Present or Past

Introduction

Multiple questions opens Chapter 1 (Present and Past) – and while this uses Muslims as test-case, they obviously refer to any immigrants, any source country. Do Muslims who have chosen to emigrate to the West pose a (considerable? long-term?) threat to the West? Should they be required legally to undergo citizenship and loyalty tuition? Can or will the majority of Muslims in the West willingly integrate and assimilate? Can current ‘ghetto-isation’ (including the more educated Muslim communities in the USA) and ‘voluntary segregation’ (apparent in both USA and Europe) be dissolved? Should it be demanded – in the interest of Muslim and host locality – that all Muslims undergo English tuition compulsorily and quickly after arrival? Does the case for using Shari’ah law warrant legislated part-introduction (one or more of its five categories) in Western countries? Or should Muslims unhesitatingly accept Western law – though with understanding that Muslim leaders may work democratically for modifications? How unfair are accusations, criticisms by Western sources that, in this modern age, ‘Islam’ in many parts of the world engages in uncompassionate rule, law and behaviour, at worst medieval even barbaric? (It is conceded that ‘the West’ can be criticised in many instances just as heavily). Can moderate Muslim leadership and members be at all effective in helping to dissolve the unacceptable threat of violent extremism ‘in Islam’s name’?

Present | Past