Islam does not pose a threat to secularism and French Muslims are taking initiatives in coping with the country’s secular laws, French orientalist Bruno Etienne maintained. Speaking to IslamOnline.net, he said that France’s five million Muslims, a recognized minority, are expected to comply with the country’s secularism, which is rather a positive challenge for them.
“Etienne praised moderate Muslim youths and activists, like Tareq Ramadan, ‘for their earnest efforts in understanding and explaining true Islam, which will definitely play a key role in drawing up the future picture of Islam in Europe’.”