Asian Muslim leaders to form task force promoting moderate teaching

Published: 2006-11-29

MAKATI CITY, Philippines (CNS) -- Participants in the second international conference of Southeast Asian Muslim leaders have agreed to form a task force to promote "the moderate teachings of Islam." Taha Basman, president of the Philippine branch of the Center for Moderate Muslims, said the task force would include 10 key figures representing major Muslim organizations. The new task force was provisionally named the International Islamic Da'wah Task Force. Moderate means "having the value of patience, tolerance and respect for other people," Basman told UCA News, an Asian church news agency based in Thailand. A person who easily gets angry and engages in acts of hatred and violence is not moderate but an extremist, said Basman, who is also a commissioner of the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The Center for Moderate Muslims hosted the Nov. 22-24 meeting in Makati City, southeast of Manila. Some 150 delegates attended the conference.

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