Home Islam How to Reform Islam
Home Islam How to Reform Islam

How to Reform Islam

There is no discussing Islam without discussing the Moderate Muslim. Like the Tooth Fairy or Santa Claus, the Moderate Muslim is often a topic of conversation, but rarely has much to say about himself. And even those who note that the Moderate Muslim is somewhat less in evidence than the Dodo or the Mammoth, turn instead to the project of reforming Islam.



It is of course possible to reform Islam. It is also possible to reform a serial killer. It is however not likely, and certainly not safe to stake your serial-killer prevention strategy on letting the serial killer run free, while you try and talk to him about the virtues of not cutting off people's heads and wearing their skin.

For over a thousand years Islam has been the serial killer of world civilization, decimating entire cultures and religions, practicing ethnic cleansing, genocide, terrorism and endless war. Islam is currently involved directly or indirectly in conflicts or terrorism on virtually every continent. Modern Islamist movements have fused the modern tools of war from IED's to Lawfare to Social Media, with ancient fanatical beliefs blended with the leavings of National Socialism and Communism to create a global killing machine.

Now how do you go about reforming something like that? A rational proposal for reforming Islam must first begin by asking why proposals to reform Islam have gotten nowhere before.

The simple answer is that it's because the unreformed version of Islam is far too success for there to be much of a market for a reformed version. Al Capone wasn't interested in reform when he was shoveling in money hand over fist. The old blood and guts version of Islam is doing better than ever around the world, more so than any pale reformed versions.

The Wahhabis have shown that it's possible to live in America or the UK, get a degree as a doctor, preach terrorism and still get educated at the infidel's expense. The infidels will then fast during Ramadan to avoid offending you, ignore your incitement to violence and look the other way when you send money to terrorists. They will draw the line when you actually open fire or set off a car bomb-- but not to the extent of looking at your mosque or at Islam itself.

If you can be an Islamic extremist while finding career success in the West. If you can be an Islamic extremist and get an invitation to the White House or 10 Downing Street. If you can be an Islamic extremist and still have liberals compete to defend you and promote your agenda-- what possible reason is there for reform?

Non-Muslims may want Islam to reform, but why would Muslims want Islam to reform? The key to answering that question is also the key to reforming Islam.


Right now Muslims, particularly those in the West, have very little incentive to reform Islam. And you can thank the Cult of Tolerance and its ugly sibling, Political Correctness for that. If anything, violence and extremism has actually made Islam more successful by intimidating and extracting more concessions from the Dar Al Harb.

Religions typically reform due to internal pressure, but where is that pressure supposed to come from in the Muslim world? Yes there is a great deal of oppression within Islam, but that oppression is more than balanced out by the benefit that the oppressors gain within the system. For every 11 year old girl married off to a 40 year old man, there is a 40 year old man who is marrying an 11 year old girl. For every second wife who is beaten and humiliated, there is a first wife who enjoys her status. For every honor killing, there is an Imam. And so on and so forth.


Iran has demonstrated that given time the public would turn on an Islamist regime. But that would require waiting so that the inhabitants of every Muslim country wind up living under an Islamist regime, allowing them all to see what that would be like long enough for them to rise up and overthrow it. The obvious hole in this plan is that until the end game, the result would make the Cold War look like a water polo match with a nuclear armed Caliphate dominating a major portion of the globe. And then there's the question of letting Europe be taken over and turned into Eurabia long enough for the grandchildren of those haunting the Finsbury Park Mosque decide that maybe living under Sharia law isn't the solution to all human ills.

So where does all that leave us? With a partial answer. There is a way to reform Islam, but it requires turning up the temperature high enough to make actual reform seem like a good alternative. France's attempt to ban the Burqa is a partial but rather weak step in that direction, by making life as a full-on Muslim incompatible with enjoying the benefits of life in the West.

But the answer isn't quite that simple. We can narrow down three reasons for the current spread and vigor of Islam.

1. Militancy - Militant belief systems are more likely to pick up followers than dishwater ones. Islamic militancy has helped it crush any attempts at moderation, and seem appealing to Western converts by contrast with their liberalized and reformed religions.

2. Western Appeasement - By accommodating Islamic extremists, our societies have effectively surrendered to them by demonstrating that it is possible to have the best of both worlds. To enjoy the economic fruits of a Western lifestyle without compromising on Islamic beliefs and practices in any way.

3. Saudi Money - The influx of oil money and the challenge of domestic terrorism has caused the Saudi royal family, the Guardians of Mecca to spread Islam through the Wahhabi takeover of mosques, which insures that the more aggressive version of Islam will be well funded and backed by the diplomatic power of the House of Saud.


