To Be a European Muslim

by Tariq Ramadan

To Be a European Muslim addresses some of the fundamental issues born of the several million strong Muslim presence in Europe in our times. Based on a thorough study of Islamic sources, it seeks to answer basic questions about European Muslims' social, political, cultural, and legal integration. Tariq Ramadan is recognized worldwide for his original scholarship. He is a professor of Islamic studies at the University of Oxford and was named by Time magazine as one of the one hundred innovators of the twenty-first century.

Genres: Islam, Religion, Nonfiction

289 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Tariq Ramadan is the son of Said Ramadan and Wafa Al-Bana, who was the eldest daughter of Hassan al Banna, who in 1928 founded the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. Gamal al-Banna, the liberal Muslim reformer is his great-uncle. His father was a prominent figure in the Muslim Brotherhood and was exiled by Gamal Abdul Nasser[3] from Egypt to Switzerland, where Tariq was born.

Tariq Ramadan studied Philosophy and French literature at the Masters level and holds a PhD in Arabic and Islamic studies from the University of Geneva. He also wrote a PhD dissertation on Friedrich Nietzsche, entitled Nietzsche as a Historian of Philosophy.[4] Ramadan then studied Islamic jurisprudence at Al-Azhar university in Cairo, Egypt.[5]

He taught at the College de Saussure, a high school in Geneva, Switzerland, and held a lectureship in Religion and Philosophy at the University of Fribourg from 1996 to 2003. In October 2005 he began teaching at St Antony's College at the University of Oxford on a Visiting Fellowship. In 2005 he was a senior research fellow at the Lokahi Foundation.[6][7] In 2007 he successfully applied for the professorship in Islamic studies at the University of Leiden, but then declined to take up the position, citing professional reasons.[8][9] He was also a guest professor of Identity and Citizenship at Erasmus University Rotterdam,[10][11][12] till August 2009 when the City of Rotterdam and Erasmus University dismissed him from his positions as "integration adviser" and professor, stating that the program he chairs on Iran's Press TV, Islam & Life, was "irreconcilable" with his duties in Rotterdam. Ramadan described this move as Islamophobic and politically charged. Beginning September 2009, Ramadan, was appointed to the His Highness Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani Chair in Contemporary Islamic Studies at Oxford University.

Ramadan established the Mouvement des Musulmans Suisses (Movement of Swiss Muslims),which engages in various interfaith seminars. He is an advisor to the EU on religious issues and was sought for advice by the EU on a commission on “Islam and Secularism”.In September 2005 he was invited to join a task force by the government of the United Kingdom.[3] He is also the President of the Euro-Muslim Network,a Brussels-based think-tank.

He is widely interviewed and has produced about 100 tapes which sell tens of thousands of copies each year

As of 2009, Tariq Ramadan was persona non grata in Tunisia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia[19] Libya or Syria because of his "criticism of these undemocratic regimes that deny the most basic human rights".

Ramadan is married to a French convert to Islam and they have four children.

Reviews

[Rebekka Steg · Rating 5 out of 5]

To Be a European Muslim deals with the issue of Islam in Europe (bet you hadn't see that one coming!) To find the middle path between assimilating with the host country (i.e., behaving like any native European) or living as a "country within a country" (i.e., behaving as you would back "home" wherever that is), but rather realizing which parts of your behaviour are cultural (and therefore negotiable to a certain degree) and which parts are Islamic/religious (and therefore not negotiable). I think he's got some incredibly thought-provoking points that all Muslims could learn from and need to consider.

[Nasser Alkhateeb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still reading this book.

I love Tareq Ramadan. I love his Europeanness and his islamicness and his frenchness and his fresh ideas and approaches into Islamic jurisprudence. I love the courage he has to jump into the deep end for the benefit of Muslims in all western secular democracies from the US to Europe to Australia.

[Altaf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although the title says "European Muslim," the book has no doubt valuable insights for us Americans/Canadians and in fact any Muslims living as "minorities" (only in number of course and not status). Yea, I really miss my copy of this book since Br. Mohamed Sheibani has it and will not return it ;)

[Hande · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved reading this book. It is very simple but addresses the most important aspects of our religion: its fundamentals, principles, philosophy, aims, sciences. At the sime time it is fascinating to see how positive European countries were perceived in the time this book was published (1999): Ramadan keeps repeating about how we Muslims have the full rights and freedom from our governments to live and present our religion, and how if injustices against Muslims happen, this is mostly due to the incorrect way some people read and apply the laws, because of widespread prejudices towards Islam. Very interesting to read this perspective because I used to think, or let me say that Europe used to be like this too before. I remember the moment when profound realization hit me, realization that Europe was not as liberal and tolerant it claims to be. All in all, a very useful and eye-opening read, for both Muslims and non-Muslims, Europeans and non-Europeans.

[Satriyo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Saya baca buku ini versi Bahasa Indonesia. Sec saya belum ketemu setelah search di goodreads versi BI nya itu, sementara saya contreng dulu yang ini.

[Ihussain · Rating 5 out of 5]

A recommended read to everyone interested in the basic principles of Islamic Jurisprudence - the rules and principles on which Islamic scholars decide on matters.
The book also covers the religious duties of Muslims in Europe.