As a really pious Muslim, I agree that Islam need a reform. The best way it can be done is downplaying hadiths and more value the quran. The Quran is so much progressive than the Hadiths.

tarikur, dhaka, Bangladesh

Islam in its current and original form is a modern religion. God who through his mercy revealed His last message to Muhammad is aware of the past, present and future and has therefore revealed his commands for all times. Mr Kaur and all, Islam is a divine revelation. It does not need to change.

Asif, London, UK

Islam needs to be reformed and all Radicalism must be eradicated and others’ opinion must be listened to. There will be a big gap between the reformists and the orthodox, change is essential and it has to come through dialogue not force because force creates more damage than good as we saw in Iraq.

Martin, London, Islington

Nabeela of London. The vast, vast majority of the killings in Iraq have been caused by Muslims killing Muslims. The war in Afghanistan was the result of Muslim actions on 9/11. And although what is happening to the Palestinians is terrible it does not compare with what is happening in Dahfur.

Stephen Jones, Chester, United Kingdom

I totally stand by with Nabeela, London, UK's comment. Very well said. Yah right @ religious reformation. The Quran is the only Holy Book that hasn't changed in centuries. Look at the bible, the true bible is lost, sadly. Every damn king that held throne added/deleted from the bible.

M Nabeel, USA, USA

Nabeela - please read the second last paragraph, where it is clearly outlined the negatives of both Christianity and Judaism.

kevin, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China

Islam cannot be separated from terrorism, as it is sanctioned by Quran and Hadith, the basic books of Islam.

Quran and Hadith openly justify domination of Islam over the world and killing or subjugating unbelievers for the sake of spreading Islam.
Moderate Islam is a self-contradiction.

Islam Mitao, Non-Islampur, India

Nabeela, could I remind you of the Iran-Iraq war? Two Shia majority nations fought bitterly for nearly a decade and more than a million people died. Talk to an Iranian about this some time! And then you can ponder the situation in the Sudan where Christians and Animists are persecuted by muslims.

Dectora, London, UK

Jayil We removed a dictator in Iraq who had invaded another country and was in the regular habit of killing his own people. Then Muslims killed other Muslims a lot. Most of the deaths in Iraq have ben due to one sort of Muslim killing another sort. Any death dreadful of course but.....

Barry, Sanderstead, UK

There is no historical evidence for the Islamic assertion that Abraham or Ishmael was ever in Mecca, and Snouck Hurgronje has shown that Muhammad inserted Abraham post-hoc into Islam's story, to give his religion an Arabian origin and setting.

http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/10163

Paul, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England

jayil of "London", Afghanistan was invaded because they were a safe haven for terrorists (everyone bah Muslims accept that) & Saddam killed hundreds of thousands of his own people and many suspect the WMDs were sent to Iran where they've suddenly advanced in the Nuclear technology stakes, Learn!

Mark, Eccles, England

John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

where does this leave mohammed in the eyes of christians?

Colin, chongqing, China

Interesting how this piece is juxtaposed with a picture of Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad ('Return of the Caliphate') who led the very reformation in Islam that Prof Kung and others like Salman Rushdie have called for. Visit www.alislam.org for more on a very different yet exemplary community of Muslims

Ahmad, Birmingham, UK

Mark, Iraq and Afghanistan were NOT invaded because of their "oppressive and murderess regrimes" but because of it's "WMD's" and 911. If that were the case then Bush would be in Zimbabwe right now. (Shock and Aweing)

jayil, london, uk

Nice to see all the the pro-islam comments here confirm Prof. Kungs opinions to be correct . It is going to get messy and the outcome is again inevitable .

Benzo, Nr Chelmsford,

Why are the Muslims here referring to the allied armies that have freed Afghanistan/Iraq from oppressive and murderess regrimes as Christan army's ?. Also why do they live in the west if they hold these feeling ?. It seems to me like these people are just looking for excuses to defend terrorists

Mark, Eccles, England

Nabeela, London, UK
Read the second from last paragraph!
Kung is right, show any sign of liberalism within religion and you'll be attacked by everyone!
Religion the opium of the people!

Norman Pitkin, London, UK

Since 911 Islamists have murdered around 4,000 Westerners (most probably non religious & assuming 911 wasn't an inside job) and Bush and Blairs Christians military have murdered over 1 million Muslims & displaced 1.5 million... never ending crusade (Iran next?). Take that plank out of your eyes.

jayil, london, uk

He's telling us something most educated people already know but the politically correct brigade will deny. I also suspect he'll be threatened soon as others have who dared point out the truth regarding Islam!

John, Salford, England

Nabeela of "London", I'd like to remind you that the Iraq problem is nothing to do with religion and the Irish problem was about Republicanism not religion but nice try. Nothing is going to change while you live in denial

Ricky, Manchester, England

Anyone else noticed that the extrem views held here are by British Muslims! - This isn't the country I grew up in.........

Jon, Swinton, England

Yes actually Nabeela. You should, of course, drop Northern Ireland from your list but there are plenty of other examples that could replace it. Starting with Iran's repression of its people and moving swiftly on to many other examples where islamic states crush the civil liberties of their subjects.

clive, Chesterfield, UK

"Liberals seem unable to comprehend the existence of a world outside their own paradigm." Now you know how those liberals Hitler, Stalin and Mao felt.

Simon, RIchmond, England

Nabeela: YES
Iraq: by Iranian sponsored Islamic extremists
9/11: Islamic extremists
Afghanistan: A country liberated from Islamic extremists
Palestinians: Islamic terrorists bombing another country and murdering innocent Israeli civilians
July tube bombings
Madrid train bombings

Claire, London, UK

The longevity of the Abrahamic religion is surely due to the fact that it NOT ossified, but constantly renewing. But the emphasis on "authority" as the main moral force makes it vulnerable to any charismatic, and recent charismatics in ALL THREE branches have been more atavistic than progressive.

