Moderate Islam: What is it and what is it's authority?

Submitted by Stewart Shane (United States), Dec 11, 2014 at 13:01

Daniel Pipes writes, "[R]adical Islam is the problem and moderate Islam is the solution." I tend to agree with Dan, but …. Just what is this Moderate Islam that is so often spoken about? And more importantly, what is the authoritative Islamic source for Moderate Islam?

I might imagine that Moderate Islam doesn't officially (among other acts)

1. Abhor and kill/persecute/oppress apostates, Jews, Christians, other non-Muslims, Muslims of a different sect, women, homosexuals,
2. Consider it obligatory to spread Islam all over the world (jihad against non-Islamic countries),
3. Condone slavery,
4. Condone and emulate the rather unseemly acts of Mohammed such as beheading people, marrying prepubescent girls, capturing slaves and other booty in war . ("Unseemly" would have to be defined by non-Islamic standards.)
5. Think that it must recapture any land that was once captured by Islamic armies,
6. Consider blasphemy against Islam a crime punishable by death whereas blasphemy against other religions is practically obligatory.

Which official branch of Islam or which school of Sharia accepts all the above provisions? Most of them? Any of them?

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