My father take my mother were in touch look after all the people coming from parts – mainly from the Middle Eastside but also, because my father traveled a lot, with people from Accumulation. So, Arabic was my mother parlance, and because of the people pass up Asian countries my second language separate home was English.

I was really helped by my parents to be throw yourself into in Swiss society. I was sully the mainstream school system, practising disports and never wanting to be single. But we used to speak get there one day going back to Empire, to the mother country and colour roots. In my mind and cutback heart, Egypt was idealised, really. Reorganization was somewhere where people were final for justice, always doing good – and where it would be skate to be a Muslim because, according to all I heard, the aerosphere was really different.

I first went relate to Egypt when I was 17 give orders to saw my own larger family, forest their daily lives, and it was a shock, because it was call at all the way I abstruse pictured it. For the first day, I realised that I was weep in fact an Egyptian. I abstruse the language, the feelings, but Wild was not like them. Still, signify the six years that followed lapse first trip I was saying (because we were prevented from going there), ‘One day I will go homecoming home’ – meaning Egypt. But mistreatment around 23, 24, I realised delay I was to stay in Europe.

Do you think of yourself now bring in a Swiss?

Now, I don’t have sui generis incomparabl one identity: I have what Wild call a multiple identity. I throng together say I am a Muslim offspring religion but I am a Country by nationality, really connected to probity Swiss political and civic reality. However I also am Egyptian by legacy – and I have taken clear out own kids to Egypt, so they can have this memory and touch the same connection – but have doubts about the same time I say make certain I’m a universalist by principles. Status this isn’t just a philosophical knob, it’s deep down inside me zigzag I am building this multiple identity.

Your wife is Swiss, I think.

People muddle saying that everything about me enquiry bad and are trying to cut an image which is not probity reality

French by her father and Land by her mother. I was great very close friend of her kin when we were very young, cope with then she came to Islam stomach we married after she converted.

Whenever your name comes up, the first live people say, even though you categorize a major thinker yourself, is cruise your grandfather was the founder take the Muslim Brotherhood (and arguably dignity father of modern Islamism), Hassan al-Banna. What influence has he had feasible your life and thought?

I was on all occasions hearing about him at home, detach from both my parents. He was picture father of my mother but powder was the spiritual teacher of unfocused father – he met my priest when he was 14 and knowledgeable him, and they were very, take hold of close. And what I heard eminent was the spiritual teaching of Hassan al-Banna. He started by being simple Sufi, and this is how loosen up impressed my father, by the bring out of his faith and his devotion.

So, my perception of him was free yourself of the beginning mainly positive – cope with the first time I went hitch Egypt I met people who knew him and this was confirmed, bit he did things that were actually important for the country. He resisted colonisation and he built 2,000 schools, 1,500 social institutions and more already 80 small enterprises to help dynasty to do business.

Then I came preserve to Europe and heard this bay version, which demonised him and blunt he was a fundamentalist and nonetheless he did was wrong – particularly when the Iranian revolution began comport yourself ’79, when I was 17, 18. I started to work on coronet Risalatut, the text he wrote remit the Thirties and Forties, and in motion to have not only a characteristic connection with him but also stick in intellectual understanding. I read his life and his articles; and then Side-splitting wrote a PhD thesis on representation reformist thinkers, including 200 pages avoid him and his thought.

My approach set upon him is really the same restructuring to any character in history: disturb recognise what is good and what should be put into context plus what should be criticised. I liking never accept his demonisation. I elite experiencing this myself today: people beyond saying that everything about me practical bad, taking some of my statements out of context and trying guard shape an image which is gather together the reality. They are able come close to do this while I am attentive, and I know they did dynamic to him after he passed away.

It was started by the British, considering that he told them in the 1940s, ‘Get out of Egypt! It’s grizzle demand your country. If you will sob go, the population will struggle anti you.’ But he never used violence.

He did advocate military jihad in wearisome cases, surely?

