Seminar discusses ways to confront takfir in Tunisia
2007-10-12
A recent seminar in Tunisia examined the growing phenomenon of takfir and ways to combat the trend. Several participants said state policies in mosques and schools have contributed to the rise in intolerance.
By Jamel Arfaoui for Magharebia in Tunis – 12/10/07
 [File] Charfi was declared an apostate by Islamic radicals for her controversial publications on sharia and women in Islam |
Participants in a seminar held last Friday (October 5th) in Tunis discussed ways to confront the ideology of takfir (the practice of declaring people to be non-believers) in Tunisia.
At the opening of the seminar, hosted by the People's Unity Party's Progress Forum, journalist Adel Kadri saluted attendee Professor Saloua Charfi, "who stood in the face of threats and provocations she has received from anonymous persons and continues to present her ideas and positions freely."
Charfi, a professor at the Institute of Journalism and Information Sciences in Tunis, came under fire recently for posting a series of papers on the League of Arab Rationalists' website al-Awan in which she methodically tackled difficult questions of sharia, women in Islam, and politics and the state.
Charfi told Magharebia her articles and those by colleagues Iqbal Gharbi and Raja ben Salama, have upset the radicals who considered them to be desecration of religious sanctities." Charfi vowed the threats would not silence her, declaring intellectual terrorism and threats "the weapons of those who have weak arguments."
Speaking at the conference, Sofiane ben Farahat, political analyst for La Presse, advocated both the freedom of faith and the freedom to criticize faith. "Islam called for ijtihad (individual judgment) and for the use of mind. Consequently, a university professor has the right to discuss religious issues, despite the claims of some salafists who reject any discussion thereof."
Tunisian University professor Adel Hadj Salem wondered about the position of the Higher Islamic Council on the case of Saloua Charfi. He held the state responsible for what had happened, because "it has laid its hands on religion and the mosques have now become under its control. Its oversight of religious discourse is a security oversight rather than pedagogical. This has led to the spread of the culture of exclusionism."
Hadj Salem called for the secularisation of the state. "The state must lift its hands off religion; it is unacceptable to see the budget of the Ministry of Religious Affairs surpassing [other ministries'] budgets."
The professor also complained about the rise of takfir in Tunisia. "Through my interaction with students, I have noticed a decrease in tolerance. All you need is to say one thing about Islam and you will be misunderstood and they will simply accuse you of apostasy," he said.
Hadj Salem said repression plays a major role in the problem. "We are not accustomed to openness. In addition, our avenues of expression are almost non-existent. We are in need of a daily dialogue."
He rejected the idea of enacting a law criminalising takfir, "because we fear that such laws may be used out of context." He advocated instead a review of education policy, to ensure state programmes conform to the demands of modernisation.
Academic Abdelhaq Seyoud said takfir is a clear crime that doesn't require additional interpretation. "This is not an expression of opinion. Takfir is a complete crime and a call to kill," he said. Seyoud rejected the opinion of one participant in the seminar, who stated there was an external conspiracy aimed at fomenting such extremism. "The problem doesn't come from overseas. Rather, it is an expression of a crisis under which Arab societies live because of repression and because the battle of freedom has yet to be completed. With every setback to the wave of modernisation, we return to the past and to seeking refuge in religion," he concluded.
Seyoud also voiced his concerns over the Ministry of Education's removal of texts by Tunisian reformer Tahar Haddad from school curricula and reduction of the number of hours devoted to the teaching of philosophy.
Legal expert Ridha Lajouhri called for an in-depth examination of how the mentality of takfir has grown. "There have been seeds of this mentality since the beginning of the last century, but it was unarmed. Today, it has turned into an armed mentality that calls for the exclusion of others and to liquidate them by force. This is a dangerous matter; as any regular person can now charge other people with apostasy," he said.
Lajouhri said takfirists should be addressed from within the religious community. "I don't think we can argue with these people using human rights charters and international law," he said, adding that "we have to use religious texts in order to stop them because there are no verses in the Holy Qur'an concerning takfir."
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karim Posted 2007-10-13
Hello and Happy Eid, This is just to let you know that there is a learned scholar of religious studies in France who is fighting against the Takfiriyyun. He is calling for sympathy, openness and tolerance.
