Moderate Islam

(cont'd from yesterday's post)

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) wants to reform Saudi Arabia, and he says that a key component of his plan will be making Islam more moderate. What does he mean? He vows to "eradicate the remnants of extremism very soon."

"We are returning to what we were before - a country of moderate Islam that is open to all religions, traditions and people around the globe," he said. "We want to live a normal life. A life in which our religion translates to tolerance, to our traditions of kindness" . . The prince stressed that Saudi Arabia "was not like this before 1979."

Public entertainment was banned, but concerts are now allowed and cinemas will open soon. The ban on women driving cars will end in June, and they will have more flexibility in the clothes they must wear.

photo: thetimes.co.uk

Saudi Arabia is also strengthening its stand against radical or extreme Islam. At their new  "Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology . . under a giant dome, several hundred analysts sit at computer screens watching Arabic social media traffic for signs of support for extremist groups." 

"Perhaps the most dramatic Saudi reform is the one that has received virtually no attention in America. MBS has led an effort to sweep out the Muslim Brotherhood from teaching and leadership positions in [schools] . . .The stakes of his fight with the Brotherhood could not be higher . . . If MBS fails, he will be killed by the Brotherhood."