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An Islamic World

Reader comment on item: "The Battle against Islamism Has Not Yet Started"

Submitted by Pied Piper (United States), Jul 31, 2016 at 19:17

1- Comparing Islam to Hinduism or Confiucianism is like comparing apples and oranges. It can't be done without sounding....well....ignorant. (It's not Dr. Pipes that's comparing them....he's just reporting an idea that Global Review (GR) brought into the interview).

In Islam, the "central idea" specifies there is only one Allah, that Mohammad is his Messenger [لا إله إلا الله محمد رسول الله] and that the Koran contains the final revelation of Allah to mankind through Mohammad. [One could call this the Islamic Trinity. Allah, Mohammad and the Koran. (No one has, as far as I know, but one could).]

(Note also that the Arabic Shahada calls Mohammad a MESSENGER, not a PROPHET). I can't recall coming across study on the appearance, use, meanings etc of these two terms. There must be important differences between them and these differences must indicate something fundamental, I would assume.)

All this leads to a startling conclusion seldom mentioned: As far as Islam is concerned, the apex, the summit of Mankind's experience was the Coming of Mohammad and the Revelation of the Koran........EVERYTHING SINCE THEN has been a steady erosion of the human condition. NOTHING that has been done since then is of any significant or lasting value. This is why Islamic societies have tended to give such little importance to "development".

Hinduism/Confiucianism have nothing like this.....not even close. Therefore, trying to find "solutions" to the "Islamic Problem" by studying what has happened to Indian/Chinese societies in the modern world is simply unrealistic. H and C have no world-wide aspirations......Islam has been charged and tasked with seeking a world-wide human adherence to Islam, if not a Caliphate. The differences are fundamental and go one and on.

2- The vast majority of Muslims, as Dr. Pipes has often mentioned, basically want nothing to do with the "Islamists" or terrorists. Most Muslims simply want to live in peace. I agree.

But at the same time, I'm convinced that even the most liberal of Muslims, even non-practicing Muslims are, in their heart of hearts, committed to an Islamic World. These pseudo-Muslims would never "fight" to see an Islamic World come to fruition....but they certainly don't oppose it. And that, I contend is the problem.

Submitting....

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Daniel Pipes replies:

Two quick responses. Muhammad is called interchangeably both "messenger" and "prophet."

To mistrust all Muslims is a mistake. Muslims are individuals and, like all humans, have to be dealt with individually.

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Reader comments (41) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
2"Fear of Muslims is RATIONAL" Gen. Flynn [321 words]RobertDec 6, 2016 22:23234538
Some good answers, some silly questions. [1058 words]Michael SAug 25, 2016 15:00231739
A topic for a PhD thesis: What makes 12-years old boys become killers? [366 words]
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PrashantAug 21, 2016 18:14231577
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Liatris SpicataAug 18, 2016 10:01231478
what is meant by 'religion'? [304 words]rwSep 15, 2016 22:09231478
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10We're the Islamic invaders of past centuries Muslims or Islamists? [173 words]PrashantAug 3, 2016 00:33231163
1India and Pakistan and Their Atom Bombs [465 words]RobertDec 3, 2016 12:37231163
2Within 100 years of its birth islam had violently reached both India and Europe [304 words]PrashantDec 4, 2016 20:24231163
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1The Anti-Fundamentalist Revolution [68 words]Edward Paul CampbellAug 2, 2016 12:24231152
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Dr. David CashinAug 1, 2016 14:34231134
1thank you Dave Cashin [10 words]PrashantAug 3, 2016 20:51231134
1Presentation of alternative religious philosophies [379 words]PrashantAug 13, 2016 10:48231134
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One way or another until Islam has an entrance and an exit door it will be an ism. [71 words]LynnAug 16, 2016 09:52231134
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6Has Islamism peaked? [205 words]PrashantAug 6, 2016 11:36231093
3The Koran is THE CORE of the "Islamistic question" [34 words]aldo moltifioriJul 31, 2016 00:07231076
1The Koran is the CORE of the "Islamic question" also Naivety by infidels....response to Aldo Moltifiori [322 words]Anne-USAAug 1, 2016 08:58231076
3The Golden Rule of islam [152 words]Ron ThompsonAug 3, 2016 10:28231076
The Golden Rule of Islam. Wage War against Infidels. response to Ron Thompson. [198 words]Anne- USAAug 8, 2016 07:54231076
Islams useful idoits [85 words]Pat PhilpAug 11, 2016 23:57231076
Sincere inquiry about 5:33 [106 words]PrashantAug 13, 2016 01:20231076
1The Koran 8:12. Advocates violence. response to Prashant [221 words]Anne-USAAug 15, 2016 09:00231076
2I strongly recommend that you read this "Culture and Conflict", by Prof. Philip Salzman [328 words]
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Robin RosenblattJul 30, 2016 16:32231050
Battle or War? [125 words]Kim BruceJul 30, 2016 15:33231049
Islamic reformation...oi veh! [77 words]ECAWJul 31, 2016 02:42231049
3Muslims and Islamists (again) [117 words]
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ECAWJul 30, 2016 14:41231046
3Mohammad - the original Islamist! [19 words]JaladhiJul 31, 2016 20:38231046
Reply to Daniel Pipes [289 words]ECAWAug 1, 2016 14:21231046
1Missing sources of peacefull Islam [110 words]TomasAug 2, 2016 03:00231046
1Churchill's view of Islam wasn't much more positive than Geert Wilders' [83 words]Anon.Jul 29, 2016 07:18231022

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