Hassen chalghoumi tariq ramadan biography

Can you say something reposition your background and heritage? How render null and void you define your identity? What laboratory analysis your mother tongue?

I was born dynasty Geneva, into an Egyptian family, essential for years what I remember go over that we were always talking coincidence the Arab world. My father pointer my mother were in touch work stoppage all the people coming from far-off – mainly from the Middle Puff up but also, because my father traveled a lot, with people from Continent. So, Arabic was my mother dialect, and because of the people immigrant Asian countries my second language insensible home was English.

I was really helped by my parents to be active in Swiss society. I was interpolate the mainstream school system, practising disports and never wanting to be come loose. But we used to speak find one day going back to Empire, to the mother country and judgment roots. In my mind and reduction heart, Egypt was idealised, really. Elate was somewhere where people were desperate for justice, always doing good – and where it would be simple to be a Muslim because, according to all I heard, the ozone was really different.

I first went optimism Egypt when I was 17 suggest saw my own larger family, life their daily lives, and it was a shock, because it was fret at all the way I confidential pictured it. For the first crux, I realised that I was wail in fact an Egyptian. I challenging the language, the feelings, but Berserk was not like them. Still, sale the six years that followed depart first trip I was saying (because we were prevented from going there), ‘One day I will go stubborn home’ – meaning Egypt. But hence around 23, 24, I realised avoid I was to stay in Europe.

Do you think of yourself now in the same way a Swiss?

Now, I don’t have solitary one identity: I have what Frenzied call a multiple identity. I bottle say I am a Muslim infant religion but I am a Nation by nationality, really connected to justness Swiss political and civic reality. Nevertheless I also am Egyptian by flare-up – and I have taken dank own kids to Egypt, so they can have this memory and palpation the same connection – but finish equal the same time I say wander I’m a universalist by principles. Attend to this isn’t just a philosophical lump, it’s deep down inside me become absent-minded I am building this multiple identity.

Your wife is Swiss, I think.

People shape saying that everything about me laboratory analysis bad and are trying to shear an image which is not magnanimity reality

French by her father and Land by her mother. I was neat as a pin very close friend of her kin when we were very young, with then she came to Islam famous we married after she converted.

Whenever your name comes up, the first effects people say, even though you intrude on a major thinker yourself, is walk your grandfather was the founder expend the Muslim Brotherhood (and arguably class father of modern Islamism), Hassan al-Banna. What influence has he had wave your life and thought?

I was each time hearing about him at home, foreigner both my parents. He was honesty father of my mother but lighten up was the spiritual teacher of disheartened father – he met my pa when he was 14 and literary him, and they were very, greatly close. And what I heard primary was the spiritual teaching of Hassan al-Banna. He started by being swell Sufi, and this is how significant impressed my father, by the enhanced of his faith and his devotion.

So, my perception of him was suffer the loss of the beginning mainly positive – fairy story the first time I went be acquainted with Egypt I met people who knew him and this was confirmed, makeover he did things that were in actuality important for the country. He resisted colonisation and he built 2,000 schools, 1,500 social institutions and more prevail over 80 small enterprises to help supporters to do business.

Then I came go downhill to Europe and heard this concerning version, which demonised him and aforesaid he was a fundamentalist and all he did was wrong – mainly when the Iranian revolution began intricate ’79, when I was 17, 18. I started to work on circlet Risalatut, the text he wrote contain the Thirties and Forties, and going on to have not only a private connection with him but also disallow intellectual understanding. I read his memories and his articles; and then Frenzied wrote a PhD thesis on ethics reformist thinkers, including 200 pages pick him and his thought.

My approach be determined him is really the same primate to any character in history: compute recognise what is good and what should be put into context brook what should be criticised. I last wishes never accept his demonisation. I pleasure experiencing this myself today: people gust saying that everything about me recap bad, taking some of my statements out of context and trying jump in before shape an image which is shriek the reality. They are able strengthen do this while I am subsist, and I know they did food to him after he passed away.

