Afghanistan's new President, Ashraf Ghani, in a visit to the United States this week (
New York Times), addressed a joint session of Congress yesterday. In his speech (
full text and video), Ghani called for changes within Islam, saying in part:
We are willing to speak truth about terror. Military fighting may stem the advance of extremism, but it will not put an end to the anger and hatred being promulgated across majority countries from these groups. That hate must be challenged and overcome from within the religion of Islam. Who is entitled to speak for Islam? Leaders, intellectuals and those many millions of Muslims who believe that Islam is a religion of tolerance and virtue must find their voice. Silence is not acceptable. But silence is not what the world will hear from us. Afghanistan is joining a new consensus that's emerging in the Muslim world. A consensus that rejects intolerance, extremism and war...
The Islamic world must understand its own gloriously tolerant and inquisitive past. It must re-engage with the world openly and without paranoia. We, the unity government of Afghanistan, know that Islam is a religion of peace.... The Declaration of Human Rights is firmly embedded in our Constitution....
