The extreme violence of the jihadist Islamic State group has intensified the debate in Europe over radical Islam. <br /><br />The question in this edition of Utalk is from Romain in Paris: <br /><br />“Offences by the self-proclaimed Islamic State organisation convey a very negative image of Islam, especially in European countries with large Muslim populations such as France. How can we avoid the frequent confusion between Islam and radical Islam?”<br /><br />The response comes from Jocelyne Cesari, Director of the Islam in the West Program at Harvard University: <br /><br />“This confusion has existed for a long time now. In Europe, one can even say that this confusion started before the 9/11 attacks.<br /><br />“In France, for instance, this confusion has existed at least since Algeria started to crack down on the Armed Islamic Group or GIA. At that time there was already a confusion between Muslim populations in France and the reality of radical Islam in some Muslim countries. <br /><br />“This confusion deepened after the 9/11 attacks and I would say that the action of the Islamic State is exacerbating the current situation.<br /><br />“We can see the consequences of this confusion in Europe as a whole and not only in France.<br /><br />“Europeans are more and more afraid of the signs and expressions of the Islamic religion such as minarets, veils, halal meat or circumcision. <br /><br />“So we clearly see that there is more and more fear concerning the expression of Islam as a religion because Islam is associated in one way or another with the excesses and the radicalisation in the Arab-Muslim world.<br /><br />“I think that the central question now in Europe is what is the legitimacy of Islam as well as of the other religions in the public sphere. There is a real debate on this issue today in Europe and this debate is far from being over.<br /><br />The solution is not: ‘No more Islam at all’. On the contrary, the solution lies with finding a different Islam that can counter the current intolerant version of Salafism.”<br /><br />If you too would like to ask a question on Utalk, click on the button below.