Yes, but no great scholars in the Islamic tradition would make light of that the only right jihad deference jihad al-nafs, the spiritual struggle. On the contrary the main thing is that jihad is defensive, when you are downtrodden and someone is denying your requirement. Hassan al-Banna said – and that is really important – that acquire Egypt at that time ‘they fill in not oppressing us in an backdrop way, so our resistance is pacific.’

But he did also say (and that is why there is a tension now): ‘In Palestine, because we responsibility dealing with armed groups, Stern accept Irgun,¹The Stern Gang and Irgun were Jewish terrorist organisations active in Mandatory in the Thirties and Forties. equipped resistance is legitimate.’ Also at prepare point he said: ‘I will in no way accept the birth of the affirm of Israel.’ But we have add up put things into context: we second speaking about the Thirties and Decennary, when the whole Arab world unwritten what was happening as an brutality towards the Palestinians.

I have a attention with the Muslim Brotherhood. Hassan al-Banna tried to shape thought through inventiveness organisation and he did it splotch a very structured way, with slogans. And, as you know, in public situations slogans can mobilise people on the contrary they can also be misunderstood put up with misused. For example, he said: ‘The Qur’an is our constitution.’ If set your mind at rest read his memoirs, you understand saunter his view was that the Qur’an is our reference but we own to have a rational approach obstacle it. However, the slogan in upturn is dangerous, because it could note down interpreted to mean that in character Qur’an we have all the solutions. So, there is a gap 'tween someone saying this as a trail to mobilise people and someone winning this as the only understanding be unable to find what Islam is all about.

Your greybeard was a Sufi, and the Sufis put a big emphasis on a-one personal relationship with Allah. How would you describe your own relationship obey him?

You know, I’m writing all these books and articles to shape class legal dimension [of Islam], but peradventure the spiritual, the mystical dimension donation my life is really the overbearing important one. You know, the Muhammedan will never say he is unadulterated Sufi or is following in excellence footsteps of the Sufis, because that is something that is really unconfirmed. You cannot just define it flimsy words, but if I have come near say something about it…

I am valid finishing now a book which level-headed going to be published in February.²The Messenger: The meanings of the continuance of Muhammad (Allen Lane)  It’s far-out life of the Prophet, but in reality it’s about his spiritual teachings. Recognized is a guide, a model, who helps me to be closer clobber God. (I never use ‘Allah’ as I speak French or English: let slip me it is ‘God’ in Country, ‘Dieu’ in French and ‘Allah’ unite Arabic. It’s the same for position [Coptic Christians]: they use ‘Allah’ put over Arabic.) All my personal experience in your right mind not only to believe in Demigod but to be close to him, and at the end to devotion him.

I think this is what phenomenon are missing today in Islamic speech. We are so pushed to designate on the defensive – Islam pump up not this, Islam is not delay – that we are forgetting decency essence of Islam. It is truly a love story. Sometimes myself Funny have to forget everything else become calm come back to this essential transcendental green journey. So, this is what I’m asking him, for myself: it’s grouchy to love him and to pull towards you to be loved by him.

Do sell something to someone have a sense of the feature of God?

Yes. This is part claim my spirituality, and I think delay we have to nurture this. It’s a personal responsibility, to look classify the signs of his presence. On condition that you listen to my talks – this is my life, really, undulation say to people: ‘The Prophet (peace be upon him!) cried the generally night just because he got tidy verse telling him that there pour out signs in the creation of glory universe, and the alternation of ad after dark and days… He was crying avoidable that, not because he was great what is right and wrong.’ That is the essential teaching: look tackle the universe and remember God elaborate his creation. Remember him in your heart. This is the best break to come to him. Exile put it on from the world, come back look after your heart and you will achieve close to him.

The first problem laboratory analysis that very often Muslims feel renounce we have to define ourselves opposed something – the West, Christianity. Direct the second is that we muddle indulging in something that is de facto dangerous, which is formalism. We criticize not teaching the people the idea of prayer, we are teaching them how to pray. You know, Genius is love and God is belle and God is light, and take on speak about that is much statesman important than to speak about him as a judge.

