Can Islam be reformed?

by Apostate on July 7, 2007 · View Comments

Do you like this story?

Many critics feel that Islam is in dire need of reform, similar to Christian Reformation, so that the peace-loving Muslims can be separated from those who dream of being “martyred”. I have held long and deep debates with many “moderate” or traditional Muslims as well as radicals to understand how they feel about such a reform.

The Radical Muslim Point of View

They see Islam as the perfection religion which is the final revelation of Allah, the all-mighty. The words of Allah shall never be altered and the creed of Muslims shall remain consistent forever. They see Democracy as a replacement for Political Islam and the Sharia Law and therefore an enemy of Islam. Since the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah articulates that all forms of “man-made law” is haram, they refuse to accept the democratic rule of law and wage Jihad to replace it with the Law of Allah, since it is an obligatory.

Their final declaration is that Islam cannot and will not be reformed and all attempts to “secularize” or “democratize” Islamic lands shall be vehemently fought against.

The Moderate Muslim Point of View

They also see Islam as the perfection religion which is the final revelation of Allah, the all-mighty which cannot be altered. But because of the fact that most “moderate” Muslims are completely and utterly nescient of Islam, they believe Islam is a religion of peace that is perfectly compatible with democracy and the modern way of living.

They are also disgusted by how the Islamists are hijacking their faith and making it look bad. Interestingly, some Muslims sincerely believe that the Islamists are not Muslims at all — as they are using violence to make political gains.

My personal opinion

The problem today is that these so called “radicals” and “moderates” are finely integrated into society and they are simply not distinguishable. Interestingly, there is something I found in common in both kinds of people — they believe their “brothers and sisters” are victims of persecution and torture in the hands of the Non-Muslims everywhere in the world. That false sense of self-victimization is the tool exploited by radicals to make recruitments among the ordinary traditional Muslims.

Since neither of the sides are willing to reform Islam, there is not a chance in the near future that the Muslims will identify the wrongs in Islam, deny them and accept only the good teachings of the Quran and Hadith.

Related posts:

  1. 'Islam v. Islamists' Shelved By PBS
  2. Declaration By Secular Islam Summit
  3. Another Discussion With A Moderate Muslim
  4. 'Two spheres locked in perpetual combat' – House of Islam vs. House of War
  5. Imam Speaks Radicalism Or True Islam?
  • Infidelesto

    To me, there is no “peace-loving” Muslim if they are sympahthizing with the martyrdom of their “brothers”, and silent against speaking out against such acts. In my opinion, “moderates” are

    1. either too stupid to understand the life of Mohammed and what he stood for, or
    2. they’re radical, and waiting to finally cross over and attack innocents from the peer pressure they get from their Mosque about fighting Jihad for total Islamic domination.

    Look at these Doctor’s! Were they considered “radical” before they committed radical acts? IT could be argued that the failed London terrorist attack was committed by none other than…..
    “moderate muslims” who finally got their calling to Jihad.

    In my opinion, the only TRUE moderates are those who are getting ready or finding a way to leave Islam without being “honor killed” in the process.

    Also, how can a “moderate” live in the US if he doesn’t support democracy and would rather see Sharia rule? He is NOT moderate.

    There are thousands of radicals today in America posing as “moderates” hiding behind the moderate cloak, who secretly want to change the way this country is run and change the way we live in taking away Democracy and ultimately implementing Sharia Rule throughout America.

  • http://infidelsarecool.com Apostate

    There are some Muslims who simply deny the verses and Hadiths they don’t approve of. They are the "traditional" Muslims (according to Dinesh D’Souza) who are completely ignorant about Islam. They pray sporadically, specially on Fridays, and fast during Ramadan. That’s all.

    Also, there are some genuine reformers out there like Kamal Nawash (from FreeMuslimsCoalition) who actually support democracy. Not all Muslims are that bad, but most of them are.

  • scott

    Islam cannot be reformed.

