South Asian Islam and the red herring of radicalization

Whenever explanations have been sought for the radicalization of Muslim youngsters, religious texts or practices specific to Muslim societies have come into excessive focus. The actual reasons may lie in the troublesome interaction of Muslims and the societies they are part of.

Scouring textual traditions or searching for clues in Muslim religious and cultural practices can often prove to be the proverbial red herring, serving to obfuscate the actual reasons for radicalization.