Recovering the compassionate Islam

Irshad Manji is a name to be reckoned with in the battle to rescue the compassionate Islam from the hands of terrorists, fundamentalists, and other over-hyped fanatics... a battle largely abandoned by the Muslim moderate majority as well as by Western thinkers in general.
Among her many remarkable and courageous achievements is her effort to revive "ijtihad," Islam's tradition of debate and dissent which flourished during its golden age, between 750 and 1250 C.E.
But her voice reaches far beyond the challenges currently facing Islam. At the invitation of the University of New York, she created this January a course on Moral Courage, and was recently the subject of a PBS special on Faith without Fear.
I salute this kindred spirit engaged in the eternal battle to bring reason, compassion, and light to the too-often muddied waters of literalist religion.
God bless her and protect her always.
Humble,
Swamito.
P.S. Interested to know more on Islam? Listen to my series of podcasts on this great religion here.