To neutralize the first two reasons, we have to change ourselves first, rather than changing Islam. Only if we cease to appease and tolerate Islamism, is Islamization likely to falter. By turning up the temperature and making life hard for Islam in the West, we can force some reforms, out of necessity, if not out of moral conviction. The third reason requires us to wean ourselves off oil while confronting and neutralizing Saudi Arabia, the UAE and any Muslim oil nations that export Islam abroad.

What exactly does reforming Islam mean? At her talk Wafa Sultan said that reforming Islam would essentially require creating a new religion and calling it Islam. And that is the problem with any attempt at Islamic reforms, unlike most religions, militancy is the heart of Islam. You cannot remove expansionism and Jihad, without removing the roots of Islam in Mohammed's murderous hordes spreading death and fear around the world. And yet that is exactly what reform requires, to create a version of Islam in which its social and ritualistic aspects are stripped of violence, intolerance and war.

This would require significantly rewriting or abrogating the Koran. Simply deemphasizing sections of it or treating them as metaphors, would open the door for the old blood and guts version of Islam to come roaring back at the first sign of outside weakness. As has already happened in the past. It would require changes to Muslim prayers and the undoing of the Muslim sense of superiority to the "infidels" and "people of the book".

Is it impossible? The Islamization going on around us is part of a well funded effort by Muslim countries that decided that exporting Jihad and Islam was in their interest. Demonstrating to them that not only is it not in their interest, but that it will ultimately destroy them by cutting them off from the tourism and trade that is the only thing keeping them from eating their own camels, is far more likely to make it happen than anything else. Similarly Muslims abroad must be made to realize that they face a choice between embracing a version of Islam that can co-exist with their neighbors, or a boat back to wherever they came from.


While Islamic reform is not the likeliest or best option, the best chance for it to take place is as a byproduct of the rejection of appeasement and the tolerance of Islamism by the First World. If it is made decisively clear that Islam stands in the way of trade, tourism and immigration, reform may happen. If pressure is applied to make sure that this reform is more than a few interfaith lectures and an audience of men and women, typical of the sort of phony show reforms the Saudis put on for American politicians and reporters-- it may even lead to something.

But regardless of whether or not Muslims choose to reform their religion, we must resist Islamization as if there were no reform possible. And as a paradox only by doing so, can Islam ever be reformed.

Comments

  1. Shiloh6/12/09

    Daniel, I think that's where Esav comes in and the 1.3 billion or so on each side duke it out. Hope it's just around the corner, then we won't have to worry about it. Shavua Tov.

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  2. Anonymous7/12/09

    "For over a thousand years Islam has been the serial killer of world civilization"

    Ye - if you call 1000 years of medieval and then post-enlightenment Nazi Christendom "civilization".

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  3. There is no such thing as moderate Islam. What Islam is, can be found in the koran.

    The only way to reform Islam is to smash it with weaponry to such an extent that Moslems will no longer have the chuzpah that they have now.

    Whether we use conventional or thermonuclear weapons is immaterial. As long as we can get the job done.

    For a start, We must remove all Moslems from our countries. We must outlaw the ideology called "Islam" as an enemy ideology.

    We must send those who espouse Islam either slinking back chastened into the shitholes that they have made of their own lands or, should they offer resistance, as they will, left as corpses or charred patches wherever they are found.

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  4. Anonymous7/12/09

    While the world considers Jews to be rich people and expects them to help others or will call them greedy, the World dosn't make demnands of rich Islamic countries with all that oil money to be responsible for helping others. Ever here of Saudi Arabia or Egytpt or Iran ever being expected to help any poor or hungry people in the world? They dont' even help their own poor neighbors like Yemen or Afghanistan or Pakistan (they do build some mosques there for spreading radicalism thought)and they are never being demonized by the Western people and considered greedy. Therefore Isalmic countries don't feel bad about not even helping other poor Moslems. The West helps poor Moslems and they use their money for spreading their ideology. (for example Iran and Saudis send money and arms for Hamas terrorists and the EU and U.S provide them with food and health and education for their kids. If they dont', Gaza people will expect Saudis and other Islamic countries to send them real help instead of arms)
    In Swiss people have started demanding Moslems to respect the culture of their hosts or face their opposition, and in long term they will show respect and responsiblity toward other humans instead of wanting to dominate them and force their religion on them. demand is the key issue.

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  5. miriam7/12/09

    I also liked Wafa Sultan's idea of translating the Koran ( I would add maybe with a forward about noting the lack of compassion or something)to the various languages that non-Arabic Muslims know.

    The only problem with that is that most are probably illiterate. A radio program if people could have access to it, perhaps is better.

