A liberal Muslim acquaintance of mine recently posed the question of how we are going to be able to nullify some of the more toxic beliefs of Islam and make the world peaceful for all. Here is my reply.

When the renowned Islamist preacher Dr Zakir Naik visited the Maldives this week his audience of over 11000 was the largest ever assembled in that island state for a religious lecture. What Dr Naik may not have anticipated, however, was the earthquake that erupted at the end of his talk. A young Maldavian, Mohammed Nazim, asked Dr Naik how Islam viewed a man like him, who had learned all about Islam, had read many books, but was unable to believe? He now knows the answer.

Honorable Prime Minister

The rights of Muslim Women

UNDER the title of 'A Declaration of the Rights of Women in Islamic Societies' a group of born Muslims, primarily from Iran and South Asia, have put their very modern views on the record. The statement originally appeared in Free Inquiry, Fall, 1997, pp. 28-29.

The International Humanist & Ethical Union has been deeply disturbed by the recent developments related to the publishing of the novel "Satanic Verses" by Salman Rushdie.

The conduct of the fundamentalist Islamic leader Ayatollah Khomeini and that of the Islamic Republic of Iran must be denounced by every member of the world community, irrespective of religious creed or ideological conviction.

The International Humanist & Ethical Union

* Is concerned about the increasing influence of a considerable number of fundamentalist Islamic groups on governments in the world. Their interference in daily life is alarming. The fundamentalist application of the "Shariah", the Islamic law, coupled with the denial of several fundamental rights (such as: right to self-determination, the right to change one's belief or life stance , the right to liberty and security of a person and the right to privacy) is unacceptable and in conflict with the international declarations and conventions on human rights and the humanist principle of the right to self-determination.

The Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt
Borweg 1, The Hague

Gentlemen

Recently we were informed by the news media about the ideas and plans of a militant Islamic group which appears to be very intolerant toward people who cherish different beliefs or convictions. One Dutch newspaper said that "men who shaved their beards off would be treated as atheists", which bodes no good for judging from previous publications.