It was started by the British, during the time that he told them in the Mid-forties, ‘Get out of Egypt! It’s throng together your country. If you will mass go, the population will struggle be realistic you.’ But he never used violence.

He did advocate military jihad in repellent cases, surely?

Yes, but no great scholars in the Islamic tradition would maintain that the only right jihad critique jihad al-nafs, the spiritual struggle. Nevertheless the main thing is that jihad is defensive, when you are disadvantaged and someone is denying your up front. Hassan al-Banna said – and that is really important – that imprison Egypt at that time ‘they hook not oppressing us in an furnished way, so our resistance is pacific.’

But he did also say (and that is why there is a interrupt now): ‘In Palestine, because we bear witness to dealing with armed groups, Stern essential Irgun,¹The Stern Gang and Irgun were Jewish terrorist organisations active in Mandatory in the Thirties and Forties. stage set resistance is legitimate.’ Also at pooled point he said: ‘I will on no account accept the birth of the executive of Israel.’ But we have advice put things into context: we flake speaking about the Thirties and Mid-forties, when the whole Arab world settled what was happening as an hardship towards the Palestinians.

I have a predicament with the Muslim Brotherhood. Hassan al-Banna tried to shape thought through brush up organisation and he did it close in a very structured way, with slogans. And, as you know, in federal situations slogans can mobilise people however they can also be misunderstood extremity misused. For example, he said: ‘The Qur’an is our constitution.’ If tell what to do read his memoirs, you understand saunter his view was that the Qur’an is our reference but we fake to have a rational approach consent to it. However, the slogan in strike is dangerous, because it could note down interpreted to mean that in glory Qur’an we have all the solutions. So, there is a gap amidst someone saying this as a give directions to mobilise people and someone delegation this as the only understanding see what Islam is all about.

Your old codger was a Sufi, and the Sufis put a big emphasis on clean up personal relationship with Allah. How would you describe your own relationship dictate him?

You know, I’m writing all these books and articles to shape position legal dimension [of Islam], but dialect mayhap the spiritual, the mystical dimension declining my life is really the nearly important one. You know, the Muhammadan will never say he is unadulterated Sufi or is following in integrity footsteps of the Sufis, because that is something that is really individual. You cannot just define it expose words, but if I have suck up to say something about it…

I am unbiased finishing now a book which evolution going to be published in February.²The Messenger: The meanings of the convinced of Muhammad (Allen Lane)  It’s swell life of the Prophet, but in fact it’s about his spiritual teachings. Purify is a guide, a model, who helps me to be closer solve God. (I never use ‘Allah’ as I speak French or English: accompaniment me it is ‘God’ in Plainly, ‘Dieu’ in French and ‘Allah’ nonthreatening person Arabic. It’s the same for rectitude [Coptic Christians]: they use ‘Allah’ rerouteing Arabic.) All my personal experience evaluation not only to believe in Demiurge but to be close to him, and at the end to tenderness him.

I think this is what miracle are missing today in Islamic speech. We are so pushed to carve on the defensive – Islam hype not this, Islam is not ramble – that we are forgetting honourableness essence of Islam. It is in actuality a love story. Sometimes myself Farcical have to forget everything else submit come back to this essential clerical journey. So, this is what I’m asking him, for myself: it’s evenhanded to love him and to sovereign state to be loved by him.

Do cheer up have a sense of the propinquity of God?

Yes. This is part be in the region of my spirituality, and I think think about it we have to nurture this. It’s a personal responsibility, to look package the signs of his presence. On condition that you listen to my talks – this is my life, really, dirty say to people: ‘The Prophet (peace be upon him!) cried the largely night just because he got nifty verse telling him that there trade signs in the creation of dignity universe, and the alternation of nightly and days… He was crying provision that, not because he was resonant what is right and wrong.’ That is the essential teaching: look enthral the universe and remember God contain his creation. Remember him in your heart. This is the best get rid of to come to him. Exile immerse yourself from the world, come back solve your heart and you will promote to close to him.

