Should we fear Islam?

[sonofskeptish]

I have just finished the book "The Great Theft" by Islamic scholar Khaledm Abou El Fadl.

In it, he describes how "Islam is currently passing through a transformative period no less dramatic than the movements that swept through Europe during the Reformation."

He describes how two internal Islamic groups are currently fighting for control of the Islamic faith... the "moderates" who claim Islam is a religion of peace, versus those he labels "puritians"... the "extremists" set on opressive Islamic world domination.

Both of these groups claim they are the only true muslims, and both insist their counterparts misrepresent the Islamic faith.

The author writes that "the stakes (in this battle) have never been higher, and the future of the Muslim world hangs in the balance."

IMO, the stakes are even higher than that... because if it the extremists "win" (and by some accounts they are winning) their agenda is clear... Islamic world domination a'la Taliban.

While Islamic "moderates" say Islam is peacful, Islamic "puritans" demonstrate their version is not... with suicide attacks, bombing planes/trains/buses/cars, issuing fatwas on authors, murdering film producers, forcing politicians into hiding, violent rampages over cartoons, etc.

So that's why I ask my question... should we be concerned about this battle between these opposing groups to define Islam... because of what it might mean to the rest of us?

And if so, what can we do about it?

[Darkness]

Secularists in the Western world should use all their resources to support and empower moderate and liberal Muslim groups. Bosnian-Herzegovina is a good example of a predominately Muslim society that has embraced liberalism. Atheists are not shunned in society and a Muslim television actor did gay porn, without being ostracized. There is hope.

[xxclaro]

I think it is definitley a concern, but as to what we can do about it I'm not sure. Muslims have managed to live peacefully with their neighbours in the past,which gives me hope that we'll see this again in the future. However, muslim extremists are a threat,no doubt about it. I'm really not sure what the best course of action is here. I support freedom of religion and freedom of speech, but somewhere there must be a line.

[sonofskeptish]

"U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says trans-national Islamic extremist networks pose greater threats to the United States than the nuclear programs of Iran and North Korea."

Clinton: Islamic Extremist Groups Pose Greatest Security Threat to US | News | English

[Fatihah]

Originally Posted by sonofskeptish

I have just finished the book "The Great Theft" by Islamic scholar Khaledm Abou El Fadl.

In it, he describes how "Islam is currently passing through a transformative period no less dramatic than the movements that swept through Europe during the Reformation."

He describes how two internal Islamic groups are currently fighting for control of the Islamic faith... the "moderates" who claim Islam is a religion of peace, versus those he labels "puritians"... the "extremists" set on opressive Islamic world domination.

Both of these groups claim they are the only true muslims, and both insist their counterparts misrepresent the Islamic faith.

The author writes that "the stakes (in this battle) have never been higher, and the future of the Muslim world hangs in the balance."

IMO, the stakes are even higher than that... because if it the extremists "win" (and by some accounts they are winning) their agenda is clear... Islamic world domination a'la Taliban.

While Islamic "moderates" say Islam is peacful, Islamic "puritans" demonstrate their version is not... with suicide attacks, bombing planes/trains/buses/cars, issuing fatwas on authors, murdering film producers, forcing politicians into hiding, violent rampages over cartoons, etc.

So that's why I ask my question... should we be concerned about this battle between these opposing groups to define Islam... because of what it might mean to the rest of us?

And if so, what can we do about it?

Response: The extremists have no control over any land, nor are they getting close in doing so. So they are no threat.

What you should worry about is the media which portrays islam in a
negative manner. For they are the reason why the extremists are gaining so much ground to begin with, due to their attacks on islam. Such propaganda can convince the muslims who are peaceful to perhaps reconsider, because their religion is constantly under attack.

[challupa]

Well, knowing how the war in the early days of Christianity went, I really don't like our odds. The more peaceful gnostics lost out to orthodox christianity and the world was plunged into the dark ages. I don't know if the peaceful muslims can control the extremists. I think Fatihah has a point when he says that the western media's attacks on Islam is turning some peaceful Muslims into more extremist muslims because they don't like their religion attacked. I can see that could happen. We need to be supportive of the peaceful, moderate Islam and help them fight against the extremists that are making life hard for those in Islam that just want peace and the right to practice their religious beliefs. We see extremists in Christianity and Judaism too. These people are the enemies of peace, not the majority of Muslims, Christians and Jews that want to worship in peace.

[K.Venugopal]

Mohammad is reported to have asked his followers to go even to China, if necessary, to seek knowledge. But it appears that a large number of Muslims believe that it is not necessary to go beyond the Quran to seek knowledge. The Vedic injunction is to let knowledge come from all sides, yet we have Hindus whose world-view is restricted to their caste affiliations. This narrowness of mind has to be replaced with a mind that accepts that life affords all possibilities and we only lose if we are predisposed to limited possibilities. A narrow (fragmented) mind is a danger, whoever owns it.

[sonofskeptish]

Originally Posted by Fatihah

Response: The extremists have no control over any land, nor are they getting close in doing so. So they are no threat..

What you should worry about is the media which portrays islam in a
negative manner. For they are the reason why the extremists are gaining so much ground to begin with, due to their attacks on islam. Such propaganda can convince the muslims who are peaceful to perhaps reconsider, because their religion is constantly under attack.

Isn't Iran, Afganistan and Somalia "land"?

The muslim faith has been hijacked from within and you point fingers.

Instead of blaming the media, consider the impact of statements like yours... suggesting moderate muslims might reconsider and become extremists.

You do more harm to your faith with such comments than any media report could.

[Ba'al]

Originally Posted by sonofskeptish

And if so, what can we do about it?

Sonofskeptish, that sounds like a good book. IMO, muslim extremists are cultivated by western extremism (George B., iraq, afganistan invasions). A quick look into history shows a peaceful example will promote peace, where as aggressive tendancies promote aggression.

[sonofskeptish]

Originally Posted by Ba'al

Sonofskeptish, that sounds like a good book. IMO, muslim extremists are cultivated by western extremism (George B., iraq, afganistan invasions). A quick look into history shows a peaceful example will promote peace, where as aggressive tendancies promote aggression.

While certianly a contributing factor, I do not believe 2 wrongs make a right, and when one reads about the "puritan" (extremist) version of Islam, it is a scary thing indeed.