Islam offers possibility to adhere to modernity while remaining faithful to its principles, academic
Regional, Religion, 12/27/2003

Islam offers the possibility to adhere to modernity while remaining attached to its basic principles, professor of philosophy and Islamic sciences at the university of Geneva, Tariq Ramadan, said, in Rabat Thursday, calling for the rejection of the stereotypes claiming that Islam is opposed to the West."

"Modernity is the ability to be up to date with the present time and take up the challenges of the contemporary world without renouncing the basic principles of Islam," underlined Ramadan who was the honor guest of a conference held in the Moroccan capital on "Islam and Modernity."

Ramadan noted nonetheless that "before thinking of how to adhere to the dynamic of modernity, Moslems should reflect on the contribution they can bring to the world." He underlined that it is important to get acquainted with the history of Islam which, he said, has tools facilitating the full adherence to this dynamic.

The Swiss academic of Egyptian origin, added that Islam is capable of adapting to different conjunctures and situations thanks to the notion of Ijtihad (Jurisprudence) which allows to adapt the "text to context" through a critical effort.

On his part, Mohamed Layadi, professor at the university Hassan II in Casablanca, pointed out that all societies regardless of their religions, can adhere to modernity, underscoring that the changes taking place in the Islamic world are in line with this tendency.

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