The sixth anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 9/11 was a perfect date for a good-news story to emerge from the BBC.
The Newsnight programme last night focussed on the criticisms of Hizb ut-Tahrir by Maajid Nawaz, formerly one of the organisation’s leading operatives. His testimony of how the movement he has known so well operates and thinks was a vital and landmark event in the debate which has been raging so publicly for six years now.
The programme can be viewed for several more days via the Newsnight website. And no better quote could be highlighted than the following. Mr Nawaz said:
“I expressly and explicitly say to the members I want them to leave Hizb ut-Tahrir because I believe Hizb ut-Tahrir is an obstacle to the Muslim community moving forward, not only in this country but in the world in general. And that's why I'm here, because I regret me being a part of that obstacle.
“My ideal scenario would be not to ban the party but it would be that through the power of discussion and persuasion and the strength of challenging thought with thought, that eventually the party would fizzle out in this country and hopefully generally throughout the world.”
Mr Nawaz – and the few brave others who have left and spoken out against such extremist groups as HT – deserve the thanks of us all. It is only once the ideologies of hate are exposed and rejected that progress for Muslims and non-Muslims alike can be achieved.