“First of all, the old traditional binary categorisation of the world into “the abode of Islam” (dâr al-islâm) and “the abode of war” (dâr al-harb) had to be questioned. With the exception of a few literalist, traditionalist or politicised groups, no scholarly authority and no outstanding organisation uses those concepts anymore. Such terms as “abode of contract” (dâr al-`ahd or dâr al-`aqd), “abode of treaty” (dâr al-sulh) or “abode of predication” (dâr ad-da`wah) are now being used.

I have suggested the concept of “abode of testimony” (dâr ash-shahâdah) which expresses the idea that Muslims, like all people of faith and convictions, should strive to be “witnesses” of their message and principles through their presence and by behaving consistently with those principles. Such an appellation breaks the binary relation and, in a global world, it achieves reconciliation with Islam’s universal dimension: the whole world has become a space, an abode, of testimony.

The witness is no longer a stranger in the other’s world, neither is he linked to the other by a contract: he is at home, among his own kind, and he simply tries to be consistent with his beliefs and in harmony with the people with whom he lives and builds his future.