Statement by Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference at the “IFRI”

Date: 29/01/2007

January 29, 2007 Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, Allow me at the outset to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to the ‘Institut Francais des Relations Internationales (IFRI)’ for inviting me today to speak in this prestigious institution about a topic which assumes increasing importance in the contemporary international context, and attract growing relevance and prominence in Europe and in the Muslim world as well. The history of mankind is a continued uninterrupted process of mutual giving and borrowing from one another and a process of cultural cross-breeding. Since the dawn of history, men have, over millennia, related and exchanged views about coping with life, the means of survival, production, trade, state formation, technology, cultural and religious issues. Boundaries among different cultures are usually blurred and difficult to trace. In Europe; this intercultural communications were so intense and so frequent in the last tow millennia that no one can categorize for sure who was an intruder to the Continent and who was a genuine indigenent. It is in such a complex context that we see the relations between Islam and Europe. Fortunately, we see these relations stand out as a glaring example of a constructive centuries-old process of give and take among cultures and civilizations. It could, safely, be said that interaction between Islamic civilization and that of the West is – historically – unique and unprecedented, given its scope, depth and duration. The geographical proximity, the openness of spirits, the intertwined relations and the meeting of common interests played a central role in forging these relationships. Since its very inception, Islam was at the doors of Europe. Merely twelve years after the death of the prophet Muhammad, Muslims were in Armenia, Georgia, Dagestan and elsewhere, including parts of the Byzantine Empire. Less than eighty years later, Muslims were in Spain. Twelve years later, they were in the southern parts of France. The presence of Muslims in Spain lasted almost eight centuries. Their presence there marked the history of Europe and played a glorious role in disseminating science, knowledge, as well as lofty values of tolerance and peaceful coexistence. Suffice it to say that Islamic civilization has contributed to the advent of the Renaissance and the Enlightenment in Europe. This contribution speaks volumes. Let me limit myself to a quote on this subject from the Prince of Wales, HRH Prince Charles, who in a lecture delivered in 1993 at the Oxford Center for Islamic Studies said the following “... we have underestimated the importance of 800 years of Islamic society and culture in Spain between the 8th and the 15th centuries. Not only did Muslim Spain gather and preserve the intellectual content of ancient Greek and Roman civilization, it also interpreted and expanded upon that civilization, and made a vital contribution of its own in so many fields of human endeavor – in science, astronomy, mathematics, algebra (itself an Arabic word), law, history, medicine, pharmacology, optics, agriculture, architecture, theology, music. Averroes and Avenzoor, like their counterparts Avicenna and Rhazes in the East, contributed to the study and practice of medicine in ways from which Europe benefited for centuries afterward. Cordoba in the 10th century was by far the most civilized city in Europe. Many of the trails in which Europe prides itself came to it from Muslim Spain. Diplomacy, free trade, open borders, the techniques of academic research, of anthropology, etiquette, fashion, alternative medicine, hospitals, all came from this great city of cities. Medieval Islam was a religion of remarkable tolerance for its time, allowing Jews and Christians to practice their inherited beliefs, and setting an example which was not, unfortunately, copied for many centuries in the West. The surprise, is the extent for which Islam has been a part of Europe for so long time, first in Spain, then in the Balkans, and the extent to which it has contributed so much towards the civilization which we all too often think of wrongly, as entirely Western. Islam is part of our past and present in al fields of human endeavor. It has helped to create modern Europe. It is part of our own inheritance, not a thing apart”. Does this judgment from a well known European personality place Islam in the square of malicious intruders to Europe or place it among the ranks of those who convincingly contributed to the uplifting and the advancement o the Continent. Moreover, Islamic rule in Eastern Europe under the Ottomans was another shining example of tolerance, peaceful coexistence and harmony among citizens of different ethnicities, beliefs or faiths. It is thanks to these tolerant Islamic beliefs end practices that many people in the Balkan area opted to embrace Islam on their own free will. Today Europe takes pride in its practice of democratic system, of its liberal values of secularism and tolerance. All these values and practices are respected in Muslim countries. We know that Europe suffered and paid a heavy toll in the two world wars of the last century. But the atrocities that took place in those two wars and other European wars were not committed by or against the Muslims but between Christians or by Christians against the Jewish. What is hardly ever mentioned is that in the last two wars, millions of Muslims of Africa, the Middle East and of Asia had fought alongside the allies and sacrificed their lives. Do all the above constitute a mere intrusion in Europe or was it a positive link in the historic chain of continued interaction between two neighbours in the time of distress. Since the 8th century, Islam and Christianity were the two universal religions of the world in the sense that they have proven historically to be universal and that their respective messages have been received by people of varied ethnic, linguistic and social backgrounds over a long period o time and on a large scale. Moreover, Islam and Christianity are the only two civilizations that have interacted so intensively. In the light of the foregoing, and despite these convincing reasons of resemblances and complementarities, it seems that Europe has been in conflict with Islam since long time. I believe that cultural and religious diversity should not be taken as a cause for confrontation. They should be seen as a source of strength. I have always advocated