‘Bin Laden’s nightmare’ seeks Islamic reformation
A Muslim woman author, once described as Osama bin Laden’s worst nightmare, is to call for the setting up of an Islamic reform movement to press for a change in the faith’s attitudes towards human rights, women and pluralist societies at a public meeting this week.
Irshad Manji, a Canadian-based writer and broadcaster, is to launch her campaign for Ijtihad (independent thinking) with a claim for Islamic pluralism and the aim of setting up a foundation for young, reform-minded Muslims to explore and challenge their faith.
“No community, no ethnicity, no culture and no religion ought to be immune from respecting the universality of human rights,” she said.
“This, of course, is a controversial message in an age of cultural relativism. I truly believe we can become pluralists without becoming relativists.
“Through our screaming self-pity and conspicuous silences, we Muslims are conspiring against ourselves. We’re in crisis and we are dragging the rest of the world with us. If ever there was a moment for an Islamic reformation, it is now.”
Ms Manji is the author of the bestselling book The Trouble with Islam: A Call for Honesty and Change, which as well as being read in the west has been published in Pakistan and is to appear this year in Turkey, Iraq and India.
Full: guardian.co.uk
Well, good luck with this. I’d say the three religions of Abraham aren’t worth saving. I’m sure Ms. Manji is the darling of the right wing, even if she doesn’t want to be.
May 9th, 2005 at 3:59 pm
"We’re in crisis and we are dragging the rest of the world with us."
* yes, it is the muslims who are draggin the world down with them. i guess this is the politically correct thing to say – keeping the western imperialists safe from any kind of criticism. things don’t exist in a vaccuum – it is these kind of arguments that i can’t stand, this limited thinking which claims to be some kind of progressive stance. i bet her plan has the blessings of the CIA if not designed outright by them.
who made the Islamic fundamentalist ? no talk of European intervention throughout history such as the crusades, no talk of the relative tolerance in the older Islamic societies, it goes on and on . . . it is very obvious that the lack of historical context and insight keeps the masses accepting of all this hypocrisy.