Muslim-turned-Christian author suggests giving youth alternative to jihad

Christian author Dr. Nabeel Qureshi, writer of "Answering Jihad: A Better Way Forward," has given a suggestion on how to curb violent jihad. Having been a Muslim himself once, he said western recruits are swayed into violence because of the literal interpretation of the Quran and hadith. Muslim youth needs to be given alternatives to this.

In an article published in USA Today titled "The Quran's deadly role in inspiring Belgian slaughter," Qureshi said that the traditions of Islam that used to be interpreted and explained by imams and elders are now readily available on the Internet. With this, "[everyday Muslims] are confronted with the reality of violent jihad in the very foundations of their faith."

In his explanation of the Quran, Qureshi said that from peaceful teachings, violence escalates as the book progresses, with the culmination in surah 9. This is where it says that Islam may "prevail over all religions," and those who do not fight would be considered as hypocrites, the faith of whom will be put in question. Those who fight are promised the spoils of war, while those who are killed are promised heaven.

"ISIL's primary recruiting technique is not social or financial but theological," Qureshi wrote. "With frequent references to the highest sources of authority in Islam, the Quran and hadith (the collection of the sayings of the prophet Muhammad), ISIL enjoins upon Muslims their duty to fight against the enemies of Islam and to emigrate to the Islamic State once it has been established."

Qureshi said that the Islamic State terror group radicalizes recruits by convincing them to follow the teachings of the Quran and hadith literally.

In a post in Facebook, Quilliam Foundation co-found Maajid Nawaz said, "Only by rejecting vacuous literalism are we able to condemn, in principle, ISIS-style slavery, beheading, lashing, amputation & other medieval practices forever (all of which are in the Quran)."

Qureshi said that the Muslim youth need to be given alternatives to violent jihad, but these alternatives should not overlook the "the spiritual and religious roots of jihad."

"Western recruits for jihad are inspired by the literal interpretation of Muslim sacred texts," Qureshi wrote. "This is what we must fight."