John Cleese > Why ‘non-radical’ Muslims are not speaking out against ‘radical Islam’

 

John Cleese asks why ‘non-radical’ Muslims are not speaking out against ‘radical Islam’

May 25, 2026 1:00 pm By Robert Spencer67 Comments

The answer that no one wants to face is that what is generally understood as “radical Islam” is taught in the Qur’an and Sunnah, and “non-radical” Muslims know this, and so they also know that if they speak out against it they could be accused of heresy or apostasy. Rather than have to live their lives looking over their shoulders in fear of their “radical” brethren, they keep silent. Then there are the outright deceivers, who teach that Islam properly understood is peaceful. They know better, but are trying to foster complacency among non-Muslims. A complacent infidel is one who does not fight back.

John Cleese by John Manard, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0

There was one, once. His name is Maajid Nawaz. He had a radio talk show in England when he spoke out about radical Islam. He is now living in Italy and posting on Substack and X. I don't know yet if he is still complaining about Islamic madness or not.

@maajidnawaz  

https://maajidnawaz.substack.com/

Also, (according to Grok):

Prominent Individual Reformers and CriticsThese figures often face significant personal risks, including death threats, fatwas against them, or exile, for challenging Islamist ideology:

• Ayaan Hirsi Ali: Somali-born activist, author of Heretic: Why Islam Needs a Reformation Now. She critiques aspects of Islamic doctrine linked to violence, advocates for reform (including women's rights and secularism), and has lived under constant threat after collaborating on a film critical of Islam.
• Maajid Nawaz: Former Islamist with Hizb ut-Tahrir who was imprisoned in Egypt. He co-founded the Quilliam Foundation (a counter-extremism think tank), rejects political Islam (Islamism), and promotes a liberal, tolerant interpretation of Islam through ijtihad (independent reasoning). Co-author of Islam and the Future of Tolerance with Sam Harris.
• Irshad Manji: Canadian-Ugandan author and activist who calls for a "Muslim Reformation," emphasizing ijtihad, human rights, and reform on issues like LGBTQ rights and gender equality within an Islamic framework.
• Zuhdi Jasser: American physician and founder of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy. He advocates separating mosque and state, opposes Sharia in governance, and criticizes Islamist groups.
• Others include Tawfik Hamid (former Islamist), Asra Nomani (journalist and women's rights advocate), and reformers in Saudi Arabia or elsewhere who critique Wahhabism/Salafism.
• And let us not forget Salman Rushdie and the fatwa he has lived under for several decades.

These voices exist and have done so for decades, often at great personal cost. Supporting genuine reformers while distinguishing them from apologists is key to countering radicalism effectively. For deeper dives, resources like Charles Kurzman's compilation of Islamic statements against terrorism or books by the reformers above provide extensive documentation.

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