“Qaradawi – an al-Jazeera regular who recently turned down the leadership of the Muslim Brotherhood because he felt he could be more influential as an independent thinker – has spent the last thirty years presenting a sustained and coherent argument for a moderate approach to Islamism. He has routinely and consistently denounced terrorism and intellectual extremism.”

Abu Aardvark replies to Lee Smith, outlining the views of Yusuf al-Qaradawi and other advocates of democratic Islamism: here.