The International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) in collaboration with the Iqbal International Institute for Research & Dialogue (IRD) hosted a panel discussion on “Muslims in the West” on Thursday. IIU Rector Professor Fateh Muhammad Malik was the chief guest on the occasion while others participants included Dr Mumtaz Ahmad, President IIU, Dr Dietrich Reetz Director Project “Crossroad Asia” at Zentrum Moderner Orient in Barlin, Mr Joshua White, PhD candidate at John Hopkins University Washington DC. These people also spoke on the occasion.
Dr Dietrich Reetz discussed his findings on various Islamic institutes in the western countries such as Tableeghi Jamat, Dawat-e-Islami, Islamic training Institute in Germany and elaborated as to how those institutions attract Muslims from different backgrounds.
He added that the major outcome of his study was that the Muslims had to present themselves as a legitimate segment of the society unlike conservative ones. He said the Islamic institutions in the West attracted people with highly educated backgrounds and in a way they contributing to the society. Joshua White briefly discussed the role of Muslims in the American society.
He said that two percent of the US population were Muslims. White also discussed the demographic and broader political dynamics of the Muslims in America. He said that the Muslims in America were more loyal to the Democratic Party as compared to the Republican Party. “More a person will be religious, the less he/she will support terrorism and the American Muslims were very much similar to the community as a whole,” he observed.
Professor Malik said that Islam should not be considered a danger to Europe and America. He said Europe and America should understand Muslims and Islam form human civilization perspective. Muslims were the inheritors of the civilisation which ruled Europe and America for over thousand years but currently they were not able to do the same due to so many political, social, economic and religious problems, said Professor Malik He mentioned the contribution of western scholars especially Goethe of Germany and other poets and writers for paving the way of multiculturalism between the Muslims and the West. Professor Malik urged the Muslims in the West should establish strong relations with other communities enabling themselves to settle numerous social and religious issues through discussion. He was of the view that the West was afraid of Imam Khumeni-like revolutions in the Muslim World and for that matter it was manipulating.
