HASSAN: Progressive Muslims must continue Tarek Fatah’s fight against religious extremism

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Tarek Fatah, the main architect of the progressive Muslim movement in Canada, is no more.

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HASSAN: Progressive Muslims must continue Tarek Fatah’s fight against religious extremism Back to video

The stalwart writer, thinker and activist died on Monday after a protracted battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife Nargis, elder daughter and CBC anchor Natasha and younger daughter Nazia.

It was in the wake of the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States that the need for a clear rebuttal to the Islamist narrative justifying and excusing terrorism was felt within progressive Muslim circles.

Tarek was swift to form the Muslim Canadian Congress to counter reactionary forces.

It was necessary to condemn the actions of Islamist extremists in an attempt to marginalize those forces and render them ineffectual.

Many of us felt that Muslim condemnations of ongoing acts of violence were too often rare, disingenuous and feeble.

Ours was to be an intra-faith battle to counter radical and extremist forces from within our community.

Often, when orthodox Muslim organizations offered a condemnation to a terrorist attack, it seemed half-hearted and insincere.

There was also plenty of rhetoric accompanying it.

The standard line adopted was: Yes, acts of violence against innocent civilians are unIslamic, but one must also “understand” why they are committed. These terrorists are angry because they have been robbed of their lands, their livelihoods and their basic human rights by imperialist forces.”

Tarek’s contribution, along with others, was to highlight this faulty reasoning and de-link any association between terrorist violence and political justifications.

I became president of the Muslim Canadian Congress in 2006, and together with Tarek, vice-president Salma Siddiqui, general secretary Munir Pervaiz and other progressive voices, we formulated a narrative that would unequivocally condemn acts of violence.

But our work was not confined to condemning terrorism.

We spoke up for freedom of speech, for the rights of minorities, for the rights of children and above all for the rights of women, who have suffered centuries of abuse in many Muslim countries.

We spoke out against female genital mutilation, against polygamy, against the forcible confinement of women in their homes, against mandating the burka and hijab in Islamic countries, against honour killings, against unequal inheritance laws and against the mistreatment of religious minorities in many Islamic nations.

Our objective was never to malign Muslims, but to shake the conscience of Muslims around the world to denounce wrongdoing by terrorists and dictatorial governments.

We were able to craft a narrative that was credible and authentic and a much-needed rebuttal to Islamist apologetics and equivocations.

We spoke for many liberal and progressive Muslims who were perhaps too afraid to come out in the open for fear of retribution.

Contrary to Islamist objections, the Muslim Canadian Congress’ positions did not paint Muslims in a negative light.

In fact, in an indirect way, we elevated the image of Muslim communities everywhere.

Here was a Muslim organization that stood for values that were in sync with the values of Western liberal democracies.

It was Tarek’s vision that enabled such discourse.

There was no compromising on human rights and equality for all, regardless of race, creed, colour, gender or sexual orientation.

Tarek’s work must continue for those whom he inspired. His legacy will live on. There are many who continue to admire him across the world, judging by the many tributes he has received. Rest in peace, dear friend.

Farzana Hassan is a former Toronto Sun columnist, human rights activist and long-time colleague of Tarek Fatah