Copenhagen, Denmark - Danish Muslims were taken aback by the violence the cartoons controversy triggered around the world. But now many of them are looking to better days ahead -- because of the controversy.
''A lot of positive things have come out of it,'' author Rushy Rashid Hojberg told IPS. ''Some of the good things that have come out of this crisis is that the debate is out in the open, a lot of Muslims who never joined in the public debate have now come upfront and are saying loudly and clearly that I'm a Muslim, I'm a democrat, I'm a Danish citizen, and my loyalties belong to Denmark.''
But was the controversy over the publications of cartoons of Prophet Muhammad a blessing in disguise? ''With so much disaster and explosion around I wouldn't say so but then again it has made the debate come out in the open,'' said Hojberg, who is of Pakistani origin and has a Danish husband. ''You are discussing more constructively today than you were doing six months ago.''
Muslims are beginning to head more into the mainstream of public debate, and many Danes are more accepting of them, she said. ''There has been a bigger focus on these issues, and the focus is that well, Muslims have their own customs and values, and they should be respected.''
Muslims are about two percent in a population of 5.4 million. But the cartoons controversy has made integration of this minority into the mainstream a new national priority.
Rushy, author of two books around issues of cultural acceptance, is not alone in looking at the bright side of the consequences of the dispute for Danish Muslims.
''Two months after this crisis, we feel that the Danish people begin to understand us better and we try to do some bridge between the Muslim community and the Danish community,'' Mahmad Khatib, principal of the Islamic DIA Private School told IPS. ''It is better now and may be much better in the future.''
Acceptance is at the heart of the new change - and an old dilemma. ''We are Danish citizens on one side, and on the other side we are Muslim,'' Khatib said. ''We wanted to find a balance between what is religion and what is citizenship. So it was not easy for the Muslim community here in Denmark.''
Khatib pointed out, though, that a new acceptance of Muslims is not universal. ''It depends who you ask,'' he said. ''There are different parties and every party has a view of the Muslims. But generally I think they accept, and this crisis will help us better and the Danish Muslims will begin to feel better.''
The one party that most strongly opposes Muslims is the Danish People's Party, a partner in the ruling coalition. But there could be a new wave of tolerance sweeping Denmark that right-wing political leaders cannot block.
''Three months ago when this crisis started I heard people saying we don't want any Muslims to be a part of our company,'' Rushy said. ''Today I see it's become trendy to hire Muslims or people with other backgrounds. Because this globalisation has come to Denmark now.''
Such views are backed by evidence in the form of massive peace demonstrations across Denmark following the cartoons controversy. The demonstrations calling for a new brotherhood with Muslims were far larger than the relatively small anti-Muslim protests.
''At the moment on one of the national Danish television channels we have a girl with a hijab (Islamic head dress), and that has really created a debate,'' Rushy said. ''But most of the people are saying, well, it's her choice, and if she's doing her job and she's doing what she's put up to do.''
Inevitably there are objections. ''You also have Danish women's groups who are protesting because they see the hijab as suppression of women,'' Rushy said. ''So there are different attitudes towards the hijab thing.''
Some of the change has come because most Muslims could be turning away from extremist leaders.
''We have extremists here which take most of the focus from the majority,'' said Zubair Waheed, vice-principal of the DIA school. ''Basically the politician and the ordinary man on the street focus on those few we have in this country, and don't realise that most of the Muslims live similarly to the rest of the society here in Denmark.''
''I think a lot of Muslims have not been a part of the public debate, but this crisis has made them come up front because they did not feel they were represented properly by the imams or by the other groups who are maybe very well integrated Muslims,'' Rushy said.
''So the big silent group of Muslims have come upfront now and showing that they have the education, they know the language, they've been here for ages. There is a bigger openness among Muslims now.''