Posted on 04/06/2006 4:56:27 AM PDT by unionblue83
In January 2006, the Austrian-Iraqi Association for Development held its first conference on extremism and terrorism around the world, in Vienna. The conference was attended by Arab, Muslim and European researchers, intellectuals and diplomats. In the closing statement, the participants made the following recommendations: to present the humane and rational side of Islam which calls for co-existence and acceptance of the other; to condemn all forms of violence and terrorism; to promote dialogue and cooperation among all the world's cultures; and to call upon religious scholars to halt the spread of extremism. The participants also emphasized the Palestinian people's right to an independent state, and called to consolidate Iraqi national unity based on citizenship, democracy, and peaceful co-existence between all sectors of Iraqi society, while preserving the country's Arab and Islamic character. [1] Dr. Kamel Al-Najjar, a reformist who writes on the reformist websites www.kitabat.com and www.elaph.com, expressed reservations regarding the validity of these recommendations. [2]
The following are excerpts from his article:
"Islam was Tolerant Only During the Mecca Period, When it was Weak"
"The phenomenon of Arab and Islamic conferences has come to dominate activities in the Arab and Muslim world almost completely, especially since the tragedy of September 11, 2001 in the U.S... Experience teaches us that those who talk a lot do little, while those who act do not talk. I hope that the conference held by the Austrian-Iraqi Association for Development is not an Islamic conference of that sort, but a look at its recommendations does not inspire optimism...
"The conference participants did not bother to explain what the humane
(Excerpt) Read more at frontpagemag.com ...
Ping!
wow. i read the whole article.Just amazing. there goes the "moderate' Muslims concept unless they really address sthe violence in their religion.
They are confusing "radiant" with the fires of hell.
Most religions teach love, tolerance, and life. Islam teaches hate, intolerance, and death. Seems an easy choice.
If the Muslims are now preaching tolerance they must anticipate defeat and the reentering of a weak period. They would be right, if so.
Bookmark:
[snip]
"If the Muslims are serious about presenting the radiant face of Islam, they must drop this false, hollow arrogance, and acknowledge their dark past and their even darker present. They must establish a global judiciary council whose function will be to punish any sheikh that issues a fatwa encouraging or permitting violence - whether physical or ideological... They must also re-interpret the Koran, putting the warlike verses - the verse of the sword and similar hadiths - in historical perspective as verses that are no longer valid... Perhaps they should take an example from those who follow the Koran alone and do away with all the hadiths and with the sunna..."
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