Moderate Muslims, that is. No, I don't mean the phony Saudi-financed apologists who operate as fronts for global jihad and are ready to hurl accusations of "Islamophobia" at critics at a moments' notice. I mean honest, thoughtful people who value living in open, liberal, multicultural societies.
Some of their names may be familiar: Academic Fouad Ajami, Canadian "Muslim refusenik" Irshad Manji, and of course Iraqi bloggers Zeyad, A.Y.S. and Alaa. Others are less known: Indian feminist Asra Q. Nomani, Israeli Arab journalist Khaled Abu Toameh, Al-Arabiya general manager Abdel Rahman al-Rashed, former PLO terrorist Walid Shoebat, and religious leader Muhammad Hisham Kabbani.
They're out there, speaking out against terrorism, religious hatred, gender apartheid, racism and anti-semitism committed in the name of Islam. And they're standing up for democracy, tolerance, human rights, womens' rights and religious freedom. If you don't know them or their work, here are two opportunities to meet them, in articles at Front Page magazine and the website of middle east scholar Daniel Pipes. Both articles will link you to the writings and work of these and many other Muslims whose voices will hopefully grow louder as Islam struggles to find its place in the modern world.
UPDATE: See my previous posts on moderate voices of Islam here and here. If only the leadership of the Presbyterian Church USA had the moral clarity of these outspoken Muslims.
ANOTHER UPDATE: On Walid Shoebat's website, scroll to the bottom and click the audio link to Shoebat's interview with radio host Dennis Prager, who is a Jew. It makes for fascinating listening. Highly recommended.
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