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Muslims Urged to Engage the West
ahmer
05/24/02 at 06:49:29
Muslims Urged to Engage the West
Reported by: Sonia Verma

TORONTO, Canada, 5/19/2002 (Toronto Star) :: When Tariq Ramadan took the podium to speak, the room rustled with  anticipation before falling absolutely still.

A leading Islamic intellectual based in Geneva, Ramadan is a controversial figure who argues Muslims should abandon the idea that Islam is diametrically opposed to the West. He spoke yesterday at the Islamic Society of North America?s 28th annual convention at the Toronto Congress Centre.

?It?s time for us to face the reality of our presence here. As Muslims living in the West we need to separate Islamic principles from their countries of origin and root them here in the West,? he said after speaking to a mostly Muslim audience.

Ramadan argued that second- and third-generation Muslim immigrants
need to invent an independent Islam in Canada. This means that Islamic
education should not be carried out in isolation from Western culture.

He also believes Muslims should consider their duties to mainstream
society instead of focusing only on their rights. And Muslims need to
study the founding texts to spread understanding of their faith among
non-Muslims?

?We live in a multicultural society, which is good, but be careful,??
he warned. ?We have to avoid the minority mentality because Islamic
universal values should be presented as part of the common legacy,? he
said. ?We have to be confident about our faith. Do not be shy, you
are at home in this society,? he said


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