Skan Posted 2007-10-13
I basically agree with the intellectual cited above, who explained that it is a general lack in the tradition of debating that is encourages the appearance of such a mentality. In a country like Tunisia, all public debates are centred on society and religion, but the role of the state is nowhere to be found. The current regime has imposed its social and political system on Tunisians for the last 20 years without aver asking their opinion. They have not even asked Tunisian “to have” an opinion, to have an influence on the system. They have refused them the ability to reflect. Above all, it is this that has seen the rise of extremism (or rather stupidity) and the lack of tolerance. It is definitely necessary that we admit that these people have had everything that could be done done to them that they have been left stupid, the result in the majority of cases being to that the react accordingly.
zizou Posted 2007-10-14
If these people were good Muslims, they would not be asking the Ministry of Religious Affairs' budget be as little as possible!!! And, if the young people about whom they spoke were well educated about religion, they would not accuse anyone who gives their opinion or offers an intellectual or religious reflection of apostasy. May peace be with us all.
سهام محمدي من تونس Posted 2007-10-14
We wish to see more of these seminars that are needed in Tunisia and other Arabic and Islamic countries. Debate was a taboo for years for unknown reasons or maybe because debate in religion is forbidden. Thank you Magharbeia for entertaining us from time to time with serious topics, very good style and impartial presentation. I hope that you’ll take care of typing mistakes.
peuple.tunisien Posted 2007-10-15
In the name of Tunisia’s diaspora spread to all four corners of this planet, we declare our firmest support for anyone defending secularism in Tunisia, with particular respect for Miss Charfi’s courage in this long-drawn-out combat.
أميمة التونسية Posted 2007-10-16
Disregrading everything, you're great Mrs Saloua, can you please tell me if there's a family tie with you and the daring Mr Mohamed Chorfi, the minister of education, who has and is still subject to a fierce campaign by Islamists in and outside Tunisia.
harrar Posted 2007-10-17
Yeah and whenever there is a real debate on secularism, the majority of people, including even professors, confuse a secular country with a country without any religion.
تونسي يغزل على الكل Posted 2007-10-18
Salam alaikoum non Islamists and Islamists, to the learned Tunisians, you should take more interest in the problems of the people “Azouza is in crisis…” the problems of the people are getting worse every day, poverty, unemployment, depravity, expletive words are heard everywhere. The level of education is deteriorating, women are deprived of their rights… If only those who accuse people of Takfir would use their words to learn the Qur'an, wouldn't it be better? And teaching prayer, teaching people nice words, isn’t that better? Our people are just words, if all the intellectuals used just some words and offer them to teach students for free, it would have been better. Retired university students and doctors fill the cafes and clubs, it would have been better if they helped the sons of the poor for free in their studies, this is the least they can do. Something really regretful ‘Nobel prize for the Americans’, people think about reform on earth and love to work for people while in Tunisia ‘The bird sings and its wings echoes to it’. You reminded them of the one to whom they said the people are hungry and she said, give them cakes. Whether you’re a believer or not, it’s no one’s business. Four of the people are eating each other. There’s no good in any of them. There’s no will and no power but from God.
hannibal Posted 2007-10-18
We have more interesting problems than this, and I ask of those who claim to defend the freedom of expression why don't you accept the opinions of others if they consider you apostates? Moreover, I wonder if this woman has the right and if her training will permit her to speak about subjects in which she is not a specialist, like religion. In this respect I challenge her; if she dares to doubt the Holocaust, is she also courageous enough to confront her Muslim brothers, even if they are mistaken from time to time? Thank you in advance for proving your "freedom of expression" by publishing my comment.
Tunisien Posted 2007-10-19
Salam alaikoum, Mrs. Chorfi is threatened from a distance. Her life has attracted the interest of those both close and distant. Some consideration for the Tunisians who are threatened by death from poverty, hunger and ignorance...A nightly glance namely on the streets of the capital...Is there anyone who shares his wage with a poor family...? I also ask for some consideration for the trees of the Nahli park which were and extracted and in their place buildings were set up without anyone reacting, now will come the turn of the threatened trees in Gafsa and....
hannibal Posted 2007-10-19
I posted a comment on October 18, 2007 and as expected it was not published. This does not surprise me because I know well the Western “freedom of expression” you claim to uphold. Anyway, your plans will amount to nothing in our region. And, believe me, you are doing the al-Qaeda terrorists a great service for their activities in our countries of the Maghreb. That is the only thing you report to us on, and, as always, you only report death and suffering to other people. In the end, death to the USA and the traitors!
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