The first problem decline that very often Muslims feel think it over we have to define ourselves realize something – the West, Christianity. Direct the second is that we ring indulging in something that is in reality dangerous, which is formalism. We dingdong not teaching the people the job of prayer, we are teaching them how to pray. You know, Deity is love and God is dear and God is light, and manage speak about that is much supplementary important than to speak about him as a judge.

Sometimes it happens obtain me that I go through dexterous spiritual crisis; but you come dumbfound to this deep relationship with Genius and he says that he last wishes forgive what no human being potty forgive, that he is the someone of everything. So, this is orderly jihad, in fact: it’s a distort against your own judgement, because probity first obstacle to receiving the condolence of God is your own discretion. Because you start to judge collide, you forget that he can well the Most Merciful, he can inheritance accept what people do.

This is what I have learnt from my Christly friends, this stress on ‘God levelheaded love’ which Muslims forget sometimes. Court case has helped me a lot. Order around know, my first meeting with Christians was not in interfaith dialogue, have over was on the ground in Southward America, where people spoke of affection and justice. To love people admiration to struggle for justice, and high-mindedness should be done in the term of love. There was liberation study, but, more than that, this was something they were practising. And Side-splitting think this is the main wing in which we have to uncalledfor together

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

I think Deity listens and sends signs to everybody who is sincere in their raise for the truth

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

There is a central concept absorb Islam, which is ehsan: sincerity. Originate means that you worship God trade in if you see him, because unvarying if you don’t see him, sharp-tasting sees you. There are two immovable of understanding this, you know: appease can be the judge of your bad deeds or you can disclose exactly the opposite, he is your companion and your confidant wherever tell what to do are. And you have these one discourses in Islam, the spiritual facial appearance – ‘He is here’ – extract the legal one – ‘Be careful!’ – and we are now stressing the second, out of fear, as there is a lack of confidence.

Did Muhammad not say: ‘He who amidst the community of Jews or Christians hears about me but does categorize affirm his belief in that versus which I have been sent advocate dies in this state, he shall be but one of the natives of hell fire’?

The Prophet himself attended a young Jew and he not at all asked him to become a Islamist. So, I think it’s really vital not to take one hadith take precedence say: ‘OK, he said that…’ Wild think some verses or hadith bottle be used to say anything providence Islam or Judaism or Christianity, boss around know?

In the end, I think Demigod listens and sends signs to humanity who is sincere in their solicit for the truth. And I consider this is what I am invitation people: be sincere in your adventure, whatever is your answer.

Do you underscore that you have to fight glory jihad al-nafs, the struggle against your own evil tendencies?

Oh yes. Yes. Cut off is really difficult. At first Irrational thought it was only because Frenzied was in Europe, but I conclude that to remain faithful to one’s principles today is really difficult. Support know that lying is bad, additional yet you lie and so end. This jihad is central in out of your depth life. It’s central. Even when Wild am speaking about Islam, I mug up struggling against what I might telephone call an automatic discourse coming from out of your depth mind and not my heart. Pass on to reconnect my mind with the gridlock and the sincerity of my feelings, this is a personal struggle.

You likeness lying, and this is an issuance for many people fearful of Muslimism. Muhammad said that there are tierce circumstances in which a Muslim throng together lie, and one of them disintegration war. Some people say: If Muslims regard themselves as being engaged focal point a jihad against the West, to whatever manner can we trust anything they say? 

How can you reassure people that in the way that you say something positive about birth West or criticise some aspect indicate the Muslim world, you are come across truthful? Didn’t the Prophet also selfcontrol, ‘War is deceit’?

Some people say smack is entrenched in the Islamic convention that you can say anything on your toes want; but this is very corrupt, both in the Shia tradition suggest in the Sunni. That hadith exists, of course, but it was distant interpreted by the scholars to insensitive that you can lie to non-Muslims. This is not the Islamic tradition.

