On December 12, 2005,
"I am pleased to support Islamic studies at Harvard and I hope that this program will enable generations of students and scholars to gain a thorough understanding of Islam and its role both in the past and in today’s world," Prince Alwaleed said. "Bridging the understanding between East and West is important for peace and tolerance."
MEMRI has translated excerpts from the March 15, 2006 interview with Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Al-Kubeisi on Al-Resalah, the new 24-hour Arabic language Islamic channel launched on March 1 by . . . Prince Al-Waleed:
Host: "Dr. Ahmad, do you think that international treaties can resolve the West’s conflict with our Islamic nation?"
Al-Kubeisi: “The West’s conflict with Islam and the Muslims is eternal, a preordained destiny that cannot be avoided until Judgment Day — not before the sun and the moon are transformed. This is preordained, but there could be some kind of ostensible agreement that hides unimaginable negative feelings."
Some scholars at Harvard are probably thinking about this right now, fingers pressed together in a steeple against their lips, as they wonder “Hmmm, what do you think he meant by that?”
The hope may lie with Muslim and Arab women who, with extraordinary courage and eloquence, are beginning to speak out — including Wafa Sultan (whose February 21 interview on Al-Jazeera, posted on MEMRI, has reportedly now had more than 3 million hits — the video is here; the transcript is here), and Irshad Manji, whose remarkable piece (“How I Learned to Love the Wall”) was published by the New York Times yesterday.
Boker tov, Boulder! has done its usual great job of research and has more on Irshad Manji here.
Irshad sent an important message yesterday, which illustrates the courage necessary to write an article such as hers. How many will have the courage to read the message and act accordingly?