Is islamism really different from islam?

Submitted by François Eiffel/FFL (United Kingdom), Nov 1, 2007 at 07:41

Dear Daniel Pipes,

I go back to this "old" article because I would like to put to you three questions regarding the difference constantly being made in the western media between "islam" and "islamism".

A difference that I think is artificial.

Please note that while I am not an islamologist, I try to honestly educate myself about islam. At this point I do not speak or read Arabic.

On to the questions...

1) In the Quran or Hadiths, are there different words to differentiate between islam and islamism, and between muslim and islamist? (And if yes, what are they, and are they used in different types of contexts or according to a different spirit or status, in a consistent manner?)

2) What are the orders/rules/precepts in the Quran that are explicitely for islamists only, and not for muslims?

3) What are the actions performed exclusively by islamists that contradict the precepts (prescriptions/rules etc) of the Quran and Hadiths? (Bearing in mind the interdiction of interpretation and the principle of abrogation, both explicit in the Quran).

Best regards.

FFL.

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