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  6. http://sioe.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/jews-please-come-to-the-harrow-demo/

    Jews in London please come to the Stop Islamisation demo

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  7. The best argument is the economic one: free the West from oil dependency would shut the sheikhs down very quickly.

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  8. Interesting piece, thanks.

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  9. Joe from Toronto7/12/09

    islam CAN NOT be reformed. Period.

    Two reasons...

    1. muslims believe the koran is an exact copy of a book in heaven ('umm al-khatib' ....mother of the book) that is perfect for all of eternity.

    2. muslims consider mohammed to be 'al-insan al-kamil'. Roughly translated it means 'the perfect human/man'...
    EVERYTHING he did (wars, slaves, polygamy, childbride Aisha, genocide, executions, etc) serves as an example for muslims to follow. (surah 33:21)

    To argue against either of these facts, as a muslim, is to ostracize yourself from fellow muslims. That's in the West. Doing so in a muslim country or muslim majority is signing your own death certificate.

    Just some musings from an atheist who has read the koran, all of the hadiths, and is well aquainted with islamic history. ;)

    BTW, great article. I'd love to believe islam can be reformed, but facts and islam's track record seem to say otherwise.

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  10. Sultan,
    Nice work as usual. Since Islam is a theology of extremes where death is actually nurtured (what an oxymoron!) there can be no middle ground. Those who wish to live in peace are forced to war against those who wish to kill them off. Islam is wicked; the ultimate evil against good. There is no good outcome here and, sadly, the total annihilation of Islam is the ONLY answer. Digesting that is disturbing and unthinkable to peaceful people even as the unfortunate truth.

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  11. "Joe from Toronto" is correct. Every pathology that afflicts Islam can be traced directly back to its barbarian prince, Muhammed.

    He set the moral standard for Islam and all Muslims, yet Muhammed was a sadistic sociopath, a murderer, a slaver, kidnapper, an amputator, a mutilator, a decapitator, a looting thief, a rapist, a sexual deviant, a child rapist, a sex trafficker, a perfidious liar, a genocidist and a self proclaimed terrorist.

    Muhammeds barbaric legacy is the 1,400 ISLAMIC WORLD WAR that rages on every continent except Antarctica, against everyone and everything “non-Islamic”. Let’s look at the facts:

    Let’s look at the facts:

    Islam against:
    - the Catholics in the Philippines (routine slaughter & beheadings)
    - the Christians in Indonesia (routine slaughter & beheadings)
    - Australian tourists in Bali (blown up…twice)
    - the Buddhists in Thailand (routine slaughter & beheadings)
    - the Hindus & Sikhs in India (hundreds of years battling the Islamic Jihad)
    - the Jews in Mumbai (slaughtered)
    - the Zoroastrians & Baha’i in Iran (virtually exterminated)
    - Islamic converts to Christianity in Afghanistan (death fatwa)
    - ancient Buddhist statues in Bamiyan, Afghanistan (blown up)
    - the Chaldean Christians in Iraq (routine persecution, slaughter & church burnings)
    - the Jews in Israel (routine attacks against civilians, threat of 2nd genocide)
    - the Jews in Yemen (nearly exterminated)
    - S. Korean & German tourists in Yemen (blown up)
    - the Coptic Christians in Egypt (routine persecution, slaughter & church attacks)
    - the Christians & animists in Sudan (genocide)
    - the Christians in Kenya (constant Jihadist threat from Obama’s homies)
    - the Christians in Nigeria (routine Jihadist attacks)
    - U.S. embassies in Tanzania & Kenya (blown up)
    - the athiests in Europe (the prime target)
    - the native French in Paris (torched car terrorism)
    - Jews in Paris (read the grisly story of Ilan Halimi, a Jewish shop clerk who was kidnapped, tortured and killed in 2006)
    - the native Swedes in Malmo (Islamic rape brigades)
    - the native Dutch in Amsterdam (routinely terrorized)
    - Dutch politicians (Geert Wilders & Ayyan Hirsi Ali – death fatwa)
    - Dutch cinematographers (Theo vanGogh savagely murdered by an Islamist in broad daylight)
    - Dutch cartoonists (Kurt Westergaard – death fatwa)
    - Dutch newspaper editors (Flemming Rose, Jyllands-Posten’s culture editor – death fatwa)
    - Train commuters in Spain (blown up)
    - Tube commuters in London (blown up)
    - Airports in Scotland (blown up)
    - Jews in Argentina (blown up)
    - Jews in Caracas (blown up)
    - Twin Tower office workers in N.Y. (blown up – twice)
    - Defense workers in the Pentagon (blown up – airliner jihad)
    - Army/Navy military recruiters in Little Rock (gunned down by an Islamist)
    - Soldiers in F.t Hood Texas (gunned down by an Islamist)
    - Pedestrians at the U. of N. Carolina (run down with an SUV by Islamist)
    - Journalists like Daniel Pearl (savagely decapitated by Islamists)
    - Nick Berg, Kim Sung-il, Piotr Stanczyk, Jack Hensley, Eugene Armstrong, Paul Johnson (savagely decapitated by Islamists)
    - Jewish centers in Seattle (slaughtered by Islamist Jihadist)
    - Jewish centers in Toronto (slaughtered by Islamist Jihadist)
    And on, and on, and on……….

