Salman Rushdie in His Own Words

In an article written by himself, Rushdie criticizes Islam and the Muslim community in a very eloquent yet forceful fashion. He states:

Traditional Islam is a broad church that certainly includes millions of tolerant, civilized men and women. But it also encompasses many whose views on women's rights are antediluvian, who think of homosexuality as ungodly, who have little time for real freedom of expression, who routinely express anti-Semitic views, and who, in the case of the Muslim diaspora, are — it has to be said — in many ways at odds with the (Christian, Hindu, non-believing or Jewish) cultures among which they live.

What is needed is a move beyond tradition — nothing less than a reform movement to bring the core concepts of Islam into the modern age, a Muslim Reformation to combat not only the jihadi ideologues but also the dusty, stifling seminaries of the traditionalists, throwing open the windows of the closed communities to let in much-needed fresh air.

Rushdie also attacks Sir Iqbal Sacranie, head of the Muslim Council of Britain, who once said, "Death is perhaps too easy" for the author of The Satanic Verses. Sacranie's organization also boycotted a Holocaust remembrance ceremony in London commemorating the liberation of Auschwitz 60 years ago. "If Sacranie is the best Blair can offer in the way of a good Muslim, we have a problem", says Rushdie.

Read Rushdie's entire essay:

Toronto Star article

I'm glad Salman Rushdie is finally trying to reform Islam. But as I've said before, his message is likely to fall on deaf ears. Even many moderate Muslims do not wish to have their culture or religion criticized. Lets hope that progressive Muslims, including Muslim women, who wish to see reform, express themselves in the loudest of voices.