There seems to be an irreconcilable gap between the Dutch state and its Muslim inhabitants. This impression is transforming into an increasingly popular standpoint, not only in politics and the... Show moreThere seems to be an irreconcilable gap between the Dutch state and its Muslim inhabitants. This impression is transforming into an increasingly popular standpoint, not only in politics and the media but also among legal philosophers, historians, and jurists. As the mantra that supports the apparent gap, what tends to be singled out is the principle of the separation of church and state. This separation is allegedly alien to Islam, and therefore Islam is irreconcilable with the idea of a constitutional state. The mantra appears to be a common-knowledge fact, for which reason any substantiation and explanations are casually dropped out, but wrongfully so. Show less
The discussion about the position of religious leaders was already ongoing in the Netherlands before 11 September. After the attacks on the US, relations between Muslims and non-Muslims came under... Show moreThe discussion about the position of religious leaders was already ongoing in the Netherlands before 11 September. After the attacks on the US, relations between Muslims and non-Muslims came under further pressure. The media, followed by the Dutch government and social organizations, began assiduously looking for the representatives and the spokespeople of the Muslims. The result was the rolling of Rolodexes with outdated or randomly gathered contacts. Show less
A few weeks ago, I attended a religious wedding in the Netherlands. A Moroccan imam concluded a marriage between a Muslim man and a non-Muslim Dutch woman - a widow with two grown-up sons. Ten... Show moreA few weeks ago, I attended a religious wedding in the Netherlands. A Moroccan imam concluded a marriage between a Muslim man and a non-Muslim Dutch woman - a widow with two grown-up sons. Ten people attended the ceremony: the intending couple, the imam and two members of a local mosque, the woman's two sons, and three female friends. The event epitomized in many ways what it means to live in a migrational situation where many religious facilities that can be taken for granted in Muslim majority countries must be reconstructed. Show less
The first political murder in its democratic history shocked the Netherlands to the core. One week before the parliamentary elections, planned for 15 May 2002, the publicist and politician Pim... Show moreThe first political murder in its democratic history shocked the Netherlands to the core. One week before the parliamentary elections, planned for 15 May 2002, the publicist and politician Pim Fortuyn, branded by the American and British press as the maverick of Dutch politics, was shot dead as he was leaving a radio station in Hilversum. A dramatic end for a politician who relied on the theatrical and strong statements on migrants, in particular Muslims. Show less
In the Netherlands and in other Western countries one finds a hostile image of Islam. Only recently we saw this image influencing the panicky reactions to the terrorist attacks on the USA by Arab... Show moreIn the Netherlands and in other Western countries one finds a hostile image of Islam. Only recently we saw this image influencing the panicky reactions to the terrorist attacks on the USA by Arab Muslims. With great speed this attack was connected to statements of a general nature on the essence of Islam and of Muslims. Dutch politicians and Islam scholars spoke in public about the age-old frustration of Muslims that was presumed to be the background of this attack. Almost immediately the question of the loyalty of Muslim immigrants to the Dutch state and to Dutch norms and values emerged in public debate. Opinion polls showed quickly how fickle that loyalty is and how methodologically shaky opinion polls are. This was followed by attacks on mosques and Islamic schools. The urgency of a more sophisticated analysis of the relationship between the Netherlands and Islam is self-evident. Show less
The wearing of headscarves by three Moroccan girls in a French public school in the autumn of 1989 was considered an affaire d'état, debated up to the highest official level. For most Dutchmen this... Show moreThe wearing of headscarves by three Moroccan girls in a French public school in the autumn of 1989 was considered an affaire d'état, debated up to the highest official level. For most Dutchmen this turmoil was quite amazing. In the Netherlands, earlier that same year, echoes of the Rushdie case did lead to a heated debate, which reached cabinet level. However, public polemics on Islam soon settled down and henceforth the few controversies over the wearing of headscarves in public schools and other similar incidents were usually settled quickly at the level of school or, in the worst cases, municipal administrations. Since a year and a half ago, however, a series of incidents seems to indicate that something has changed in the Netherlands. Show less
In search for Islamic healers, inquiries made at mosques and Islamic organizations revealed a striking contradiction. In these places, it is generally said that the activities of these healers have... Show moreIn search for Islamic healers, inquiries made at mosques and Islamic organizations revealed a striking contradiction. In these places, it is generally said that the activities of these healers have nothing to do with Islam. Direct contact with Islamic healers through healthcare workers, however, revealed that they themselves are of the opinion that what they do fits fully in the Islamic tradition. In actual practice, the formal taboo on Islamic healing methods is often ignored at the informal level. Show less
