BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast show, Saturday 11^th February 2006

Interview with Azar Majedi

Thousands of people are expected to join a rally in Central London today. The Organisers of United against incitement and Islam phobia demonstration in Trafalgar Square say  they want the world to hear the views of moderate Muslims while also protesting against the Cartoons of the prophet Muhammad published by the Danish newspaper. Let’s speak to Azar Majedi, the chair of the Organisation for Women’s Liberation. She is Iranian born to a Muslim mother and atheist father and she is also an atheist herself.

BBC: Very good morning to you.

Azar Majedi: Good morning to you too.

BBC:  Does Islam phobia exist in this country?

Azar Majedi: No I don’t think it exists anywhere. I believe Islamophobia is an invented concept trying to silence the world to criticize Islam or Islamic movement for that matter. It is just like in the Middle Ages or Enlightenment. Some priest would come and say this is Christian phobia when Christianity and religion were criticized. This is what we see the result the modern civilized world respects freedom of expression, criticism and freedom of religion and civil liberties have come out of that.

BBC: I just wondered whether you thought perhaps if you don’t believe Islam phobia exists, whether a fear of extremists exists?

Azar Majedi: Of course it does. Even for me who by their definition is not Western or Christian or whatever, I have lived in Iran and I have seen the Islamic movement in action. I have first hand experiences. I have lost many friends to the Islamic Republic and that actually the leader of the Political Islam, the Islamic movement that was trying to take all the world and the Middle East and now we see that movement in action. This movement tries to blackmail the society, tries to take their sentiments and their conscious hostage, to cash in on some real grievances that exist in the Islamic countries or Islamic communities in the West.

BBC: What about the views of other extremists like BNP for instance? They are attacking what they perceive Islam stands for. Isn’t that effectively Islam phobia?

Azar Majedi: BNP is a very racist fascist group that is actually attacking Muslim people. What people like me are doing, we are criticizing Islam as a religion with a lot of flaws most importantly the fact that it humiliates women, it does not respect women’s rights, and there are a lot of problems with Islam as an idea or as a religion. When put in practice as a political institution, political legislation then you can see what crimes that can come out of it.

BBC: But that line could be applied to all religions. Couldn’t it?

Azar Majedi: Of course. But what happens is that through out history Christianity has been challenged. Christianity has been pushed back to the so called margin of society. We have seen separation of state from religion in some countries, France for example. But Islam has never been challenged. Any time there has been any enlightenment movement in the Middle East trying to challenge Islam, a dictatorship, a coup de ta has silenced that.

BBC: So you would rather a far more open discussion about Islam?

Azar Majedi: Of course. And this is what we are doing in the Organisation for Women’s Liberation and in the Satellite TV programme that I have which is called No to Political Islam on New Channel TV. This is what I am trying to do. Criticize Islam, the Islamic movement but not disrespecting Muslim people. There are two different concepts.

BBC: Thank you for joining us this morning.

Azar Majedi: Thanks.