The Copenhagen Post – Moderate Muslims meet PM

The Copenhagen Post: Moderate Muslims meet PM

The newly founded group Democratic Muslims gives its advice to the prime minister for how to improve Muslim integration

As the most heated rhetoric in the conflict over the Mohammed cartoons begins to cool, moderate Muslims took the floor on Monday to give their advice to the prime minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

Rasmussen had invited a score of representatives from the newly founded Democratic Muslims to a meeting at his official residence to discuss how to improve the integration of Muslims.

‘The conflict shows that something is wrong, so let’s use this situation to find out how we can do things better,’ said Naser Khader, group founder and opposition MP.

Khader also said that meeting with the prime minister was intended as a signal to Muslims in Denmark and abroad.

‘We don’t like what’s happening out in the world. Our message to the Islamic world is that what’s happening is not in the interest of Islam or Muslims,’ Khader said.

Among the group’s recommendations to the prime minister were requirements that foreign imams take courses in democracy before being allowed to preach in Denmark. In addition, they said it was vital that young immigrants were able to find on-the-job training positions as part of their education.

The group also said a special effort needed to be made to integrate immigrant women.

‘We need to get hold of young immigrant women whose only contact with Danish society is their family. We need to get them out of the house and into Danish courses and courses about democracy,’ said group member Rushy Rashid.

Khader, whose role in finding common ground in the debate ensuing from the Mohammed cartoons has made him the man of the hour in Danish politics, said the group found it unacceptable that a handful of Muslims ‘stole Islam’ from the entire group.

‘The prime minister was moved when we told him that Denmark is not a racist country, and that we would fight for Denmark and to spread knowledge of democracy,’ Khader said.

Both sides in the debate, according to the group, had a role to play in contributing to an improved dialogue. They said extremist anti-Muslim voices were just as harmful as extremist Islamicists.

‘Dialogue and reconciliation – from both sides of the table,’ said one participant.