Purchasing Paradise: Why Many Moderate Muslims become Terrorists

2016 Vol. 5: Sept/Oct

Why do so many “moderate” Muslims trade civility for the savagery of extremist forms of Islamic fundamentalism? Are the allurements of sensual delights in paradise, bloodlust, and the spoils of war truly compelling reasons why otherwise “normal” Muslims engage in jihad, or “Islamic holy war”? To simply answer this question in the affirmative is not an adequate explanation.