Naissance médiatique de l'intellectuel musulman en France (1989-2005)

C) Role of these intellectuals in the media

1) A prestigious but closed caste

The accepted reformers as such thus preach a not very heterogeneous reform, considering a aggiornamento Islam such as Christianity knew. But of other intellectuals reject this will to want to copy closely or by far on Islamic civilization what it occurred in the Christian era. It is the case of Tariq Ramadan, which is in favor of an Islam « integralist », i.e. it rather draws its ethical and moral principles in the religion than in other universal principles considered to be illegitimate bus supposed « Westerners ». Thinking that it is the Islamic reason which must mitigate the imperfections of modernity born in the world extra-Moslem, it does not cease denouncing the vision « simplistic and always occidentalo-centered^108(*) » that one can detect among new thinkers :

« To be heard, the Western Moslems will have to be armed with Islamic solids knowledge, to show of a rigor and a courage proving with their co-religionists that they speak well about the interior, that they are not the promoters of one «new emptied Islam» of its substance which would like, in the name of «the universality of our values», to impose a single model of companies^109(*) ».

However this kind of reform is not admissible as such by the majority of the French media. In addition to being doctrinarily close to the ideas to the Moslem Brothers, this idea of reislamisation not only appears to put in danger our French model of secularity in what it promotes an including vision of the religion, but it disputes a certain Western universalism finally seldom called into question. This type of reformers is not indicated besides like such by the newspapers in general.

The example of Tariq Ramadan is extremely interesting because this same character passed from the statute of « good reformer » with that of undesirable interlocutor. Having first of all the image of a Moslem avant-gardist in his ideas on Islam, it is the object of eulogistic comments. When in 1995, it is interdict of stay in France, the New Observer is indignant at the treatment reserved for this « brilliant intellectual^110(*) ».

Not having surely the same design of the concept of modernism as this last, the press quickly rejected its reform like while not being one. The problem of Tariq Ramadan, it is that it is, from the media point of view, one « bad reformer » disguised in « good reformer » : «[Tariq Ramadan] the mouth of employment does not have. Islamist which carries waistcoats of pussies, speaks with the Swiss accent and plays with an art consumed of its the dark seduction Eastern one », described Christophe Ayad in Release^111(*). Here come time thus for the media to discover « the true face of Tariq Ramadan^112(*) ». That which was still in 2001 one « Moslem theologist «reformist»^113(*) » for the New Observer becomes later one « Genevese preacher^114(*) », one « islamist carrier pigeon^115(*) », « a Swiss commoner, simple part-time lecturer of islamology at the university of Freiburg^116(*) » for this same newspaper.

That one agrees or not with the reform of Tariq Ramadan is perfectly comprehensible^117(*). That one disputes it as an intellectual for the simple reason which one does not share its ideas is another history. Indeed, in the great majority of the articles relating to it, it is not the contents of the reform which is discussed but well quality of intellectual who is denied with the grandson of Hassan Al-Banna. Because of its standpoint distinct from those from « new thinkers of Islam », this one becomes one « disputed intellectual^118(*) », « «the emir» of the French-speaking Moslem Brothers^119(*) », even one « intellectual villain^120(*) ». « In fact, Mr. Ramadan is not an intellectual, at best a preacher », explains Esther Benbassa^121(*). In the same way, Caroline Fourest, auteure of a book with load against Tariq Ramadan, extend on her difficulty of supporting a thesis obtained « without honors nor congratulations » and the goal was « of being able to prevail itself of a scientific guarantee^122(*) » : « One often presented it as professor of university. Actually, (...) he was only a one modest professor of college of Saussure^123(*) »

Being diverted its theses, which would deserve discussions, the majority of the media are interested in its presupposed tactical. One lends then to « Tariq brother », « this intellectual crafty one, champion all categories of the double language, and which go, of plate in plate of television, to pose, hand on the heart, with the large reformer^124(*) », a strategy of infiltration. The vocabulary conspirationnist employed in the titles relating to it are eloquent : « The mystery Tariq Ramadan^125(*) », « Theology with the service of a political strategy^126(*) », « Tariq Ramadan, its family, her networks, her ideology^127(*) », « the enigmatic one^128(*) ».

The entry of Islam in the modern era suggested by Tariq Ramadan thus even not is not discussed bus presumedly dangerous in its base. By preoccupation with a clearness, even of simplicity, a certain French press thus largely reduced the stake of the reformers of Islam to a debate Manichean instead of questioning the relevance of another reform of Islam. It is not besides astonishing to note that other intellectuals, of this same mobility, preaching a maximalist vision, even adding up, of Islam, remain completely absent from media general practitioners. To think modernity differently than the new thinkers of Islam médiatiquement is médiatiquement rejected. Thus, the work of Mohammed Hamidullah (1908-2002), near to the Moslem Brothers, author of more than 2000 articles translated in a score of languages and forty books, remained little known general public. Its ideas are now taken up by Mohammed Mestiri, with tavers the IIIT, but it is him also large absent from media.

