Controversy surrounds new Notre Dame Muslim professor

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http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0402210204feb21,1,1008250.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed

<But for Notre Dame, his reputation as a provocateur is not a deterrent; it is the reason he was chosen. The school believes Ramadan could inspire new thinking about Islam within intellectual circles in the United States, just as he has already done in Europe. His prolific writings touch on one of the most vexing issues facing the East and West: How can Muslims remain true to their religion and culture in the modern world?>

<For Muslim traditionalists who follow al-Banna's teachings, Ramadan's theories are a betrayal of his grandfather's orthodox ideas. Ramadan says there are multiple interpretations of the Koran and that Muslims should engage in ijtihad, a perpetual process of interpreting the holy texts of Islam so the faith remains compatible with modern life.

But Muslims who consider themselves modernists and want Islam to adapt with the times find Ramadan too conservative. He argues that Islam should reform from within and not succumb to Western influence, by staying true to the principles proscribed in the Koran and the Hadiths, the teaching of the Prophet Mohammed.>

<Jewish leaders in the United States and abroad also accuse Ramadan of being an anti-Semite for criticizing the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands. Already, they are reacting to his Notre Dame appointment.>