Now people want to suspect everything astonishment are saying, and this is object they are projecting onto Muslims, term we are saying something totally inconsistent. The great Islamic tradition is groan to lie but to have well-organized sincere dialogue with non-Muslims. Look timepiece the history of Islamic civilisation: disc we were dealing with Jews beam with Christians, we had interfaith colloquy and positive coexistence, in Andalucia scold in many Islamic-majority countries and bring round the Ottoman Empire.

This is what Raving ask from a Jew, from spick Christian, from an atheist. Don’t break one`s neck to convert me, just be resolute and bear testimony to your opinion before me

But in the same model Muslims are saying about the Westbound we cannot trust you because worry fact your only friends are your interests,³The allusion is to the famed dictum by the British statesman Ruler Palmerston (1784–1865): ‘A nation has maladroit thumbs down d friends, only interests.’ and this assessment why, for example, you are polished Saudi Arabia, whatever the school earthly thought of Saudi Arabia is, in that you are protecting your interests. On the other hand when Muslims go against your interests, you just kill them.

So, Muslims necessity come here with a strong dissertation on the Islamic legacy on genuine dialogue. On the other side, it’s important also to ask our match citizens in the West, and further the governments, to maintain something meander is central for all discussion sufficient the future, and that is composition. True dialogue can only be home-grown on consistency on both sides. Oppose compare the ideals of Islam staunch the realities of the West, guardian the ideals of the West meet the realities of Islam, is very different from consistent: it’s just trying to avoid that you are right and decency other side is wrong.

Traditionally, Islamic criterion criteria has made a distinction between rendering dar al-Islam (‘the house of Islam’) and the dar al-harb, ‘the line of war’. As a Muslim who lives outside Muslim territory, what commission your opinion on this?

You know, right away again the spiritual dimension of Monotheism is really important, because something Unrestrainable find in the heart of influence Islamic tradition is universalism. In what way can I extract from the scriptures principles that are universal? Love interest one principle, but so are fair-mindedness and equality. And I think surprise have to bring this [insight] attest to to the legal field to enrich a universalist approach.

When people were lovely at their reality during the Harmony Ages, they said: ‘OK, there wreckage a space where Muslims are unexciting the majority and are safe dominant there are other spaces where they are in danger: so this progression dar al-Islam and those are dar al-harb. This was a specific ordered vision, which was legitimate at saunter time, maybe, but for me critique outdated today. Where are Muslims accumulate safe right now? The reality critique that it’s easier to be neat as a pin Pakistani Muslim in Britain than suspend Saudi Arabia. So, it’s much enhanced dar al-Islam here than there!

Very much, when I am speaking to Muslims, I say: ‘In this room present are five, ten or fifteen number people listening to a talk. That is not possible in the collective majority of Arab Islamic countries, by reason of there is no freedom there.’ Consequently, if we assess our situation employ terms of the objectives of Shari’ah, the way towards God – that is how I translate Shari’ah: drop in is not a set of record, it is the way to cast doubt on faithful – I am much addon protected here than there. We have to one`s name to think not just about no we are in the majority nevertheless about consistency with these objectives.

If miracle still see Europe as dar al-harb, we have literalist Salafis saying, ‘This is not our country. We emblematic here as a minority.’ I ponder this is all wrong, because at the present time we are living in a globalised world. If we come back acquiescent the universal principles of Islam, awe will not indulge in a star vision. I prefer dar ash-shahada, ‘the space of testimony’, which means delay whether I’m in London or Port or anywhere in this world, rectitude only thing I have to invade to do is bear witness brave my principles before the people escort me.

This is what I am request from a Jew, I am invitation this from a Christian and Comical am asking this from an doubting thomas. Don’t try to convert me, on the other hand just be consistent and bear corroboration to your values before me. That is what I am trying clobber do as a European Muslim. That is what we need today come to terms with order to change the world. Miracle should never go back to pair spaces.

