Then again, the Koran taken at face value is inherently radical so he might be on to something.
There is a growing attempt by some commentators to label the recent bombings in Boston as “jihad” and to blame the deadly blasts on a non-existent concept they call “radical Islam.”
I call “radical Islam” non-existent because radicalism or extremism is not permissible in Islam. Islam prohibits extremism and an essential part of the faith is moderation. A more accurate term might be “Al-Qaeda ideology.”
The Quran, Islam’s foundational holy text, states clearly: “We made you to be a community of the middle way, so that (with the example of your lives) you might bear witness to the truth before all mankind.” (Quran, 2:143)
The Quran also states: “O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to God, even against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for God can best protect both.” (Quran, 4:35)
There is no such thing as radical Islam, but there are radical Muslims – just as there are extremists of every other religion or belief. […]
In recent years, we have seen the term “jihadist” come to be used as if it means a person who kills people out of a religious motivation, but this is terribly inaccurate.
“Jihad” does not mean “holy war.” Literally, jihad means to “struggle,” strive and exert effort. It is a central and broad Islamic concept that includes struggle against evil inclinations within oneself, struggle to improve the quality of life in society, struggle in the battlefield for self-defense (e.g., – having a standing army for national defense), or fighting against tyranny or oppression.