Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has fired back at calls by his predecessor Tony Abbott for a "religious revolution" within Islam by cautioning against blaming all Muslims for Islamic State terrorist attacks.

Mr Abbott called for a "hearts and minds campaign against the versions of Islam that make excuses for terrorists" in an opinion piece on Wednesday, saying Islam had not undergone an equivalent version of the Reformation and Enlightenment in Christian nations.

He said societies "can't remain in denial about the massive problem within Islam" after terrorist attacks in Paris and the Middle East, the deaths of Katrina Dawson and Tori Johnson in the Martin Place siege last year and Curtis Cheng outside Parramatta police station in October.