In this source, the Muhammadan message is presented as a message of mercy and universality, grounded in freedom, justice, and equality rather than compulsion or rigidity. It functions here as a normative basis from which the author confronts the hardened historical readings he sees as sources of violence; accordingly, it is the center of the argument against terrorism.
Referenced from
- Terrorism is the product of a hardened historical reading
- The Qur’anic message establishes freedom and rejects compulsion and coercive religious authority
- The Muhammadan message is a message of mercy and universality
- The message is the domain of fixed rulings
- The Muhammadan narrative is not general legislation
- Fixed revelation produces fixed rulings and ijtihadic elaboration
- The structure of revelation and disciplined historical interpretation prevent religion from being turned into violence
- Drying up the sources of terrorism requires returning religion to the Qur’an, freedom, and mercy, and stripping traditional violence of legitimacy
Cross-book concept: See Islam for the unifying theme across the books.