Tariq Ramadan and Douglas Murray on Muslims in Europe

05 Mar 2010

Speakers: Tariq Ramadan, Douglas Murray

Five years after the July 7 bombings brought terror to the streets of London, watch precocious writer Douglas Murray spar with Tariq Ramadan, one of the world's leading intellectuals, on violence and the lack of leadership in modern-day Islam.

As the first speaker in favour of the motion Tariq Ramadan states his belief that Europe has failed its Muslims in various different ways. It has allowed a political discourse in which Muslims, like the Turks and Bosnians, are not viewed as European citizens and has neglected to recognise the historical contribution of Muslim philosophers and scientists in forging the continent's identity, or the economic contribution of Muslims since World War II.

Arguing against the motion Douglas Murray states that Islam is associated with violence for good reasons; it wasn't Buddhists or Atheists who were responsible for the 9/11 or 7/7 attacks. He says that the Muslim population has grown extraordinarily fast - from barely anything in the mid 20th century to between 15 and 17 million at the start of the 21st - and has been relatively successful. But there had been a failure of leadership among Muslim leaders, many of who were paid generously by European governments. The current leader of the Muslim Council of Britain couldn't even condemm stoning.

Tariq Ramadan

Professor of Islamic Studies and Senior Research Fellow at St Antony's College, Oxford
Douglas Murray

Author and journalist, and Associate Director of the Henry Jackson Society