Moderate Muslims cheer edict condemning al-Qaida

CAIRO, Egypt — The e-mail messages from Muslims began moments after release of a religious edict condemning al-Qaida. They came from every corner of the world. Soon they were tumbling in too fast to handle.

"I couldn't even read them all. There's at least 1,000. Maybe more," said Mansur Escudero, secretary-general of the Islamic Commission of Spain. "The tone was nearly all the same: 'It's about time someone did it. Bravo!"'

The fatwa, issued on the anniversary of the Madrid train bombings that claimed 191 lives, was believed to be the first cleric-sanctioned condemnation directly against Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida. But it highlights a wider, critical dialogue emerging across the Islamic world.

Moderate Muslims are increasingly turning to Islam's sacred core — the Quran and the laws and traditions it inspires — to defend their views and discredit radicals as part of a "counter-jihad" for Islamic hearts and minds.

Terrorist attacks by al-Qaida and other militant groups add urgency to the ideological debate, which challenges the long dominance of Saudi Arabia's fundamentalist Wahhabist strain that has used its wealth and influence to mute moderate Islamic voices.

"The long and painful silence of moderate theologians and experts in Islam jurisprudence — who had been bought off or intimidated into silence — is finally starting to break apart," said Khaled Abou El Fadl, an authority on Islamic law at the University of California, Los Angeles. "We are seeing signs of a counter-jihad."

The March 11 fatwa by Spain's highest Muslim authority and the deluge of support messages appeared to touch the frustration among mainstream Muslims. But the response was dominated by those outside the Middle East, suggesting the centers of moderate influence reside outside traditional Muslim areas.

From Canada: "Thank you for taking a stand."

From the United States: "I'm glad that someone of authority in Islam is taking a stand and demanding their religion back from the terrorists who have hijacked it."

From Australia: "This is important. This has the possibility for real impact."

From Mexico: "All good Muslims are with you."

"This shows the Muslim world is tired of the harm that radicals and terrorists are doing to Islam," said Escudero, whose declaration carried the support of Muslim leaders in Morocco, Algeria and Libya. "We hope this will inspire others to speak out."