Call for a frank, direct dialogue that respects Islam’s cultural heritage

By Mohanna al-HubailThursday، 12 November 2020 11:59 AM

French President Immanuel Macron’s admission in his interview with Al Jazeera, that the Anglo-Saxon experience is less bad in coexistence with Muslims than the one of France, was the result of the bloody war against religion, and he specifically referred to the revolutionary war and the liquidation of the monarchy in France, which inherited widespread hatred in republican thought.

This is as opposed to the humane political deal of coexistence, accomplished by the English revolutionaries of nobility and commoners with the monarchy.

Macron’s nervous personality has emerged as a result of his campaign against Islam, and the issue of the offensive cartoons of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. What is most dangerous is that Europe might slip, in the shadow of the right-wing rise that includes England, into a vast cultural war which will reap violent acts like the one taking place today in France.

The argument of the Western world today with us, as an Arab nation and the current situation of the Islamic world, its substance and its cause is Islam.

In order to reach a compromise we need to re-formulate the starting point over which we are arguing, and define the criteria for human dimension, and what is the reference for good and peace for humanity. For that we need a frank and direct dialogue that respects the cultural heritage of Islam.

The French president did not give a hint about France’s bad relationship with Islam that he mentioned. It was based in the overwhelming majority on wars of extermination and capitalist domination.

This is something that should be considered from the last interview of the French president with Al Jazeera, when he said that we will be interested in studies on the Islamic world again, and we invite intellectuals to share their views, which is a positive step, even if it is overshadowed by doubts about intentions in light of the electoral battle. We accept yet this invitation from him, but it should not be led by one-side, that imposes its visions on the table for the new discussion, and thus it returns to the supremacist extremism, which ignites the flames of war, not the beacons of peace between nations.

This is what President Macron should pay attention to, before he cares about stopping the boycott campaign and the angry Islamic conscience. This conscience when it hears from the Elysee a clear corrective text that respects its beliefs, and adopts human rights, secularism and the right of conscience and coexistence, will respond immediately. It will calm down in appreciation of Paris’ corrective steps if they take place, which is what we wish for from all of Europe and North America, a relationship of a balanced and respectful coexistence.

Here we return to the most important point, which is about the role of the Arab side, especially the countries with institutions and media. Qatar stands out here, especially in the significance of Macron’s choice of the platform for his message. This is what we need today, an independent media from Western conditions, operating in two tracks.

The first is how to create a coexisting relationship despite the political disagreement and conflict with the West, and how to transform civilization into civic values that enhance human relations. Then how to launch the path of intellectual rectification among Muslims in the Diaspora that spreads faith in the horizons of knowledge, and reduces the range of ignorance, which backfires on their rights and the future of their generations in their critical time.