10 Propositions for a young Muslim

Notes written after various encounters and debates with young Muslims in 2006 and 2007. I do not pretend to be an expert on Islam or on international relations. But I read a good deal. And I do feel that it behoves people like me - veteran commentators, say - modestly to speak their minds.

1. You probably distrust the West but it's the West where in most countries one is free to be any kind of Muslim without prejudice or difficulty. That's not true in much of the "Muslim" world.

2. You perhaps hate Bush and Blair, but the US and the UK have intervened to free Muslims from tyranny or oppression in the former Yugoslavia, Afghanistan and Iraq.

3. The US and the UK are not killing many Muslims in Iraq: the Muslim death toll comes mostly from fellow-Muslims.

4. If you want to argue for a worldwide or UK or European Caliphate, you're completely welcome to. But by the same token you'll have to expect counter-argument from people who hate the idea.

5. You are entirely within your rights to wear any version of the veil you like. But the more of you which is covered, and especially the more of your face is covered, the more you will be breaking rules set by particular institutions in which you move. So, no, you don't get the full range of choices you might hope for. Neither would if I covered my face, nor do hoodies or motorbike riders.

6. You ought to try to understand that very few Britons think the worse of you for wearing the veil. But they do find it very perplexing that young women should hide themselves away. (However: many Britons loathe the flesh-exposing habits of young fashionistas.) When you cover yourself you ought at least to understand that this alienates many nice people.

7. Wars of religion dominated European history for many centuries. You ought not to be surprised that Europeans are hyper-sensitive to creeds or beliefs which do not strongly separate the world of religion from the world of politics. (Yes, I know we have the Established Church, but it is mocked as much as it is loved, has no real power and is on its wayout. It's an anomoly: deal with it.)

8. The West has become what it is by absorbing and tolerating a large range of peoples, traditions and religions. It absorbs and tolerates you and yours. It's a complicated and demanding but rewarding process. Don't imagine there's much moral squalor in the West. We pay high taxes pretty willingly. Almost everyone brings up their children pretty well.

9. Do not assume there is much Islamophobia in British society. A minority of Muslims have created a lot of trouble, but there's been very little reaction against the majority. That's especially interesting considering how much "ordinary" Muslim comment in vox pops has been ambivalent about the role of Islamist terrorists. Indeed, young Muslims ought to be very proud of their fellow non-Muslim Britons for their calmness under threat.

10. The West has not been oppressing Muslims. If the Muslim and secular Arab world had reacted to Israel's repopulation by Jews in a more civilised way, even that problem could have been managed to everyone's benefit. It's in the nature of a tragedy that much blame can now be attached to both sides - but it remains true that the Israelis were capable of negotiation and commitment but the Palestinians could neither agree nor deliver deals.