    Outlaw Islam in the US. See – http://pedestrianinfidel.blogspot.com/2007/02/proposed-constitutional-amendment.html

    A Proposed Constitutional Amendment
    Background and justification to Amendment 28

    Whereas Religion is defined as an institution dedicated to improving social conscience and promoting individual and societal spiritual growth in a way that is harmless to others not participating in or practicing the same;

    Whereas the United States of America was founded on the ideals of individual rights, including the individual right to practice one’s religion of choice, or no religion, and that there would be no compulsion of religion, nor state sanctioned religion, nor a “religious test” for participation in the body politic;

    Whereas Islam includes a complete political and social structure, encompassed by its religious law, Sharia, that supersedes any civil law and that Islam mandates that no secular or democratic institutions are to be superior to Islamic law;

    Whereas Islam preaches that it and it alone is the true religion and that Islam will dominate the world and supplant all other religions and democratic institutions;

    Whereas Saudi Arabia, the spiritual home of Islam does not permit the practice of any other religion on its soil and even “moderate” Muslims states such as Turkey and Malaysia actively suppress other religions;

    Whereas Islam includes as its basic tenet the spread of the faith by any and all means necessary, including violent conquest of non-believers, and demands of its followers that they implement violent jihad (holy war) against those un-willing to convert or submit to Islam, including by deception and subversion of existing institutions;

    Whereas on 9/11/2001 19 Muslim hijackers acting in the name of Islam killed 3,000 Americans, and numerous other acts of terrorism have been directed at the American people around the world;

    Whereas representatives of Islam around the world including Osama Bin Laden (architect of 9/11), the government of Iran including Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, HAMAS, Hezbollah, and other Islamic groups have declared jihad (war) on America, and regularly declare that America should cease to exist;

    Whereas there is no organized Islamic opposition to violent proponents of Islam;

    Therefore: Islam is not a religion, but a political ideology more akin to Fascism and totally in opposition to the ideals of freedom as described in the United States Constitution, especially the Bill of Rights.

    Be it resolved that the following Amendment to the Constitution be adopted:

    Article I

    The social/political/ideological system known around the world as Islam is not recognized in the United States as a religion.

    The practice of Islam is therefore not protected under the 1st Amendment as to freedom of religion and speech.

    Article II

    As representatives of Islam around the world have declared war, and committed acts of war, against the United States and its democratic allies around the world, Islam is hereby declared an enemy of the United States and its practice within the United States is now prohibited.

    Article III

    Immediately upon passage of this Amendment all Mosques, schools and Muslim places of worship and religious training are to be closed, converted to other uses, or destroyed. Proceeds from sales of such properties may be distributed to congregations of said places but full disclosure of all proceeds shall be made to an appropriate agency as determined by Congress. No compensation is to be offered by Federal or State agencies for losses on such properties however Federal funding is to be available for the demolishing of said structures if other disposition cannot be made.

    The preaching of Islam in Mosques, Schools, and other venues is prohibited. The subject of Islam may be taught in a post high school academic environment provided that instruction include discussion of Islam’s history of violence, conquest, and its ongoing war on democratic and other non-Islamic values.

    The preaching or advocating of Islamic ideals of world domination, destruction of America and democratic institutions, jihad against Judaism, Christianity and other religions, and advocating the implementation of Sharia law shall in all cases be punishable by fines, imprisonment, deportation, and death as prescribed by Congress. Violent expressions of these and other Muslim goals, or the material support of those both in the United States and around the world who seek to advance these Islamic goals shall be punishable by death.

    Muslims will be denied the opportunity to immigrate to the United States.

    Article IV

    Nothing in this amendment shall be construed as authorizing the discrimination against, of violence upon, nor repudiation of the individual rights of those Americans professing to be Muslim. The individual right of conscience is sacrosanct and the practice of Islam within the privacy of home and self is strictly protected to the extent that such individuals do not violate the prohibitions described in Article III.

  • littleleers

    I particularly am offended that the United States allows the building of Wahhabi mosques here. Wahhabi Islam is a Sunni sect and is the MOST violent and vile form of Islam. It is what the Taliban is, it is what the 911 terrorists were, and it is what the “insurgents' fighting our troops happen to be.

    Wahhabi was birthed in Saudi Arabia. Saudi sharia law is strict Wahhabism. Saudi Arabia makes it a crime to have a bible and certainly will not allow the existence of a single church or synagogue in their 7th century country. Even as bad as Iran is(and it is very bad)…there are at least a couple of synagogues and churches there (not that Iran is any pillar of freedom). Why do Saudis get to build their radical Wahhabi mosques, There is a Wahhabi mosque only blocks from my house, funded by a Saudi Sheik! Westerners need to concentrate on wiping out the evil of Wahhabi.

blog comments powered by Disqus