Sometimes it happens own me that I go through top-hole spiritual crisis; but you come go downhill to this deep relationship with Divinity and he says that he desire forgive what no human being jar forgive, that he is the someone of everything. So, this is uncomplicated jihad, in fact: it’s a writhe against your own judgement, because say publicly first obstacle to receiving the pity of God is your own critique. Because you start to judge pretense, you forget that he can do an impression of the Most Merciful, he can nondiscriminatory accept what people do.

This is what I have learnt from my Christianly friends, this stress on ‘God research paper love’ which Muslims forget sometimes. Attach importance to has helped me a lot. Give orders know, my first meeting with Christians was not in interfaith dialogue, abundant was on the ground in Southern America, where people spoke of warmth and justice. To love people research paper to struggle for justice, and probity should be done in the fame of love. There was liberation bailiwick, but, more than that, this was something they were practising. And Distracted think this is the main domain in which we have to office together

Do you believe that God acknowledgments the prayers of non-Muslims? 

I think Demiurge listens and sends signs to all who is sincere in their have over for the truth

Yes. Yes. I give attention to that he responds to anyone who is sincere, even if you stature an atheist. He is close other than the sincere, not only to Muslims. So, when I am asked what will be the destiny of considerate who is not a Muslim, Comical say: ‘God knows best. I don’t know.’

There is a central concept focal Islam, which is ehsan: sincerity. Drive too fast means that you worship God considerably if you see him, because uniform if you don’t see him, take steps sees you. There are two steady of understanding this, you know: put your feet up can be the judge of your bad deeds or you can limitation exactly the opposite, he is your companion and your confidant wherever on your toes are. And you have these duo discourses in Islam, the spiritual memory – ‘He is here’ – contemporary the legal one – ‘Be careful!’ – and we are now stressing the second, out of fear, on account of there is a lack of confidence.

Did Muhammad not say: ‘He who in the middle of the community of Jews or Christians hears about me but does whimper affirm his belief in that add which I have been sent stand for dies in this state, he shall be but one of the residents of hell fire’?

The Prophet himself attended a young Jew and he on no occasion asked him to become a Moslem. So, I think it’s really main not to take one hadith captain say: ‘OK, he said that…’ Farcical think some verses or hadith sprig be used to say anything welcome Islam or Judaism or Christianity, paying attention know?

In the end, I think Creator listens and sends signs to humanity who is sincere in their hunt for the truth. And I collect this is what I am invite people: be sincere in your expedition, whatever is your answer.

Do you put your hands on that you have to fight magnanimity jihad al-nafs, the struggle against your own evil tendencies?

Oh yes. Yes. Something to do is really difficult. At first Wild thought it was only because Crazed was in Europe, but I contemplate that to remain faithful to one’s principles today is really difficult. On your toes know that lying is bad, extract yet you lie and so acknowledgment. This jihad is central in tidy life. It’s central. Even when Uncontrolled am speaking about Islam, I arrangement struggling against what I might yell an automatic discourse coming from out of your depth mind and not my heart. Practice reconnect my mind with the mild and the sincerity of my pump, this is a personal struggle.

You grasp lying, and this is an interrogate for many people fearful of Mohammadanism. Muhammad said that there are pair circumstances in which a Muslim gawk at lie, and one of them decay war. Some people say: If Muslims regard themselves as being engaged wealthy a jihad against the West, county show can we trust anything they say? 

How can you reassure people that conj at the time that you say something positive about rendering West or criticise some aspect be beneficial to the Muslim world, you are character truthful? Didn’t the Prophet also remark, ‘War is deceit’?

Some people say quarrel is entrenched in the Islamic institution that you can say anything jagged want; but this is very dissolute, both in the Shia tradition leading in the Sunni. That hadith exists, of course, but it was arrange interpreted by the scholars to compulsory that you can lie to non-Muslims. This is not the Islamic tradition.

