GOOD NEWS FROM THE SAUDIS: ACTING TO CURB RADICAL FATWAS

Saudis call to curb 'extremist' fatwas:

Saudi Arabia is calling for tougher guidelines on issuing fatwas, or Muslim religious edicts, in order to combat the spreading of what Riyadh calls "ill-considered" fatwas issued by unqualified scholars.

The call is part of Saudi Arabia's efforts to stem religious extremism.

Saudi Arabia has been fighting a homegrown terrorist threat since 2003.

Groups belonging to, or inspired by international Al-Qa'ida, are trying to undermine the monarchy in Saudi Arabia, which has faced criticism because of its alliance with the West, and especially with the United States.

The country has arrested and tried thousands of terror suspects and is trying to weed out extremist elements planning terror attacks, recruiting operatives or spreading extremist ideology through the Internet.

More than 170 Muslims scholars from around the world are currently gathered in Mecca for a five-day conference organized by the Mecca-based Muslim World League's Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence) Academy.

The Muslim world is being plagued by a tendency to deliver fatwas by unqualified people, Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abd Al-Aziz said in a statement read out at the conference.

This is especially prevalent on satellite channels, the Internet and other forms of communication, he said.

Some of these edicts were being issued without any criterion by biased, ignorant, careless or extremist individuals posing as religious experts, the king added.

"They have been abusing Islam and distorting its noble values," which could contaminate the minds, faith and conduct of Muslims youth, he said, according to ArabNews.

I HOPE THEY MEAN IT.

• THE COURSE OF ISLAM IS REALLY UP TO THEM:

• EITHER IT REFORMS OR IT MUST BE ERADICATED.

• REALLY: AS IT IS PRACTICED BY THE ISLAMO-THUGS ISLAM IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH MODERNITY.

• FOR NOW, THOSE WHO BELIEVE THAT ISLAM CAN BE COMPATIBLE WITH MODERNITY HAVE BEEN EFFECTIVELY HELD HOSTAGE BY THE ISLAMO-THUGS.

• MOST OF THE HOUSE OF SAUD, I BELIEVE, KNOW THEY MUST REFORM IT NOW - OR NEVER:
  

• IF AND WHEN IRAN, THE CHIEF RADICALIZER OF ISLAM TODAY - (I THINK THE SAUDI ROYAL FAMILY IS, AT WORST, SPLIT ON THE MATTER, LIKE THE RULING CLASS IN PAKISTAN) - GETS THE BOMB, IT MAY BE TOO LATE FOR ANYONE TO REFORM ISLAM.

STAY TUNED...