This is what Islam needs more of (via CNN):
Islamic televangelist Amr Khaled is young, smiling, teaches love and mercy and is so popular he’s credited with inspiring thousands of women — turned off by dour, traditional clerics — to take on the veil.
Now he’s putting his popularity on the line by trying a new role, as a bridge between Islam and the West at a time when many are talking about a clash of civilizations.
In the process, Khaled is sometimes telling the faithful what they’re not used to hearing from clerics — that Muslims aren’t blameless in tensions, that the West is not always bad and that dialogue is better than confrontation.Â
Of course, many have branded him a traitor. But, if Islam is going to be looked at as something other then a religion of intolerance and violence, they need to change internally. We can capture and kill them en masse, but, they will still be trouble.
Khaled is not the only Muslim religious leader promoting dialogue. But he has become one of the most outspoken.
And he brings the huge fan base of a pop star: young people, women and the middle and upper middle class.
He built his popularity over more than 10 years of preaching, with a style far from that of traditional clerics, who are distinct with their beards and robes and whose sermons often emphasize the demands of Islam and the threat of damnation and hellfire.
In contrast, Khaled is known for his stylish suits and his broad smile. In his sermons, he has avoided politics and stressed God’s mercy, seeking to show how one can be a good Muslim while still enjoying the activities of modern life.
Keep it up, Mr. Khaled.
