The Associated Press reports leaders from more than 50 Muslim countries promise to fight extremist ideology by reforming textbooks, restricting fatwas and cracking down on terror financing.
The promise comes in the final statement issued at the close of a two-day summit in Mecca seeking to counter criticism that the Islamic world has done little to confront extremism:
In the declaration, the countries of the Organization of the Islamic Conference promised to "change national laws to criminalize financing and incitement" as well as purge extremist ideas from school curriculums.
It also underlined that "fatwas" — or Islamic religious edicts — must only be issued by "those who are authorized," an effort to rein in edicts by clerics who denounce other Muslims and allow their killing.
It's about time. If the Muslims actually deliver on this promise it will be an important step in defeating terrorism.
Comments