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cheapdate

(3,811 posts)
Sun Jan 10, 2016, 11:02 PM Jan 2016

What is the real Islam?

Everyone is talking about Islam. People have different ideas about what Muslims believe. Which of the following best describes your belief about Islam and Muslims?

A.

Fundamentalism is the only true form of Islam. All Muslims who are not outwardly fundamentalists are lying or practicing Taqyia (lying in defense of the faith.) All Muslims (including all Muslim Americans) want to replace democratic secular governments and impose Sharia law. No Muslims can be trusted.



or B.
Islam is a set of ideas and interpretations held by Muslims around the world. Muslims can be separated into three groups according to their ideas and interpretations of Islam.

"Muslim Conservatives believe that Islam is perfect and that the Hadith and the Qur’an as a whole contain no errors. They view liberalism as a Western invention incompatible with their interpretation of the faith. They believe there is a cosmic war going on between the Muslim world and the West. The majority of them are nonviolent, but the ultraconservatives among them, whether they be Salafist or Wahhabi, tend to support violent jihad against the West, including violence against civilians. Few in this group engage with Western media; they are far more active in Arab and Urdu media such as Aqra Channel, Al Jazeera Arabic, and the like.

Muslim Moderates also consider Islam to be perfect and the Qur’an and the Hadith to be inerrant. However, they don’t follow the interpretations that advocate violent jihad, and they deny that any link exists between jihad and Islam. They are frequently seen in Western media, especially television, stating that Islam is a religion of peace, that terrorism has nothing to do with Islam, and that terrorist groups are un-Islamic.

Their views on human rights cover a broad spectrum, from advocating public killing of gays to welcoming gays as equal citizens, and from defending women’s right to wear head scarves to requiring them by law. Many disbelieve in a cosmic war between the Muslim world and the West, but some justify jihad as a way of addressing grievances against Western imperialism and the West’s support for Israel.

In the main, Muslim Moderates argue that terrorist groups such as ISIS, al-Qaeda, and Boko Haram have nothing to do with Islam and that they are either created by or a reaction to Western colonialism.

Some Muslim Moderate organizations have high profiles in Western media, often acting as public-relations firms and lobby groups for Muslim communities. Examples include the Council on American–Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), and CAGE in the United Kingdom. Prominent Muslim Moderates often seen on television include Linda Sarsour, Dean Obeidallah, Murtaza Hussain, and Mahdi Hassan.

Muslim Reformers either don’t consider the Qu’ran to be perfect and the literal word of Allah or concede that some of its commandments are not applicable in the twenty-first century. They try to rally against extremist interpretations and to create new ones more in keeping with modern liberal values. They accept that there is a link between radical interpretations of Islam and terrorism. Many of them advocate for liberal government and separation of religion and state. Prominent individual Muslim Reformers include Maajid Nawaz, Asra Nomani, and Irshad Manji."


(credit to Faisal Saeed Al Mutar. Anti-Muslim Bigotry vs. Genuine Criticism of Islam. Free Inquiry. Vol 36.)
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What is the real Islam? (Original Post) cheapdate Jan 2016 OP
Post removed Post removed Jan 2016 #1
Hmm...I'm not sure if you're aware of the fact cheapdate Jan 2016 #2
Muslims are not tech savvy? Seriously? All are fundies, wanting Sharia law, untrustworthy liars? uppityperson Jan 2016 #3

Response to cheapdate (Original post)

cheapdate

(3,811 posts)
2. Hmm...I'm not sure if you're aware of the fact
Wed Jan 20, 2016, 06:07 PM
Jan 2016

there are Muslim professionals, intellectuals, academics, artists, etc. in essentially every field of modern life?

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