Unsettled Middle East, in these times where the people are trying to find their way towards democracy, could be interesting for many reasons - for weapons to be sold, for new geostrategic interests to be protected, and something that we are not talking about, which is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The people who are lost in the whole discussion here are the Palestinians. We have demonstrations in Palestine in West Bank. Nobody is covering this. It's as if they don't exist anymore. And this is, in fact, central. And Israel is silent.
Tariq RamadanIt is only through the opposition of ideas that we can learn to be self-critical, to work towards intellectual humility.
Tariq RamadanWe can think of solutions in various theoretical ways, but it's not so on the ground. If they don't have a reference that helps them to belong, then they will end up excluding, and through that they get to feel that they belong on the basis of some narrow identity, language or color.
Tariq RamadanOne does not always know how to express the sorrow of the soul. One does not always know how to silence the joy of the heart.
Tariq RamadanWe 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 RamadanThe 21st century - and the atheists - needs the presence of religion, just as religion must deal with the real challenges and the thinkers of the day in order to sharpen the conscience and the intelligence of those who study the timeless sacred texts in a spirit of responding to the questions of their time.
Tariq Ramadan