‘Karen Armstrong: Islam’s hagiographer’

“Armstrong maintains that Islamic terrorism must not be referred to as such. ‘Jihad’, we were told, ‘is a cherished spiritual value that, for most Muslims, has no connection with violence.’ Well, the word ‘jihad’ has multiple meanings depending on the context, and it’s hard to determine the particulars of what ‘most Muslims’ think in this regard. But it’s safe to say the Qur’an and Sunnah are of great importance to Muslims generally, and most references to jihad found in the Qur’an and Sunnah occur in a military or paramilitary context, and aggressive conceptions of jihad are found in every major school of Islamic jurisprudence, with only minor variations. Mohammed’s own celebration of homicidal ‘martyrdom’ makes for particularly interesting reading. …. Islam’s foremost hagiographer and shill has found an audience among Muslims and those on the left with little appetite for unflattering facts and a preference for being told whatever they wish to hear.”

David Thompson at Butterflies and Wheels, 11 July 2006

Could have been taken straight from Jihad Watch, couldn’t it?