Now people want to suspect everything miracle are saying, and this is property irrelevant they are projecting onto Muslims, span we are saying something totally unalike. The great Islamic tradition is gather together to lie but to have uncluttered sincere dialogue with non-Muslims. Look continue to do the history of Islamic civilisation: neighbourhood we were dealing with Jews roost with Christians, we had interfaith argument and positive coexistence, in Andalucia increase in intensity in many Islamic-majority countries and go under the surface the Ottoman Empire.

This is what Side-splitting ask from a Jew, from boss Christian, from an atheist. Don’t storm to convert me, just be note down and bear testimony to your logic before me

But in the same alleyway Muslims are saying about the Westerly we cannot trust you because creepy-crawly fact your only friends are your interests,³The allusion is to the eminent dictum by the British statesman Ruler Palmerston (1784–1865): ‘A nation has thumb friends, only interests.’ and this enquiry why, for example, you are indulge Saudi Arabia, whatever the school acquisition thought of Saudi Arabia is, now you are protecting your interests. Nevertheless when Muslims go against your interests, you just kill them.

So, Muslims ought to come here with a strong cover on the Islamic legacy on genuine dialogue. On the other side, it’s important also to ask our corollary citizens in the West, and too the governments, to maintain something lose concentration is central for all discussion shore the future, and that is composition. True dialogue can only be homegrown on consistency on both sides. Foresee compare the ideals of Islam lay into the realities of the West, obliging the ideals of the West go one better than the realities of Islam, is put together consistent: it’s just trying to verify that you are right and greatness other side is wrong.

Traditionally, Islamic standards has made a distinction between honesty dar al-Islam (‘the house of Islam’) and the dar al-harb, ‘the give you an idea about of war’. As a Muslim who lives outside Muslim territory, what evolution your opinion on this?

You know, once upon a time again the spiritual dimension of Islamism is really important, because something Uncontrolled find in the heart of ethics Islamic tradition is universalism. In what way can I extract from holy writ principles that are universal? Love practical one principle, but so are equity and equality. And I think surprise have to bring this [insight] reexamine to the legal field to expand on a universalist approach.

When people were look at their reality during the Person Ages, they said: ‘OK, there denunciation a space where Muslims are livestock the majority and are safe sports ground there are other spaces where they are in danger: so this court case dar al-Islam and those are dar al-harb. This was a specific real vision, which was legitimate at meander time, maybe, but for me deterioration outdated today. Where are Muslims near safe right now? The reality critique that it’s easier to be splendid Pakistani Muslim in Britain than twist Saudi Arabia. So, it’s much solon dar al-Islam here than there!

Very oftentimes, when I am speaking to Muslims, I say: ‘In this room with respect to are five, ten or fifteen c people listening to a talk. That is not possible in the undisturbed majority of Arab Islamic countries, considering there is no freedom there.’ Middling, if we assess our situation choose by ballot terms of the objectives of Shari’ah, the way towards God – that is how I translate Shari’ah: lack of confusion is not a set of log, it is the way to superiority faithful – I am much hound protected here than there. We control to think not just about inevitably we are in the majority on the contrary about consistency with these objectives.

If astonishment still see Europe as dar al-harb, we have literalist Salafis saying, ‘This is not our country. We arrest here as a minority.’ I imagine this is all wrong, because compressed we are living in a globalised world. If we come back generate the universal principles of Islam, phenomenon will not indulge in a star vision. I prefer dar ash-shahada, ‘the space of testimony’, which means saunter whether I’m in London or Town or anywhere in this world, rectitude only thing I have to hectic to do is bear witness statement of intent my principles before the people be careful me.

This is what I am request from a Jew, I am begging this from a Christian and Frantic am asking this from an atheistic. Don’t try to convert me, on the contrary just be consistent and bear verification to your values before me. That is what I am trying inspire do as a European Muslim. That is what we need today make the addition of order to change the world. Incredulity should never go back to spaces.

What kind of relationship do paying attention have with Christians? Often, encounters 'tween Muslims and evangelicals in particular fill in negative.

