By Nrl Liya
Edited by Wan Nur Amrina
Tariq Ramadan, born in 1926 is a Swiss Muslim scholar, philosopher, and writer. He is known for his Islamic work on theology and philosophy and his advocation for a more progressive interpretation of Islam. Ramadan's work discussed Islam and Modernity and the challenges that Muslims face in this contemporary world. Tariq Ramadan’s study contributes significantly to the discussion of Islam and its position in the modern world.
Thus, one of his works that reflected his advocation in the scholarly world we will be discussing today is ‘To Be a European Muslim’.
Tariq Ramadan’s book, ‘To Be a European Muslim, A Study of Islamic Sources in the European Context', was published in 1999 by the Islamic Foundation in the UK. The book consists of 264 pages and the content is divided into two parts, Part 1 ‘ At the heart of the sources- Faith and Religious Practice’ and Part 2, ‘ Sensitive Questions - Belonging, Identity, Citizenship’. The book delves into Muslim life in Europe and the issues they encountered in determining their identity as European Muslims and where they fit in. The book's verses on the Islamic faith and its values impacted human life and discussion of Muslim life in Europe and finding their identity.
THE BOOK MAIN ARGUMENT
The book or more precisely, Ramadan, contends that Muslims should be able to feel included and integrated into European society while keeping their religious identity close and true to the heart. Before the book delves deeper into its discussion of Islamic faith and European Muslim identity, it first introduces how the first generation of immigrant Muslims who grew up in Europe will inevitably struggle for their place in society.
Tariq Ramadan argues that Western civilisation and its values cause anybody who settled there to question their identity since the values have muddled the meanings of individual and society, freedom and morality, entertainment, and duty. This circumstance has a significant impact on Muslims there, facing an identity dilemma between their religion and being an authentic European. As a result, some European Muslims feel compelled to undergo a theological reformation and abandon fiqh discourse that they deem incompatible with Western civilisation.
Furthermore, this identity crisis results from a lack of Islamic understanding as well as being the minority and uncommon figure in European society, leading them to be discouraged and separated from their religion and its practices. Ramadan goes on to suggest that for Muslims to have a stronghold on their Muslim identity, they must study and understand the Islamic faith and its diverse relationship to human life, particularly in European civilisation.
The question of who they are, these Muslims in Europe is answered, it is necessary to understand Islam and its faith that is universally compassed. It is because lying within it is the solution for every contemporary problem and could not be deemed as an outdated source.
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