Zeyno Baran Quotes

We American Muslims have not only an opportunity but a responsibility to provide a counterweight to the extreme Moslem fundamentalism elsewhere in the world.

Islamic terrorist organizations use sections of the Koran to recruit and brainwash idealistic young Moslems to engage in violent, murderous attacks on non-Moslems. The important question facing Moslem leaders … is, how do they teach and explain these passages from the Koran to their Moslem congregations and Moslem school students? Is it made absolutely clear that even though those passages are in the Koran, which is their Holy Book, they only applied in the 7th century not the 21st century? It is vitally important that moderate Moslem leaders … do not let Islamic extremists use these passages to recruit vulnerable, Moslem young people into any Islamic terrorist organization.

The only place in the Middle East where you can find moderate Moslems speaking is in those international conferences sponsored by Westerners…. They cannot have much of an influence if they are undermined by the majority and the fundamentalist clergy.

When Muslims enter a mosque, for example, and blow it up, or go and behead people while reading the Koran --- these people believe their Islam permits this. You talk about the war on terror. The only way we can overcome these terrorists is with ideology. We Muslims must show the Muslim terrorists that their way is wrong. We must draw the line.

Islam does have two faces—a bright face and an evil face, and we must work with the former. The reaction of Moslems against Islamic extremism doesn’t get the coverage it should.

It is now abundantly clear the source of Muslim terrorism is situated within the body politic of Islam and its adherents, irrespective of how many times, on the one hand, some Muslim spokespersons try to obscure this reality and, on the other, politicians of whatever stripe for electoral purposes behave as ostriches with their heads in the sand

Islam is not the enemy, religious extremism is.

Having Islamic people inside the tent playing by democratic rules is a lot better than having Al Qaeda outside the tent trying to blow it up.

Confronting violent extremism requires an understanding of the true teachings of Islam, which reject black-and-white views and allow for interpretations that accommodate the needs of modern life.

We need to bear in mind that we don't have religious tests in this country, and we also need to remember that some of our best allies in the war against Islamic terrorism are Muslims.

The vast majority of Muslims are moderates working for a better future and seeking a peaceful life.

What is really happening here is the radicalization of the Moslems throughout the world.

The best antidote to extremism is not greater exposure to Western values… but greater involvement by moderate Islamists.

If new, moderate leadership doesn’t persevere, we will see growing Muslim fundamentalism in America. The neoconservatives have recognized this, but their frightening solutions thwart progressive Muslims and empower extremists who argue that Westerners are intent on destroying Islam.

We have been the victims of Islamic terrorism for 30 years now. You cannot split the terrorism from the origin of it---Islam.

Conversion to Islam substantially increases the probability of a person's involvement in terrorism.

We will work to educate the public regarding the current threat to America of radicals who exploit Islam through militancy. We believe in the equality of the sexes which is well established in the Koran., We will promote tolerance in Islam as being a fundamental principle of the Holy Koran.

Despite the ways in which it has been interpreted by [Islamic] militants and fundamentalists who refuse to recognize its historical and cultural context, there are few scriptures in the great religions of the world that can match the reverence with which the Quran speaks of other religious traditions

Most victims of terrorism have been Muslim. So there’s not a war between Muslims and non-Muslims, but between extremists and moderates of all the religions.

The struggle waged in Muslim societies against extremism is one of the most important—and overlooked—human rights struggles in the world.

Moderate Islam? That's a contradiction.

I have never said that the terrorists' interpretation of Islam is the accurate or correct one. But I have pointed out that the terrorists portray themselves quite successfully among Muslims as the exponents of true and pure Islam, and moderates have mounted no successful response as yet.

The biggest terrorist is the God of the Quran. I know this is very dangerous and this will offend many people. The more you follow the steps of the prophet of Islam and the God of Islam, the more you get close to being a terrorist.

Our strategy should be to strengthen the hand of moderate Muslims.

Indonesia is the world's third-largest democracy. And we also have the world's largest Muslim population. This demonstrates that democracy and Islam are not incompatible. Terrorism is not associated with any religion.