Refugee Survey Quarterly Advance Access originally published online on June 2, 2008
Refugee Survey Quarterly 2008 27(2):7-14; doi:10.1093/rsq/hdn028
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This article appears in the following Refugee Survey Quarterly issue: ASYLUM AND ISLAM [View the issue table of contents]
Reflections on Asylum and Islam
* Dr Volker Türk is currently the Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Malaysia. The views expressed are the personal views of the author and may not necessarily be shared by the United Nations or UNHCR.
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Abstract |
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This presentation sets out briefly the factual background against which the current discussion on asylum and Islam takes place. In particular, it describes facts and figures relating to forced displacement in Organization of Islamic Conference countries, notably in Asia. This is followed by a number of reflections tracing the concept of asylum back to its religious roots and analysing in more detail its foundation and evolution in international law. The article then highlights some of today's asylum challenges and examines briefly the Islamic tradition of asylum. It concludes that asylum, firmly rooted in international law, is defined by fundamental human values which flow not least from spiritual and religious traditions.