To Daniel Pipes

Submitted by Kendra (United States), Dec 29, 2006 at 14:34

I remember reading something you wrote several years ago where you estimated the Islamists or extreme Muslims to be at around 8%. At that time, which was after 9/11, I believed (with nothing more than a gut hunch) that it was much more, since we'd see videos of entire Muslim populations chanting "death to America" and "death to Israel", etc. This, to me, was considered extreme and I didn't know where the other 93% were.

What is your estimate of extremism now? I'm assuming you place it higher than 8% now. Do you think it's over 50%? And, what is the definition of extremism, too? To be considered extreme, does one have to be actively supporting Jihad with their bodies and/or finances? Or, do they just have to believe in the ideology of dar al-Islam?

Don't all Muslims believe in the Koran as the One True Word? Does this make them ALL extreme? Or, for argument's sake, are we being a bit forgiving in this interpretation?

Thank you. I'd really appreciate a response.
Kendra

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