This reform must begin from within

I appeal to Muslim leaders to fashion a code of conduct that is more in line with the true spirit of Islam. The Muslim law as it exists now does not embody the progressive ideals that Islam originally espoused. Many Muslim women are unaware of the rights afforded to them by Islam. If practised accurately, the Islamic injunctions place Muslim women in a dignified position at par or even exceeding that enjoyed by modern women. It is my humble request to all concerned that these just and peaceful principles be brought to fruition. The kind of Islam that terrorists practise will never become mainstream not just because they are a negligible minority but also because their views are myopic and contrary to the soul of Islam. But the phobic response to that threat can result in a violent rejection of all things Islamic by the non-Muslim world and to prevent this, Muslims have to wake up and make their peaceful voices heard.