After every new jihadist attack against the West, politicians reassure us that the atrocity

does not represent the true nature of mainstream Islam. Of the 1.6 billion Muslims in the world,

the constantly reassuring, the overwhelming majority are as law abiding as any members of any

other monotheistic faith. Only a tiny fraction engage in terror. And Islam is a religion of peace.

Furthermore, we are told the great majority of Muslims hold moderate views. But what does that mean?

How moderate are moderate Muslims? Given the threat of radical Islam, it would seem to be a fair question.

Let me start to answer it by telling you something of my own story. I was raised in a middle class

Muslim home in Cairo, Egypt. Growing up, I was told among many other things, the following,

that every day that passes on the Islamic nation without a caliphate is a sin. That the failures and

miseries of the Muslim world started the moment we Muslims give up conquests and wars against the

infidels. That our prosperity depended on conquering new lands and converting new believers,

that anyone who leaves the faith must die. And I also remember how my teachers and my musk

imams reacted to the news of 9-11 when it happened. Joy. My experience was typical. And there is

data to prove it. According to the Pew Research Center, 88% of Muslims in Egypt, 62% in Pakistan,

86% in Jordan, and 51% in Nigeria believe that any Muslim who chooses to leave Islam should be

put to death. Similar, if not identical numbers, are in favor of stoning people who commit adultery,

severely punishing those who criticize Muhammad or Islam, and chopping off hands for theft.

All of these practices are a part of the penal code of Islamic law, which is known as Sharia.

And 84% of Muslims in South Asia, 77% in Southeast Asia, 74% in the Middle East and North Africa,

and 64% in Sub-Saharan Africa support Sharia as the law of the land.

Less drastic, yet significant, percentages are to be found even among Muslim communities in the West.

So too, most of the world's Muslims believe that any acts of violence against Israel,

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