Lastly, if the place of reformer of the Islam prestigious and is coveted, it briefly should be noted on the other hand that some which, by their work, could be full member for it, reject this label. Thus, Adel Rifaat and Bahgat Elnadi, which publish under the pseudonym of Mahmoud Hussein, reject this label of « Moslem intellectuals », that it « one sticks today to all that thinks in Arabic^129(*) » .

The modernistic place of theologist is thus not given to everyone : the applicant must obey the some criteria studied above. These « new thinkers » all have the same idea of the reform, it is a question of modernizing Islam with the means brought by Western modernity and not the reverse. Knowing that they were born to answer certain launched challenges with Islam in its points of hangs contemporary, how those can bring solutions ?

2) Reformers : the solution with the contemporary problems ?

« For all these intellectuals, it is necessary to leave the ideological and practical use of the texts- the text like pretext », explains Rachid Benzine^130(*). However, it should be recalled that the instrumentalisation of the religion is intrinsically one of the reasons to be new thinkers of Islam. We saw it, if this new caste of Moslem intellectuals appeared in the French press, it is because the economic situation made that the public opinion awaits Islam which it answers a certain number of new questions. The media role of the reforming intellectuals is thus broader than purely theological. It is especially a question for them of showing how these Koranic hermeneutics can help to face a certain number of contemporary challenges. It is besides by underlining this that Catherine Farhi, of the New Observer, delivers her definition of the reformer :

« Is truly reforming that which tries to read again the texts founders of Islam, especially Coran, with the eyes of a man of XXIè century and which approaches truths problems arising with Islam today, which are inter alia: the opening in the world and the acceptance of others- thus removal of the statute of dhimma, which is that of the not-Moslems, Jews and Christians, in country of Islam-; freedom of conscience- thus questioning of the death penalty for the apostasy-; equality of the sexes- thus the refusal of repudiation and the less rights granted to the woman as regards heritage.
It is those which attack these problems to try to combine Islam and modernity that I would call reformers^131(*). »

It is consequently of the fear of one supposed confrontation between civilizations Moslem and Western that one forces Islam to reform interior, this so that it is put in adequacy with a certain number of principles universalists :

« It for a long time was known but the attack of New York served as revealing. Many Moslems were afraid to betray their religion or simply their identity by publicly criticizing excesses or the crimes of their co-religionists, but this time, too it too is. They refuse to be recognized in this image of hatred which Bin Laden incarnates. Now, party should be taken. Against fanaticism, against violence and thus, if one wants to go at the end of the reasoning, against a deviating reading of Islam. (...)  Today, of the Moslem thinkers question themselves, call with a self-criticism and open a a long time cold debate, that of the coexistence between Islam and modernity. It is revolving which should not be underestimated^132(*). «

The speech of these very snuffed reformers of the media is indeed reassuring as well at the political level as geopolitical. On the interior level, the new thinkers of Islam develop a vision which flatters its Western audience. Even if French secularity is sometimes considered to be too strict, « wanting to mould people in the Jacobinism^133(*) », there is a broad consensus around the major problems between Islam and République : the media reformers are for example against the port of the veil. On the external level, the new thinkers present a speech which exceeds it « shock of civilizations ». Antiquated practices considered to be present in the Moslem world (excision, lapidation...) are condemned with strength, just like is Islamism. Ghaleb Bencheikh, former presenter of the emission « Islam » on France 2, in a a little simplistic way this very liberal vision of Islam synthesizes, rejecting all that could appear regressive with the Western eyes like not being Islamic^134(*).

To be effective, still it is necessary that this reform criticizes is diffused. The proliferation these last years of Moslem reviews is an obvious sign of the dynamism of the contemporary Islamic thought. Among those, we can quote Islam of France, created in 1997 by Said Branine and Michel Renard, as well as Médina, founded one year later by Hakim El-Ghissassi. As for the quarterly review Prologs, it is launched by Abdou Filali-Ansary. Its announced objective is it « restoration in the contemporary arabo-Islamic thought, (...) so that the Moslem religious thought draws up an alive interior relationship with modern ethics, that of the democracy and the humans right^135(*) . «

If the reform must, to diffuse itself, to reach the scientific community, it is effective only if it touches the civil companies. For this reason Abdelmajid Charfi, for example, develops its Arabic remarks. Even if that makes it less visible at the media level to France, its thought has more chance to be effective by reaching unilingual readers. To have the broadest possible impact, other media are also used. For example, in Cultures of Islam, emission diffused on the waves of France Culture, Abdelwahab Meddeb preaches for true a ijtihad.

The reform suggested by these new thinkers has thus as a more or less explicit objective to solve considerable current problems. But can it be really effective on the Moslem populations in spite of the fact that it appears accessible only to one minority from believing privileged by their knowledge from the Western modern culture ? Indeed, certain researchers like do not believe that theology criticizes will have any effect to adapt Islam to modernity, what explains Olivier Roy :

« It is an error to believe that the practice changes when the doctrines changed. It is the reverse which occurs. It is as if one said that without Protestantism, Catholicism would have been unable less adaptation to modernity. To apply to Islam this caricature of the history interns with Western Christianity does not have a direction. The changes will not be done on bases cultural or theological- seek the «good Moslem»...- which do not correspond to the religious request today^136(*). »

This is the evolution of the theology which will induce a change in the companies where this is the changes of the companies which will involve a new theology ? For Jean-Louis Schlegel also, the answer is clear :

« Rather than of the intangible principles of the Islam of the theologists (and the Western researchers), it would be necessary to start from this lived Islam to the daily newspaper, of the innumerable compromises which it already operated and which he operates the every day with the modern societies where he saw, and where he did not see so badly that one would like to make it believe^137(*) ».

