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The United States of America or the Western countries, they don't have a problem with Islamists as long as they are neoliberal capitalists and promoting the economic order. And the best example is the petro-monarchies. The petro-monarchies, they don't want democracy. They say there is no democracy in Islam. But they are within the economic system.

Tariq Ramadan

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Tariq Ramadan
Age: 62
Born: 1962
Born: August 26
Islamicist
Philosopher
Theologian
Writer
Genève
America
Western
Monarchies
Problem
Example
Islamists
States
Democracy
Capitalists
Best
System
Monarchy
Country
Economic
Promoting
Long
Within
Capitalist
United
Islam
Order
Countries

More quotes by Tariq Ramadan

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We cannot have a free market since it does not really set us free. It's free for interest, speculation and consumerism to create false needs.
Tariq Ramadan
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The message of Islam asks you to be intellectually, spiritually, socially, and politically independent
Tariq Ramadan
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The month of Ramadan is the world's most widespread fast and yet its teachings are minimised, neglected and even betrayed (through literal application of rules that overlooks their ultimate objective).
Tariq Ramadan
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Emancipation can only come from within it cannot be dictated by someone else. A law banning the wearing of headscarves changes nothing, except perhaps external appearance. Naturally, Islamic feminism must also include the right to education, to work and the freedom to select one's own husband.
Tariq Ramadan
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National politics and elections are dominated by emotions, by lack of self-confidence, by fear of the other, by insecurity, by infection of the body politic by the virus of victimhood.
Tariq Ramadan
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Humility is my table, respect is my garment, empathy is my food and curiosity is my drink. As for love, it has a thousand names and is by my side at every window.
Tariq Ramadan
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A Muslim should be sincerely religious AND politically aware.
Tariq Ramadan
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The West hasn't been naïve, it has been patronizing the South by imposing its own views on what should be done - ironically after having been so close and so supportive of dictators who were not respecting the people.
Tariq Ramadan
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There is a Sufi trend, a madhabi Sufi trend, and I don't have any problem with this. What is not acceptable is that, first, some scholars are trying to show to the audience that they are open to other trends. However, when it comes to the retreat or the panels, they don't want to be with some of us because they are scared of being exposed.
Tariq Ramadan
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In my book, the Arab Awakening, I talk about the fact that we have to move from this. All the contemporary ideologies of political Islam have been based on the nation state. The nation state is very problematic but I'm not sure if we have an alternative political model.
Tariq Ramadan
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We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that is alive around us, and reconcile ourselves with our environment.
Tariq Ramadan
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The strength of democratic societies relies on their capacity to know how to stand firm against extremism while respecting justice in the means used to fight terrorism.
Tariq Ramadan
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The Turkish road is not my model because I am critical of the way you are dealing with freedom of expression, of how you are dealing with the treatment of minorities, and your economic vision.
Tariq Ramadan
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Pray in the night so that you can change the world in the day
Tariq Ramadan
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We have to be very cautious not to accept the scam of polarization we see in the media. It is not in fact between secularists and Islamists, it is a battle within the Islamic reference.
Tariq Ramadan
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In Islam, rules are important, like the Prophet said innal halaala bayyinun, wa innal haraama bayyinun [what is halal is clear, what is haram is clear]. The goal is not to diminish the importance of rules, but to have the right priorities.
Tariq Ramadan
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No one can deny that some Islamist groups have credential and popularity. But that does not mean they are a majority. If we are serious about democracy we cannot blame the people for choosing what they want. We must promote the kinds of procedures and processes that are helping the people move ahead.
Tariq Ramadan
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I think that political parties are fuelling this fear in order to create divisions. The more we bring up fear, the more we neglect real political issues. Political debate in France is crumbling since every single issue is brought to Islam now.
Tariq Ramadan
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Arabic is the language of the Qur'an, but Arab culture is not the culture of Islam.
Tariq Ramadan
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The problem with Salafis is that they are religiously sincere and politically naïve. And they allow themselves to be supported by people who have no religious sincerity but who are politically very smart, especially when it comes to their economic interests.
Tariq Ramadan