Addressing a forum in Tehran titled "Typology of Islam’s Image in the World”, Ramadan warned against rejecting and opposing the diversity, saying it would undermine Muslims.
"Diversity is the source of power. But if this power is not managed, it turns into a weakness and enemies use it (against us),” the Egypt-born scholar said.
"We know that there is a united Ummah (Muslim community) and we are part of this community. But we. In the Muslim world, should have freedom of thought and freedom to ask questions,” he further said.
Ramadan went on to say that diversity and differences of ideas in the Muslim world have existed since the advent of Islam and should be recognized today as well.
The forum was organized on Sunday by the Iranian World Studies Association in cooperation with the University of Tehran’s Faculty of World Studies.
Tariq Ramadan is an academic, philosopher and writer. He is the professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies in the Faculty of Oriental Studies at St Antony's College, Oxford and also teaches at the Oxford Faculty of Theology.