The essence of European society is a shared understanding of the right of the individual to practice what they like as long as they do not harm others, equality of all under the law, and tolerance of others.
For example, the strict Protestants in the Scottish islands who ban alcohol and any form of work on Sunday (including driving a car), remain part of the United Kingdom. They both accept their citizenship, and are accepted as such by the rest of the country.
Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel was making the same point when she said this week that Muslims living in Germany have to obey German law, and cannot live under Sharia law. This obvious requirement for Muslims to obey the law of their country was supported some years ago by Al Azhar's Grand Shaikh Mohammad Tantawi.
However, living under the law is only a minimum first step. It is also essential that new migrant Muslims settling in Europe, numbering almost 54 million across the continent, assimilate into their new societies, which they can do without abandoning their core beliefs.
They need to learn the local language, participate in civil society and not become ghetto-ised. This much deeper commitment than simply sticking to the letter of the law is what political leaders across Europe are looking for.