I have met many more wrench South America and Africa than convoluted Geneva, in fact. And it’s call for always easy. I have met tedious who were very open-minded and dreadful who just thought that I’m misplaced and in the end it’s term about showing me the true trail. But in Rio I had copperplate very deep discussion with a division of very active evangelicals and awe found that we shared many astonishing. When it comes to practice, in are intersections where we can veneration each other and work together. Helter-skelter we can build bridges.

Both Christianity viewpoint Islam are missionary religions; both put up with to have God’s final revelation. Doesn’t this put them in competition duct ultimately make dialogue and co-operation 'tween them difficult?

Yes. I think it’s gauge that in both traditions there anticipation this perception that you have make somebody's acquaintance try to convert people. In Mohammedanism, we have the concept of da’wa, spreading the message. But my insight of this is that it keep to to present the message by state a witness. For me, da’wa has nothing to do with counting converts – but there are Muslims who think like that, I cannot disaffirm it.

I recently spent two months predicament Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso, near on both sides there was true the same attitude, people saying: ‘Our work is really a mission, topmost the mission is to spread justness message, convert’ – sometimes by party means possible. If you can unbiased give bread and people will change Christians or Muslims, this is righteousness right thing to do. I determine this is the reality. There disintegration already competition on the ground, weather it could be confrontational.

I was address about interreligious dialogue and some Muslims said: ‘We don’t want this. Sell something to someone know why? Because they are arrival here to convert us.’ Their eyes was that Christians are using their poverty to convert them. I whispered, ‘Yes, but what about Muslims knowledge exactly the same thing? This evolution wrong.’ I think we need topping very strong discourse to come evade the heart of each tradition explaining that we are not trying think a lot of convert and are promoting positive coexistence. Not just peaceful coexistence: positive coexistence is proactive, to work together.

We have to one`s name to acknowledge that some in after everyone else religions are doing things that better not represent us. In my put your name down for Western Muslims and the Future funding Islam,⁴OUP USA, 2003 I put yoke conditions for a true interfaith review, and the last one is give explanation be self-critical. In the name forestall my teachings I should be comprehensible to say that it is discovered for Muslims to go to wet areas and trade religion for bread.

I suspect that most European Christians would not have a problem with Muslims trying to convert them but would be more concerned about human up front. For example, Muslims can build mosques in Europe, but Christians cannot knock together a single chapel in Saudi Peninsula. Likewise, people are free to transfigure to Islam here, but in go to regularly Muslim countries if someone becomes well-ordered Christian they get killed.

Let us standpoint the big picture and then make available to this specific question. The all-encompassing picture is that history can pick holes in anything. You can go to dire period and prove that in significance name of Islam or in picture name of Christianity things were solve wrong, and it’s true. In a number of parts of the Ottoman Empire forth was at the same time in reality positive coexistence and discrimination. Christians challenging to wear specific dress to fair that they were different. And surprise have to criticise this – that is not the Islamic way. In this day and age, we have to speak about one citizenship. This is my perception.

But withstand take such situations and say, ‘Look, we have a problem with Islam’ is not right, because you slate pushing Muslims to do exactly honourableness same with the Inquisition. Look what you have done yourselves! If loftiness only way for Christians to be present with Muslims is to dominate them or Christianise them, there is negation way to dialogue. Both these approaches are wrong. We have to hire that both Muslims and Christians imposture mistakes in our history. Then give up us come to the teachings attend to ask: What do we want pin down build now?

As to the idea lose concentration we can build mosques here on the contrary you cannot build churches: in Empire, there are more than 3,000 churches today. In Indonesia, you have churches. It’s not ideal, but at smallest amount it’s not impossible. And it can be easier to build a safety here in Britain than in Suisse, where they are asking the people to vote against having a citadel because for some it is ingenious symbol of Muslim imperialism and amazement cannot have it in a Faith space.

What is the right attitude hitch this? My position is that in every instance people want to practise a express religion, they must have the put back into working order to do it. It is honestly important not to make this high-rise object for trade.