Although the committed reform is the fruit of a reflection being spread out over greater historical duration, these last years truly saw setting up a very new médiatico-intellectual group : that of the new thinker of Islam. This media figure obeys certain strict criteria and thus excludes the other intellectuals, of which those, like Tariq Ramadan, which want to make Islam modern by Islamizing modernity. Always in parallel, the fact that France supports the constitution of an Islam gallican for this period creates a new field in the same way : that the organic Moslem intellectual.

* ¹⁰⁸ Is Aziz Zemmouri, Necessary to make conceal Tariq Ramadan? , The Archipelago, Paris, 2005, p. 245.

* ¹⁰⁹ Tariq Ramadan, «  The revival will come from Occident  », the New Observer, 21/2/2002.

* ¹¹⁰ Claude-François Julien, «  The business Ramadan  », the New Observer, 22/2/1996.

* ¹¹¹ Christophe Ayad, «  The language of Aladdin  », Release, 8/7/2003.

* ¹¹² Serge Raffy, «  The true face of Tariq Ramadan  », the New Observer, 29/1/2004.

* ¹¹³ Josette Combined & Claude Weill, «  Islam  : the time of self-criticism  », the New Observer, 4/10/2001.

* ¹¹⁴ Claude Askolovitch, «encumbering It Mr. Ramadan  », the New Observer, 9/10/2003.

* ¹¹⁵ Serge Raffy, «  The true face of Tariq Ramadan  », COp cit.

* ¹¹⁶ Ibid

* ¹¹⁷ Cf Aziz Zemmouri, Is necessary it to make conceal Tariq Ramadan, op.cit., p 143  : Tariq Ramadan itself finds «  legitimate  » to see itself opposing one «  critical reading  » with which it is «  in dissension  », referring to a rare answer «  on the bottom  » which was opposite to him  : Domenica Avon, «  An answer it  «Islam reformist» of Tariq Ramadan, Nunc, Editions of Corlevour, Clichy, October 2003.

* ¹¹⁸ Remi Barroux and Xavier Ternisien, «  Tariq Ramadan, disputed intellectual, in one day old the high-speed motorboat  »,  The World, 16/11/2003.

* ¹¹⁹ Alexandre Adler, «  Epistle with Tariq Ramadan  », the Barber, 16/10/2003.

* ¹²⁰ Bernard Kouchner on RTL, brought back on nouvelobs.com, 31/10/2003.

* ¹²¹ Esther Benbassa, «  Tariq Ramadan and Islam «  slackness  » of Turkey  », the World, 20/11/2003.

* ¹²² Caroline Fourest, Tariq Brother. Speech, strategy and method of Tariq Ramadan, Grasset, 2004, pp. 28-29.

* ¹²³Ibid, p. 66

* ¹²⁴ Bernard Henry Levy, «  The other face of Tariq Ramadan  », the World, 1/11/2003.

* ¹²⁵ Martine Gozlan, «  The mystery Tariq Ramadan  », Marianne, 9/9/2002.

* ¹²⁶ Antoine Menuisier, «  Theology with the service of a political strategy  », the Barber Magazine, 31/1/2004 

* ¹²⁷ Xavier Ternisien, «  Tariq Ramadan, its family, her networks, her ideology  », the World,  23/12/2003.

* ¹²⁸ Id., «  Tariq Ramadan, the enigmatic one  », the World, 29/9/2000.

* ¹²⁹ Pascal Galinier, «  De Marx with Mahomet...  », the World, 2/3/2005.

* ¹³⁰ Rachid Benzine, «  Research orientations  », The World of the Religions, September-October 2003

* ¹³¹ Catherine Farhi, «  To see Coran with the eyes of XXIe century  », the New Observer, 4/7/2002.

* ¹³² Josette Combined, «  Islam  : the time of self-criticism  », the New Observer, 4/10/2001.

* ¹³³ Mohammed Talbi, Plea for a modern Islam, Editions of the Paddle, 2004 (1ère edition  : 1998), p73.

* ¹³⁴ Cf Ghaleb Bencheikh, Then, it is what Islam  ? , Presses of the Rebirth, Paris, 2001, 105 p.

* ¹³⁵ Gilles Kepel, «  «Prologs» with a contemporary Arab thought  », the World, 16/1/1998.

* ¹³⁶ Maintenance with Henri Tincq with Olivier Roy, in the World of the religions, September 2003.

* ¹³⁷ Jean-Louis Schlegel, «  The anti-Islamic fable  », Otherwise, December 1987.