Tariq Ramadan: binary vision circumvented

But not denied.

What did Oxford-based Muslim scholar, Tariq Ramadan, have to say to an international audience in Brisbane? (PDF)

13 Mar, 2008, ABC News:

QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE TO PROFESSOR TARIQ RAMADAN.

John Arnold: John Arnold is my name, an Anglican minister ... in your book you mention when talking about the subdivisions of the world, not house of Islam and house of conflict but other, and you talk about being in the Mecca stage of the house of dar al-Dawa, that’s the stage that Muslims are in the west at the moment. We know that in the life of Mohammed that went on to Hijara and Medina. Do you see a progression of the Muslim presence and position in the west from the dar al-Dawa situation further on? ...

Tariq Ramadan: ... So what I am trying to say is that this binary vision—dar al-Harb and dar al-Islam—the abode of Islam, the abode of war, this is outdated. Now we are in a global world where what we have to be in Australia is to be witnesses to our message before our fellow citizens ... the only thing I am asking you is to be the witness of your principles in your daily life ... So it’s the abode of witness, dar al-Shahada which is the one I prefer than dar al-Dawa, because when I am talking to Muslims their perception is not always clear about what it means to be dar al-Dawa…exactly this, we are progressing, counting the number of the Muslims and the people who are converting, but I think that this is very, very wrong. I will never buy this kind of…I will never promote this kind of attitude, I think it’s the wrong way.

So the House of War concept is outdated. Not wrong, not evil, just outdated. Does that mean the binary vision may come back into fashion in the future, when you have numbers on your side?

Regarding conquest by numbers, you stopped short of saying you 'will never buy this' attitude, and changed it to 'I will never promote this kind of attitude'. So you haven't rejected it, you just don't promote it. And why is it the 'wrong way' to promote it: because you want a slow, silent jihad that goes unnoticed instead?

So the concept of perpetual combat is not completely dead and buried, and the idea of conquest by numbers is not explicitly rejected - you just hush up both of them to keep out of the spotlight, but leave the door open to both concepts still being valid.

And you fail to answer the question of progression to a Medina stage of murder and mayhem.

This is a far cry from rejecting the House of War or visions of conquest.

Tariq Ramadan: please close the doors next time, or we'll keep on presuming you leave them open for a reason.

Islamic theology divides the world into two spheres locked in perpetual combat, dar al-Islam (House of Islam - where Islamic law predominates), and dar al-harb (House of War - the rest of the world). It is incumbent on dar al-Islam to fight and conquer dar al-harb and permanently assimilate it. Muslims in Western nations are called to subvert the secular regimes in which they now live in accordance with Allah's command.

Dar al-Dawa ("house of invitation") is a term used to describe a region where the religion of Islam has recently been introduced. Since the population had not been exposed to Islam before, they may not fit into the traditional definition of dar al-Harb.

Dawa means a "call" or "invitation," and has been used to refer to a person being "called" to follow Islam. However, it has developed into the idea of a "mission" or "propaganda," either in a political or religious sense.