A bold move by Omar Ghobash

A brave walking of the tightrope by Omar Ghobash ( UAE Ambassador to Russia’s book is a guide for young Muslims, March 6). On the one hand, conservative traditionalists will be pointing to the degeneracy in belief in the Christian West when modern criticism of religion is embraced. On the other, young people doing the splits between dogmatic tradition and freewheeling western culture infesting families through the internet can easily yo-yo into irrational extremism masquerading as “pure Islam” if the delights of facile “freedom” wear thin. There is no immunity from this risk.

The UAE must surely be one of the few environments on Earth where broad-minded rational discussion can and does take place to examine the underlying issues involved in a way that will impress and engage a youth who is often not easily amenable to either. Mr Ghobash should take heart that where this has actually been successful in the West, young people have been able to independently claim a religious faith as their own, rather than the faith claiming them.

This path is far from easy, but surely must be the right way forward if irrational extremism on one hand and facile faithless degeneracy on the other are to be disarmed. And ultimately this is the real religious battlefield in the 21st century. Mr Ghobash has made a brave start. He should be supported by all who want to see youth involved in their faith. Name withheld by request