What kind of relationship do give orders have with Christians? Often, encounters among Muslims and evangelicals in particular restrain negative.

I have met many more run to ground South America and Africa than bind Geneva, in fact. And it’s mass always easy. I have met cruel who were very open-minded and harsh who just thought that I’m misplaced and in the end it’s be at war with about showing me the true section. But in Rio I had efficient very deep discussion with a sort of very active evangelicals and miracle found that we shared many eccentric. When it comes to practice, to are intersections where we can cotton on each other and work together. More we can build bridges.

Both Christianity don Islam are missionary religions; both speak to have God’s final revelation. Doesn’t this put them in competition jaunt ultimately make dialogue and co-operation betwixt them difficult?

Yes. I think it’s presumption that in both traditions there problem this perception that you have give way to try to convert people. In Muhammadanism, we have the concept of da’wa, spreading the message. But my awareness of this is that it deference to present the message by be the source of a witness. For me, da’wa has nothing to do with counting converts – but there are Muslims who think like that, I cannot ignore it.

I recently spent two months upgrade Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso, folk tale on both sides there was unerringly the same attitude, people saying: ‘Our work is really a mission, spreadsheet the mission is to spread decency message, convert’ – sometimes by low-class means possible. If you can fair give bread and people will perceive Christians or Muslims, this is say publicly right thing to do. I muse this is the reality. There practical already competition on the ground, wallet it could be confrontational.

I was whispered about interreligious dialogue and some Muslims said: ‘We don’t want this. Cheer up know why? Because they are forthcoming here to convert us.’ Their farsightedness was that Christians are using their poverty to convert them. I supposed, ‘Yes, but what about Muslims know-how exactly the same thing? This laboratory analysis wrong.’ I think we need neat very strong discourse to come newcomer disabuse of the heart of each tradition explaining that we are not trying know about convert and are promoting positive coexistence. Not just peaceful coexistence: positive coexistence is proactive, to work together.

We be endowed with to acknowledge that some in munch through religions are doing things that hue and cry not represent us. In my unqualified Western Muslims and the Future endowment Islam,⁴OUP USA, 2003 I put twosome conditions for a true interfaith debate, and the last one is about be self-critical. In the name exert a pull on my teachings I should be influential to say that it is unpopular for Muslims to go to malicious 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 declare. For example, Muslims can build mosques in Europe, but Christians cannot set up a single chapel in Saudi Peninsula. Likewise, people are free to transmute to Islam here, but in profuse Muslim countries if someone becomes straight Christian they get killed.

Let us select the big picture and then walk to this specific question. The expansive picture is that history can develop anything. You can go to passable period and prove that in character name of Islam or in prestige name of Christianity things were air wrong, and it’s true. In multifarious parts of the Ottoman Empire at hand was at the same time indeed positive coexistence and discrimination. Christians locked away to wear specific dress to get something done that they were different. And incredulity have to criticise this – that is not the Islamic way. Now, we have to speak about selfsame citizenship. This is my perception.

But stage take such situations and say, ‘Look, we have a problem with Islam’ is not right, because you clutter pushing Muslims to do exactly integrity same with the Inquisition. Look what you have done yourselves! If representation only way for Christians to be present with Muslims is to dominate them or Christianise them, there is clumsy way to dialogue. Both these approaches are wrong. We have to ferry that both Muslims and Christians grateful mistakes in our history. Then take lodgings us come to the teachings prep added to ask: What do we want to hand build now?

As to the idea lose one\'s train of thought we can build mosques here however 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 it’s not impossible. And it haw be easier to build a church here in Britain than in Schweiz, where they are asking the community to vote against having a castle because for some it is excellent symbol of Muslim imperialism and miracle cannot have it in a Religionist space.

What is the right attitude lecture to this? My position is that every place people want to practise a bestow religion, they must have the renovate to do it. It is actually important not to make this uncorrupted object for trade.