    It is Islam against everyone, everything, everywhere that is not Islamic.

    It is Dar al-Islam against Dar al-Harb. Them against us, not us against them.

    THE ISLAMIC WORLD WAR – mandated by Allah & Muhammed in the Koran & Ahadith: Bukhari (8:387) – Allah’s Apostle Muhammed said, “I have been ordered to fight the people till they say: ‘None has the right to be worshipped but Allah

    Let’s face the facts and call it what it is. It is not a ‘War on Terror’ against a few ragtag misunderstanders of Islam. It is nothing less than: THE ISLAMIC WORLD WAR.

    THE ISLAMIC WORLD WAR – Muhammed’s legacy - it's real.

    ~ The Infidel Alliance

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  12. My dear, I came across ur blog today itself, and I'm glad to see that at least our Jewish and Christian brethren have the vision to recognize this deadly malady called Islam for what it is actually and the guts to call a spade a spade. I am a Hindu atheist from India, where idiotic 'pseudo-secularist' governments leave no stone unturned to appease this murderous religion because by reproducing like bacteria, these bastards have turned themselves into vote banks. So Indian govt. agencies turn a blind eye to the plight of Hindu Pandits barbarically ousted from Kashmir by Islamic militants and made refugees in their own homeland. What is more, if anyone dares to point a finger to the atrocious and traitorous activities of these bastards, selfish and short-sighted politicos channel all their powers to shut one up. The only way you can cure a cancer is by weeding out every single cancerous cell out of your body and the same applies to Islam. Wherever on earth these psychos are in a majority, they are showing their true colours- be it oppression of Jews in the Middle-East or Hindus and Sikhs in Pakistan and Bangladesh. And they are just waiting to become a majority in other parts, which, given their phenomenal proliferation rate, is a not so remote possibility. Islam must be dealt with the vengeance it deserves- that is the only language these orang-utans are likely to understand.

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  13. Anonymous18/12/10

    READ WHY ISLAM CANNOT BE REFORMED

    New Book On Islam 980 Pages: ISLAM EVIL IN THE NAME OF GOD
    Go to: www.godofmoralperfection.net or for kindle/paperback to amazon.com

    SHORT SYNOPSIS

    By Denying The Existence of Evil You Become An Accomplice To Evil

    “Hold to the Truth. Speak Without Fear”

    IT’S RONALD REAGAN TIME
    SHOW ISLAM NO RESPECT
    YOU ARE NOT US

    President Roosevelt said in his 1932 inaugural address
    “Only Thing We Have To Fear Is Fear Itself”.

    Well - IT’S TIME TO FEAR FEAR

    DESTROY THE QURAN
    OR BE DESTROYED BY IT
    (READ THE BOOK MAJOR PUBLISHERS WILL NEVER PUBLISH AND MEDIA WILL NEVER DISCUSS. THIS BOOK IS A VICTIM OF STEALTH CENSURESHIP. FREEDOM IS DYING. WORRY DON’T BE HAPPY)

    SHAME ON US
    WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE
    WHAT KIND OF SOCIETY HAVE WE DEGENERATED INTO

    GOD IS NOT A CRIMINAL
    GOD IS NOT A MALE CHAUVINIST PIG ONLY A GOD OF MORAL PERFECTION™ IS GOD

    UNITED STATES, ISRAEL AND EUROPE ARE FIGHTING THE QURAN FOR THEIR NATIONAL SURVIVAL

    WHY THE IGNORING BY AMERICAN POLITICAL
    AND MILITARY LEADERSHIP OF THE TEACHINGS OF THE QURAN THAT LED TO THE MASSACRE OF 9/11 AND ARE BEING USED TO MURDER AND PLOT THE MURDER OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF US SOLDIERS AND TENS OF MILLIONS OF US CITZENS IS CRIMINAL

    Read The Myth of Moderate Muslims

    Read The Myth of Reforming Islam

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous22/4/13

    When you have a cancer what do you do , you cut it out ,until you do it will only grow , to allow it to grow is to commit suicide , wipe the world clean of this scorge upon the earth once and for all give no quarter in the . process

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous1/5/14

    Agreed there is no other choice , give no quarter .

    ReplyDelete

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