Controversy Around Sheik Kabbani's Comments

October 28, 2001

Source: The New York Times

On October 28, 2001 The New York Times reported, "Muslim Leader who was Once Labeled an Alarmist is Suddenly Sage." The article reports on the response to comments of Sufi Muslim leader Sheik Muhammad Hisham Kabbani on high rates of extremism within the American Muslim community. These comments are raising interest from the media and government, but are raising concerns from some scholars and experts. The article notes, "Sheik Kabbani's profile and motivations, in reality, are a complex intertwining of religious and political rivalries. Even experts and policy makers who admire him say he has undermined his message with hyperbolic claims about the influence of Islamic extremism in the United States."