radicalism in the middle east and see islamist parties coming to power. joining me author of the battle for the soul of islam. doc, good to see you. thank you very much wering if here tonight. ayaan hirsi ali has a message, is yours about islam itself or radical islam? the need for reform about liberty, about the enemy and getting it right which is political islam, so what is political islam? it s the belief in theocracy, belief of the identity of the islamic state so this problem is huge. the magnitude, we re talking about movements that include hundreds of millions out of the 1.6 billion muslims and as i realize at the university of wisconsin my faith is not just a personal journey with god but has been inextricably intertwined with the identity of the islamic state. and if there s anything i
london raised in the islamic faith. i m the granddaughter of muslims born in india. she earned her medical degree at the university of nottingham took a job practicing and teaching medicine in a country she thought she understood saudi arabia. it was while she was there that the attacks of september 11th happened. she was stunned by the reaction some colleagues and fellow muslims did not share her feelings of horror at the loss of innocent life. in 2010 dr. ahmed moved to new york city to continue her medical career. then another turning point. for the first time she saw recruitment videos of child jihadists ritualistically killing adults in the name of islam. qanta traveled to her parents homeland pakistan visiting a school that rehabilitated children who were brainwashed by islamists. in 2012 she testified before the house homeland security committee on radical islam in the united states.slamism is a political ideology with totalitarian missions.
is not the most sympathetic group. but put that aside. the church was not a simp thatic group but it was very clear from eight of the nine supreme court members that they had the right to say what they were saying. it belies the fact of why america is the most understanding place in the world. they call this provocation and yet our work and other reformers are bigger prooccasions to islamic states. they want to call this provocation because under the guise of things that do offend almost every muz lick like criticizing the prophet muhammad they can call us islamophobes et cetera. what amazed me was how quick people were to check our american values. we stand for free speech and they labeled it hate speech which is constitutional.
is consistent with the large overarching ideals of islam? you take out critical thinking you take out faith literacy and you can indoctrinate armies of children and youth that this is islam when actually it s bold political totalitarian ideology with very violent intent. you teach armies of children you will benefit if you commit homicide and also lose your life in the process. they have no ability to distinguish that. they will do it readily. it s basically what is written is written. what you know the radicals believe, they believe. but the difference is modernity, reason and critical thinking and we re going to pick up on that point still ahead. as i stand you by, doctor. thank you. we have ayaan hirsi ali coming back and the man who called her book the worst thing ever written. he sees things very differently. they will debate up next. plus
especially american muslims, western muslims to distance themselves from that narrative of death. let s talk about you and your story. trace walked us through it what happened to you. from the mutilation all the way through to the murder of theo van gogh with a knife in his chest calling for your murder. and, you know to this day your life is threatened and in jeopardy because you have spoken out. how do you do it ayaan? under such threat 24/7? yeah. when we see that it s not like these terrorists are standing down. i mean we see these murders just in texas the attempted murder for just drawing muhammad never mind saying what you say. how do you do it? it s exhausting but it s worth it. and i honestly don t see any other way of again, exposing this agenda of islamists. they have this ideology they re targeting muslim individuals. i was a muslim individual within a muslim family in a muslim neighborhood. they penetrated our neighborhood and our schools and they