Tony Blair
BRITAIN is today a country of two million Muslims in a Europe that has over 20 million Muslims.
We have successful Muslims in all areas of British life — business, sport, media, culture and the professions.
And as a result of what is happening in the world today, there is an interest and appetite across all sections of society to know more about Islam in all its diversity.
This is not, repeat not, about equating interest in Islam with anxiety over extremism. But it explains, in part, the desire to learn about what moves and motivates our Muslim communities.
When I have met groups of Muslims, especially younger ones, of course the normal issues about foreign policy arise. But the predominant complaint is about how they believe their true faith is constantly hijacked and subverted by small, unrepresentative groups who get disproportionately large amounts of publicity.
It is the way of the modern media world that what counts is impact.
Those willing to come on television and articulate extreme and violent views make so much more impact than those who use the still small voice of reason and moderation.
I ask people to listen to the distinguished scholars and religious leaders — the authentic voices of Islam.
The voices of extremism are no more representative of Islam than the use, in times gone by, of torture to force conversion to Christianity represents the true teaching of Christ.
In doing this, there is another purpose: to reclaim from extremists, of whatever faith, the true essence of religious belief.
In the face of so much high profile accorded to religious extremism, to schism, and to confrontation, it is important to show that religious faith is not inconsistent with reason, or progress, or the celebration of diversity. Round the world today, along with the images of violence, are the patient good works of people of different faiths coming together, understanding each other, respecting each other.
Religious faith has much to contribute to the public sphere; is still a thriving part of what makes a cohesive community; is a crucial motivator of millions of citizens around the world; and is an essential if non-governmental way of helping to make society work.
It is important to acknowledge that round the world today there is a new and urgent impetus being given to promulgating the true voices of Islam.
This is especially the case in the field of education. But the role of education goes much wider than simply religious education.
For example, at the recent Middle East World Economic Forum, Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Al Maktoum, vice-president and prime minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced the creation of a groundbreaking US$10 billion (RM34 billion) foundation to promote education in Arab countries.
Such initiatives tap into the ages-old tradition of Islam where — in line with the Quran — knowledge is revered and Muslims urged to pursue it.
There is also a clear move across the world to assert strongly the moderate and true authority of Islam.
In Jordan, in 2004, under the leadership of King Abdullah, the Amman Message was released seeking to declare what Islam is and what it is not, and how it should be manifested.
I was deeply impressed when, the next year, the king convened 200 leading scholars from no less than 50 countries, who unanimously issued a declaration on three basic issues: the validity of different Islamic schools of thought and theology; the forbidding of declarations of apostasy between Muslims; and criteria for the issuing of fatwas — religious edicts — to pre-empt the spawning of illegitimate versions.
This was a clear message that Islam is not a monolithic faith. This rich diversity needs to be more clearly appreciated and to inform our public debates more fully.
Also in 2005, the summit meeting of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference issued a declaration.
The summit reaffirmed Islam as a religion of moderation and modernity. It rejected bigotry and extremism. It supported work to establish the values of Islam as those of understanding, tolerance, dialogue and multilateralism. It adopted the principles of the Amman Message.
And in 2006 the Topkapi Declaration emphasised that Muslims have long played a distinguished part in European history and encouraged them to continue doing so.
It stressed the opportunities for Muslims to flourish as full citizens in the pluralistic societies which increasingly characterise every country in this continent, especially since the fall of communism.
I draw four lessons from these and other similar examples.
Firstly, that the role of theology and philosophy is vital to Islam, indeed as it is to any religion, in helping its adherents to engage with the modern world while drawing on its core principles.
Secondly, Muslims overwhelmingly want to play a full part in the complex and diverse societies in which they find themselves .
Thirdly, others in societies in which Muslims are co-citizens must also evolve and adapt in how they respond to the changing nature of their societies. This is a two-way street. Each must learn from the other, about the other.
And fourthly, and as a natural consequence of my first three points, the great religions of the world must continue the dialogue between them, and help inter-faith work to grow.
Greater mutual understanding should be the aim of all of us. And a closer working together to tackle the needs of our shared world — needs which are often pressing and cry out for action.
None of this, incidentally, is designed to screen out a healthy rigorous debate about the controversies of foreign policy.
Many Christians disagreed with the decisions I took over Afghanistan or Iraq.
Leave aside for a moment whether they were the right or wrong decisions. What is damaging is if they are seen in the context of religious decisions.
The religious faith of either country was as irrelevant to the decision as was the fact that the Kosovo Albanians we rescued were Muslims, suffering under a Serbian dictatorship, whose religion happened to be Christian Orthodox; or in helping the people of Sierra Leone, 70 per cent of whom are Muslims.
This point is crucial at a number of different levels. The problem between faiths and communities, as too often in life and in politics, is not where there is disagreement about decisions; but where there is misunderstanding about motives.
I was asked the other day by a young person if it was true Muslims wanted to kill all Christians. "No," I said. "And did you know that Muslims revere Jesus as a Prophet?"
The youngster was astounded, barely able to believe there are significant passages in the Quran devoted to Jesus, and to Mary. I recommend the book The Muslim Jesus to anyone interested in this aspect.
But the point is this: the need to explain Islam to the world: its common roots with Judaism and Christianity, how it began, how it developed, how far removed it is, from the crude and warped distortion of the extremists. Where there is ignorance, there is distrust, and sometimes hatred. Understanding is a great healer.
It is not about governments lecturing the Muslim world, or our Muslim communities.
It is rather time to take the opportunity to listen; to hear Islam’s true voice; to welcome and appreciate them; and in doing so, to join up with all those who believe in a world where religious faith is respected because faiths respect each other as well as those of no faith; and are prepared in holding to their own truth, not to disrespect the truth clear to others.
Tony Blair is the outgoing Prime Minister of Britain - The New Straits Times
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