Is Progress Being Made?

In my post Hear! Hear! Stand Up Oh Silent Ones I stated, "But let's be honest. Even if there was a lot more outrage expressed by Muslims and Muslim leaders, this would not be enough. Anyone can openly denounce such acts, but still secretly support these very same acts. As the saying goes, "talk is cheap".

My point was that we needed widespread condemnation on acts of terror by the Muslim community on a global scale including Muslim leaders, AND action; not just lip service.

Maybe there's some hope in Egypt that this idea is beginning to sink in. I say this because Egyptians are having a surprisingly blunt discussion about whether mainstream mosques and schools, and yes, even the the government itself, should be faulted for promoting Islamic extremism after the terror attacks on a resort along the Red Sea, which has left them dazed.

"Islamic preaching institutions are in a very acute need for a shake-up," Mr. Bayoumi said in an interview. "Issuing statements and holding conferences to condemn terrorism is not what is needed. They are more like a cover-up of unresolved problems." Islamic leaders "need to do a lot of work to enlighten clerics and preachers and educate them about the true religious ideas ... and teach them about the realities of the age we're living in," he said.

Abdel Moeti Bayoumi is a theology professor at Al-Azhar University and a member of Al-Azhar's Center of Islamic Research. The article, "Terror attacks spur soul-searching by Egyptians" can be read at The Washington Times.