Unveiled

The AP reports that today 50 women have been named Muslim Preachers in the Western-friendly country of Morocco. State officials have been hoping to combat radical fundamental Muslims, and this is a major means in which to accomplish that goal.

"..part of a concerted effort by authorities in Morocco to promote moderate Islam in a country grappling with extremism.......The training of the preachers is part of a campaign launched by the young king (King Mohammed VI), a descendant of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad, to strengthen state-controlled mosques while undermining radical clerics who preach Islamic extremism. He has vowed that no foreign religious doctrine would be tolerated in the North African kingdom, which is a close ally of the United States and a partner in its war against terrorism."

While these women imams will mainly only be working with other women, but they sometimes will be working with, teaching, or praying along side other men in the Muslim community. Stark opposition will no doubt arise among more fundamental, radical Muslims. This is a big step forward for a Moroccan nation, which is trying to weed out radical, and violent terrorist groups and mosques. This moderate form of Islam is spawning out of terrorist attacks that took place in Casablanca back in 2003. We can only hope that more countries in N. Africa/Middle East can be as committed to riding their borders of these radical terrorist groups. In a related story, the Christian Science Monitor is reporting that Egyptian Islamic television is getting a moderate makeover, at least on one station. Famous Egyptian actress Sabreen is being touted as the Oprah for the Islamic world. She has started a show in Dubai that addresses contemporary, moderate Islam with an audience full of men and women, with some women appearing unveiled. While this may seem a far cry from moderate to your Western eyes, it is very progressive and controversial in the Islamic world.