June 26, 2002	Wednesday	Rabi-us-Sani 14, 1423

LOS ANGELES, June 25: Prince Karim Aga Khan on Monday condemned Muslim extremists for tarnishing the community’s image around the world.

“Unfortunately, there are forces at work in the Islamic world that seek to force others to conform to a rigid standard,” he said.

The Aga Khan was speaking at the inauguration of the 10 million dollars Ismaili centre at Sugar Land, Texas, on Sunday. The centre will serve as the national headquarters of the Ismaili Council for the United States.

He dedicated the centre to peace, humility, meditation and prayer.

“Nine-eleven (the Sept 11 attacks) has scarred America — but not just America,” he said. “It has scarred the Islamic world, and hundreds of millions of devout and practising Muslims for whom the word of the Quran is the word of God. We have clarity and direction enough when the Quran affirms that to save a life is as if to save humankind altogether.”

The Aga Khan called for the recognition of diversity and pluralism within Islam.

He told the 150 invited guests that the strength of Islam comes from such diversity and pluralism.

He also called for intellectual discourse, research and innovation.