A prominent advocate of Islam said here yesterday that the Western media is only looking at a minority which they think represents Islam.
"The press needs to look elsewhere and they will find a vast majority of Muslims who want a good life, a peaceful life and a happy life. We don't want to be fought for our religion," said Yusuf Islam, formerly the international pop star Cat Stevens.
He was responding to a question by Gulf News on the viewpoint of Western nations that ordinary Muslims are not doing enough to stop the hijacking of their religion by extremists.
Asked whether he agrees with the American viewpoint that the curricula in schools in some countries in the region must be changed to make children more aware of other cultures, Yusuf Islam said: "Yes, there is a problem."
He said he is working with schools in the UK and in some countries, to develop broad curricula, which will include all knowledge, but with the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah (the sayings of the Prophet PBUH).
"The problem is that many Muslims have not really studied or understood the depth of the Quran," he said, adding "that there is no competition between faith and science. Only when you see the miracle of life can you understand the Divine Creator." There is a broad consensus that there is no scientific research in the Islamic world.
Asked if he thought whether Islam and democracy are incompatible, Yusuf Islam said democracy is not all about collecting taxes, building roads. It is necessary, it is a way to organise humanity, he maintained. "But you have to look at the whole picture. There is also the need to look after the spirit and the after-life."
"The West, if you like, in many cases has gone too far in the over-indulgence of the senses," he said. "Music is one of the things which delights people. But it should be used with wisdom."
He was responding to a question on how can arts and culture flourish when some Muslim countries think that song and dance are taboo.
Yusuf Islam said he was not here to teach singing and dancing.
"If you look back into the history of Islam, hundreds of years ago, they used to teach the principles of Islam through the learning of 'Qasaidh (through singing in the poem form). It is an easy way for children to learn. It is not going to displace anything, but is going to help complement it in what we believe is an important education mission.
He was alluding to the release of the Mountain of Light an educational record label and book publications in the UAE. Dressed in white trousers and a flowing shirt and white scarf thrown over his shoulder, Yusuf Islam sang to excited kindergarten grade children at the Dubai National School, the hugely popular A for Allah album.
The albums and the books will be on sale in the UAE during the Eid Al Adha holidays. The Mountain of Light catalogue also contains Yusuf Islam's best-selling spoken word album, Life of the Last Prophet.
At the height of his career as the rock star Cat Stevens, he sold 40 million albums. He converted to Islam 25 years ago.
Gulf News 2003
