I think we should make a differential between Muslims and Muslim extremists. Just to keep it fair.
The single most important thing in a critique of Islam is to distinguish between Muslims (
people) and Islam (
ideology):
To phrase it very simple:
There are moderate muslims, but there is no moderate Islam
Most Muslims are just people like you and me, neither worse nor better, and just wanting to live a decent life.
The problem is with the ideology, the violent, intolerant and totalitarian nature of Islam - violent: the concept of
Jihad, war against non-muslims - intolerant: the concept of
Dhimmi, islamic apartheid - totalitarian:
Sharia, islamic law - some detailed info on these aspects in
this post.
The failure to make a distinction between Muslims and Islam itself often has the result, that a justified critique of Islam (ideology) too often is met with allegations of offending or insulting Muslims (people), in order to silence such critique. This is most aptly used, and misused, by the more fanatic part of the Muslims.
The problem with Islam is not so much the terrorism that it fuels, but the massive suppression of ordinary people (including Muslims) in societies under Islamic rule, and to some extent also areas with high concentration of Muslims in some western countries.
The holy scripts of Islam - the
Qur'an,
Ahadith and the
Sira (life) of Mohamed - all clearly states that no interpretation of Islam is possible, because the teachings and commands of those scripts are eternal and universal valid, and any critique are considered
ziddiq (heretical), the penalty according to Sharia being death.
So many (moderate) muslims just keep silent, and only very few muslims dare protest against the oppression inherent in Islam ... only a few dare to speak out against Islam, even under threat of death - people like Salman Rushdie, Ibn Warraq, Taslima Nashrin, Irshad Manji, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Wafa Sultan ... though the list seems to grow at an increasing rate.
Edited by Námo, 25 April 2010 - 08:06 AM.