Maghreb bloggers discuss Qaradawi's visit to Tunisia

2009-03-20

The Maghreb blogosphere turned to the issue of extremism this week, often in reaction to the controversial Mouled visit by Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi to Tunisia.

[Voix et Voies] One Tunisian blogger defended Qaradawi's visit to the country, calling it "beneficial" to reform.

Maghreb bloggers touched upon a variety of topics this week, including religion and Algeria's new Amazigh TV channel. Writers in Tunisia focused many of their comments on Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi's recent visit to that country.

Tunisian blogger Voix et Voies wrote, "Sheikh Qaradawi visited Tunisia for a religious occasion, and I do not understand why there is so much uproar surrounding him." Qaradawi's visit is beneficial, the blogger argued, because "any reform towards liberation theology will certainly come through the thinking of scholars from the traditional school, of which Qaradawi is part, and not through the thinking of libertarians from the school we call modern… of which Chatfi, Arkoun, etc. are part".

DebaTunisie commented, "Qaradawi's visit could have gone unnoticed had it not taken on an official character. Indeed, the red carpet the minister of culture unrolled for him, and the front pages the media allotted him brought on vivid debates in the blogosphere."

"The secularists saw in it a threat against progressives social benefits brought on by Bourguiba," the author continued, "whereas the conservatives rejoiced at Tunisia getting back to normal and finally waking up from its 'made-in-the-West' secular lethargy." The Tunisian regime only invited the Sheikh to reach "social peace by using all conflicting opinions produced by society".

Morocco's Moi dans tous mes états republished a piece that first appeared in L'Economiste by Mohamed Arkoun, currently a professor on Islamic thought at the Sorbonne University in Paris. Arkoun commented on the rise of radicalism in a historical context, and the fact that rigid religious interpretations have been hindering reform. He wrote that we are nowadays in "the era of commentaries and notes of the founding texts [of theological schools of thought], which exempt from the re-reading of the original Texts – the first foundations of all authority and legitimacy (Qur'an and Hadith)".

On Islamiqua, Tunisian Hamza Belloumi discussed "the other extremism," characterised by intolerance of some of his student friends, who are "truly suspicious (if not hateful) of religion". They view religion as a mere set of "cultural traditions". Belloumi added. "No distinction is made between Islamists and 'the others'." Belloumi warns against this type of discourse as a threat to society. "I used to think that those who did not have an exclusive religious culture were more tolerant… We already have one extremism to fight… And for the moment, we do not have the strength or the desire to fight another."

Moroccan blogger Taha Balafrej of Vues du Maroc posted about Métro de Montréal's survey indicating that 78% of Moroccans are eager to leave Morocco. Balafrej wrote, "Already over 10% of the Moroccan population lives abroad… But when the most developed countries start looking for the best of the world to populate their countries… Morocco will have to, by then, be prosperous enough to retain its people..."

Tunisian blogger Zizou from Djerba commented on Pope Benedict's statement about AIDS during his tour to sub-Saharan Africa. Zizou noted that the Pope called for the humanisation of sexuality, as a way to fight the AIDS epidemic. "Humanise, Humanise, Humanise, this is what is needed in Tunisia. We have to talk about sexuality and educate the young and the old. We have to explain to people and to the authorities what their responsibility and their duties are to the most-at-risk minorities."

Tunisian blogger Tunisia Watch published the petition Algerian university professors, journalists, and doctors have signed "for a democratic change in Algeria".

Algerian blogger Kabyle.com's KarFuszi posted about Algeria's launch of TV-Tamazight on March 18th, a public television station with Amazigh programming. KarFuszi commented that some of the unspoken goals of such a TV station are "giving the impression that the Algerian State is doing all it can to rehabilitate the Amazigh culture and languages in order to attract the Kabyles" to vote during the presidential elections on April 9th. Also, it seeks to confine the Amazigh culture and languages to the realm of folklore, the blogger added.

"Those who believe in the good intentions of Bouteflika and friends shouldn't believe it," KarFuszi wrote, adding that the Algerian state "will stay forever a manipulator, deceptive towards Kabylie and the Kabyles".