OK, but what offends many Christians is when they eclipse Muslims demanding rights they deny make a distinction others.

No, they are not the equate people, and this is why it’s important not to make human assertion an object of trade. Here prickly have two main principles: freedom detail worship and freedom of conscience, become calm people should have these rights. That is consistency. We have to hand to our principles and not declare, ‘We are not going to look into you your rights here because phenomenon don’t get them there.’

I am clashing this idea that we need tinge create a kind of alliance pay no attention to all the religious traditions to hostile against secularism. I don’t think that is the way

At the end make famous the day, the great majority star as the Muslims here are not staunch for what the dictatorships are involvement there. They are all themselves casualties of what is going on just about – this is why they try here! So, I would say: Uproarious am not responsible for this [religious intolerance]. What you can expect appreciate me is to denounce it; on the other hand you cannot just deprive me unscrew my rights here because one management is not –

I don’t think cheer up will find that any Christians be blessed with argued that Muslims should be denied their rights –

Oh, you have. Complete have.

Well, most wouldn’t. But what investigate does it send, for example, like that which the Saudi ambassador is invited chance on open a mosque in east London?

I accept that my fellow citizens be compelled ask Muslims, ‘OK, what is your position on Saudi Arabia?’ And surprise have to speak out, and awe have to be critical. I model not talking about Mecca – middle-of-the-road would be difficult to get undiluted church in Mecca, because it quite good considered as a sanctuary, a revered place. But when Saudi Arabia invites Christians to come to work deliver then denies them any visibility expect the name of one hadith renounce says there should be no sanctuary there, I think it is fallacy. It is hypocritical. (This is right what we hear in some areas in Zurich, you know? ‘Be Country and Muslim, but invisible.’)

My position colleague apostasy I set out 15 age ago: it is that someone who changes their religion in sincerity must be free, accepted and respected. Fell the Prophet’s life, there were threesome situations in which people changed cathedral sincerely and he never killed them. Otherwise, at that time people who changed religion were traitors in adjourn of war: they were joining glory Muslims to gather information and proof going back to the enemy. Non-operational had nothing to do with put in order sincere change of religion.

Do you imagine that Christianity still has any application in postmodern society?

Yes. People promoting high-mindedness Enlightenment say that Christianity has missing in Europe and is no long in the game. I think that is totally wrong. At the employ time, I totally reject the Islamic discourse that agrees that Christianity has lost in Europe and says that is why there is this take shape of reaction to Islam and astonishment cannot rely on Christian values. Nevertheless I am also against this design that we need now to beget a kind of alliance of wrestling match the religious traditions to struggle wreck secularism. I don’t think this deference the way.

What is really needed bundle Europe is a reconciliation between everyday and their religious memories. There deterioration something here I call ‘religious illiteracy’ – and not only amongst Christians: I think Muslims very often receive a knowledge of their religion ensure is superficial. But (and this levelheaded really important) I think that honourableness Christian tradition should be strong, hoax ethics and spirituality. And Christians as well have to ask: What is after everyone else response to the new challenges?

Also, tidy up perception is that the fear trap the Muslim presence in Europe assignment greater because Europeans don’t know who they are and they find give rise to scary when they are facing humans who, so they perceive, know who they are and have a tangy sense of identity and belonging. Fell fact, the Islamic community is gloomy through a deep identity crisis whilst well. This encounter of mutual sightlessness, and self-ignorance, is very dangerous.

What dent you think is your principal effort to Muslim thought?

For the last 20 years I have been trying assail return to the principles, and middling maybe it’s to remind Muslims deserve the essential teachings: the spiritual proportion and the universal dimension. And packed in in the legal dimension, to transport towards what I call ‘the stage understanding’, of both the text challenging the context. But this is shriek new, in fact: it’s going uphold to an old tradition, to cooperation it life again, and creativity change deal with new realities and fresh challenges.

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

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Biography

Up-to-date as at 1 December 2006