Ian Kemmish, Biggleswade, UK

Prof Hans. could you explain.
Iraq has been destroyed by whom..Islam ?
Conflict in Northen Ireland...Islam ?
9/11...Afganisatan was bombed by whom...Islam ?
The atrocities of the people of Palestine..by whom..Islam ?
Bosnia..Chechenya..Do you think Islam was the cause of these atrocities ?

Nabeela, London, UK

If by "adapting", Professor Kung is implying "changing", then no, Islam will never adapt.

Abdul Shakoor, Manchester, UK

Amjad Khan - I thought that freedom of religion was now guaranteed in Qatar by the Emir himself. Your obscurantist opinion is quite risible and merely proves that Hans Kung is correct. It's only a matter of time before progressive Muslims rise against the zealots.

John, Paris,

He's right and he's wrong, extreme religions need to be socialized into the modern world. You cant be liberal about it, Extremists will soon be / are able to destroy the world. No one can afford to just sit back, Islam and other extreme faiths need to be encouraged to heal themselves from within.

am, letchworth,

The middle ages. I would say that all religion is stuck in the daerk ages. Why won't people let go of this superstitious, magical nonsense?

Bruce Northwood, Washington, D.C., USA

Unfortunately Islam cannot modernise and will probably triumph over the 'west 'as the west is now firmly in the hands of appeasers and liberals..
Oh well nothing lasts forever not even Islam.

Richard Brady, wallington, england

GOD through Education. Its possible.

Mike, Colorado,

All religions are stuck in the middle ages. There is nothing special about Islam. The same can be said of any faith-based belief system.

What we really need is a new enlightenment.

Gareth, London, United Kingdom

So, the vatican still doesn't recognise Israel? I feel less guilty about regarding them as the Romish legions of the Anti-Christ now.

Eric Skelton, Cardiff, Wales

I agree with that, it goes across the board

Brian Putman, Oxford,

It's amazing it has taken the professor so long to work it out. It has been obvious to most for many years. As for equality of Criticism and blame - rot. The UK and US do not fight wars on the basis of their holy book, but suicidal Muslims do. The crusades, like Islam, are from ancient history

George Edwards, Beijing, China, China

Take the radicalism out of Islam and the religion is dead. Islam cannot survive without violence.

Jeff, Sacramento / CA, USA

You would think there is one organization that runs the whole religion or something, according to this columnist.
Islam is not governed by any one being or organization and therefore there are many interpretations and ways of practicing it.

Tim, Toronto,

I think Christianity is stuck in the Middle Ages too because there are a great many fundamentalist Christians in the US who practice and preach very backward beliefs.

Tim, Toronto,

Actually, with the stance on abortion, IVF and gay marriage, Christianity seems stuck there too. And the good Professor, a Roman Catholic, voicing his disapproval of Islam? How predicable, next minute we might hear a Muslim lament about the actions of certain Catholic led countries... oh wait.

Howard, Manchester,

We are, by virtue of continuous biological 'reformation', the most succesful species outside of the insect world. I want Islam to be part of this success but to do so, it needs to grasp the very thing that is fundamental to our success. The interpretation of Islamic values needs looking at again.

Brian Putman, Oxford,

Anyone who expresses an opinion on Islam or the Middle East and doesn't know what the British Mandate of Mesopotamia was or who Mohammed Mosaddeq was is a fool without an informed opinion.

The situation in the area is a direct result of decades of Western imperialism. Look it up, people!!!!!

David, New York, United States

Good point Amjad

Leon, Tel Aviv, Israel

My make believe friend is better than your make believe friend! Sad thing is people die because of this nonsense.

Neil, London, UK

Armjad Khan's attitude says it all. Personally I have no wish to live in Dhimmitude so it looks as if I'll have to fight.

Christabel, Sedgeford,

Amjad Khan

Your views are exactly the reason why there will be a clash of civilisations.

The non muslim world wants no fundamentlist religion or theocracy of any kind least of all Islam.

Your continued peddling of theocratical nonsense from centuries ago will only lead to your ruin

Guy, London, UK

Actually, of course, nearly all Muslims aren't interested in taking over the world!

Graham R., London, UK

I have seen what radical Islam will do. My question to President Bush is; with Iraq not having an AIr Force, Army, Navy, or Marines why have we not Won Yet ?

Ratt Stone, Ruston, Louisiana, USA

Islam can't reform because of the underlying violence inherrent in the religion that would be meted out on those that would try. You either accept it as the 'last word of God' or die. What better way to write a religion so it doesn't change and its adherents fear to question it.

David Thijm, Stourbridge, UK

Philip T, London,

Well put, the enemy is at the gate, yet still they can't see the near and present danger, in Darwin's theory of evolution Liberals would become extinct, but in our western world it seems they may take the rest of us with them....the world won't fall to Islam, it will be given.

shane, blackburn, england

Professor Hans Kung's points may be appealing to many, especially those who detest Islam. However, this will not prevent Islam from superseding all religions in times to come. That's the promise of the Creator of humankind. And who is truer in promise than the Lord of the World.

Amjad Khan, Doha, Qatar

Dear me Phillip T; a case in point.

Jay Davies, Brighton, UK

Liberal twaddle, as predictable as it is tiresome. Liberals seem unable to comprehend the existence of a world outside their own paradigm and thus embrace that which would destroy them. Pathetic.

Philip T, London,