Sudan's legendary Islamist takes a moderate view

Hassan al-Turabi invited Osama bin Laden to stay in Sudan in the 1990s. Now he pushes for reform.

By Scott Baldauf | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

from the June 13, 2007 edition

Page 1 of 4

Khartoum, Sudan - Imagine if a conservative American religious leader – say, the Rev. Pat Robertson or the late Rev. Jerry Falwell – suddenly started promoting feminism, became a champion of affirmative action, or started hanging out with Snoop Dogg.

Now, imagine the shock many Sudanese felt when the nation's top Islamic scholar, Hassan al-Turabi, publicly stated in 2006 that Muslim women didn't need to cover their hair with a veil. Or when he advocated the use of traditional music and dance for Islamic worship. Or when he encouraged the people of Darfur to oppose the government of President Omar al-Bashir.

All this from the man who invited Osama bin Laden to reside in Sudan in the 1990s, inspired a coup by Islamist officers, and imposed Islamic law.

Does Mr. Turabi have a keen sense of the modern Sudanese mind-set, or is he off on his own tangent?

"[Turabi's] one of the most influential men in Sudan today," says Khalid al-Tijani, editor of the independent Khartoum weekly newspaper, Elaff. "He is also a religious leader, with so many ideas about the role of women, about democracy, and so he has influence outside Sudan as well. He's one of the great thinkers of Islam today."

Keeping Islam current?

In an interview, Mr. Turabi himself says he is just helping keep Islam current with the times.

"The gates of ijtihad [interpretation] in Islam are always open," says Turabi, in the parlor of his large home in Sudan's capital, Khartoum.

Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Next Page