Powell Urges Muslims on Diversity

One of the things that has exacerbated problems in the Arab-Muslim world and fueled the growth of Islamic extremism has been the prevalence of religious schools that teach almost nothing but extremist versions of Islam and little, if anything, about topics like modern science and politics. Some Muslims have called for reforms, but now the Bush administration is adding its voice to this chorus.

The Aberdeen News reports on comments made by Secretary of State Colin Powell:

"We have been talking not only to the Saudis but to other Middle Eastern leaders and Muslim leaders around the world, and made it clear to them that Islam is a great religion," Powell said in an interview with WPHT Radio in Philadelphia. "But they also have to be educating their youngsters not just in the tenets of Islam and the Islamic religion, but they have to educate their youngsters for the demands of the 21st century," Powell said. "They have got to give them skills. They have got to teach them to read and write," Powell said. "They have got to teach them science and math and all the other things that are necessary for societies to be successful in the 21st century."

Drawing a bead on some of the Islamic schools, Powell said "if they are just going to take their young people and put them in these madrases, these schools that do nothing but indoctrinate them in the worst aspects of a religion, then they are shorting themselves, they are leaving themselves back as well as teaching hatred that will not help us bring peace to the region, and will not help their societies."

Those are all very good things to say and very good ideas - but will Muslim leaders listen? The religious extremists behind these schools possess now, after years without being challenged, a tremendous amount of social power. It won't be easy anymore to clamp down on them and the schools without also risking a lot of social unrest - something that the authoritarian governments in the Middle East can ill afford. These schools were fostered as a means of social control by governments which accorded people very little control over their own lives, but now this tool has become the master.

Read More:

• Islam
• Islamic Extremists
• War on Terrorism