that diversity should be preserved and acknowledged within the dynamic interaction between cultures, with a view to reaching a consensus on the canon of values necessary to support future global society. It is very unfortunate that some in Europe continue to perceive Islam as a threat, and believe that the divide between “the Muslim world” and the ‘West” can not be bridged. We in the OIC firmly believe that any fair examination of the tenets of Islam, will come to the conclusion that Islam has never been a confront to the Western values and their believes based on the Judeo-Christian traditions and inheritent of the Greek – Roman lore. The very premise of Islam being laid down on the Abrahamic values as do Judaeo-Christian traditions, as well as Muslim cultures’ high admiration of the Hellenic culture and knowledge and its adaptation to many Islamic studies, make of the presence of Islam a genuine partner to the European endeavour, propagating a shared values and knowledge. Does this partnership make of Muslims genuine contributors to the European welfare, helping them in their emancipation from the yoke of dark ages, or were Muslims merely nocif intruders? Moreover, Muslims in Europe are commonly looked upon and treated as alien immigrants. But the fact remains that a very large number of the Muslims in Europe are considered to be indigenous Europeans. If we take in to account the population of some European sovereign stats in East Europe like Albania, Bosnia and the Russian Federation, and add to them the Muslims living in Kosovo, the Caucuses as well as those living in the periphery of Euro-Asian confines, the number of Muslims will swell very much. How one can categorize these Muslims? Intruders or genuine citizens of Europe? A great number of Muslims in Europe have already adopted European values and way of life because they were close to the true teachings of Islam. They excelled in their contribution to their societies and became a rich asset in the domain of economic, business, academic research, education, culture, social studies and even in the domain of sports. How can we qualify these avant-garde Muslim citizens in Europe? Intruders or positive contributors? As the western world grows more unease, scared and suspicious about Islam, one is entitled to search to understand the genuine reason behind this scare which is deeply anchored in the psyche of many Europeans. I firmly believe that the prejudices of the past are still latent in the subconscious of many in Europe, and continue to inhibit them from tying to understand or appreciate Islam. This hesitation and inhibitation will prove insurmountable, as it constitutes a veritable psychological barrier erected between the West and knowing Islam. As long as we continue to disbelieve that our common enemy are not the different cultures but rather our ignorance, it will be very difficult to reconciliate our positions or free our souls and minds from the prejudices and misunderstandings of the past. Independently from the above mentioned worries, which are a major concern to all of us, it is clear that in facing the harsh reality of immigration, alienation, discrimination, underpayment or unemployment, the immigrant is inclined to behave under stress and frustrations. The European reports on intolerance and discrimination against Muslims in the EU have always underlined the fact that “the experiences of discrimination and exclusion may result in Muslims and other minority members adopting behaviours that further underscore their segregation in relation to the majority population.” These reports “recognise that integration is a two-way process which involves communities on both sides”. The reports express their concern that the atmosphere of growing distrust against Muslims that has developed since September 11, 2001 threaten to undermine the efforts aiming at promoting integration and further increasing the vulnerability of immigrants to human rights violations and marginalisation. Despite all that and in the aftermath of September 11 events and the mounting phenomenon of Islamophobia in Europe, many Westerners started to see themselves on a collision course with Muslims in Europe. Many Westerners, under the stereotyping campaign of Islamophobia start to conceive Muslims as “the enemy within” while more and more Muslims and other minorities feel that they live in a parallel world within Europe. Racism and religious hatred continue to fan the hatred and to keep it alive on the pages of newspapers, magazines, films, novels, cartoons etc. It is true that Muslims have proven to be difficult to assimilate in the European societies, but it is obvious that they show a willingness to integrate in these societies. The Islamic identity that they hold is deeply rooted in their psyche and conscience; to uproot it is a very difficult and painful task. For the time being, integration which preserves the identity is a possible target that can be achieved. In today’s global society, multi-ethnicity has become an inescapable fact of life. The presence of immigrants in Europe responds to a real social and economic necessity. Their numbers are bound to increase in the near future due to the lack of manpower, social consideration, and the phenomenon of the ageing population in Europe. Why is the Western world so obsessed with scare of Islam? Ignorance is at the root cause of the phobia. A large section of the western media remains fixated to link the Islamic faith collectively with the madness of the few individuals who carried out the horrible act of nine eleven. Most chose to sideline or even ignore the angry reaction of the Islamic world at despicable act of 9/11 that was rejected and condemned by the Muslims across the world. The western media’s obsession has rather contributed to widen the divide between Islam and the West and keeping alive prejudices and misgivings. Let me cite one recent incident that speaks of the insensitivity of the western media for Islamic values. I speak of the angry reaction of the Muslims to the publication of cartoons of Prophet Muhammad by a Danish newspaper. Nothing is dearer to a Muslim than his unquestioned regard, respect and love for the Prophet Muhammad who brought the message of peace to mankind. Making mockery of someone that one fifth of the world’s population holds most sacred cannot be treated trivially or condoned under any pretext. The publication of the cartoon was surely a conscious and deliberate act of provocation to insult and inflame Muslim sentiments. Unfortunate but true that today