A Muslim human rights advocate has shed light on the true nature of Islam while warning the world of the rising threat posed by radical Islamists.
Raheel Raza is a Muslim affairs expert who belongs to the Sunni sect, the branch of Islam adhered to by followers of the Islamic State (ISIS).
She said she has dedicated practically her entire life, or for over 20 years now, to speak out against the evils of radical Islam, CBN News reported.
"This is not an easy topic to discuss," Raza admitted.
In a documentary she produced for the Clarion Project entitled "By the Numbers: The Untold Story of Muslim Opinions and Demographics," Raza likened radical Islam to a disease or a deadly virus that threatens the whole world.
"When there is a disease or a virus, it can't be trated unless you identify the problem. So we have to call it what it is and it is violent radical extremist Islamism," Raza said.
She pointed out that there are three spheres of Islamic radicalisation. The first sphere includes "violent jihadists" like ISIS, al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, and Boko Haram.
"These are the jihadists who murder people in San Bernardino, Texas, Paris, London, Delhi, Jerusalem, Ottawa, Nairobi," Raza said.
The second sphere, Raza said, include those who support jihadists' goals, but not their methods. These are the Muslims who are pushing for an Islamic government through democratic means. They include Egyptians who supported the Muslim Brotherhood or the Palestinians who voted to give political power to the terrorist group Hamas.
The third sphere—and the largest—is the domain of Islamic fundamentalists, Raza said.
"The Muslims in this circle are certainly not like ISIS and they are not working to overthrow governments like the Muslim Brotherhood. But they do hold beliefs and practices that no doubt would seem radical to you and me," she said.
Raza pointed out that a Pew Research project conducted in 2013 interviewed thousands of Muslims from 39 countries.
In that survey, large numbers of Muslims, representing millions of people worldwide, expressed the belief that it was justifiable to kill Muslims who converted to another faith and also to kill women who dishonour their family.
"These studies paint a picture of an Islamic world that is increasingly out of step with the modern world," she said.
That same survey showed that many young Muslims in Western countries also supported suicide bombings.
"Forty-two percent of French Muslims, 35 percent of British Muslims, and 26 percent of American Muslims believe suicide bombings against non-Muslims can be justified," Raza said.
Another shocking finding from the study is that a large percentage of Muslims want Sharia law to rule the world.
"Of course not every Muslim believes in these things, but hundreds of millions do," she said.
Raza expressed hope that the documentary she made will enlighten the discussion on radical Islam and the great problems it poses to the civilised world.
