“The Muslim world is changing. Three years after the atrocity of 9/11, it may be in the early stages of a reformation, albeit with a small ‘r’. From Morocco to Indonesia, people are trying to develop a more contemporary and humane interpretation of Islam, and some countries are undergoing major transformations.” More here by Ziauddin Sardar in The New Statesman (via Arts & Letters Daily).
On a related note, in India last year, the well-known poet, and Bollywood scriptwriter and lyricist, Javed Akhtar, started a group known as Muslims for Secular Democracy, which hopes to give voice to the silent majority of muslims who are not fundamentalists. Predictably, he has been threatened and told to stay in line by conservatives. More here.