A Positive Fallout from 9/11

9/11 has led to introspection - both within Islam and within the West. Where it has led to increasing Islamophobia, it has also renewed a resurgence in the Muslims to inquire if what the West alleges is true.

It has also led them to rediscover and probe Islam instead of passively accepting the teachings as they are handed to them on a platter. If this leads to a renaissance of sorts the Muslims should express their gratefulness to the likes of Bernard Lewis, Ibn Warraq and thousands of their ilk.

Investigation, Inquiry and Debate has been part of the Muslim Culture in the earlier centuries. It has been dormant for far too long with small sparks like Abduh, Afghani, Ahmed, Qutb, Iqbal, Shariati etc.

9/11 will force the Muslims to this resurgence. Or they will whither. Since they are nearly 1.3 billion, dying is not an option.

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Catholic-Muslim summit announced

Pope Benedict XVI will host the first meeting of Catholic and Muslim leaders in November [AFP] Pope Benedict XVI will host a ground-breaking "summit" of Catholic and Muslim leaders in November, according to a Vatican statement. The first meeting of the "The Catholic-Muslim Forum" will take place on November 4 to 6 in Rome, with 24 religious leaders and scholars from each side, the statement released on Wednesday said. The themes of the first session will be "Love of God, Love of Neighbour", "Theological and Spiritual Foundation" and "Human Dignity and Mutual Respect". Benedict will address the group, the statement said. Open dialogue The announcement comes after a two-day meeting at the Vatican with five representatives of a group of Muslims who signed an appeal to the pope to begin a dialogue between the two religions. Last year 138 Muslim scholars and leaders wrote to the German-born pontiff and other Christian leaders saying "the very survival of the world itself" may depend on dialogue between the two faiths.