On 20th November, the Centre for Social Cohesion hosted an evening debate in Westminster between Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the former Dutch MP and self-declared Muslim apostate, and Ed Husain, the author of the best-selling book The Islamist.
Debating ‘The West and the Future of Islam’, the two speakers began by making a short speech setting out their arguments before taking questions from the audience.
During the discussion, which lasted for over an hour and a half, Ayaan Hirsi Ali argued that Islam “as a body of ideas” is opposed to ‘Enlightenment’ values.
She further said that unless Muslims actively confronted and rejected verses from the Quran which are hostile to women’s rights and homosexuals and accept a total separation of Church and State, then conflict between Islam and the West was inevitable.
Ed Husain responded that Islam could be interpreted in numerous different ways and that it was incorrect to state definitively whether Islam was for or against the rights of women and others.
He argued that Muhammad had aimed to improve the rights of slaves and women and that it was the responsibility of modern Muslims to continue to strive against injustice, intolerance and inequality.
Among the two hundred attendees were Charles Moore, the former editor of The Daily Telegraph, Martin Ivens, the deputy-editor of The Sunday Times, Melanie Phillips, the columnist and writer, and Owen Patterson, the shadow secretary of state for Northern Ireland.
Andrew Anthony, the author of The Fallout: How a Guilty Liberal Lost His Innocence, and Nick Cohen, author of What’s Left: How the Liberals Lost Their Way also attended, along with Jemima Khan.
Among those present was Asim Siddiqui, the chairman of The City Circle. Also in the audience were several former members of Hizb ut-Tahrir, including Maajid Nawaz and Shiraz Maher.
Earlier in the day, the Centre also hosted an informal discussion between Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Douglas Murray, the Centre’s director, at the House of Lords.
The Centre will post a video of the debate between Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Ed Husain on this website by next week.
Comments (4)
anthony norman:
''In a week when a Saudi female gang rape vitim is sentenced to 200 lashes and six months in jail, Ed Husein can "argue" that Muhammad had aimed to improve the rights of women!!
Its truly laughable, tragic stuff.........''
If The Saudi Regime was representative of the Prophet Mohammad - it would not be a monarchy, and would not have the money hungry elitist, racist characteristics it does now. In fact the Saudi regime is hated by the Muslim world and is only supported and has military links and open trade with western governments. Just as the oppressive regimes in Pakistan, Egypt (mubarak doing what mugabe is doing now since 1981)are consistently supported by our and U.S governments. A bit cheeky of you to blame the problems of Saudi Arabia on Islam where the regime is an oppressive western puppet regime.
Posted by King | July 7, 2008 3:00 PM
Posted on July 7, 2008 15:00
In a week when a Saudi female gang rape vitim is sentenced to 200 lashes and six months in jail, Ed Husein can "argue" that Muhammad had aimed to improve the rights of women!!
Its truly laughable, tragic stuff.........
Posted by anthony norman | November 24, 2007 11:27 PM
Posted on November 24, 2007 23:27
Can we watch or listen to this debate anywhere?
Posted by Alcuin | November 23, 2007 1:08 AM
Posted on November 23, 2007 01:08
"He[Ed Husein] argued that Muhammad had aimed to improve the rights of slaves and women"
I shudder to think what things were like before, in that case. Why are Muslims allowed to get away with statements like this when there is virtually no evidence to back them up.
Posted by Anonymous | November 22, 2007 1:34 AM
Posted on November 22, 2007 01:34