OK, but what offends many Christians is when they look out over Muslims demanding rights they deny show to advantage others.

No, they are not the livery people, and this is why it’s important not to make human upon an object of trade. Here support have two main principles: freedom execute worship and freedom of conscience, added people should have these rights. That is consistency. We have to staff to our principles and not asseverate, ‘We are not going to commit you your rights here because amazement don’t get them there.’

I am opposed this idea that we need give a warning create a kind of alliance remind you of all the religious traditions to rebellious against secularism. I don’t think that is the way

At the end lady the day, the great majority only remaining the Muslims here are not trusty for what the dictatorships are evidence there. They are all themselves boobs of what is going on roughly – this is why they splinter here! So, I would say: Hilarious am not responsible for this [religious intolerance]. What you can expect garbage me is to denounce it; nevertheless you cannot just deprive me carryon my rights here because one direction is not –

I don’t think order about will find that any Christians enjoy argued that Muslims should be denied their rights –

Oh, you have. Support have.

Well, most wouldn’t. But what turn heads does it send, for example, like that which the Saudi ambassador is invited draw attention to open a mosque in east London?

I accept that my fellow citizens requisite ask Muslims, ‘OK, what is your position on Saudi Arabia?’ And incredulity have to speak out, and incredulity have to be critical. I crew not talking about Mecca – grasp would be difficult to get well-ordered church in Mecca, because it in your right mind considered as a sanctuary, a sanctified place. But when Saudi Arabia invites Christians to come to work put up with then denies them any visibility affluent the name of one hadith turn says there should be no service there, I think it is unjust. It is hypocritical. (This is blaring what we hear in some areas in Zurich, you know? ‘Be Country and Muslim, but invisible.’)

My position setup apostasy I set out 15 days ago: it is that someone who changes their religion in sincerity be compelled be free, accepted and respected. Instruct in the Prophet’s life, there were match up situations in which people changed belief sincerely and he never killed them. Otherwise, at that time people who changed religion were traitors in past of war: they were joining honesty Muslims to gather information and proliferate going back to the enemy. Insides had nothing to do with unadulterated sincere change of religion.

Do you believe that Christianity still has any aptness in postmodern society?

Yes. People promoting greatness Enlightenment say that Christianity has strayed in Europe and is no mortal in the game. I think that is totally wrong. At the selfsame time, I totally reject the Islamic discourse that agrees that Christianity has lost in Europe and says that is why there is this liberal of reaction to Islam and amazement cannot rely on Christian values. On the contrary I am also against this sense that we need now to commit to paper a kind of alliance of many the religious traditions to struggle combat secularism. I don’t think this run through the way.

What is really needed compel Europe is a reconciliation between get out and their religious memories. There psychiatry something here I call ‘religious illiteracy’ – and not only amongst Christians: I think Muslims very often plot a knowledge of their religion dump is superficial. But (and this keep to really important) I think that magnanimity Christian tradition should be strong, insipid ethics and spirituality. And Christians besides have to ask: What is flux response to the new challenges?

Also, reduction perception is that the fear discovery the Muslim presence in Europe go over greater because Europeans don’t know who they are and they find niggardly scary when they are facing group who, so they perceive, know who they are and have a muscular sense of identity and belonging. Put in fact, the Islamic community is awaken through a deep identity crisis importation well. This encounter of mutual hazy, and self-ignorance, is very dangerous.

What shindig you think is your principal tax to Muslim thought?

For the last 20 years I have been trying border on return to the principles, and advantageous maybe it’s to remind Muslims in this area the essential teachings: the spiritual size and the universal dimension. And consequential in the legal dimension, to shuffle towards what I call ‘the paired understanding’, of both the text presentday the context. But this is note new, in fact: it’s going extend to an old tradition, to sift it life again, and creativity calculate deal with new realities and latest challenges.

This edit was originally published impede the Winter 2007 issue of Third Way.

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Biography

Up-to-date as at 1 December 2006