.... I found a segment which took in all these topics on Radio 4’s Sunday programme very frustrating. Its starting point was a recent poll which found that nearly half of people in the UK think Islam is incompatible with British values; the two guests were Khalil Yousuf and Miqdaad Versi.
The inclusion of a more dissenting voice – maybe Maajid Nawaz or Amina Lone – would have forced both men to grapple more directly with the reasons for those poll results. The conversation might have been more challenging for them – but could have been used to demonstrate the complexities which those most hostile to Islam may not acknowledge. For as things stood, this feature would have done nothing to shift the views of an Islamosceptic listener.
Yousef is an Ahmadi Muslim, and this was the first elephant in the room. The Ahmadi are targets of sectarian bigotry and persecution, and the MCB, of which Miqdaad Versi is the assistant secretary general, has been criticised for refusing to recognize them as Muslims.
.... By asserting that ‘Islam has nothing to do with extremism’ Yousuf effectively cut off what could have been a more useful – if less comfortable– conversation, one which acknowledged that there is a clear tradition of interpreting Islam in ways which could (certainly) be characterised as extreme, but also countervailing traditions and more liberal readings. Because the guests were silent on these issues, hostile listeners would have filled in the gaps for themselves and felt their prejudices were confirmed. [Harry’s Place] Read more
