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Yvonne Roberts asks whether social and religious diversity can co-exist with consensus and solidarity?.

By the time you read this, retaliation for the catastrophe of 11 September may have commenced but blood has already been drawn in the UK. A young Afghan man has been paralysed by a racist assault and mosques are being vandalised.

Two million Muslims make up Britain's largest religious minority. Positions range from the extreme, such as those of Abu Hamza who allegedly trains British Muslims to fight alongside the Taliban, to that of the majority expressed by Iqbal Sacranie of the Muslim Council of Britain.

"As Muslims," he says, "it is our duty to condemn the killings." He goes on to express a hope that out of the carnage, a new unity will be forged in Britain "based on mutual understanding and respect for each others' beliefs, culture and traditions".

Honourable words which express the classic liberal dilemma. What if some beliefs, culture and traditions undermine the concepts of equality and modern citizenship of the host country? If we are, "a community of communities" as recently described in The Future of Multi-Ethnic Britain by Bhikhu Parekh, the report's co-ordinator, what are the consequences when, as he insists, "immigrants owe loyalty to the British state but not to British values, customs and way of life"?

For instance, is it racist to insist that each adult immigrant undertakes to learn English? Or is it a means of empowering the most vulnerable? How does a social worker respond to the knowledge that a young wife is battered and wishes to leave but relatives insist that she remain because of family honour?

Again, the Koran teaches the subordination of women, but in this country discrimination on the basis of gender is against the law, so why turn a blind eye to it in the Muslim community? Why, for that matter, allow such teachings in schools of any religion?

In 1931, RH Tawney in Equality wrote: "What a community requires is a common culture because, without it, it is not a community at all." In the 21st century, most of us, rightly, celebrate cultural variety; we accept that it's possible to have multiple identities. But still a problem remains. As a society based on social justice don't we require a consensus on common principles?

Now, as the possibility of war and the media interest in a fifth column of UK citizens intent on a Holy War, triggers further dreadful consequences for non-combatant Muslims, the question can no longer be avoided: in the 21st century, how do we embrace diversity, maintain solidarity and uphold important human rights?