there is growing discontent among the Muslims in Europe caused by feelings of discrimination and deprivation because of religious profiling. This can easily be addressed by engaging them with the mainstream and allowing them to have equal opportunities that are enjoyed by the rest of the society. Their representation at the policy making levels of the society will contribute to harmonize the components of the society, restore social peace, stability, and form a major setback to the proponents of extremism. It is in this spirit that I have always urged the leaders of Europe to agree on a “historic reconciliation” which will bring Islam and Christianity closer together, and eliminate any signs of friction in their common relationship. Few decades ago we saw this happening between Christianity and Judaism. In this age of globalisation, a historic reconciliation between Islam and Christianity will be an event of resounding historic resonance embracing more than half of humanity, and paving the way for a safer and more prosperous world for our posterity and children. In the sphere of relations between the Muslim world and the West, the question of Palestine stands as a major bone of content, or as a main obstacle in the way of clearing this relationship from the accusation of double standards, unfairness and insensitivity. I would like to recall here that the people of Palestine are not entirely Muslims. A historic Christian presence in Palestine remains to have solid roots in the Holy Land. They are suffering from right denials and untold hardships at the hands of the occupiers. Their plight seems to be absent from the agenda of the West. The sufferings of the Palestinian people need no elaboration. A political solution must be achieved sooner than late and the Palestinians must be allowed what is justly and legitimately theirs: an independent and sovereign state in the own homeland and the immediate withdrawal of the occupation forces from occupied Arab lands. The Organization of the Islamic Conference or the OIC is an inter-Governmental Organization comprising 57 states with many observer countries with Muslim communities, amongst which Russia was the latest to join. The Organization was created to defend the interests of the Muslim world and to cooperate with Governments and international organizations for promoting peace, development and stability and fighting terror. Given the opportunity, the OIC can play a very constructive role in building harmony and peaceful coexistence amongst people belonging to different civilizations and destroy the myth of so called clash of civilizations. We reiterated this position when the Heads of State and Government met in Makkah in the last Extraordinary Islamic Summit . Soon after I took office as the Secretary General of the Organization in 2005, I have made this a priority goal and have incorporated it in the Ten Year Program of Action. The aim that we envisaged in the POA was to project Islam as a religion of moderation and tolerance; to engage in an inter-civilizational dialogue, based on mutual respect and understanding. In this connection I would like to mention that I had an opportunity to address a the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg on October 4, 2005 where I made a set of proposals to the European Parliamentarians to build a Historic Reconciliation Pact. These included: · Give official recognition to Islam as given to other mainstream religions in the European states which would infuse confidence and inter-faith harmony. · Revise educational syllabi at all levels on both sides, particularly in key disciplines such as history, philosophy, social and human sciences with the aim of presenting a balanced view of other cultures and civilizations. · Establish genuine inter-cultural dialogue at local, national, regional and international levels. · Promote tolerance and encourage debate within the intelligentsia and media about their responsibility to avoid perpetuating prejudices. · Develop campaigns to foster and disseminate respect for culture, religious pluralism, and cultural diversity. · Ensure freedom of religious practices without prejudice to secular laws. · Address the root causes of terrorism including political conflicts. · Exert an effort to engender a positive sense of belonging and responsible citizenship among Muslim youth and give them more incentives to participate in the mainstream of public life. · Prosecute and punish for racial discrimination and acts of violence through the framework of appropriate legislation. · Strengthen existing legislation on discrimination and discriminatory and “unequal treatment “adopted by EU council directives. Ladies and gentlemen, Looking to the past and present interactions between the European and Islamic civilizations, one can easily conclude that Islam has been an integral part of the civilization of the Continent, and its contribution was by far a positive constructive one, promoting the diversity and pluralistic society which defines today’s Europe. The historical contribution of the Muslims in Spain and Sicily in shaping European culture and thought need not to be proven once again. European Muslim communities of the Turks, Tatars, Bosnians, Albanians and others were able to safeguard their Muslim identity and integrate into the rich European fabric. More recent Muslim communities as the South Asians in the United Kingdom, the North Africans in France and the Turks in Germany have moved from immigrant status to middle class professionals in business, economic, political, educational or cultural fields. The legacy of the Muslims in Europe is much greater than maybe thought. A positive and tolerant approach from both sides will contribute to dispelling any preconceptions or misgivings and create a more healthy and balanced relationship. Muslims around the world profoundly believe, at this historic juncture, that they have a strategic and compelling interest to peacefully exist and cooperate with the West and benefit from the Western achievements and progress. The past episodes of short lived conflicts or misunderstanding should give way to a long future of coexistence and cohabitation, making use of our geographic proximity, our shared civilizations and values to build a better future for mankind. It is my fervent hope that Europe’s response to the hands stretched by the Muslim world will be positive and conducive to build together a better world for ourselves and fir our future generations. I thank you

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