A provocative subject? Has the British been pushed to far? Is Islam the greatest threat in the world today?
Find out what people think! Visit Opendemocracy.net
openDemocracy and Q-News invited Hisham Hellier, a researcher in European multiculturalism from the University of Warwick, Humera Khan, a founding member of the An-Nisa society, Fuad Nahdi, editor of Q-News and Robin Soans, writer of the play Talking to Terrorists, to discuss the issues surrounding the London bombings of 7 July with an audience of key stakeholders in the debate.
“These are complex events and we at openDemocracy and Q-news feel that if we confine ourselves to the narrative that we feel most comfortable with and we are not open to new facts, then we will be tethered to explanations that don’t necessarily work.”
Isabel Hilton, chair“The first generation of Muslims that came to this country did not come with dysfunctional families and politicised views. I can remember, being someone who is from a migrant family in the early 60s, a passive community, keeping themselves to themselves. The question to ask is how this peaceful community can have children who are full of anger, hatred and susceptible to radical ideas.”
Humera Khan, panellist“If someone from a century ago came to our times, he would be surprised and shocked and not recognise the Islam and the Muslims we have today.”
Fuad Nahdi, panellist“I would like to say that if you have an extremist within your community, then tell him to read the Qur’an and leave it at that. I can’t say that anymore because people treat the Qur’an as a do-it-yourself kit and this is really dangerous”
Hisham Hellier, panellist“Whenever there is a problem with black, Asian or Muslim youth, suddenly they become a problem of that community. When they are winning medals, they become British. How is it that our Britishness is so much more fragile than that of the white people?”
Tania Loa, audience member“It is manifestly obvious to anyone in this country that the problem is Islam. I am not a Muslim and so I cannot talk about the theological divide that is happening in Islam at the moment and, for myself and all British people, this would be an interesting subject to watch but it wouldn’t affect us. It is affecting us now because people from the Islamic community are now walking onto buses and blowing them up having spent several years in many countries doing the same thing, including, of course, Israel. Now, if we want to start this conversation by pretending that this is a societal failure, you’re simply going to spend your time apologising for terror.”
Douglas Murray, audience member“If British society views the kids that are involved in this project as separate to the rest of society, a lot of problems that they are trying to solve and the young people that they are trying to address will effectively be excluded from the rest of society.”
Dominic Casciani, audience member“The problem is why, which the Saudis asked, a small number of people are willing to covert to this particular cult, the cult of Al-Qaeda. It should be seen as a cult separate to Islam, which has different aims an objectives to the majority of Muslims”
Jamal Khashoggi, audience member“The issue of political agency and political action is important. Muslim youth have to find some channel for their political rage and anger. But it does not have to be called rage and anger. If we are talking about the left, it is called a political opinion. Hizb ut Tahrir is one organisation where Muslim people have found a political voice. There needs to be a series of options for people to choose from”
Fuad Nahdi, panellist“This room is full of British Muslim intellectuals; each of you have been completely astonished by what all the others have said and that’s a very bad sign. It shows that people are not talking to each other as they should.”
Neil Ascherson, audience member“My conclusion is rather stark: I think the broad causes are known and they are series of factors that have produced humiliation and in the words of one of the experts, violence legitimised by religion, wipes away the stain of humiliation.”
Roger Hardy, audience member“I found my British identity by finding my faith.”
Sarah Waseem, audience member“It is extraordinary what a potent notion dignity is; personal dignity. One of the problems with young people is that they find it sadly lacking in their lives. It seems to me that anything, whether it be clearer leadership, whether it be more responsibility from politicians, whether it be better understanding and integration, needs to respect dignity.”
Robin Soans, panellist
Full details here: PDF transcript (14 pages)
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