Despite all the negative developments concerning extremist groups in the Middle East, they have had a positive impact on religious communities. Shiite and Sunni institutions in Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to denounce and condemn extremists, deeming their acts to be in direct conflict with Islam. The extremist voices calling for the killing of other Islamic denominations have been drowned out by calls for moderation, dialogue and cooperation.
The past three weeks have witnessed three major conferences to combat religious extremism in the Middle East. The Iranian city of Qom, the Vatican and Cairo have each hosted conferences one at a time. Senior clerics from different Islamic sects took part in these conferences and stressed the need for joint action to combat extremism and militancy.
