Brava!
Now, why are voices like this so rare among Muslims in the West?
“Get Over the Quran Burning,” by Asra Q. Nomani at the Daily Beast, September 8 (thanks to Axel):
On the plan to burn Qurans this weekend, I say to Muslims: Let’s get over the symbolic insult and deal with the very real issues of literal interpretations of the Quran that are used to sanction domestic violence, terrorism, militancy, and suicide bombings in the name of Islam.
Gen. David Petraeus has weighed in, saying that the planned burnings by the Rev. Terry Jones’ congregation in Florida will endanger U.S. soldiers fighting in Afghanistan. But I believe that there is something that endangers Americans and American soldiers even more: certain passages that–when read literally–pit Muslims against Americans and the West.
We, as Muslims, need to tear a few pages out of the Quran.
I believe the Qurans are being burnt because we, as Muslims, haven’t dealt sincerely and intellectually with very serious issues that certain Quranic passages raise, particularly in the West. These include verses–when literally read–that say that disobedient wives can be beaten “lightly,” that Muslims can’t be friends with the Jews and the Christians, and that it’s OK to kill converts from Islam.
That would be 4:34, which actually doesn’t say “lightly”; 5:51; and 4:89.
We, as Muslims, need to tear a few pages out of the Quran–symbolically, at least, by rejecting literal adherence to certain problematic verses….