[Note from Robert Spencer: I am pleased to introduce yet another new Jihad Watch News Editor, Eric Schwappach. I hope our increased number of posters will enable us to improve our international coverage of jihad, which is already unparalleled anywhere — if I do say so myself!]
Can moderate Muslims integrate their youth into British society? From the United Press International:
In the wake of this summer’s bombing attacks in Britain, moderate Muslims are reaching out to their young to influence them positively.
Why does it take a tragedy like the London tube bombings to motivate moderate Muslims to influence their young in a more positive way? How were their youths motivated prior to the terror attacks?
Since the attacks moderate Muslim voices have become stronger. Munaf Zeena, who runs a Muslim center in London, believes that to defeat extremism a sense of community needs to be created, the Times said. He mentors boys, and insists what sets them apart from the bombers is a strong sense of community and a correct interpretation of Islam.
Mr. Zeena must be talking about the extended community, which includes the indigenous British, and not the “ummah,” the community of Muslim believers.
He also believes the role of the masque must be limited.
“Mosques are places of worship,” he told the Times. “Those that want to see mosque being used for the purposes that Prophet Muhammad used the Medina mosque should be aware that we live in a different age.”
This is a surprising admission, but one that is the essential first step for Muslims to integrate into the non-Islamic world at large.