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PORTLAND, Maine

Anouar Majid pens op-ed in 'Portland Press Herald' about Islam and the West

Anouar Majid, Ph.D., vice president for Global Affairs and Communications, founding director of the Â鶹´«Ã½Center for Global Humanities, penned an op-ed for Portland Press Herald, arguing that Islamic extremism will continue until Muslim-majority nations are able to critically examine their faith and traditions.

In his op-ed, Majid describes the fear and unwillingness that surrounds open discussion and interpretation of the Quran-- not only from Muslims, but from historians, writers, politicians and secular leaders as well. He emphasizes the importance of encouraging theological free speech, maintaining that while sensitivity to Muslim beliefs and cultural practices is important, intellectual oppression will only lead to increased extremist violence.

Majid, a self-described Muslim heretic, states, “This situation is unlikely to change unless people in Muslim-majority nations start questioning their sacred traditions without fearing for their lives…the West is no longer willing to tolerate despotic beliefs and brutal behaviors in the name of supremacist religious beliefs.â€

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